PJ Fleck and his X's and O's

 

In many ways, the role of a college head coach is more difficult than that of a professional coach. The NFL coach doesn't have to recruit throughout the season like the college coach does. This is why you often hear about coaches being either good recruiters, but not good game day coaches, or vice versa. It's hard to find someone that can do both.

Gophers coach has had a reputation as the former. His relentless positivity seems like something that would appeal to recruits, and coming off a 13-0 season at Western Michigan, the Gophers likely hoped that the success would speak for itself and encourage a rush of new Gophers enrollees that would push Minnesota to the top of the league. 

And the Gophers standing did improve in the recruiting world. They were regularly in the 11-14th range when the Big Ten teams were rated at the end of the class period. Since Fleck, they have generally been between the 6th and 10th spots in those same rankings. Minnesota will probably never surpass Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State, but I think a lot of local fans would expect Minnesota to be able to pull prospects as regularly as Michigan State or Wisconsin, and certainly be more capable than Nebraska or Iowa. 

There have been ramifications on the field. The Gophers were in the doldrums after the calamitous end to the Jerry Kill/Tracy Claeys era, but the Gophers have finished tied for first or second in each of the last two years. They had a good team in 2020 as well, but were hampered by a difficult schedule in conference and a lack of non conference games. They have regularly beaten Nebraska, and have been in contention with Iowa and Wisconsin, to the point that it is a disappointment if they lose, and not an expectation.

Fleck didn't win at Western Michigan because of his recruiting. They were 13-0 in his final year there, and he hadn't even had a senior class yet. The Gophers are playing above their talent level fairly consistently. It's time to recognize that his attitude and locker room presence are generally good for the health of the program. Fleck, even with the outgoing, positive attitude, must be a decent game day coach. 

The Gophers and their fans are going to have to hope that's the case, because in 2022, there was a precipitous drop off. Fleck's Gophers were the lowest ranked team in the entire conference to the past year. I guess now we will really see what kind of a coach he is.