Now that we're officially in the doldrums, let's speculate.

Some Day...Maybe

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Who thinks Fleck is the best hire since Murray Warmath? I do. I was born in 1972 and I don't think Gopher football has ever even been close to where it is right now in my lifetime.

How long do you think Fleck will stay at Minnesota? I think he'll have offers after year 1. I actually think there is a chance he might stay 5 to 7 years (or who knows, more), which being honest, I think is against the odds. I think Minnesota will have to pay him 4 to 5.5 million a year to keep him that long.

Where would Fleck go? I don't really see where within the first 5 years or so. I think Notre Dame is the biggest threat but I don't see them firing Kelly in the next year or two based on the Charlie Weiss debacle, unless Kelly fails to win 8 or 9 games in each of the next 2 years. When I looked at it, I couldn't really see Fleck going anywhere in the next 3 to 5 years. In the Big Ten I could only see Ohio State or Michigan. At any rate, it sucks to speculate but I can't help it. It's just the reality of being a fan of the University of Minnesota football.

I just don't think some fans on this board understand or appreciate what a coup Mark Coyle orchestrated in hiring Fleck. I think a lot of that credit has to go to Jerry Kill, and even to Joel Maturi for being smart enough to give Kill the shot. Without Kill, I don't believe we're where we are with the new facilities, and without those I don't know that we land Coyle, and I don't think we land Fleck. I think Kill was, and will go down, as a transformative figure in modern Gopher football history.

I just don't think there's been a better time in my lifetime to be a Gopher Football Fan. I can't wait for the 2017 season to start! I can't wait for that game in Corvallis. In my opinion, Minnesota has a BIG TIME football coach for the first time since the brief Lou Holtz stint. Row the Boat and Ski U Mah Gopher Fans!!!!!!!!!
 



In 2009, the New York Times had an article stating the average tenure for head coaches in the 6 BCS conferences (again 2009) was 4.95 years with the median being 3 years. Whether having to do with success, failure, health, or scandal the numbers say 5-7 years would be longer than expected. I'm sure we all hope that PJF is our version of JoePa (minus the obvious) but really all we can hope for is a fun ride for a half decade and that he leaves us in a better place than we are now so we can further build with the next hire. Even a program like wisconsin, throughout their impressive post-Barry run, have had a hard time keeping coaches.

In the end, though, PJF has a record of 0-0 - so stressing about how long he will be here seems a little irrational (not hating - I mean these conversations are what message boards are made for). 18 months from now, the bloom may be off the rose for some of us and losing PJF may be the least of our worries.
 

Who thinks Fleck is the best hire since Murray Warmath?

I just don't think there's been a better time in my lifetime to be a Gopher Football Fan. I can't wait for the 2017 season to start! I can't wait for that game in Corvallis. In my opinion, Minnesota has a BIG TIME football coach for the first time since the brief Lou Holtz stint. Row the Boat and Ski U Mah Gopher Fans!!!!!!!!!

Look - I hope Fleck turns out to be the answer. But, as we sit here today, there is almost no evidence on which you can base that conclusion. Fleck did a nice job building up a MAC-level program. BUT - this is his first shot at a major conference D1 program.

We just don't know what is going to happen. Fleck may turn out to be the greatest coach in Gopher History. He may turn out to be an average coach. Or, he may turn out to be the second coming of Smokey Joe Salem or Jim Wacker - enthusiasm without results.

I don't know. You don't know.

Blind Faith is the name of a rock band.

I hope Fleck turns out to be a success. I really do. I don't like his personal style, but if he wins, I'll accept it. But, if I had to bet my own money right now, I wouldn't bet the farm on Fleck succeeding. I've seen too many coaches come in to MN with enthusiasm and expectations. To one extent or another, they all came up a little short of their goal. Is Fleck different - maybe. Is he the difference maker - maybe. Or maybe not. Ask me in 2 or three years after we've seen Fleck and his staff go through a couple of B1G seasons and recruiting cycles.
 


1. Hype wise, Lou Holtz
2. If he sticks to his goals, ( National Championship ) at least 5 years.
3. For sure, not the Pros. He likes challenges, so I think he would take on another program that has been in the crapper and would buy in to his philosophies.
Summary: I predicted we would roll into Iowa City at 7-0,and if we come back with the pig you'll see a lot of people in public venues " rowing the boat" , and won't that be a blast!
 

Fleck has mentioned a few times in interviews and speeches "over the next few years together" or over our time together the next 4-5 years. He' probably just stating that in terms of his recruit's time here, or his short term plan, but an ambitious Type A like Fleck probably has his life mapped out. None of us know what his ultimate goal is. He may row his boat to Big Ten championships here or he may view this as a steppingstone to a traditional power and he'll jump at the first opportunity. Personally I think he'll be gone but there's a chance his enormous ego will want to build a legacy here as it's difficult to beat the greats in Ann Arbor or Notre Dame. In the latter case he would ride in as a savior however and he'd like that.

Whatever the case, ultimately the players and the football is why most of us are here. I don't engage in cult of personality whether it's a coach or an administrator. Just win, baby.
 

Oh my god, we are beyond the doldrums. The sails are down and packed. The crew just jumped overboard.
 

Oh my god, we are beyond the doldrums. The sails are down and packed. The crew just jumped overboard.

Again, why come here? Just read the papers if all you want is breaking news. For some reason you feel discussion or criticism of the management or coaches is off limits, yet you endlessly criticize and belittle posters here. I suspect this is colored by your (perhaps past) life of being an unpopular manager, your employees strongly dislliking you or having opinions, yet your philosophy is your way or the highway and everyone else is a moron. Beyond constructive criticism. Am I close?
 



I have to say Holtz.
Like another poster said when you are at this level it's a whole new ball game. Regardless of how impressive people are at the previous level it's an unknown at this one.
Let's see if he does anything before we worry about him leaving.

I had to laugh at the jumping ship and sails packed that was pretty funny. Yep, it's the slow time.
 

Can he become a "statue guy"? The guy that raises us to helmet school status, stays for his career & gets a statue in front of the stadium. I think it's possible.

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Can he become a "statue guy"? The guy that raises us back to helmet school status, stays for his career & gets a statue in front of the stadium. I think it's possible.

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FIFY...:)...and agree. Fleck elevates and wins, he's here for the long-run, IMHO.
 

As long as nothing happens between the coach and upper management, I see very few reasons a successful coach would want to leave.
 



Here are the reasons I believe PJF would leave, in priority:
1) Adminustration does not give him enough support/control to create his culture
2) He fails to achieve his least ambitious goals within 7 years
3) Money
4) To take a job at a more prestigious, helmet school

If he gets what he wants from the top 3, I don't see him leaving because of 4. No way.
 

Here are the reasons I believe PJF would leave, in priority:
1) Adminustration does not give him enough support/control to create his culture
2) He fails to achieve his least ambitious goals within 7 years
3) Money
4) To take a job at a more prestigious, helmet school

If he gets what he wants from the top 3, I don't see him leaving because of 4. No way.

I think this is a pretty good breakdown
 

Fleck has mentioned a few times in interviews and speeches "over the next few years together" or over our time together the next 4-5 years. He' probably just stating that in terms of his recruit's time here, or his short term plan, but an ambitious Type A like Fleck probably has his life mapped out. None of us know what his ultimate goal is. He may row his boat to Big Ten championships here or he may view this as a steppingstone to a traditional power and he'll jump at the first opportunity. Personally I think he'll be gone but there's a chance his enormous ego will want to build a legacy here as it's difficult to beat the greats in Ann Arbor or Notre Dame. In the latter case he would ride in as a savior however and he'd like that.

Whatever the case, ultimately the players and the football is why most of us are here. I don't engage in cult of personality whether it's a coach or an administrator. Just win, baby.

He won't ever be offered the ND job.


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Hopefully he isn't like Lou H and we end up with a NCAA investigation. Of course that was par for Lou Holz.. Not sure a helmet school would be attractive to PJF as his ego needs to be satisfied by changing the culture. I can't think of another P6 school that "sports writers"call a sleeping giant where just the right person could make all the difference in the world. ND may qualify but the recruiting pressure would be overwhelming - not satisfied with 3*. Having attended several ND games, their facilities don't measure up to our new digs. I really think the stars are aligned just right for PJF have some great years at the U. However an increase in dollars -especially for his assistants would be in order.
 

He won't ever be offered the ND job.


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They kept Kelly after the student death controversy and other fiascos (a big deal even to my diehard ND fan family members) and hired Charlie Weis...

Notre Dame is probably one of the more tradition-driven programs and would refuse to let him plaster RTB on anything and everything the way WMU and MN have but I think it's a stretch to say they wouldn't hire him, period. Willingham was not a catholic and apparently not that religious, period.
 

1. Yes
2. Until he retires
3. See #2


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They kept Kelly after the student death controversy and other fiascos (a big deal even to my diehard ND fan family members) and hired Charlie Weis...

Notre Dame is probably one of the more tradition-driven programs and would refuse to let him plaster RTB on anything and everything the way WMU and MN have but I think it's a stretch to say they wouldn't hire him, period. Willingham was not a catholic and apparently not that religious, period.

The priests won't allow someone who's been divorced to take over the program.


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The priests won't allow someone who's been divorced to take over the program.


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PJ's been divorced? I'm surprised that hasn't come up on here before.


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Who thinks Fleck is the best hire since Murray Warmath? I do. I was born in 1972 and I don't think Gopher football has ever even been close to where it is right now in my lifetime.

I was born in 1965 (my memory goes back to about 1972-73) and I would agree that Gopher football as a program is in its best shape it's been during my lifetime. How you can credit Fleck for that is beyond me.

I've been through a lot of coaching changes during my years as a Gopher fan and I've been excited about most of them. I've also been let down by most of them. I sincerely hope Fleck is immensely successful and we end up building him a statute. But we won't begin to know how to rank him historically for three or four years.
 


While it's certainly premature to say he's the best, he certainly has the potential to do so. The department is arguably in about as good of shape as it's been in awhile. We're coming off the second-best four-year run as a football program since the 60s. Once he starts getting more of his players in here, I think the team is capable of taking yet another step forward.
 

I predict moderate success and he'll be gone within 5 years to a big helmet school (his schtick won't work in the NFL). Shame on those who will be shocked, surprised, and feel betrayed. We are Minnesota fans, we should know by now that nothing good can last very long.
 

I was born in 1965 (my memory goes back to about 1972-73) and I would agree that Gopher football as a program is in its best shape it's been during my lifetime. How you can credit Fleck for that is beyond me.

I've been through a lot of coaching changes during my years as a Gopher fan and I've been excited about most of them. I've also been let down by most of them. I sincerely hope Fleck is immensely successful and we end up building him a statute. But we won't begin to know how to rank him historically for three or four years.

Yes - I know this is a typo. But it's still funny. Now I'm wondering what law the legislature is going to adopt because of Fleck. Although, if the guy wins a B1G title, I could see him getting a proclamation. But that is not a statute.
 

Yes - I know this is a typo. But it's still funny. Now I'm wondering what law the legislature is going to adopt because of Fleck. Although, if the guy wins a B1G title, I could see him getting a proclamation. But that is not a statute.

Yes, "statute" is wrong. Let's go with a "resolution" from the next governor proclaiming January 1, 2020 "Minnesota Gophers at the Rose Bowl Day."
 

1. Best hire? not sure about that until we see what he does with this team and future teams.
His enthusiasm is great, but I'm not sure its even top 3 compared to other hires. Brewster, for as bad as he was as a coach, was even more enthusiastic about the job, Wacker and or Holtz also came in with quite high enthusiasm for the job.
As to where the program is at, I would say he is walking into the best situation, by far, when it comes to athletes on the team, facilities for the program and to sell to recruits, and administrative support.
2. He'll leave after he gets us in the CFP.
3. Some NFL head job. The success he has here will increase his ego to the point he feels that his philosophy will work in the NFL.
 

Yes, "statute" is wrong. Let's go with a "resolution" from the next governor proclaiming January 1, 2020 "Minnesota Gophers at the Rose Bowl Day."

Amen to that...definitely a possibility if Fleck continues to elevate the program. Schedule is favorable on paper for that magic to happen. Would likely mean Gophs make it to, but lose, the B1G Championship game.
 




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