BleedGopher
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2008
- Messages
- 62,361
- Reaction score
- 19,137
- Points
- 113
per Sid:
Q How do you feel about your decision to fire Tracy Claeys and hire P.J. Fleck, do you have any regrets?
A I think it was pretty clear that we needed to make a change with Tracy and his staff. It was a matter of communication with the team and where he was in recruiting, a variety of elements. But then I continue to think we hit a home run with P.J. It is going to take a couple of years to get where he wants to be, but I firmly believe he will lead this program to very high levels.
Q He is good at public relations.
A He has a lot of energy, a motivational style around him that I enjoy a great deal. Not everybody does, not everybody is a P.J. fan, but [athletic director] Mark [Coyle] and I are. I have confidence that he’ll move us forward.
Q What about the “Row the Boat” campaign?
A It’s a catchphrase. It has worked for him in the past. If you look at what he did at Western Michigan that is a pretty remarkable turnaround. He took over a Western Michigan program that was in worse shape than our Gophers program by quite a bit and got them to the Cotton Bowl and one interception away from potentially winning it. That is the guy I want to see coaching our Gophers.
Q Do you get complaints about his style?
A I get a diversity of opinion on almost all topics athletic, I really do. There certainly is a group of people who are disappointed with P.J. and certainly are disappointed with the two losses at the end. I know P.J. is very disappointed in those as well. But changing coaching direction and rebuilding is a process and we need to stick with the time necessary to get that done.
Q Will the program suffer financially going forward? They averaged just over 44,000 fans, ninth in the Big Ten.
A We’ll see. He’s just brought on a new quarterback who looks to be a pretty talented person. A lot of injuries this year, across the receiver core, across the offensive line. We’ll see. I’ve got a lot of confidence that P.J. will get us in a good place next year. We have some strong returning players as well. I’d sign up to be a Gophers fan next year, for sure.
Q Wisconsin beating the Gophers 14 times in a row, someday you have to do something about that?
A You know, Sid, we’re building a $160 million athletic facility, I hired one of the best young coaches in college football, and if we can’t get it done with those two combinations, then there probably really is a jinx and we’re going to have to do something else.
http://www.startribune.com/erick-ka...ys-in-future-for-gophers-athletics/461555863/
Go Gophers!!
Q How do you feel about your decision to fire Tracy Claeys and hire P.J. Fleck, do you have any regrets?
A I think it was pretty clear that we needed to make a change with Tracy and his staff. It was a matter of communication with the team and where he was in recruiting, a variety of elements. But then I continue to think we hit a home run with P.J. It is going to take a couple of years to get where he wants to be, but I firmly believe he will lead this program to very high levels.
Q He is good at public relations.
A He has a lot of energy, a motivational style around him that I enjoy a great deal. Not everybody does, not everybody is a P.J. fan, but [athletic director] Mark [Coyle] and I are. I have confidence that he’ll move us forward.
Q What about the “Row the Boat” campaign?
A It’s a catchphrase. It has worked for him in the past. If you look at what he did at Western Michigan that is a pretty remarkable turnaround. He took over a Western Michigan program that was in worse shape than our Gophers program by quite a bit and got them to the Cotton Bowl and one interception away from potentially winning it. That is the guy I want to see coaching our Gophers.
Q Do you get complaints about his style?
A I get a diversity of opinion on almost all topics athletic, I really do. There certainly is a group of people who are disappointed with P.J. and certainly are disappointed with the two losses at the end. I know P.J. is very disappointed in those as well. But changing coaching direction and rebuilding is a process and we need to stick with the time necessary to get that done.
Q Will the program suffer financially going forward? They averaged just over 44,000 fans, ninth in the Big Ten.
A We’ll see. He’s just brought on a new quarterback who looks to be a pretty talented person. A lot of injuries this year, across the receiver core, across the offensive line. We’ll see. I’ve got a lot of confidence that P.J. will get us in a good place next year. We have some strong returning players as well. I’d sign up to be a Gophers fan next year, for sure.
Q Wisconsin beating the Gophers 14 times in a row, someday you have to do something about that?
A You know, Sid, we’re building a $160 million athletic facility, I hired one of the best young coaches in college football, and if we can’t get it done with those two combinations, then there probably really is a jinx and we’re going to have to do something else.
http://www.startribune.com/erick-ka...ys-in-future-for-gophers-athletics/461555863/
Go Gophers!!