STrib: P.J. Fleck’s Gophers slumping vs. major conference opponents

[BleedGopher]

Per Randy:

Power Four struggles​

Fleck knows that his team must improve quickly against a challenging schedule. The Gophers already have lost their past five Big Ten games and their past six against teams from the Power Four conferences (Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12). In their past two seasons, the Gophers are 3-9 against Power Four squads, dropping Fleck’s overall mark in Minnesota in such contests to 36-35.

His win percentage in those Power Four games is 50.8%, still better than his most recent predecessors Tracy Claeys (7-8, 46.7%) and Jerry Kill (15-27, 35.7%). The recent trend, though, is fueling his detractors.

For those clamoring for the university to fire Fleck, don’t count on that happening. After UCLA in February contacted Fleck about its vacant coaching job, Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle and Fleck in March agreed to an amended contract that would give the coach $5.7 million in retention bonuses if he stayed through the 2029 season.

The contract also had new buyout numbers for Fleck. If the university terminates his contract without cause, it will owe Fleck a fee equal to 65% of the base salary, supplemental compensation and retention bonus that would have been paid to him throughout the remainder of the contract. If Fleck would be bought out before Dec. 31, 2024, the university would owe him $26.9 million. If he’s bought out between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025, the buyout would be $22.4 million.

Adding to the financial issues, the university likely will have an upcoming bill of $20 million or more annually for revenue sharing with former student-athletes as part of the settlement of the House v. NCAA case, which is expected to be resolved soon.

Under P.J. Fleck, the Gophers are slumping vs. Power Four teams

Michigan and USC are next on the schedule, and those already calling for P.J. Fleck’s firing should know that his current buyout is $26.9 million.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[SamSquatch]

This futility against P4/P5 opponents is the most directional and damning information we have about the strength of the program. UNC is a bad program and probably (we hoped) about on par with us.

It’s really embarrassing, disheartening, and sad that, on top of consistently playing boring football with no explosiveness and a complete inability to overcome any deficit, we are so predictably futile against any other P4 program (especially our rivals).

 

[MaxyJR1]

At least we've won 5 straight against Nebraska.

It is disheartening when at this time last year we were looking at Fleck as the coach that was going to possibly get over .500 in league play well into his tenure. He's now 29-33 and looking to be about 31-39 at the end of the season.

 

[allthgoodnamesrgone]

At least we've won 5 straight against Nebraska.

It is disheartening when at this time last year we were looking at Fleck as the coach that was going to possibly get over .500 in league play well into his tenure. He's now 29-33 and looking to be about 31-39 at the end of the season.

I wish Nebraska was on the schedule this year, although our winning streak over them would probably end.

0-6 in our last 6 games against P4 teams is atrocious. Most likely that losing streak extends to 8 before another shot at a win.

 

[Some guy]

This futility against P4/P5 opponents is the most directional and damning information we have about the strength of the program. UNC is a bad program and probably (we hoped) about on par with us.

It’s really embarrassing, disheartening, and sad that, on top of consistently playing boring football with no explosiveness and a complete inability to overcome any deficit, we are so predictably futile against any other P4 program (especially our rivals).

North Carolina has finished .500 or better in a power 5 conference 13 of the last 17 years

 

[Gophergrandpa]

When it comes time for a new HC--could be years given the financial strangle-hold that PJ's agent has negotiated for himself--I seriously hope that the University Regents temper the AD's tendency to undermine the University's flexibility. Screw the huge buyout clauses. If we hire a stupendously good coach, we'll lose him to a moneyed school even with a big buyout. But the huge buyout clause means that the U can never move on from a coach that has lost his mojo. I favor retention bonuses to reward a good coach who chooses to stay, but, for a school in the U's position, we should never again allow a coach's agent to neuter the U's decision-making process with such a huge buyout clause. The loss of flexibility is too great for the perceived benefit of keeping a decent coach.

 

[proudgopher]

Why would anyone trust Coyle to negotiate anything of significance?

 

[Panthadad2]

What Coyle did was the equivalent of buying a McMansion at the peak of a housing market bubble. The days of routine massive coaching contracts are numbered. Pre-NIL, it was all on the head coach to recruit and assemble the roster. The head coach was king. Now, it's more about money available to players and the NIL collectives. Fleck will be around at least until the contract runs out.