Tanner Morgan, Mariano Sori-Marin return to Gophers as volunteer analysts

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Throughout the 2022 season, coach P.J. Fleck would mention that players such as quarterback Tanner Morgan and linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin could make good coaches someday. That someday is now because Morgan and Sori-Marin have joined the Gophers staff as volunteer analysts.

Both Morgan and Sori-Marin spent time with NFL teams after being signed as undrafted free agents this spring. Morgan was with the Pittsburgh Steelers during training camp and played in three preseason games. He was released in late August. Sori-Marin participated in minicamp for the San Francisco 49ers before being waved in June with a knee injury designation.

"We've got so many guys who come to this program, love their experience and then want to coach when they're done playing,'' Fleck said Monday. "There's no greater feeling than knowing that when you're coaching guys, they want to get into this profession. I think it's the greatest profession in the world. It's a challenging profession. It's a demanding profession.''

www.startribune.com

Tanner Morgan, Mariano Sori-Marin return to Gophers as volunteer analysts

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck welcomed two of his former leaders back into the fold after each got a taste of the NFL.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 







This is a great move by PJ. Get your former players back interacting with the current team as they will share great stories and and help build the culture. When those former players go on to get coaching jobs usually they will start in the small college or high school ranks. Which helps us build recruiting pipelines.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Weird reaction

This is one of the most common ways former players get into coaching.
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The only thing weird about GopherChase's reaction is that he didn't start ripping on Morgan and MSM the way he did during their careers here.

Apparently his dislike of them both extends to their post playing careers as well.

Most here will see former players coming back and wanting to help the program as a good thing as that would be the normal reaction to news like this.
 

MSM is a great example of someone who came in green/raw and improved year over year. I'll admit I was pretty hard out here on him early on...he looked lost at times on the field. Having him and Morgan around can only help with the development of inexperianced players.
 



Part of me would like to see some separation from Tanner and the program. AK needs to grow on his own based on strong coaching from the staff we hired.
 


MNVCGUY said:
The only thing weird about GopherChase's reaction is that he didn't start ripping on Morgan and MSM the way he did during their careers here.

Apparently his dislike of them both extends to their post playing careers as well.

Most here will see former players coming back and wanting to help the program as a good thing as that would be the normal reaction to news like this.
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Guessing he thinks this is Fleck “playing favorites”.
 

akgo4 said:
Part of me would like to see some separation from Tanner and the program. AK needs to grow on his own based on strong coaching from the staff we hired.
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lol....it isn't like they are just going to hand the QB coaching duties to Morgan. He is a volunteer analyst. That said, by all accounts he had a really good relationship with AK so him being around to give some advice and help Athan with some of the finer points can't hurt.

Morgan lacked in true arm talent but he made good decisions and was a very solid QB here. Can't hurt a young QB to have a mentor around.
 



I'm not against having AK learn a bit more from a QB who has one of the higher completion percentages or a Gopher QB and who, despite less than Herculean arm strength, dropped many a deep pass right on the money--saving some key games.
 

Two really good guys who hopefully move into permanent positions as we go forward. DL Winston is a similar example of quality enthusiastic guys who believe in the culture. All three have passion for football and the program along with enthusiasm and leadership attributes.
 

akgo4 said:
Part of me would like to see some separation from Tanner and the program. AK needs to grow on his own based on strong coaching from the staff we hired.
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Exactly – – and I guarantee you a good chunk of the team isn’t happy to have these two back for their what seventh or eighth consecutive years in the building. In college ball sometimes you’re just happy to have the older guys leave and have some of the younger guys step into those leader ship positions without having to look over their shoulders. It was just so obvious that these two were PJs bobos when they were here. I can’t help but chuckle to hear theu’re back roaming the halls of the facility.
 

btowngopher said:
Why can’t he learn from Morgan as well?
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Because it's against the rules for him to coach a player. They're analysts, not coaches. During practices and games, analysts can observe the session and interact with coaches. What they can't do is engage in any coaching activities with players. That includes skill instruction, strategy planning and participating in drills.
 

Gopherchase said:
Exactly – – and I guarantee you a good chunk of the team isn’t happy to have these two back for their what seventh or eighth consecutive years in the building. In college ball sometimes you’re just happy to have the older guys leave and have some of the younger guys step into those leader ship positions without having to look over their shoulders. It was just so obvious that these two were PJs bobos when they were here. I can’t help but chuckle to hear theu’re back roaming the halls of the facility.
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Oh maybe Fleck should have considered the “happiness” of the younger players…what a stupid reason to be against this.
 

Gopherchase said:
Exactly – – and I guarantee you a good chunk of the team isn’t happy to have these two back for their what seventh or eighth consecutive years in the building. In college ball sometimes you’re just happy to have the older guys leave and have some of the younger guys step into those leader ship positions without having to look over their shoulders. It was just so obvious that these two were PJs bobos when they were here. I can’t help but chuckle to hear theu’re back roaming the halls of the facility.
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Morgan is smart enough to know where he is not wanted. From all accounts that I'm aware of, he is a good guy, easy to talk to, and will be a good volunteer for the organization. I wouldn't think Fleck would bring in a pair of guys that would be cancer in the locker room etc.
 

#2Gopher said:
Morgan is smart enough to know where he is not wanted. From all accounts that I'm aware of, he is a good guy, easy to talk to, and will be a good volunteer for the organization. I wouldn't think Fleck would bring in a pair of guys that would be cancer in the locker room etc.
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Cancer, no he’s not that guy. Everyone being sick of he and ol’ 55 roaming the halls — absolutely. It’s clear as a bell I think for anyone who has spent time in a locker room or around a football team the young guys respect the older guys but are also glad when they move on.
 

Full Speed Ahead said:
Because it's against the rules for him to coach a player. They're analysts, not coaches. During practices and games, analysts can observe the session and interact with coaches. What they can't do is engage in any coaching activities with players. That includes skill instruction, strategy planning and participating in drills.
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Ok, so pretty ridiculous for any players to care that they were brought back unless they just had off field beef I guess.
 

An
btowngopher said:
Oh maybe Fleck should have considered the “happiness” of the younger players…what a stupid reason to be against this.
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And frankly I don’t give two shits about it as long as I don’t have to watch them on the field anymore.
 

Gopherchase said:
Cancer, no he’s not that guy. Everyone being sick of he and ol’ 55 roaming the halls — absolutely. It’s clear as a bell I think for anyone who has spent time in a locker room or around a football team the young guys respect the older guys but are also glad when they move on.
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They're excited for them to move on so that they can play. Morgan and MSM aren't standing in the way of a depth chart.

This happens at every school in the country. It's not a Fleck thing.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
They're excited for them to move on so that they can play. Morgan and MSM aren't standing in the way of a depth chart.

This happens at every school in the country. It's not a Fleck thing.
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PJ has FAMILY bobos it’s silly to say he doesn’t care more about that sort of thing then 90 percent plus of other coaches. I think it’s also naive to think that just having the older bobos around isn’t irritating to the current players.
 


Gopherchase said:
PJ has FAMILY bobos it’s silly to say he doesn’t care more about that sort of thing then 90 percent plus of other coaches. I think it’s also naive to think that just having the older bobos around isn’t irritating to the current players.
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It’s only irritating to you who for some reason fails to view them as players and people that were great for this program.
 

Gopherchase said:
PJ has FAMILY bobos it’s silly to say he doesn’t care more about that sort of thing then 90 percent plus of other coaches. I think it’s also naive to think that just having the older bobos around isn’t irritating to the current players.
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I am just saying it's incredibly common for a program to hire former players as analysts/grad assistants. Like, it's incredibly common.

As far as the players being annoyed with Morgan and MSM roaming around? I have no idea. I would assume not. That would be an exceptionally bizarre thing for them to be bothered by but I wouldn't pretend to know the personal relationships between about of college guys I don't know. I'd guess the vast majority of them are good friends with MSM and Tanner.
 



Gopherchase said:
LOL.
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Gopherchase said:
Exactly – – and I guarantee you a good chunk of the team isn’t happy to have these two back for their what seventh or eighth consecutive years in the building. In college ball sometimes you’re just happy to have the older guys leave and have some of the younger guys step into those leader ship positions without having to look over their shoulders. It was just so obvious that these two were PJs bobos when they were here. I can’t help but chuckle to hear theu’re back roaming the halls of the facility.
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Gopherchase said:
Cancer, no he’s not that guy. Everyone being sick of he and ol’ 55 roaming the halls — absolutely. It’s clear as a bell I think for anyone who has spent time in a locker room or around a football team the young guys respect the older guys but are also glad when they move on.
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Gopherchase said:
An

And frankly I don’t give two shits about it as long as I don’t have to watch them on the field anymore.
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Gopherchase said:
PJ has FAMILY bobos it’s silly to say he doesn’t care more about that sort of thing then 90 percent plus of other coaches. I think it’s also naive to think that just having the older bobos around isn’t irritating to the current players.
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Gopherchase said:
$1K says you catch 45 and 8 over a beer and they would rather not have them back in the building.
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I thought the first post was "Dick of the Year" material, and I was about to award, but then I read on. This is what happens when someone mixes crack with an 8th grade education.

I'm surprised it can generate enough power in that brain to take a dump, let alone finger-type. Like a brontosaurus, but with less skill.
 

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