BleedGopher
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per Sid:
The shutdown of all sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything for coaches and players around the United States.
And while everyone is on an even playing field for the foreseeable future when it comes to college athletics, when it comes to Gophers football, coach P.J. Fleck’s squad is being put at a real disadvantage for two reasons.
One is that Fleck has shown himself to be a great developer of talent and one of the best gameplan coaches in the country, so the potential loss of spring practices and the spring game could really hurt the team if they in fact lose all that teaching time. Fleck has said he could see spring practice potentially beginning again as late as June, so the spring hasn’t been lost yet.
The second reason is that the Gophers are bringing in so many new coaches, and this time at the start of the year is vital to getting everyone on the same page.
The three biggest hires to the staff were Mike Sanford Jr., the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach; cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes; and defensive line coach Chad Wilt.
You have to imagine that for the Gophers staff — who are working with not only their current roster but also with players who finished up their senior seasons but are still in school, not to mention incoming freshmen who enrolled in college early — this is a very trying time.
The Gophers were supposed to have their spring game April 4 at TCF Bank Stadium, but with that no longer taking place the coaching staff has primarily been focused on recruiting calls. The NCAA has banned in-person recruiting as well.
Earlier this month, Fleck said this about the demands that were already on his incoming freshmen before the sports shutdown.
“They just got here a few months ago, they’re adapting to new life in terms of being able to adapt to college life and college football and all the expectations we have for them,” Fleck said. “But they’re doing a good job. We’ll find out more and who is going to be able to help us once we get through spring ball.”
The fact that the team has been unable to get through spring ball is going to make things more difficult once the ban on activities is lifted by the NCAA.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
The shutdown of all sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything for coaches and players around the United States.
And while everyone is on an even playing field for the foreseeable future when it comes to college athletics, when it comes to Gophers football, coach P.J. Fleck’s squad is being put at a real disadvantage for two reasons.
One is that Fleck has shown himself to be a great developer of talent and one of the best gameplan coaches in the country, so the potential loss of spring practices and the spring game could really hurt the team if they in fact lose all that teaching time. Fleck has said he could see spring practice potentially beginning again as late as June, so the spring hasn’t been lost yet.
The second reason is that the Gophers are bringing in so many new coaches, and this time at the start of the year is vital to getting everyone on the same page.
The three biggest hires to the staff were Mike Sanford Jr., the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach; cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes; and defensive line coach Chad Wilt.
You have to imagine that for the Gophers staff — who are working with not only their current roster but also with players who finished up their senior seasons but are still in school, not to mention incoming freshmen who enrolled in college early — this is a very trying time.
The Gophers were supposed to have their spring game April 4 at TCF Bank Stadium, but with that no longer taking place the coaching staff has primarily been focused on recruiting calls. The NCAA has banned in-person recruiting as well.
Earlier this month, Fleck said this about the demands that were already on his incoming freshmen before the sports shutdown.
“They just got here a few months ago, they’re adapting to new life in terms of being able to adapt to college life and college football and all the expectations we have for them,” Fleck said. “But they’re doing a good job. We’ll find out more and who is going to be able to help us once we get through spring ball.”
The fact that the team has been unable to get through spring ball is going to make things more difficult once the ban on activities is lifted by the NCAA.
Gophers football is on pause before big campaign
A year of great promise has been put on hold, presenting a challenge for P.J. Fleck's staff.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!