STrib: Gophers coach P.J. Fleck's in-game coaching strategy has riled fans this season

[BleedGopher]

Per Randy:

With the Gophers, Fleck's approach of such complementary football — with the offense, defense and special teams feeding off each other — has helped deliver seasons of 11-2 and 9-4 (twice), all since 2019.

But this has been a rough season for Fleck's cautious philosophy. Upset losses to Northwestern and Illinois have infuriated some fans, who have grumbled and booed some of Fleck's choices.

"Game management is always going to be under criticism," said Gerry DiNardo, a Big Ten Network analyst and former coach at Indiana, LSU and Vanderbilt. "… P.J. has proven himself as a really good game manager. Does that mean he's been 100%? Probably not, but who is?"

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck's in-game coaching strategy has riled fans this season

P.J. Fleck has had success with the Gophers using an approach nicknamed "Tressel-ball," but it hasn't worked as well this season.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[beavergopher]

What do mean…. This season?

 

[Gopherchase]

Boring, archaic and ineffective football PJ.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Gerry DiNardo - who said on BTN tonight that "he hasn't read all of the details about the Michigan allegations."

the biggest story in college FB - involving a B1G team, and one of the top BTN studio hosts "hasn't read all the details." that tells you something.

 

[walrus]

Gerry DiNardo - who said on BTN tonight that "he hasn't read all of the details about the Michigan allegations."

the biggest story in college FB - involving a B1G team, and one of the top BTN studio hosts "hasn't read all the details." that tells you something.

Just tells me that he didn't want to make a statement about a breaking story. We get so much garbage from all the 24 hour non-stop tv talking heads of all kinds these days. What could he say that might...or might not...be accurate.

The last thing that is needed right now is more opinions about this matter. Just stay tuned until tomorrow and see if "gentleman Jim" is on the sidelines with his corn/blues for their little match-up with PSU.

What does it tell you? How would you write up a breaking news item on the situation? Personally, I think he was wise to not comment in a 30 second blurb about an unsettled and sketchy on the details breaking news story. I really don't imagine that the B1G commish. consults with Gerry and the gang about disciplinary actions too often. But, that's just my take on it tonight. :0)

 

[Gsbfan10]

Per Randy:

With the Gophers, Fleck's approach of such complementary football — with the offense, defense and special teams feeding off each other — has helped deliver seasons of 11-2 and 9-4 (twice), all since 2019.

But this has been a rough season for Fleck's cautious philosophy. Upset losses to Northwestern and Illinois have infuriated some fans, who have grumbled and booed some of Fleck's choices.

"Game management is always going to be under criticism," said Gerry DiNardo, a Big Ten Network analyst and former coach at Indiana, LSU and Vanderbilt. "… P.J. has proven himself as a really good game manager. Does that mean he's been 100%? Probably not, but who is?"

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck's in-game coaching strategy has riled fans this season

P.J. Fleck has had success with the Gophers using an approach nicknamed "Tressel-ball," but it hasn't worked as well this season.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

Coach Fleck does not play yo win. He plays “Not to lose”. What a coach is saying to his team— when you play this conservatively— is “I don’t trust you to make the plays”.

Fleck has shown a clear inability to trust his players. Even to make a first down on 3rd and 6, preferring to run. Not even a “safe” swing pass, QB rollout, WR or TE screen. Not even a jet sweep. Nope. A “give up” run up the middle for 3 yards. Sorry, I’m not subsvribimg to that style of “Row the Boat”.

To the prior message it sends your players… it makes them tentative, afraid to make mistakes, and communicates a clear message that you don’t believe you can dominate or bury your opponent.

Example 1- Northwestern. Example 2- Illinois. Seems to be a pattern for Coach Fleck. Remember Bowling Green? With those 2 wins, and their momentum- it’s drivers’ seat time.

Iowa game- seriously could have and should have won by 2 touchdowns. Only 4 field goals? Never willing to take the chance with a beast of a TE, great WRs to throw to the end zone or even run a gadget play to score.

Best coach ever at snatching a defeat out of the jaws of victory.

Illinois game made me re-think giving up a Saturday afternoon to continue yo watch.

Just imagine the recruit sitting at home watching 3rd and 6 at the 10 yard line—- running for the safe field goal. “No thanks coach. I’ll go somewhere where they are actually trying yo win. Not just to keep the score close.

And why? Are we competing for the national championship? Heck no. After losing to Northwestern and now Illinois in similar fashions— and blown the hell out by Michigan… I would have a gun-slinging mentality. Let’s pull out all the stops in the playbook to at least dominate a really really weak B10 West. Fail.

Imagine next year when we are playing the UCLAs and USCs? PJ— if you won’t change now- you never will. Time to move on from being so conservative, scared and not even allowing your players to try.

 

[BilldGopher]

It may be a "Tressel-ball" philosophy but it is now "Fleck-ball" on the field.

Ole Jim could sue for reputational damages and win with his name tied to some atrocious applications of his strategy.

Anyway, reading about being a riled fan just makes me more riled. Thanks Randy.

 

[Panthadad2]

The passing defense is the 2nd worst in conference play behind Maryland, which is the real issue. If that pass defense weren't so inept in even just a couple moments, this team would have 2 more wins and the same few bitching about Fleck ball would be in the far minority. It is what it is.

 

[MplsGopher]

^^^ this.

Rossi is the same. Nubin and Walley are the same. Don’t think other corner has been a huge cause?

LB’ers have been freshmen for lot of the season.

Other safety has been suspect at times, depending who’s back there. Also depends if we are having a “coverage” Nickle on the field (as opposed to Jack Henderson as the “big” Nickle, really the third LB).


So naturally, and not incorrectly, people have been pointing to the LB’s as the root cause.


But last week Lindenberg was back, and played a pretty good game.

Last play however, he was part of the breakdown that led to the loss.


So let’s start pointing some fingers at a couple guys who have largely escaped any blame this year, and put some blame where it’s due:
Danny Collins — safeties coach & passing-game (defensive) coordinator
Nick Monroe — cornerbacks coach & co-defensive coordinator


These guys are both new, and the passing defense has fallen apart.

 

[btowngopher]

Coach Fleck does not play yo win. He plays “Not to lose”. What a coach is saying to his team— when you play this conservatively— is “I don’t trust you to make the plays”.

Fleck has shown a clear inability to trust his players. Even to make a first down on 3rd and 6, preferring to run. Not even a “safe” swing pass, QB rollout, WR or TE screen. Not even a jet sweep. Nope. A “give up” run up the middle for 3 yards. Sorry, I’m not subsvribimg to that style of “Row the Boat”.

To the prior message it sends your players… it makes them tentative, afraid to make mistakes, and communicates a clear message that you don’t believe you can dominate or bury your opponent.

Example 1- Northwestern. Example 2- Illinois. Seems to be a pattern for Coach Fleck. Remember Bowling Green? With those 2 wins, and their momentum- it’s drivers’ seat time.

Iowa game- seriously could have and should have won by 2 touchdowns. Only 4 field goals? Never willing to take the chance with a beast of a TE, great WRs to throw to the end zone or even run a gadget play to score.

Best coach ever at snatching a defeat out of the jaws of victory.

Illinois game made me re-think giving up a Saturday afternoon to continue yo watch.

Just imagine the recruit sitting at home watching 3rd and 6 at the 10 yard line—- running for the safe field goal. “No thanks coach. I’ll go somewhere where they are actually trying yo win. Not just to keep the score close.

And why? Are we competing for the national championship? Heck no. After losing to Northwestern and now Illinois in similar fashions— and blown the hell out by Michigan… I would have a gun-slinging mentality. Let’s pull out all the stops in the playbook to at least dominate a really really weak B10 West. Fail.

Imagine next year when we are playing the UCLAs and USCs? PJ— if you won’t change now- you never will. Time to move on from being so conservative, scared and not even allowing your players to try.

Not sure why people think gun slinging it would be more successful. We watched the Frost led Nebraska teams and the Purdue teams over the past decade be pretty ineffective in the West while similarly conservative Iowa and Wisconsin did well, not to mention we have done well, just weren’t lucky enough to back into the championship game like Purdue did.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

Just tells me that he didn't want to make a statement about a breaking story. We get so much garbage from all the 24 hour non-stop tv talking heads of all kinds these days. What could he say that might...or might not...be accurate.

The last thing that is needed right now is more opinions about this matter. Just stay tuned until tomorrow and see if "gentleman Jim" is on the sidelines with his corn/blues for their little match-up with PSU.

What does it tell you? How would you write up a breaking news item on the situation? Personally, I think he was wise to not comment in a 30 second blurb about an unsettled and sketchy on the details breaking news story. I really don't imagine that the B1G commish. consults with Gerry and the gang about disciplinary actions too often. But, that's just my take on it tonight. :0)

DiNardo's job is to comment on college football - especially on the B1G. So the biggest story in college football involves a B1G Team. It's his job to comment on matters like this - and he says he doesn't know all the details? so either A. he doesn't take his job very seriously. or B. he didn't want to take a position either way and was trying to straddle the fence.

If I was in his place, I would be reading every scrap of information I could find in order to be able to discuss the situation. that's what I was getting at.