Saturday Tradition: #B1GCoachRank: No. 10 P.J. Fleck

per Saturday Tradition:

Why he’s at No. 10: It’s tempting to put Fleck higher on this list after rebuilding Western Michigan and finishing the year with a 13-1 record and a Cotton Bowl appearance last season. But having that kind of success in the MAC doesn’t always translate to the B1G, just ask Brady Hoke or Darrell Hazell.

Fleck’s Western Michigan teams did go 2-1 against the B1G West last year, beating Northwestern and Illinois in non-conference action and falling to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl. That’s a great accomplishment. But how will the young head coach fare when Nebraska, Iowa and Michigan into that mix. That’s going to be the real test for Fleck.

After such a big year with the Broncos, Fleck might be a popular choice to make it into the top half of our #B1GCoachRank. But he’s still an unproven guy, at least at the Power Five level. Let’s wait and see how his first year in Minneapolis goes before we move him up in our rankings.

http://saturdaytradition.com/minnesota-football/b1gcoachrank-no-10-p-j-fleck/

Go Gophers!!

Makes sense. Rankings, stars, predictions, are for the birds. Results are what matter.

Seems fair-ish although ideally I just wouldn't rank someone without at least a year.

I am fine with the ranking because he has yet to prove himself in the Big 10 but what Fleck did at Western Michigan was unprecedented. Undefeated regular season, Cotton Bowl, developed the highest draft pick in MAC history I believe. Darrell Hazel and Brady Hoke got lucky one season and bolted at the first opportunity. Fleck spent 4 years consistently improving the Broncos. Does that guarantee success here? No, but there is a higher probability he'll succeed the two jokers the writer compared him to.

gophmeister said:

I am fine with the ranking because he has yet to prove himself in the Big 10 but what Fleck did at Western Michigan was unprecedented. Undefeated regular season, Cotton Bowl, developed the highest draft pick in MAC history I believe. Darrell Hazel and Brady Hoke got lucky one season and bolted at the first opportunity. Fleck spent 4 years consistently improving the Broncos. Does that guarantee success here? No, but there is a higher probability he'll succeed the two jokers the writer compared him to.

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Guess it is in the eye of the beholder...I don't see Hoke and Hazell in the same way at all. Hoke had a better record in his first year at both Mich and SDSU than who he replaced. Turned around two programs. Gave SDSU its first 9 win season in over 30 years, and got SDSU to its first bowl game in over a decade, starting a stretch of 7 straight bowl appearances for them.