SI: Gophers' PJ Fleck: Without NIL money, we can't keep team intact

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BleedGopher

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Per Joe:

"Things have completely changed and I think people have to put their head around them in college football of 2021 is not even close to where college football is in 2023. Especially in roster management, depth," Fleck said at his Monday press conference, 48 hours after his Gophers were crushed 49-30 by a Purdue team that had two wins and hadn't scored more than 14 points in a game in more than a month.

Fleck elaborated when he appeared as a guest on KFAN radio in the Twin Cities later Monday morning and was asked if Minnesota's NIL money is "non-existent."

"I wouldn't say non-existent. I think we have so many donors and boosters and friends of our program and alumni who care so much about us that have done a great job of donating to NIL. But in the new NIL world, if you're not the leader in NIL and not have the NIL funds, 1) you're not going to be able to keep your team intact and 2) you're not going to be able to bring anyone in. That's the facts of it. It's NFL free agency with no salary cap and no rules. That's the simple fact of it," Fleck said.

"You can look around the country and some of our best players that were here are best players somewhere else. And not only that, guys that are on our team right now, I hope we can hang on to. And we're going to do everything we can to do that. But the new world, like college football in 2023 and 2024 coming up with the new Big Ten, it's not even close to where college football was in 2021. It's a completely different era, and that's what matters. Whether you like it or don't like, you disagree or agree with it, that is what is driving college football right now.

"And people are stacking up and loading up on their rosters with massive NIL. I think [athletics director Mark Coyle], our athletic department, have done a great job of making people aware of it. This year was definitely better than last year in what we've been able to raise with NIL, our collective is doing a great job. That's the No. 1 most important thing right now in holding onto your roster and creating a roster right now as this whole new era of college football shapes into the future."


Go Gophers!!
 


We clearly don't have the money folks here in Minnesota that will support University Athletics in comparison to other colleges. This is a huge rabbit hole of a problem.
 






#2Gopher said:
We clearly don't have the money folks here in Minnesota that will support University Athletics in comparison to other colleges. This is a huge rabbit hole of a problem.
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This and what Fleck said may be true but this is the new world of NIL.

There is a ceiling on what this program can reach but the powers that be including the head coach need to figure out how to play the hand they’ve been dealt to stay competitive.
 
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What a bunch of crap. Who are all these "best players" we lost other than Bucky. And, we replaced him just fine last year and this year until injuries. No one in the West, where we currently are, has a huge NIL. What a stupid excuse.

Will we need NIL in the future, sure. But this has nothing to do with getting blown out by Purdue, who had a decimated offensive line and no NIL lineman to step in.
 

scools12 said:
This and what Fleck said may be true but this is the new world of NIL.

There is a ceiling on what this program can reach but the powers that be including the head coach need to figure out how to play be the hand they’ve been dealt to stay competitive.
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Yeah. Or they leave. Or they fail.
 

Tucker32 said:
What a bunch of crap. Who are all these "best players" we lost other than Bucky. And, we replaced him just fine last year and this year until injuries. No one in the West, where we currently are, has a huge NIL. What a stupid excuse.

Will we need NIL in the future, sure. But this has nothing to do with getting blown out by Purdue, who had a decimated offensive line and no NIL lineman to step in.
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Did he say the loss had anything to do with NIL? I didn't hear that. So I believe he's being proactive and that's a good thing.
 




Here’s my problem. I’m a loyal Gopher fan because it is my alma mater. I spent five years on campus. Loyalty. Team spirit. Do they still exist? I’m not playing so I’m leaving. I’m not getting enough NIL money so I’m leaving. Yet, I, the fan am expected to shell out thousands of dollars on season tickets. I could see all the games in person and pay a lot less. They keep adding teams to the Big 10. Teams that will get the big NIL like USC, UCLA, Oregon. Sounds like we’ll never compete. It’s getting harder to get excited about Gopher Football. Apparently the full scholarship to the University of Minnesota isn’t as valuable as it used to be, and that’s a shame.
 


#93fanclub said:
Here’s my problem. I’m a loyal Gopher fan because it is my alma mater. I spent five years on campus. Loyalty. Team spirit. Do they still exist? I’m not playing so I’m leaving. I’m not getting enough NIL money so I’m leaving. Yet, I, the fan am expected to shell out thousands of dollars on season tickets. I could see all the games in person and pay a lot less. They keep adding teams to the Big 10. Teams that will get the big NIL like USC, UCLA, Oregon. Sounds like we’ll never compete. It’s getting harder to get excited about Gopher Football. Apparently the full scholarship to the University of Minnesota isn’t as valuable as it used to be, and that’s a shame.
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It’s true.
That doesn’t stop fans in the nfl though. In fact there are more fans.

But they have rules and regulations in place to legislate fairness.

College football will be the worst of both worlds soon
 

Sparlimb said:
Agreed. Big Donors aren't going to be giving millions per year to snot nose freshmen just to see them transfer away. It will calm down over time.
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And they ain’t outbidding schools willing to dump $80m into the fire.


Having said that I did join Dinky Town Athletics.
 
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Go Gophers Rah said:
I would buy this against "the big boys."
But...
I doubt that Northwestern, Illinois or Purdue are doing any better than us, so why make that argument in light of losses like these?
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I heard him on PA this morning, he was referring to the fact that we've been gutted of a lot of talent, experience, and depth the last few seasons and its killed the depth chart. Young linebackers being forced to play way sooner than intended was also brought up. Also stated good luck keeping our current star players with the big boys being able to essentially load up on NIL and bring in anyone they want. It makes sense. He said if we had retained everyone over the last two years this would be an entirely different team, and I think there's a good chunk of truth to that
 

Tucker32 said:
What a bunch of crap. Who are all these "best players" we lost other than Bucky. And, we replaced him just fine last year and this year until injuries. No one in the West, where we currently are, has a huge NIL. What a stupid excuse.

Will we need NIL in the future, sure. But this has nothing to do with getting blown out by Purdue, who had a decimated offensive line and no NIL lineman to step in.
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You have to admit that even though we didn't lose any major players other than Bucky the mid tier guys we lost killed our depth and experience. Guys who wouldn't normally be playing yet due to our lack of depth are causing us to be exposed. It absolutely factors into our record
 

That's true.

Doesn't Purdue have the same problem?

How do we explain the coverage call to put a safety on a top, fast receiver in a sprint to the endzone? Does d coordinator need more green?
 

Fleck needs to look around. It’s not ‘Boosters’ that are gonna solve this for him. Until Minnesota’s offensive line is on a billboard with milk mustaches, I refuse to believe that he’s actually trying.

This should be -such- a huge inflection point and I see nothing happening other than Fleck begging for money (which is better than nothing, but he can find someone to do more)
 
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mngg11 said:
You have to admit that even though we didn't lose any major players other than Bucky the mid tier guys we lost killed our depth and experience. Guys who wouldn't normally be playing yet due to our lack of depth are causing us to be exposed. It absolutely factors into our record
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Willis has been particularly problematic
 

MplsGopher said:
Loyalty is out the window.

We need player contracts. You go to your first P5 school, you have to stay for 2 or 3 years (depending on redshirt).

Collectively bargained and agreed to by a P5 players union.
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Easier way to do it would just be to make any player sit out a full year for transferring but not have them lose eligibility
 

hello-world said:
Fleck needs to look around. It’s not ‘Boosters’ that are gonna solve this for him. Until Minnesota’s offensive line is on a billboard with milk mustaches, I refuse to believe that he’s actually trying.
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I must be missing some context here because I don't understand what you're saying at all.
 


Some guy said:
It’s true.
That doesn’t stop fans in the nfl though. In fact there are more fans.

But they have rules and regulations in place to legislate fairness.

College football will be the worst of both worlds soon
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If the NCAA can put regulations in I don’t have faith they will.

It probably changes high school recruiting too.

Some programs might be interested in a kid but why offer now when you can let someone else develop him for a couple years and if he turns into a player potentially land him then.

The developmental programs like the U will become feeder programs.
 





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