BleedGopher
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Per Scott:
But Fleck’s eccentricity is not an act — if it was, his commitment would have slipped at some point in the past seven seasons as he rose to become the Big Ten’s third-longest-tenured coach.
Meanwhile, his players swear by him, and Minnesota’s roster attrition rate ranks among the Big Ten’s lowest. Quarterback Max Brosmer, who transferred from FCS New Hampshire last winter, described his move as “culture shock” but added, “What Coach Fleck does with the culture is something that can’t be recreated anywhere else without him.”
“The ability to thrive around people who constantly want better, want to change, want to grow, that’s uncomfortable for people, and that’s why I think I’m not for everybody,” Fleck said. “If you’re within my presence, I want to make you better, and if you’re not willing to grow or change or adapt and make yourself better, we probably won’t understand each other.
“Nick Saban said this a long time ago. Elite doesn’t understand average. Average doesn’t understand elite, and they’ll never apologize to each other. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Fleck’s approach has stabilized a program that had employed five head coaches in the previous 12 years when he arrived in 2017. He has resisted overtures to leave, including one from a Big Ten competitor this offseason. Fleck and his wife, Heather, spent more than two years building a home in the southwest suburbs and just moved in last week. But there are long-term questions, both for Fleck’s Minnesota future and for the program, on which the season ahead will shed light.
“I don’t really think about where I am going to be next,” Fleck said. “Even I think the times my name gets thrown out just kind of proves that, too. I just really love being where I’m at, and really love the life that we’ve created here. I don’t take that for granted.”
Go Gophers!!
But Fleck’s eccentricity is not an act — if it was, his commitment would have slipped at some point in the past seven seasons as he rose to become the Big Ten’s third-longest-tenured coach.
Meanwhile, his players swear by him, and Minnesota’s roster attrition rate ranks among the Big Ten’s lowest. Quarterback Max Brosmer, who transferred from FCS New Hampshire last winter, described his move as “culture shock” but added, “What Coach Fleck does with the culture is something that can’t be recreated anywhere else without him.”
“The ability to thrive around people who constantly want better, want to change, want to grow, that’s uncomfortable for people, and that’s why I think I’m not for everybody,” Fleck said. “If you’re within my presence, I want to make you better, and if you’re not willing to grow or change or adapt and make yourself better, we probably won’t understand each other.
“Nick Saban said this a long time ago. Elite doesn’t understand average. Average doesn’t understand elite, and they’ll never apologize to each other. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Fleck’s approach has stabilized a program that had employed five head coaches in the previous 12 years when he arrived in 2017. He has resisted overtures to leave, including one from a Big Ten competitor this offseason. Fleck and his wife, Heather, spent more than two years building a home in the southwest suburbs and just moved in last week. But there are long-term questions, both for Fleck’s Minnesota future and for the program, on which the season ahead will shed light.
“I don’t really think about where I am going to be next,” Fleck said. “Even I think the times my name gets thrown out just kind of proves that, too. I just really love being where I’m at, and really love the life that we’ve created here. I don’t take that for granted.”
Go Gophers!!