What grade would you give PJ Fleck, 3 years into his tenure at the U?

[Otis]

I'm glad you people weren't grading me in college!

Chincy bastards! Give better grades!

I'm giddy about the Gophers progress in the 3 years Fleck has had! First time in my post college career where people have stopped by my office to ask about the Gophers!

 

[salzie]

I'm glad you people weren't grading me in college!

Chincy bastards! Give better grades!

I'm giddy about the Gophers progress in the 3 years Fleck has had! First time in my post college career where people have stopped by my office to ask about the Gophers!

While i have 0 issues with those giving him A, I gave a B

As PJ told us, we need to have higher standards

 

[MNfootballfan]

I gave him an A. For the most part, everything appears to be working out according to his plan he laid out for Coyle and the fans...including that zig-zaggy chart that climbs and then dips a little, but overall is on an upward trajectory. Plus...
- First 11-win season since the time automobiles got 40 rods to the hogshead.
- ESPN now knows where the U of M campus is.
- Channels 4, 5, 9, and 11 sports segments actually included video when they discussed a Gopher football story. Sometimes they even included an interview with a player.
- Friends of mine have actually purchased U of M apparel and are wearing it. They even brought up the fact that there is a channel on cable that carries nothing but Big 10 sports, and that an old coach of ours is on one of the shows. (They were, however, disappointed that a ticket for a game now costs more than a 30-pack of Stroh's but that is something I think they'll learn to accept.)
- They won the Governors Bell and didn't break it this time.
- Brought home the Axe and then paraded it around the state, allowing people of all ages to finally bask in its glory as if it were the Ark of the Covenant.
- Paul Allen learned to say "Minnesota Gopher football" without sounding like he had just smelled a fart in the studio.

Lots of good things.

The moment I knew the perception of the U of M football program was changing was before the Iowa game. There were a couple of stations... maybe 4 and 5... that had live promos during the news on Friday night from the team hotel. I told my wife that I have never in my life seen that before for Gopher football.

 

[John Galt]

I’d probably give him a D for the following reasons:

He lowered expectations. Dammit, I, John Galt, expected at least 8 wins in 2017 and 2018. We all did, right? He fell short. He left wins on the field and I’ll never forgive him.

Too many lies and half truths. You know, he didn’t really take a pay cut to come here. And by certain measures we weren’t the youngest or 2nd youngest team the last two years. I have no tolerance for a coach that can’t get this right.

The oars. Row the Boat. He’s forever tarnished the reputation of our proud university by putting his own slogans along with ours.

Is there any chance we can get Jerry back?

 

[MNVCGUY]

While i have 0 issues with those giving him A, I gave a B

As PJ told us, we need to have higher standards

Fair enough. I look at it as grades can and will fluctuate. If this question were asked after the 2018 season the grades would have been lower and justifiably so. But after coming off an 11 win season in year 3 it is hard for me to see anyway not to go with an A for where we are at right now.

 

[btowngopher]

His grade by each year using your criteria would be:
2017 D
2018 C
2019 A
I agree with those and feel a B to a B+ overall because of the improvement that has been made would be warranted. An A overall just isn't right.

Pretty harsh grades for 2018 and 2017.

 

[salzie]

Fair enough. I look at it as grades can and will fluctuate. If this question were asked after the 2018 season the grades would have been lower and justifiably so. But after coming off an 11 win season in year 3 it is hard for me to see anyway not to go with an A for where we are at right now.

I would give last season an A, but that wasn't the question.

I'll give him a pass for year 0, but not for Robb Smith

 

[salzie]

Pretty harsh grades for 2018 and 2017.

I'm not sure how 2017 could be any higher

2018, I'd give a C+ B-, strong finish doesn't completely erase getting embarrassed by NE, Ill, and IA

 

[Keyser Söze]

His grade by each year using your criteria would be:
2017 D
2018 C
2019 A
I agree with those and feel a B to a B+ overall because of the improvement that has been made would be warranted. An A overall just isn't right.

Grade on whatever criteria you want, but I think most people are grading based on where he has gotten the program to this point and where they see it going from here based on what he's done. That's an easy A for me. Growing pains were expected.

 

[btowngopher]

I'm not sure how 2017 could be any higher

2018, I'd give a C+ B-, strong finish doesn't completely erase getting embarrassed by NE, Ill, and IA

Walk on QBs? If Fleck is a B then Kill is a C at best.

 

[GFBfan]

Pretty harsh grades for 2018 and 2017.

I used the criteria PE stated. Although beating Wisc in 2018 should bump that to a C+ B-

 

[short ornery norwegian]

For his on-field duties, Fleck gets an A.

But - a lot of the things he says and does still bug me. The Slogans, catch-phrases, acronyms, "elite" - that still grates on me.

However, as long as the team wins, I will accept the other stuff as the price of success.

Going forward, the next question is whether Fleck can maintain the program at the current level. Can the U of MN really become a perennial top-20 level team? To pull that off, I still think the recruiting needs to go up another notch - to the point where the Gophers are bringing in classes that are ranked top-25 or higher.

 

[btowngopher]

For his on-field duties, Fleck gets an A.

But - a lot of the things he says and does still bug me. The Slogans, catch-phrases, acronyms, "elite" - that still grates on me.

However, as long as the team wins, I will accept the other stuff as the price of success.

Going forward, the next question is whether Fleck can maintain the program at the current level. Can the U of MN really become a perennial top-20 level team? To pull that off, I still think the recruiting needs to go up another notch - to the point where the Gophers are bringing in classes that are ranked top-25 or higher.

It would help to recruit better, but Wisconsin has shown it can be done without it. Fleck has us right around their level in recruiting already.

 

[GSUsTALON]

I had to give him an A but you should also include his staff.

 

[Possumlad]

Hard to give him anything but an A at this point. I do think recruiting needs to pick up a bit for us to take "next" step (consistent top 10-15 team), but so far PJ's been awesome.

Crazy stat for context:

Fleck's current winning % = 0.622 (23-14) in 3 seasons.

You have to go back to 1950 to find the last Gophers coach with a higher career winning percentage - Bernie Bierman, who won 5 national championships & 7 conference titles.

The bar for MN coaching success isn't all that high...

 

[fmlizard]

I put an A in the poll but would give an A-.

My only big ding on him would be that the Robb Smith hire seemed a poor one at the time based on track record and mostly influenced by their shared time at Rutgers. That contributed to a longer and more steep drop before the come up.

Gotta say he has delivered what he said he would, has done so with organization, class, and flair, and has Gopher football in the best shape it’s been in many decades.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I'm willing to give an A.

I could go for some more trophies sure but that doesn't mean I dock him for it in the 3rd year when we're knocking off top 25 teams and winning NYD bowl games. PJ didn't promise lights out / all the trophies every year.

The program is far beyond anything I expected this soon, better than they've been in many decades, that's an A.

 

[GSUsTALON]

Hard to give him anything but an A at this point. I do think recruiting needs to pick up a bit for us to take "next" step (consistent top 10-15 team), but so far PJ's been awesome.

Crazy stat for context:

Fleck's current winning % = 0.622 (23-14) in 3 seasons.

You have to go back to 1950 to find the last Gophers coach with a higher career winning percentage - Bernie Bierman, who won 5 national championships & 7 conference titles.

The bar for MN coaching success isn't all that high...

.662% is not bad at all when you consider what he has done for your program in 3 years. He is consistent in his plan to rebuild and this year was a key year for your future.

 

[Possumlad]

.662% is not bad at all when you consider what he has done for your program in 3 years. He is consistent in his plan to rebuild and this year was a key year for your future.

Agreed! Wasn't a knock on PJ at all - more a reminder that MN hasn't been an easy place to win for the last 70 years.

 

[GSUsTALON]

Someone mentioned recruiting on the thread and another and my response is -

With your HC and staff in place, you could easily take 4 star players and with superior coaching and EXICUTION beat those BIG programs as long as you can maintain consistency!

Sure you want some 5 star players at key positions and they will come as long as you continue to win and progress. Also remember those stared players come out of high school. With the right coaching those 4 star players, even 3 stare players can excel to the level that allows you to compete & WIN!!!

 

[GSUsTALON]

I'm willing to give an A.

I could go for some more trophies sure but that doesn't mean I dock him for it in the 3rd year when we're knocking off top 25 teams and winning NYD bowl games. PJ didn't promise lights out / all the trophies every year.

The program is far beyond anything I expected this soon, better than they've been in many decades, that's an A.

When giving your HC and staff a grade you should always look at your starting point, your progression and where you are now.

 

[Ski U Master]

I'd take two wins over Top 15 teams over a win over a rival each year if given the choice. Does anyone remember how few Top 15 wins we have had the past three decades?

Beating Auburn is great and a big win, but beating Iowa would have meant more to me. Personal preference.

 

[Spoofin]

I voted "A". Hard not to after going 11-2.
I don't 'connect' with PJ, at all, but I'm not his target audience.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

The absolute highest grade possible, then add 10.

 

[WriterGoph]

Beating Auburn is great and a big win, but beating Iowa would have meant more to me. Personal preference.

This year, sure. Because it would have meant we got to the Big Ten title game. But in nearly any year, I think wins over helmet schools like Penn State and Auburn will almost always strengthen the brand more on a national level.

 

[BroncoRedux]

Easy A.

 

[Panthadad2]

Hard to give him anything but an A at this point. I do think recruiting needs to pick up a bit for us to take "next" step (consistent top 10-15 team), but so far PJ's been awesome.

Crazy stat for context:

Fleck's current winning % = 0.622 (23-14) in 3 seasons.

You have to go back to 1950 to find the last Gophers coach with a higher career winning percentage - Bernie Bierman, who won 5 national championships & 7 conference titles.

The bar for MN coaching success isn't all that high...

I'll be the party pooper and point out that the Bierman's conference record was .671 for both his stints combined and would have been .833 if he stayed away after he left the first time in 1941. Fleck's conference record is currently .444. He would need 6 7 more consecutive 7-2 seasons to exceed Bierman's .671. That's hopefully pure motivation for Fleck.

 

[Possumlad]

I'll be the party pooper and point out that the Bierman's conference record was .671 for both his stints combined and would have been .833 if he stayed away after he left the first time in 1941. Fleck's conference record is currently .444. He would need 6 7 more consecutive 7-2 seasons to exceed Bierman's .671. That's hopefully pure motivation for Fleck.

Wouldn't call that party pooping at all. Fleck has a long, long way to go to reach anything like Bierman status.

But I think it's pretty eye opening to realize it's been 70 years since we've had a coach who won more than 62% of this games.

With that in mind, I'd call Fleck's a great start. Given the history, just not sure how anyone could expect anything more to this point.

Of course like everyone else, I hope he builds from here. But I also think the context is important to remember going forward. Say we win 7 or 8 games next year - I'll be dissappointed, but only because year 3 was so special. From my perspective, Fleck is building the right way, and already having greater success than the vast majority of coaches we've had since 1950. It'll be important not to overreact the first time we don't make a NYD bowl (which certainly could be next year).

 

[BeerFueledFF]

Hard to give him anything but an A at this point. I do think recruiting needs to pick up a bit for us to take "next" step (consistent top 10-15 team), but so far PJ's been awesome.

Crazy stat for context:

Fleck's current winning % = 0.622 (23-14) in 3 seasons.

You have to go back to 1950 to find the last Gophers coach with a higher career winning percentage - Bernie Bierman, who won 5 national championships & 7 conference titles.

The bar for MN coaching success isn't all that high...

His record is actually 23-15 over 3 seasons, for a winning percentage of 60.53% - still very solid though.

 

[Flash30]

It can’t be anything other than an A. Remember where we came from and where we are now. For comparison sake it’s like taking William and Mary from NCAA football (the video game) and turning them into a 4 prestige in year 3.