Souhan: Gophers coach P.J. Fleck must prove he can win with his own defensive recruits

[BleedGopher]

per Souhan:


Every Minnesota coaching staff seems to have a positional weakness. Glen Mason was exceptional at finding running back and offensive line talent but his defenses often lagged. Kill and Claeys excelled at finding defensive backs but struggled to build a passing game. Tim Brewster accumulated physical talent but didn’t know how to coach it.

From this point forward, Fleck can be judged as a coach of his own recruits. If the Michigan game was an accurate indication, he might not want to be judged on his defensive players for another season or two.

“I don’t like the result, I don’t like all the rushing yards,” Fleck said, “but this is a step by step process.

“… The tackling has to improve and will improve. We’ll get better.

“… Everything we’re talking about starts with me. I make the decisions on who plays and where we’re headed as a program. Guys need to be able to mature pretty quickly when they’re in there, and we will.”

That theory might not be tested against a woeful Maryland offense, but it will be tested at some point over the next two months.

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck must prove he can win with his own defensive recruits

P.J. Fleck already has made good on many of his promises at Minnesota. But there is a difference between one exceptional season and winning every year

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[short ornery norwegian]

He's got a point.

it's a bit of a catch-22 for the Fleck boosters. On the one hand, they say Fleck & company should get credit for developing the players that Kill and Claeys recruited.

But - on the other hand - if Fleck is recruiting at a higher level than Kill and Claeys, and the staff does such a good job of developing players, then they shouldn't be looking at a big drop-off after the players from the previous staff have graduated.

we shall see.

 

[gophernut1]

I read an article - will try to find and post later - that showed how Fleck really is in year 2/3 of recruiting talent for this team. It showed how his first class 2017 is almost non-existent on the current roster. either through transfers, departures or being passed by other people we recruited. While I do think our defense is better than what it showed vs. Michigan. I think this will be the worst year we have under PJ for a while on defense.

 

[MplsGopher]

I read an article - will try to find and post later - that showed how Fleck really is in year 2/3 of recruiting talent for this team. It showed how his first class 2017 is almost non-existent on the current roster. either through transfers, departures or being passed by other people we recruited. While I do think our defense is better than what it showed vs. Michigan. I think this will be the worst year we have under PJ for a while on defense.

Recruiting is lagged, as well. For example, the 2020 class I believe was mostly locked up before our great 2019 season.

So you could say, potentially, the 2021 class and onward is where we should really start kicking ass.

 

[MaxyJR1]

He's got a point.

it's a bit of a catch-22 for the Fleck boosters. On the one hand, they say Fleck & company should get credit for developing the players that Kill and Claeys recruited.

But - on the other hand - if Fleck is recruiting at a higher level than Kill and Claeys, and the staff does such a good job of developing players, then they shouldn't be looking at a big drop-off after the players from the previous staff have graduated.

we shall see.

That 2016 class will go down a arguably the best MN instate/local tie class in the history of this program. It really was a group of kids that wanted to be Gophers.

Carter Coughlin -No Redshirt
Seth Green HS QB
Tyler Johnson HS QB No Redshirt
Sam Schlueter-
Kamal Martin-HS QB No Redshirt
Drew Hmielewski
Philip Howard-HS QB
Connor Olson
Thomas Barber-No Redshirt
Antoine Winfield- No Redshirt

That class benefitted two coaching staffs.

 

[Some guy]

He's got a point.

it's a bit of a catch-22 for the Fleck boosters. On the one hand, they say Fleck & company should get credit for developing the players that Kill and Claeys recruited.

But - on the other hand - if Fleck is recruiting at a higher level than Kill and Claeys, and the staff does such a good job of developing players, then they shouldn't be looking at a big drop-off after the players from the previous staff have graduated.

we shall see.

It’s the same catch 22 for players like decker

Does Brewster get credit for developing or Mason for recruiting


The constant need for comparison is stupid.



fleck needs to build a good defense regardless of who recruited the players.

 

[Some guy]

That 2016 class will go down a arguably the best MN instate/local tie class in the history of this program. It really was a group of kids that wanted to be Gophers.

Carter Coughlin -No Redshirt
Seth Green HS QB
Tyler Johnson HS QB No Redshirt
Sam Schlueter-
Kamal Martin-HS QB No Redshirt
Drew Hmielewski
Philip Howard-HS QB
Connor Olson
Thomas Barber-No Redshirt
Antoine Winfield- No Redshirt

That class benefitted two coaching staffs.

Agreed

 

[LakerFan]

That 2016 class will go down a arguably the best MN instate/local tie class in the history of this program. It really was a group of kids that wanted to be Gophers.

Carter Coughlin -No Redshirt
Seth Green HS QB
Tyler Johnson HS QB No Redshirt
Sam Schlueter-
Kamal Martin-HS QB No Redshirt
Drew Hmielewski
Philip Howard-HS QB
Connor Olson
Thomas Barber-No Redshirt
Antoine Winfield- No Redshirt

That class benefitted two coaching staffs.

You can see the holes in that class. No dominant dline players. But you supported it with solid linebacking and a once in a generation safety.

This year we are still waiting for a dominant dline to emerge and we are learning on the job at linebacker. We can win games but need huge improvement at both those spots to win a game that matters.

 

[spackler]

Soupcan sucks

 

[forever a gopher]

It’s the same catch 22 for players like decker

Does Brewster get credit for developing or Mason for recruiting


The constant need for comparison is stupid.



fleck needs to build a good defense regardless of who recruited the players.

This. The previous regime isn’t here. I don’t know why it has to be a constant rehashing. Fleck is here now. If he can’t recruit or develop those recruits, he won’t last.

 

[Stan]

Soupcan sucks

This.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

I read an article - will try to find and post later - that showed how Fleck really is in year 2/3 of recruiting talent for this team. It showed how his first class 2017 is almost non-existent on the current roster. either through transfers, departures or being passed by other people we recruited. While I do think our defense is better than what it showed vs. Michigan. I think this will be the worst year we have under PJ for a while on defense.

Specifically on defense right? That class was built in 3 weeks, and still included Morgan, Ibrahim, Autman-Bell, Andries, Schmitz, and our current starting DE's.

Fleck inherited a terrible offense and a solid defense, and focused on the offense first. Now the defense is a work in progress, but they have really added some young talent the last two classes, and for next year.

 

[60's Guy]

If we have added defensive talent since Kill/Claeys somebody needs to get them on the field.
We look sooooo s-l-o-w defensively. And sooo out of position. Guys score and we are not in the picture defensively. They look lost mentally and outclassed athletically by such a big margin.
Souhan’s question is valid. Two games maybe is premature to reach a conclusion but we look awful again tonite.

 

[Biggsohnasty]

Soupcan sucks

Yeah but is he wrong in this instance?

 

[Pete smith]

Once again. No linebackers. Sori-Marin couldn’t run down my wife. And she is injuried.