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Gopher FB Coach PJ Fleck appeared on the Sports Huddle with Sid, Dave and Max.
Sid: Happy to see Cashman draftrd?
PJ: congratulations. it's tremendous for our program. great opportunity for him. he's earned it. talented FB player. great story from Walk-on to 5th-round pick.
Sid: Any other Gophers sign deals?
PJ: Greene to Jaguars. other guys have opportunities. didn't have a lot of seniors. in future years, I expect more Gopher fans will want to be tuned into the draft.
Sid: any other signings?
PJ: hard to tell. NFL is a business. hard to get into it. have to get there to get the opportunity.
Sid: did you accomplish everything you wanted to with spring practice?
PJ: proud of our progress as a team. look at where we were at the end of last year and where we are now. every year is its own entity. this week the players are taking finals - important week academically. they'll get a few weeks off then start summer workouts.
Mona: dealing with expectations. looking better for Gophers in fall previews.
PJ: can't be naive. going to hear those things. educate players about that and why. let them know why. last year we were the youngest team in America, and no one thinks we'll be good. it was a race to maturity. players grew up. won 4 of last 5. that was when they were ready. this year, we're the 2nd youngest team in America, but we have some experience. try to educate them about expectations coming from the outside. expectations rising. educate players about how to handle that, process that. educate them about dealing with expectations. that does not mean it has to be the end result
Sid: any players surprise you in spring
PJ: I don't think so. guys are growing up, playing up to their ability. fundamentals and technique getting better. Mafe, Rush, Sori-Marin - the next guys. you expect guys like Coughlin, Martin, Winfield to play well. looking at the backups to those guys - guys who are going to maybe fill 3rd-down roles. need to raise them to the level of starters.
Max: show on ESPN about 13-year old offered scholarship. when do you know. earliest you can tell if kid has potential?
PJ: incredible story. last year he was one of best WR in country, going to Buffalo Bills. it's an organized, educated guess. do everything you can to maximize percentages. not going to be right all of the time. if you can be right on 65-75% of players, you're doing really well. I don't know if there is a time frame. certain characteristics you look for on and off field. athleticism. body structure. his parents. not everyone has one time frame. we've offered freshman before - we've waited till a kid's senior year before. Lane Kiffen offered a 7th grader. why wait? so much with development can go right or wrong. every kid is different.
Mona: How is recruiting doing? IMG academy connections remain?
PJ: 2020 recruiting is doing well. have 8 commits. other guys are close to committing in the next month or two. it's on a need basis. sooner or later, want to have 25 players graduate. get to a point where we're a senior-dominated team. we're probably 2 or 3 years away from that. have 3 commits for 2021. outstanding players for that class. hope to get more. we look at 2020 and 2021 as one class. that will be a huge push as we go forward. always got to be years ahead. coaches are out there, getting into schools. As far as IMG - we go where we have connections. there are players all over country. we feel good about what we have from those kind of players.
Sid: young QB's?
PJ: impressed with the two young kids. they competed. they were thrown into the fire. they didn't just get a few snaps - they got to run the offense from practice one. Kirk C is one of the best developers of QB's I've been around. incredible listener. knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players. Zach and Tanner both improved. if we had to list a starter now, you're looking to see if one stood out in the Spring. They're both competitors. both got better. they're both working at an elite level. they're raising the level of competition in the QB room.
Sid: lots of new ticket plans. get tickets. big-time schedule. Murray's
PJ: RTB, Ski-U-Mah, go Gophers.
Sid: Happy to see Cashman draftrd?
PJ: congratulations. it's tremendous for our program. great opportunity for him. he's earned it. talented FB player. great story from Walk-on to 5th-round pick.
Sid: Any other Gophers sign deals?
PJ: Greene to Jaguars. other guys have opportunities. didn't have a lot of seniors. in future years, I expect more Gopher fans will want to be tuned into the draft.
Sid: any other signings?
PJ: hard to tell. NFL is a business. hard to get into it. have to get there to get the opportunity.
Sid: did you accomplish everything you wanted to with spring practice?
PJ: proud of our progress as a team. look at where we were at the end of last year and where we are now. every year is its own entity. this week the players are taking finals - important week academically. they'll get a few weeks off then start summer workouts.
Mona: dealing with expectations. looking better for Gophers in fall previews.
PJ: can't be naive. going to hear those things. educate players about that and why. let them know why. last year we were the youngest team in America, and no one thinks we'll be good. it was a race to maturity. players grew up. won 4 of last 5. that was when they were ready. this year, we're the 2nd youngest team in America, but we have some experience. try to educate them about expectations coming from the outside. expectations rising. educate players about how to handle that, process that. educate them about dealing with expectations. that does not mean it has to be the end result
Sid: any players surprise you in spring
PJ: I don't think so. guys are growing up, playing up to their ability. fundamentals and technique getting better. Mafe, Rush, Sori-Marin - the next guys. you expect guys like Coughlin, Martin, Winfield to play well. looking at the backups to those guys - guys who are going to maybe fill 3rd-down roles. need to raise them to the level of starters.
Max: show on ESPN about 13-year old offered scholarship. when do you know. earliest you can tell if kid has potential?
PJ: incredible story. last year he was one of best WR in country, going to Buffalo Bills. it's an organized, educated guess. do everything you can to maximize percentages. not going to be right all of the time. if you can be right on 65-75% of players, you're doing really well. I don't know if there is a time frame. certain characteristics you look for on and off field. athleticism. body structure. his parents. not everyone has one time frame. we've offered freshman before - we've waited till a kid's senior year before. Lane Kiffen offered a 7th grader. why wait? so much with development can go right or wrong. every kid is different.
Mona: How is recruiting doing? IMG academy connections remain?
PJ: 2020 recruiting is doing well. have 8 commits. other guys are close to committing in the next month or two. it's on a need basis. sooner or later, want to have 25 players graduate. get to a point where we're a senior-dominated team. we're probably 2 or 3 years away from that. have 3 commits for 2021. outstanding players for that class. hope to get more. we look at 2020 and 2021 as one class. that will be a huge push as we go forward. always got to be years ahead. coaches are out there, getting into schools. As far as IMG - we go where we have connections. there are players all over country. we feel good about what we have from those kind of players.
Sid: young QB's?
PJ: impressed with the two young kids. they competed. they were thrown into the fire. they didn't just get a few snaps - they got to run the offense from practice one. Kirk C is one of the best developers of QB's I've been around. incredible listener. knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players. Zach and Tanner both improved. if we had to list a starter now, you're looking to see if one stood out in the Spring. They're both competitors. both got better. they're both working at an elite level. they're raising the level of competition in the QB room.
Sid: lots of new ticket plans. get tickets. big-time schedule. Murray's
PJ: RTB, Ski-U-Mah, go Gophers.