Dave Mona had the day off from the Sports Huddle, so Mike Max was solo until Sid Hartman joined him at 10:30 for the P.J. Fleck segment.
1) Sid asked how many players of the 2017 class are presently in school:
“We have three guys in school . . . (we’re) excited about everybody,” Fleck replied. Fleck likened the team to the variety of Christmas gifts on Christmas Day which come in different sized boxes, just as the players come in at different shapes and sizes. He’s excited to see the players perform in spring drills, which is a time of continuous evaluation.
2) Sid asked about competition at the quarterback position and the number of quarterbacks that are competing:
“We’ve got five on scholarship,” Fleck said. There is also one non-scholarship player.
Fleck said all of the quarterbacks will get to work with the first unit. He went on to say that after a few practices they’ll determine who gets to be number one in reps and then second and so on. “We’re always evaluating and making decisions.”
3) Sid wanted to know if they have a quarterback that can scramble:
(Laughing) Fleck said he hopes so: “He’s got to run . . . quarterback has to have creativity with his arms and legs . . . (we want a) decisive decision maker.” He also said when the quarterback has to scramble or during a run pass option he wants to quarterback to always “look downfield.”
4) Sid asked about the four suspended players that were announced to be able to return to the team after their hearings:
“I can’t comment,” Fleck said. He went on to say he can’t make any comments about “those guys just yet.” He anticipates the release of an official announcement will be in the near future.
5) Sid asked about the shortage of players in the offensive and defensive lines:
Mike Max interjected himself in the conversation before P.J. Fleck could answer Sid’s query and said “Let’s move on.”
6) Sid asked about recruiting – knowing that Fleck can’t give out any names – but he wanted to know how many commitments they have and recruiting in general:
Fleck said they now have four commitments. He sounded as if he expects a few more commitments in the coming weeks and that they have “a bunch (recruits) coming in for spring practices.”
7) Sid asked when spring drills will start:
Fleck said spring practices will start on Tuesday and the first practices will be closed to the public. He said the schedule and dates of open practices are on their website.
8) Sid, once again, asked Fleck if Blake Cashman has a scholarship:
Fleck replied emphatically, “He’s got a scholarship!” He also said he told Blake Cashman that he has a scholarship when he met Blake shortly after arriving at Minnesota as the Gophers head coach. Fleck said, as he has said in recent weeks, he’s awaiting the go-ahead by the NCAA to make it official.
9) Sid asked about walk-on players on the team:
Fleck stressed the importance of walk-ons to the program and that they want to continue Minnesota’s tradition of walk-ons. He also said having walk-on players was emphasized when he was coaching at Western Michigan University.
In a later question, Mike Max asked about the definition of a preferred walk-on. Fleck answered by saying a preferred walk-on means the player was recruited. He went on to say a recruited walk-on must wait two years before he is eligible to receive a scholarship . . . a non-recruited walk-on can receive a scholarship earlier.
10) Sid wanted to know if a decision has been made about an early signing period:
Fleck said a decision has not been made yet; however, Fleck said a decision will be made in April. He also expects some changes in rules to be announced at the same time.
11) Sid asked if the recruits that visited the campus in recent weeks have had a good “reaction” during their visits:
Fleck enthusiastically replied the players were favorably impressed with the school, program and the facilities being constructed. He said they were “incredibly surprised, shocked” when they saw the facilities. Fleck said positively, that there is “so much do and show” when a recruit visits the campus. He mentioned the number of Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities and the job opportunities after one’s football playing days are over.
12) Sid wanted to know what he thought of Minnesota high school football and its coaches:
As he said last week, Minnesota has “some of the best coaches in the country.” He also credited the state's coaches with developing student (emphasis on student) athletes. He has met many of Minnesota’s high school coaches when they have visited the campus and at a recent clinic.
In the final question, the focus shifted to Minnesota high school football players. Fleck said, “We want to keep the best players in the state!” He added that the state players that they recruit must be able to play and “fit the (Gophers) culture.”
Go Gophers!!
1) Sid asked how many players of the 2017 class are presently in school:
“We have three guys in school . . . (we’re) excited about everybody,” Fleck replied. Fleck likened the team to the variety of Christmas gifts on Christmas Day which come in different sized boxes, just as the players come in at different shapes and sizes. He’s excited to see the players perform in spring drills, which is a time of continuous evaluation.
2) Sid asked about competition at the quarterback position and the number of quarterbacks that are competing:
“We’ve got five on scholarship,” Fleck said. There is also one non-scholarship player.
Fleck said all of the quarterbacks will get to work with the first unit. He went on to say that after a few practices they’ll determine who gets to be number one in reps and then second and so on. “We’re always evaluating and making decisions.”
3) Sid wanted to know if they have a quarterback that can scramble:
(Laughing) Fleck said he hopes so: “He’s got to run . . . quarterback has to have creativity with his arms and legs . . . (we want a) decisive decision maker.” He also said when the quarterback has to scramble or during a run pass option he wants to quarterback to always “look downfield.”
4) Sid asked about the four suspended players that were announced to be able to return to the team after their hearings:
“I can’t comment,” Fleck said. He went on to say he can’t make any comments about “those guys just yet.” He anticipates the release of an official announcement will be in the near future.
5) Sid asked about the shortage of players in the offensive and defensive lines:
Mike Max interjected himself in the conversation before P.J. Fleck could answer Sid’s query and said “Let’s move on.”
6) Sid asked about recruiting – knowing that Fleck can’t give out any names – but he wanted to know how many commitments they have and recruiting in general:
Fleck said they now have four commitments. He sounded as if he expects a few more commitments in the coming weeks and that they have “a bunch (recruits) coming in for spring practices.”
7) Sid asked when spring drills will start:
Fleck said spring practices will start on Tuesday and the first practices will be closed to the public. He said the schedule and dates of open practices are on their website.
8) Sid, once again, asked Fleck if Blake Cashman has a scholarship:
Fleck replied emphatically, “He’s got a scholarship!” He also said he told Blake Cashman that he has a scholarship when he met Blake shortly after arriving at Minnesota as the Gophers head coach. Fleck said, as he has said in recent weeks, he’s awaiting the go-ahead by the NCAA to make it official.
9) Sid asked about walk-on players on the team:
Fleck stressed the importance of walk-ons to the program and that they want to continue Minnesota’s tradition of walk-ons. He also said having walk-on players was emphasized when he was coaching at Western Michigan University.
In a later question, Mike Max asked about the definition of a preferred walk-on. Fleck answered by saying a preferred walk-on means the player was recruited. He went on to say a recruited walk-on must wait two years before he is eligible to receive a scholarship . . . a non-recruited walk-on can receive a scholarship earlier.
10) Sid wanted to know if a decision has been made about an early signing period:
Fleck said a decision has not been made yet; however, Fleck said a decision will be made in April. He also expects some changes in rules to be announced at the same time.
11) Sid asked if the recruits that visited the campus in recent weeks have had a good “reaction” during their visits:
Fleck enthusiastically replied the players were favorably impressed with the school, program and the facilities being constructed. He said they were “incredibly surprised, shocked” when they saw the facilities. Fleck said positively, that there is “so much do and show” when a recruit visits the campus. He mentioned the number of Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities and the job opportunities after one’s football playing days are over.
12) Sid wanted to know what he thought of Minnesota high school football and its coaches:
As he said last week, Minnesota has “some of the best coaches in the country.” He also credited the state's coaches with developing student (emphasis on student) athletes. He has met many of Minnesota’s high school coaches when they have visited the campus and at a recent clinic.
In the final question, the focus shifted to Minnesota high school football players. Fleck said, “We want to keep the best players in the state!” He added that the state players that they recruit must be able to play and “fit the (Gophers) culture.”
Go Gophers!!
