Sporting News: Would you take Ferentz or Minnesota's P.J. Fleck for the next three years?

[BleedGopher]

per Sporting News:

Quick reads
—You can make a case for putting Harbaugh over Franklin knowing that he has a 3-2 advantage head to head and the teams have essentially traded home victories the past four seasons. Penn State is 31-8 the past three seasons. Michigan is 27-12. We'll give the edge to Franklin as a result.


— Iowa's Kirk Ferentz has been embroiled in a controversy in the aftermath of the suspension of strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle. That signals the need for a cultural shift within the program despite winning 10 games last season. Would you take Ferentz or Minnesota's P.J. Fleck for the next three years?

— Nebraska's Scott Frost is slipping down the pecking order a bit after two seasons. He has 15 losses in two seasons. To put that in perspective, Fleck — who jumped into the top 25 of our overall rankings — has 15 losses in three seasons. Frost was not lying about the brick-by-brick rebuild required in Lincoln.

— The Big Ten had 10 coaches ranked in our top 50 in the overall rankings. That's an indicator of conference strength. Indiana's Tom Allen jumped 26 spots to No. 41, and Purdue's Jeff Brohm fell 17 spots to No. 49. When the Indiana schools have coaches in the top 50, that says something.

Big Ten coach rankings for 2020: Ryan Day is No. 1 until proven otherwise | Sporting News

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Go Gophers!!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Not after Kirk's whole "responsibility" thing going on down in Iowa right now.

 

[skiumah1]

I'm taking Fleck easily over Ferentz. I think it's closer between Fleck and Frost. More upside with both Fleck and Frost. I'm not ready to rule out Frost and Nebraska as being able to put something together down there. He's just going into year 3 right now and would expect them to at least find a bowl game. There's no doubt they have some talent on that roster but it's taking some time for him to implement his own culture. Couple years and I think they have a decent program on the up. Behind us.
1. Fleck
2. Frost
3. Ferentz

 

[Word]

You'd be insane to pick Ferentz right now. I wouldn't be shocked if he's gone in the next couple years.

 

[PMWinSTP]

You'd be insane to pick Ferentz right now. I wouldn't be shocked if he's gone in the next couple years.

He'll turn 65 in August and I think his contract runs through 2025. Given those, I would not be surprised either if he done after the next three years.

 

[NorthernLakesGopher]

Today's Iowa announcement can't be good for their reputation, but the fact they're paying Doyle $1M+ in severance indicates to me that they don't blame anyone within the football program leadership for what happened. As for Frost, when did he start a 'brick by brick' philosophy? He came out of the gates saying he expects to contend for the B1G championship game his first year, and also something along the lines of hoping the rest of the B1G will have to adjust their game strategy/style to match his based on what he did at UCF. Perhaps he's seeing it isn't working and is now re-tooling, but definitely not a brick by brick message when he started. Would be fun to see a Minnesota/Neg/Wiscy triad of competition each year - or just Minnesota/Nebraska annual rivalry for winning the West.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

Today's Iowa announcement can't be good for their reputation, but the fact they're paying Doyle $1M+ in severance indicates to me that they don't blame anyone within the football program leadership for what happened. As for Frost, when did he start a 'brick by brick' philosophy? He came out of the gates saying he expects to contend for the B1G championship game his first year, and also something along the lines of hoping the rest of the B1G will have to adjust their game strategy/style to match his based on what he did at UCF. Perhaps he's seeing it isn't working and is now re-tooling, but definitely not a brick by brick message when he started. Would be fun to see a Minnesota/Neg/Wiscy triad of competition each year - or just Minnesota/Nebraska annual rivalry for winning the West.

I was wondering the same thing. When Frost came out and said Nebraska wasn't a rebuild, there was a lot of criticism here aimed at Fleck because "Frost didn't need a year zero". Except it turned out he needed two of them at least...

As much as I applaud Frost for what he did at UCF, I do hope the dumpster fire continues in Nebraska. I still remember at the Gophers' trouncing of Nebby in Riley's last season, several Nebraska fans were saying "that's OK, Scott Frost is coming to save the program". Like flip a switch and Nebby will be back in the Natty chase. Just because of that collective arrogance and Frost's arrogance I want to see it fail miserably. Maybe they could then hire Jerry Kill - I heard he's a "fix-it guy".

 

[hungan1]

Today's Iowa announcement can't be good for their reputation, but the fact they're paying Doyle $1M+ in severance indicates to me that they don't blame anyone within the football program leadership for what happened. As for Frost, when did he start a 'brick by brick' philosophy? He came out of the gates saying he expects to contend for the B1G championship game his first year, and also something along the lines of hoping the rest of the B1G will have to adjust their game strategy/style to match his based on what he did at UCF. Perhaps he's seeing it isn't working and is now re-tooling, but definitely not a brick by brick message when he started. Would be fun to see a Minnesota/Neg/Wiscy triad of competition each year - or just Minnesota/Nebraska annual rivalry for winning the West.

Was he too aggressive in pushing out former NE Coach Riley's players? Some of those upperclassmen players maybe could have help in the transition.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Today's Iowa announcement can't be good for their reputation, but the fact they're paying Doyle $1M+ in severance indicates to me that they don't blame anyone within the football program leadership for what happened. As for Frost, when did he start a 'brick by brick' philosophy? He came out of the gates saying he expects to contend for the B1G championship game his first year, and also something along the lines of hoping the rest of the B1G will have to adjust their game strategy/style to match his based on what he did at UCF. Perhaps he's seeing it isn't working and is now re-tooling, but definitely not a brick by brick message when he started. Would be fun to see a Minnesota/Neg/Wiscy triad of competition each year - or just Minnesota/Nebraska annual rivalry for winning the West.

You gotta pay him so he doesn't let leak that Ferentz & Co knew all along...

 

[UpAndUnder43]

I'm taking Fleck easily over Ferentz. I think it's closer between Fleck and Frost. More upside with both Fleck and Frost. I'm not ready to rule out Frost and Nebraska as being able to put something together down there. He's just going into year 3 right now and would expect them to at least find a bowl game. There's no doubt they have some talent on that roster but it's taking some time for him to implement his own culture. Couple years and I think they have a decent program on the up. Behind us.
1. Fleck
2. Frost
3. Ferentz

Have you seen Nebraska’s schedule? They aren’t making a bowl game.

 

[skiumah1]

Have you seen Nebraska’s schedule? They aren’t making a bowl game.

Wow. I was looking through it and was feeling good about my point as I think they should probably be favored in their first 7. But it's brutal after that. Probably 'dogs in their next 6. If they don't win 6 or 7 of those first 7 it's gonna be real tough.
It's hard for me to imagine they'd win their first 7 but it's also hard to go on a 6-game losing streak.
That game against Purdue in Lincoln is a big one to open the season. Must-win.

 

[HoustonTXGopher]

Fleck is the best fit for Minnesota, I would only take Saban or Dabo over PJ right now.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Wow. I was looking through it and was feeling good about my point as I think they should probably be favored in their first 7. But it's brutal after that. Probably 'dogs in their next 6. If they don't win 6 or 7 of those first 7 it's gonna be real tough.
It's hard for me to imagine they'd win their first 7 but it's also hard to go on a 6-game losing streak.
That game against Purdue in Lincoln is a big one to open the season. Must-win.

They may be the worst team in the West, and Cincinnati isn’t a pushover OOC game.SDSU will give them issues as well

 

[skiumah1]

They may be the worst team in the West, and Cincinnati isn’t a pushover OOC game.SDSU will give them issues as well

We'll see. I'm indifferent to how they do as long as we beat 'em. Frost has got his work cut out for 'em.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

We'll see. I'm indifferent to how they do as long as we beat 'em. Frost has got his work cut out for 'em.

I think Cincinnati beats Nebraska this year. And Purdue should have a shot, too, if the NE offense isn’t up to speed for game one (talented, but new and untested WR group). I wouldn’t want Frost as a HC here. Hard to articulate the reasons, but there are several. PJ is a better community fit for the Gophers and State, and I believe that PJ has, with a few early missteps, assembled a coaching staff that is very well suited to his scheme and to the talent he brings in. I’m still irked that folks were picking NE to win the West last year. I believe NE will be better in several respects this year, but their schedule has a hellish final 6 games.

 

[alchemy2u]

I'm taking Fleck easily over Ferentz. I think it's closer between Fleck and Frost. More upside with both Fleck and Frost. I'm not ready to rule out Frost and Nebraska as being able to put something together down there. He's just going into year 3 right now and would expect them to at least find a bowl game. There's no doubt they have some talent on that roster but it's taking some time for him to implement his own culture. Couple years and I think they have a decent program on the up. Behind us.
1. Fleck
2. Frost
3. Ferentz

Are you serious? Frost is a tool. He has insulted his players, blamed them for the lack of preparation and shows no leadership outside of some false macho bravado. UCF is a unique program in that it has a wealth of talent in their backyard. Florida, FSU and Miami can only take so many players. UCF has a shot at kids that do not want to go north.

 

[skiumah1]

Are you serious? Frost is a tool. He has insulted his players, blamed them for the lack of preparation and shows no leadership outside of some false macho bravado. UCF is a unique program in that it has a wealth of talent in their backyard. Florida, FSU and Miami can only take so many players. UCF has a shot at kids that do not want to go north.

Fair enough. You seem to have more insight than I do but he did pretty damn good with UCF in those 2 years to get 'em at 13-0 and also beating Auburn before taking off. Maybe you're right though and it's too tough for him at this level to have the success. I'm not ready to write 'em off yet.

 

[#2Gopher]

Fleck hands down. Relates to the fans, recruits, players, and coaches in Minnesota. Very happy that he is here.

 

[Nax5]

Ferentz is a known quantity. Consistently good, but not great.

I'll take the unknowns with Fleck.

 

[John Galt]

I wonder which way this board will lean?

 

[GopherGuy8]

Fair enough. You seem to have more insight than I do but he did pretty damn good with UCF in those 2 years to get 'em at 13-0 and also beating Auburn before taking off. Maybe you're right though and it's too tough for him at this level to have the success. I'm not ready to write 'em off yet.

Obviously Frost did really well there but UCF is actually a really easy place to win for a non P5 team. They had a bunch of 8, 9, 10+ win seasons under George O'Leary.

 

[skiumah1]

Obviously Frost did really well there but UCF is actually a really easy place to win for a non P5 team. They had a bunch of 8, 9, 10+ win seasons under George O'Leary.

That would make sense with the talent and level of competition at UCF. Seems like Frost might've been spoiled going 8-5 in year 1 followed by the undefeated year 2. Never really had to face adversity and facing it full on now at a big time program in the Big 10.

 

[GopherGuy8]

That would make sense with the talent and level of competition at UCF. Seems like Frost might've been spoiled going 8-5 in year 1 followed by the undefeated year 2. Never really had to face adversity and facing it full on now at a big time program in the Big 10.

Exactly! The other thing is since Frost was only there 2 years, none of the recruits that he won with were his recruits.

 

[skiumah1]

Exactly! The other thing is since Frost was only there 2 years, none of the recruits that he won with were his recruits.

Yeah that's true. Though for arguments sake I'll counter by saying that Huepel down at UCF now has done pretty well with the recruits that Frost probably had a hand in.
IMO there's just no reason he shouldn't be winning at Nebraska. There recruiting classes have been in the Top 30 every year since 2015. 2 of those in the Top 20. It's not like he hasn't had the talent. He probably shoulda been able to win year 1 with the talent they had, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. It's usually year 3 and 4 you expect a coach to be putting it all together. So I'll wait and see how he does this year.
Man that schedule is just brutal down the stretch when you're trying to turn a program around and just link some wins together.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Yeah that's true. Though for arguments sake I'll counter by saying that Huepel down at UCF now has done pretty well with the recruits that Frost probably had a hand in.
IMO there's just no reason he shouldn't be winning at Nebraska. There recruiting classes have been in the Top 30 every year since 2015. 2 of those in the Top 20. It's not like he hasn't had the talent. He probably shoulda been able to win year 1 with the talent they had, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. It's usually year 3 and 4 you expect a coach to be putting it all together. So I'll wait and see how he does this year.
Man that schedule is just brutal down the stretch when you're trying to turn a program around and just link some wins together.

NE blog posts talk about the bare cupboard Frost inherited. He inherited recruiting classes that beat the Gophers’s classes significantly, in 247’s estimation, every relevant year. Fleck worked well with the talent he inherited. Frost ran off or alienated half the talent he inherited. It is kind of strange actually.

 

[BTChamp]

I vote Fleck.

 

[iowa]

Fleck

 

[Cedar Rapids Gopher]

I remember last year a hawk I found came on here and was trying to trade Ferentze for Fleck. I know it's his 1 fan but answer the question.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

NE blog posts talk about the bare cupboard Frost inherited. He inherited recruiting classes that beat the Gophers’s classes significantly, in 247’s estimation, every relevant year. Fleck worked well with the talent he inherited. Frost ran off or alienated at least half the talent he inherited. It is kind of strange actually.

It happens at every school but the OH gawd the last coach! is pretty absurd when it comes to Nebraska.

 

[GringaGopher]

PJF as a coach and for his dedication to make athletes good citizens.