Sid: Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck sees positives in Year One troubles

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Sid:

Yes, the Gophers football team had a rough year, getting shut out by Northwestern and Wisconsin in their final two games by a combined score of 70-0 and finishing with a 5-7 record (2-7 Big Ten). But P.J. Fleck, not wanting to give any alibis, says many coaches struggle during their first season at a new school.

“You see the broad spectrum of the best of times and the worst of times, but that’s part of Year 1,” Fleck said. “You see that a lot in Year 1 teams, when they have a brand-new culture and new offensive systems and defensive systems and special teams. You see that. I still remember back at our 1-11 season at Western Michigan [in 2013], we got beat 33-0, I think it was against Buffalo.”

Fleck pointed out that even Barry Alvarez went 1-10 his first year at Wisconsin and was 0-8 in the Big Ten in 1990, then had back-to-back 5-6 seasons before having a winning season and going on to win three Rose Bowls.

Still, Fleck said he believes the team had a winning season in several ways beyond the field.

“We’re winning in every aspect of what we’re doing. We’re winning in recruiting, we’re winning in facility development, we’re winning in our culture, we’re winning in the serving and giving department, too,” Fleck said. “We’re winning in terms of the development of our players on and off the field.”

http://m.startribune.com/gophers-fo...n-year-one-troubles/460907713/?section=sports

Go Gophers!!
 

It was a bad year. It should get better, but the 1st year record of Head Coaches? Didn't expect him to win 9 games. Didn't expect him and others, to keep telling us how a team necessarily has to fall apart either.

Oh and you're welcome Bleed!

Teams with same record or better in Bold

Originally Posted by fan of Ray Williams View Post
2017

Minnesota - P.J. Fleck
9-4 to 5-7
Texas-Tom Herman
5-7 to 6-6
Oklahoma-Lincoln Riley
11-2 to 11-1
Oregon-Willie Taggart
4-8 to 7-5
Purdue-Jeff Brohm
3-9 to 6-6
Baylor-Matt Rhule
7-6 to 1-11
South Florida-Charlie Strong
11-2 to 9-2
Western Kentucky-Mike Sanford
11-3 to 6-6
FAU-Lane Kiffin
3-9 to 9-3
UConn-Randy Edsall
3-9 to 3-9
LSU-Ed Orgeron
8-4 to 9-3
Ole Miss-Matt Luke
5-7 to 6-6
Indiana-Tom Allen
6-7 to 5-7
Temple-Jeff Collins
10-4 to 6-6
Cincinnati-Luke Fickell
4-8 to 4-8
FIU-Butch Davis
4-8 to 7-4
Cal-Justin Wilcox
5-7 to 5-7
WMU-Tim Lester
13-1 to 6-6
Fresno State-Jeff Tedford
1-11 to 9-3
San Jose State-Brent Brennan
4-8 to 2-11
Nevada-Jay Norvell
5-7 to 3-9
Georgia State-Shawn Elliott
3-9 to 6-4

2016 first year coaches

Rutgers-Chris Ash
4-8 to 2-10
Syracuse-Dino Babers
4-8 to 4-8
Iowa State-Matt Campbell
3-9 to 3-9
Toledo-Jason Candle
10-2 to 9-4
Maryland-DJ Durkin
3-9 to 6-7
Tulane-Willie Fritz
3-9 to 4-8
UCF-Scott Frost
0-12 to 6-7
Virginia Tech-Justin Fuente
7-6 to 10-4
USC-Clay Helton
8-6 to 10-3
Southern Miss-Jay Hopson
9-5 to 7-6
Bowling Green-Mike Jinks
10-4 to 4-8
North Texas-Seth Littrell
1-11 to 5-8
Virginia-Bronco Mendenhall
4-8 to 2-10
East Carolina-Scottie Montgomery
5-7 to 3-9
South Carolina-Will Muschamp
3-9 to 6-7
Ball State-Mike Neu
3-9 to 4-8
Memphis-Mike Norvell
9-4 to 8-5
Missouri-Barry Odom
5-7 to 4-8
Miami-Mark Richt
8-5 to 9-4
Hawaii-Nick Rolovich
3-10 to 7-7
BYU-Kalani Sitake
9-4 to 9-4
Georgia-Kirby Smart
10-3 to 8-5
Illinois-Lovie Smith
5-7 to 3-9
Georgia Southern-Tyson Summers
9-4 to 5-7
Louisiana Monroe-Mike Viator
2-11 to 4-8
Texas San Antonio-Frank Wilson
3-9 to 6-7
Texas State-Everett Withers
3-9 to 2-10
 

Of the 2016 first year coaches that had a 4 game precipitous dip in wins their first year:

Tyson Summers was even worse in 2017 2-9 with a final game this weekend.
Mike Jinks worse 2-10

It would be interesting to do a larger retrospective on teams that successfully pull off the “what success looks like” chart. The 2017 Gophers team probably should have had 6 or 7 wins with a shot at 7 or 8 in a bowl but it wasn’t meant to be.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
Of the 2016 first year coaches that had a 4 game precipitous dip in wins their first year:

Tyson Summers was even worse in 2017 2-9 with a final game this weekend.
Mike Jinks worse 2-10

It would be interesting to do a larger retrospective on teams that successfully pull off the “what success looks like” chart. The 2017 Gophers team probably should have had 6 or 7 wins with a shot at 7 or 8 in a bowl but it wasn’t meant to be.
Click to expand...

And Tyson Summers was fired halfway through season 2.
 

“You see the broad spectrum of the best of times and the worst of times, but that’s part of Year 1,” Fleck said. “You see that a lot in Year 1 teams, when they have a brand-new culture and new offensive systems and defensive systems and special teams. You see that. I still remember back at our 1-11 season at Western Michigan [in 2013], we got beat 33-0, I think it was against Buffalo.”

Fleck pointed out that even Barry Alvarez went 1-10 his first year at Wisconsin and was 0-8 in the Big Ten in 1990, then had back-to-back 5-6 seasons before having a winning season and going on to win three Rose Bowls.

Badgers won 9 games total in the four seasons preceding Alvarez. WMU won 22 games in the four years preceding Fleck. Gophs won 31 games in the four years preceding Fleck.
 


So the gophers had 5 wins instead of 6 or 7 wins that they should have. Get over it and move on. I don't know if Fleck is the answer but he seems to be doing the right things in recruiting and going forward into year 2.
 

Chucklehead said:
So the gophers had 5 wins instead of 6 or 7 wins that they should have. Get over it and move on. . .
Click to expand...

Great point Chucklehead! Don't know why Fleck keeps referring to the record of past 1st year Head Coaches. That doesn't favor his position. Makes much more sense to let it go and get onto recruiting, selling tickets and planning for his 2nd year
 

Chucklehead said:
So the gophers had 5 wins instead of 6 or 7 wins that they should have. Get over it and move on. I don't know if Fleck is the answer but he seems to be doing the right things in recruiting and going forward into year 2.
Click to expand...

The difference between 5 wins and 6 wins (with rare exceptions) is playing in a bowl game. I'm surprised you didn't know that.

Would you be so cavalier about it if it were "they won 12 games instead of 13 or 14 that they should have" and those 13th and 14th games were the Big Ten championship game and CFP semifinal?
 

dpodoll68 said:
The difference between 5 wins and 6 wins (with rare exceptions) is playing in a bowl game. I'm surprised you didn't know that.

Would you be so cavalier about it if it were "they won 12 games instead of 13 or 14 that they should have" and those 13th and 14th games were the Big Ten championship game and CFP semifinal?
Click to expand...

But it's not.
 






Johnnyboy18 said:
It's a stupid comparison and should not be equated. Thanks for playing.
Click to expand...

It's not stupid, nor am I equating the two. It's an important deal to make a bowl game to a lot of people - me, presumably many of the players and coaching staff, presumably many other fans, local travel agencies, fundraisers here at the U, etc., etc. Putting all that aside, saying 1 or 2 wins is "no big deal" is a terrible attitude. Are they going to refund me the cost of those 1-2 games from my season ticket price?
 



Yeah, PJ has to stop making the comparisons to other first year coaches, that does nothing but invite this debate and most coaches aren't replacing 9 win coaches.

Moving on, he should focus on the fact that he has had success and it takes time.
 



Fleck just needs to take his lumps and move forward. He sure loves deflecting and redirecting the conversation every time he is even remotely criticized.
 

I'll bet if you filtered this list to head coaches taking over from the outside (no Lincoln Riley or Tracy Claeys situations), and replacing a multi-year starter at QB with someone with no experience the number of coaches who improved in year 1 gets really thin.
 

fmlizard said:
I'll bet if you filtered this list to head coaches taking over from the outside (no Lincoln Riley or Tracy Claeys situations), and replacing a multi-year starter at QB with someone with no experience the number of coaches who improved in year 1 gets really thin.
Click to expand...

How about you go ahead and do that...I'm sure you could find multiple ways to qualify the list smaller to slant in Fleck's favor.
 

fmlizard said:
I'll bet if you filtered this list to head coaches taking over from the outside (no Lincoln Riley or Tracy Claeys situations), and replacing a multi-year starter at QB with someone with no experience the number of coaches who improved in year 1 gets really thin.
Click to expand...

I will qualify the list in that fashion just as soon as he qualifies his endless year zero excuses with the same restrictions. Deal?
 

dpodoll68 said:
I will qualify the list in that fashion just as soon as he qualifies his endless year zero excuses with the same restrictions. Deal?
Click to expand...

Kinda like the U's extension press release with the 5-win qualifier...or Fleck saying six HC in 11 years, when it's really five in 20.
 


fmlizard said:
I'll bet if you filtered this list to head coaches taking over from the outside (no Lincoln Riley or Tracy Claeys situations), and replacing a multi-year starter at QB with someone with no experience the number of coaches who improved in year 1 gets really thin.
Click to expand...

Why not add in losing at least 4 players to expulsion so the list really gets small.
 

I am impressed with PJ for recognizing it is year 1 and not year zero. Progress.
 

BleedGopher said:
Fleck pointed out that even Barry Alvarez went 1-10 his first year at Wisconsin and was 0-8 in the Big Ten in 1990, then had back-to-back 5-6 seasons before having a winning season and going on to win three Rose Bowls.
Click to expand...

Shocking that PJ would bring this up. I heard he struggled his first year at WMU somewhere too. I feel way better now.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

fmlizard said:
I'll bet if you filtered this list to head coaches taking over from the outside (no Lincoln Riley or Tracy Claeys situations), and replacing a multi-year starter at QB with someone with no experience the number of coaches who improved in year 1 gets really thin.
Click to expand...

Let's add geography and uniform color to the equation too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Chucklehead said:
So the gophers had 5 wins instead of 6 or 7 wins that they should have. Get over it and move on. I don't know if Fleck is the answer but he seems to be doing the right things in recruiting and going forward into year 2.
Click to expand...

OH.... NO NO NO!!!

We're not going to get over this ANYTIME soon.

You see... I'm not going to say how many games Fleck should have won, but I will repeatedly spend the next 8 months posting about how it wasn't good enough.

Then I'll continue to troll users who like Fleck. I can't get over it because something inside my head doesn't let me move on from it.
 

Face The Facts said:
OH.... NO NO NO!!!

We're not going to get over this ANYTIME soon.

You see... I'm not going to say how many games Fleck should have won, but I will repeatedly spend the next 8 months posting about how it wasn't good enough.

Then I'll continue to troll users who like Fleck. I can't get over it because something inside my head doesn't let me move on from it.
Click to expand...

Claeys was fired almost 11 months ago, and you haven't gotten over talking about it at every opportunity. You also troll posters who like Claeys as much as you can.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Claeys was fired almost 11 months ago, and you haven't gotten over talking about it at every opportunity. You also troll posters who like Claeys as much as you can.
Click to expand...

I haven't said anything about the former head coach for a while now. Probably since my last banning. I'm all about the future.

Actually, in that comparison thread about last years schedule and this years schedule I did.

(that was earlier today).
 

What program in this list is Minnesota/Fleck more like than Baylor/Matt Rhule in 2017?
 

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