Minnesota head football coach P.J. Fleck addressed the media after Tuesday’s practice. The session was open to the public and fans saw another up-tempo practice with a heavy emphasis on pressure situations.
Fleck said he could tell his players were sore and tired from Saturday’s 7-on-7 practice, but that they must learn how to take care of their bodies.
“This is when you are really sore, you are really tired,” Fleck said. “We came off a tough Saturday in terms of the 7-on-7 scrimmage. They’ve got learn how to take care of their body. They have to learn when you are in it, it’s all that matters.”
Fleck continues to be unique with his practice design and implemented more walkthrough work to get players recovering from surgery involved. He said this is a challenge, but the coaching staff is being creative to adapt to the healthy players they have.
“We were creative again. We did team periods in a walkthrough mentality,” he said. “The guys that just had surgery were able to practice. At least they get the calls, at least they put their hands in the ground, at least they played football again.”
Fleck joked, “A broken shoelace hurts us at this point. A contact lens hurts us at this point. The back of an earing falling out hurts us at this point.”
He said the new design of his practices has been different, but the response by his players is what he looks for.
“How you respond to that, that’s what make you an elite team,” Fleck said. “That’s what makes you an elite coaching staff. It’s been fun to design practice.”
Fleck said he likes the way junior linebacker Jacob Huff has been practicing this spring. He said he understands how to be work academically, athletically, socially, and spiritually.
“I like Jacob Huff. All he does is make plays,” Fleck said. “He’s instinctive, he’s smart, it’s important to him. He makes everyone else around him better.”
Fleck reiterated the importance of each player taking advantage of their reps. He said he had to win a conditioning test during his NFL career to even make the team.
“I didn’t get any reps my first practice,” Fleck said. “I had to win the conditioning test at the end of the mini-camp just to get to go to the next mini-camp. If you get your opportunity, you have to be ready for it. All these guys want opportunities. Whatever you do with that rep, you are accountable for that.”
Coach Fleck had a special guest at practice this afternoon. His young friend he calls “Squeak” visited the team. Fleck got to know Squeak during his time in Kalamazoo and now the young boy receives treatment at the University of Minnesota masonic children’s hospital.
“My boy Squeek,” he smiled. “He’s like my best buddy, he’s like my best friend. I made sure he was at practice today. He’s getting some treatment at Masonic here and he’s just a passionate Gopher fan.”
He said the way Squeek lives his life and attacks challenges is something all of his players can learn from.
“This brings perspective to all of us. We are caught up in a world where everyone wants to win. I think our players need to see perspective on a daily basis,” Fleck said. “That kid is a rock star. That kid inspires us to be better because of the way he attacks. He is what Row the Boat is all about.”
Coach Fleck recently spent time with the Minnesota gymnastics team and came away impressed with the athletes. He said the 100-year-old practice facility they train in is special.
“I wanted to go out there and just tell them how proud of them I was and let them know that we have their back,” Fleck said. “One thing I love about them: they work in a 100-year-old facility. I walked in that place and I immediately knew our team was special. That is like the coolest thing ever.”
Fleck said he enjoys getting to know the student-athletes and coaches from other programs on campus. He even wants to steal head softball coach Jessica Allister.
“Like [Allister] is going to be the head coach coordinator. I’m going to find a way to steal her from softball,” Fleck said. “I like to be around our student athletes. I like to be around the coaches, I like to learn from everybody else, I like to be around Coach Pitino. And here, we have so many champions. We have so many sports that are elite. I love being around those guys and women.”