PJ Fleck Interview on Sports Huddle 3-11-18

short ornery norwegian

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
19,511
Reaction score
13,182
Points
113
PJ Fleck appeared on the Sports Huddle with Dave, Sid and Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve. (Mike Max was in Florida doing Twins interviews)

(note - either I'm slow from losing an hour of sleep, or PJ was talking faster than usual, but I had a harder time keeping up. did the best I could.)

Sid: did the players report in good shape?
PJ: 1st, Happy Birthday to Sid. (Sid turns 98 on Thursday) the squad is doing great. working hard. we've had 2 practices with no pads. we've installed about 40-50% of the offense. no contact, no tackling. big mental week. learning the system. next week we'll work in more contact.

Sid: how are QB's looking?
PJ: proud of progress they've made. no one has ever thrown a pass in a college game. it's the best of times and worst of times. I look at it as a positive -we get to build QB's from ground up. don't know yet what we'll get on the field. Coach C has done tremendous job developing players. the level of leadership is very high in the room.

Sid: more Depth in OL this year?
PJ: last year only had 4 guys healthy in spring at times. right now we have 13 linemen - can go 1st group, 2nd group, mix some guys in. I like our depth. I'll like it more after next year's recruiting class. Coach Callahan has made a lot of progress with them. Players are improving their technique, improving discipline. got a lot of young guys in the room, and we'll add more in the fall. we'll have to make decisions on who red-shirts, who plays.

Sid: don't you have more depth in all positions?
PJ: year one is an attrition year. you take over a program, and some people leave. installing a new identity, new culture. some people aren't going to fit. year two, have 1st big recruiting class in. start developing numbers. next year we'll have competitive depth. it's a step by step process.

Sid: what about Winfield and Douglas and the other injured players?
PJ: AW has done fantastic job. you can see the development mentally. he's playing faster. a lot of the young guys in the secondary have got to develop. AW doesn't have to prove he's a player - the other guys have to prove that. I'm excited for AW to have a big season. I'm so glad we red-shirted players, (missed some names), Andries. Thomas Rush - that young man's going to play. fans should be excited to meet new youthful talent.

Sid: lost Brooks. what about other RB's?
PJ: Rodney going thru spring practice. being more careful. want to make sure we get Rodney to the season. He's tutoring and leading. need the young guys to step up, fill gap. (mentions Ibrahim, London). Williams will come in ready to play. he'll be here in June. Edmonds same thing. Brooks is Coach Brooks till 2019. he keeps a positive attitude. help young guys develop a lot faster.

Cheryl Reeve: Lynx had challenges when we took over program. what do you focus on - personnel, schemes -in order to move the needle on offense?
PJ: at WMU, we had one of the worst offenses in country in year 1. by year 4 we were top 15 in the country. start with culture beyond anything else. how we do things. expectations. how do you win games. that's what year one's about. as far as QB play - last year, we had QB's who hadn't played much football. this year, we have QB's who haven't played any FB. it all starts with the QB. have to make sure they can handle what the offense is throwing at them. figure out their strengths, weaknesses, and build system from QB. culturally, have to accept how we win. QB play - develop talent. bring in playmakers.

Mona: Seth Green, will he play somewhere else? Philosophy on contact in practice?
PJ: Seth is a phenomenal athlete. he's really embraced the culture. he just got back from attending a leadership conference. he's done a great job. he's in competition (for QB job). But, he's such a good athlete, if he doesn't win the QB job, I've talked to him about playing something else TE, WR, LB? it's all hypothetically. just want to make sure he's prepared. trying to be open and honest. But he's got a great opportunity to win the QB job.

As far as Contact - FB is a violent game. there's got to be some contact. I'm low on that. we train in a controlled environment. that's hard to manipulate with OL and DL. We have 7 different tempos we go at. We call out a tempo and players have to adjust. (explains what tempos mean) Tag, Thud, Full contact. players have to be able to adapt. with so many head injuries, the 1st thing is safety for players. do a lot of things with tackling drills in a controlled environment. may not wear helmets, but focus on technique.

Sid: How about the 7 players who reported early. How are they looking? (henceforth, this will be designated as the Sid Question of the Week - SQotW)
PJ: they're adapting. I'm proud of those guys. they've earned the respect of their teammates. that's the fun thing about FR, watching them earn respect. (I tell them to) keep their mouth shut and let the work speak for them. I'm excited about all 17-18 FR coming in June. It's our 1st true recruiting class. excited about future.

Sid: lot of new ticket programs available for games. Murray's certificate.
PJ: RTB, Ski-U-Mah. Happy Birthday, Sid.
 



Thanks SON. You do a great job. Much appreciated.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Mona: Seth Green, will he play somewhere else? Philosophy on contact in practice?
PJ: Seth is a phenomenal athlete. he's really embraced the culture. he just got back from attending a leadership conference. he's done a great job. he's in competition (for QB job). But, he's such a good athlete, if he doesn't win the QB job, I've talked to him about playing something else TE, WR, LB? it's all hypothetically. just want to make sure he's prepared. trying to be open and honest. But he's got a great opportunity to win the QB job.




<iframe seamless="seamless" style="width: 100%; border: none; display: block; max-width: 420px; height: 360px;" src="https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/embed/ef11d0ec-c857-483c-811f-a2833da94e43?autoplay=false"> </iframe>

.
 


Sid: How about the 7 players who reported early. How are they looking? (henceforth, this will be designated as the Sid Question of the Week - SQotW)
PJ: they're adapting. I'm proud of those guys. they've earned the respect of their teammates. that's the fun thing about FR, watching them earn respect. (I tell them to) keep their mouth shut and let the work speak for them. I'm excited about all 17-18 FR coming in June. It's our 1st true recruiting class. excited about future.

I wonder how that makes the recruits from the first go around? they must get a warm fuzzy inside when he talks up this class over them
 



I'd be willing to bet they could care less

I agree. However, I assume you meant that they couldn't care less - in which case I'd take that bet. Unless being dismissed by your coach is what the kids like?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 



Sid: How about the 7 players who reported early. How are they looking? (henceforth, this will be designated as the Sid Question of the Week - SQotW)
PJ: they're adapting. I'm proud of those guys. they've earned the respect of their teammates. that's the fun thing about FR, watching them earn respect. (I tell them to) keep their mouth shut and let the work speak for them. I'm excited about all 17-18 FR coming in June. It's our 1st true recruiting class. excited about future.

I wonder how that makes the recruits from the first go around? they must get a warm fuzzy inside when he talks up this class over them

I bet they are all seeing counselors and will never recover from the pain...
 

We have some sensitive types on this board.

PJ has a slip of the tongue, and doesn't say "first, full, all-PJ, recruiting class" and all of a sudden we're worried that the 2017 class is going to get butthurt about it.

Andries and Tanner Morgan will probably transfer now I suppose.
 

We have some sensitive types on this board.

PJ has a slip of the tongue, and doesn't say "first, full, all-PJ, recruiting class" and all of a sudden we're worried that the 2017 class is going to get butthurt about it.

Andries and Tanner Morgan will probably transfer now I suppose.

It's laughable, isn't it. They are reacting to real-time notes SON was taking on a message board while PJ was talking, not even a direct quote that may have been taken out of context. They can't wait to find any way to call out the coach...
 

The line that stood out for me was:

"culturally, they have to accept how we win."

Now, I think I understand what he's talking about. That there is a certain way he wants the team to play, and if they play the right way, they will win games.

But, the cynic in me wants to respond - "I thought you won by scoring more points than the other team."

I just wish he would tone down some of the coach-speak. But, Fleck is who he is. We'll see if that ultimately translates into the team winning games.
 



Thanks Son! Awesome job! 50% of the offense in seems pretty good in my opinion. I don't believe we were that far along last year.
 

That's not the type of comment you make about a guy who is really in the running to be QB. I'm thinking Seth is gonna move.
 

1. Players from last year’s class aren’t curled up in the corner whimpering that Fleck disrespected them. That’s completely silly.
2. I can’t imagine a scenario in which Seth Green is taking QB snaps during fall camp.
3. Whose playing time is Thomas Rush supposed to take?
4. Fleck really likes him some Winfield.
 

1. Players from last year’s class aren’t curled up in the corner whimpering that Fleck disrespected them. That’s completely silly.

No one claimed that. One poster suggested last year's class may not appreciate hearing that quote and the PJ Police came out swinging. Par for the course.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Our QB situation is much better than it appears unless we just do not have a QB coach that is worth his salary. Not going to blame coaching for last year. In our hearts we all knew neither QB last years had what it takes. Fleck would have stuck with the senior if he didn't have the need to run Croft off. We would have won another game or two and gotten a bowl game, but getting rid of Croft was more important. I think everyone in Maroon and Gold has now bought into Fleck and we will make real progress this year. Same for the coaches.
 

No one claimed that. One poster suggested last year's class may not appreciate hearing that quote and the PJ Police came out swinging. Par for the course.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You do enjoy crying hyperbole in others while engaging in the same. There is no PJ Police, but then again you knew that.

And try to be accurate when downplaying the depths of your relentless snark and cynicism. It is certainly not true that one poster suggested the class may not “appreciate” that quote, which would suggest some mild annoyance. The poster you referenced said that Fleck was “talking over” the present class and you followed by saying the players would feel “dismissed” by their coach, both of which would suggest a much higher order of angst. Be accurate if you’re going to cry inaccuracy.

I can’t imagine any player cared even the slightest about a throwaway line on a radio show praising the class of incoming recruits.
 

You do enjoy crying hyperbole in others while engaging in the same. There is no PJ Police, but then again you knew that.

I do like hyperbole, no doubt.

No PJ Police? LOL. Look at the first 2 posters that came to his defense here, and in every other thread. If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Our QB situation is much better than it appears unless we just do not have a QB coach that is worth his salary. Not going to blame coaching for last year. In our hearts we all knew neither QB last years had what it takes. Fleck would have stuck with the senior if he didn't have the need to run Croft off. We would have won another game or two and gotten a bowl game, but getting rid of Croft was more important. I think everyone in Maroon and Gold has now bought into Fleck and we will make real progress this year. Same for the coaches.

So PJ played Croft to get rid of him?
I would think if you wanted to get rid of a player, you would put him at the bottom of the depth chart and let other, possibly lesser talented, kids play. That would send a message to that player that he is no longer wanted.
 


So PJ played Croft to get rid of him?
I would think if you wanted to get rid of a player, you would put him at the bottom of the depth chart and let other, possibly lesser talented, kids play. That would send a message to that player that he is no longer wanted.

And he didn't play Green to keep him.
 

Our QB situation is much better than it appears unless we just do not have a QB coach that is worth his salary. Not going to blame coaching for last year. In our hearts we all knew neither QB last years had what it takes. Fleck would have stuck with the senior if he didn't have the need to run Croft off. We would have won another game or two and gotten a bowl game, but getting rid of Croft was more important. I think everyone in Maroon and Gold has now bought into Fleck and we will make real progress this year. Same for the coaches.

He could have won more games and earned his bowl game bonus, but chose not to, because it was more important to scare a player off by giving him playing time?

That makes about as much sense as running a fake punt play on second down.
 

I agree. However, I assume you meant that they couldn't care less - in which case I'd take that bet. Unless being dismissed by your coach is what the kids like?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Since they were smart enough to be admitted to the U, I assume they know what he meant
 

I have no way of knowing if the previous year's recruits are/were offended by Fleck's comment. But I DO know that WCCO just wet themselves at the thought of a bunch of 19-20 year olds listening to their AM radio station.
 

But I DO know that WCCO just wet themselves at the thought of a bunch of 19-20 year olds listening to their AM radio station.

Negative. The wetting was simply due to age.
 

The QB and Offense situation was dismal last year. We had a very thin decimated O-Line. The older WR corps were corpses. Demetrious Douglas was out for the season and Tyler Johnson got hurt towards the end of the season.

The one bright spot was the game against Nebraska.

Connor Rhoda was serviceable in the beginning of the season and got his extra year of grad school paid for. It make me wonder if there was trouble in the very beginning with Demry Croft, and Connor Rhoda was just a stop gap until DC could play.

They had to play Demry Croft in spite of being in the dog house to see if he can contribute even overlooking whatever transgressions he had. His performance was not good enough to overlook the off field and leadership issues. Tanner Morgan got to spend a red shirt year instead of burning it.

It was obvious at the end of the season that the Gophers need to move on without him.

So, we are moving on to Vicious Vic, Morgan, Green, and Annexstad. With the additions in the O-Line plus these new crop of QBs and WRs something has to pop next year and win a few more games tohelp in recruiting.
 






Top Bottom