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Gopher FB coach PJ Fleck appeared on the Sports Huddle on WCCO on Sunday.
Sid: Last week 5 commitments in one day. have you ever had a day like that?
PJ: had a day like that last year, with 4 or 5 commits - at WMU had 6-7 in one day. our staff does amazing job. we need to get to the best people, best players - bring here on official visits. we like to get to know kids over long period of time. get on official visits. summer helped us with certain types of kids who are ready to make a decision earlier. other kids want to wait until December to make visits and decisions. and some kids we're in battles for right now, the process will go through December. Happy there are so many young people who want to be gophers.
Sid: (asks about the national recruiting rankings?)
PJ: we're still early in process. I feel we have a talented class. the 18 & 19 classes will show what we can do as we move forward. they are coming in to create depth. older players will have to lead the way. I'm pleased with the type of people we're bringing in. we have players who will be difference-makers, game-changers. the 18 class finally got here last week. the 19's will be here in another year.
Sid: what do you think about the transfers (who are already on team)?
PJ: I'm excited about everybody on our team. I don't do a lot of transfers. we don't have a lot of those. We do look to add players to our roster in creative ways. will do that for 19 class as well, based on new NCAA rules. we have to do a tremendous job in adding players. only have 9 scholarship SR's, 16 JR's.
Max: New rule - coaches can't block a kid from transferring.
PJ: it depends on what the head coach prefers to do I've never denied a player. some conferences have their own rules. I've never blocked a kid. some coaches have done that. the new rule opens it up. it won't have an effect on us.
Sid: are all the recruits in school?
PJ: 2018 class is here. they're doing a great job. been here 2 weeks. lot of athletes, speed, talent. got to have a lot of these guys play. same thing with the 19 class. 18 and 19 will be two main classes that we as a staff can put our stamp on. haven't watched them do a ton yet. they're in the weight room, testing, conditioning. I'm not allowed to be around them when they're doing FB activities. I hear good reports. excited about training camp.
Sid: what about Junior College players (who have joined the team for this year)?
PJ: not many of them. JUCO's in the 2019 class won't be here for another year. those are guys we want to see play right away. not a lot of JUCO's in 2018. might red-shirt some of them. Dickson - I would probably rather have him for 2 more years after this year, instead of this year and one more year. we'll see. sometimes you make decisions for right now - sometimes for the long term. we'll see where we are at training camp.
Mona: any punters able to hit the roof of new facility?
PJ: Herbers hit top of it. told them they've got to hit the highest point. they do every thing they can to hit that thing. takes a pretty high punt to do that. He didn't tell me about the distance.
Sid: like any players you've seen in summer camp?
PJ: camp is the only time the head coach gets the ability to go evaluate. I'm not allowed out in spring football. At a camp, I get a chance to work with these young people. I hope to have some things happen in the next few weeks. hope to get more commits soon. make some more offers. We've made a ton of offers based on camp for this year, and the following year. I was a player who got 1 scholarship because I went to a camp. Get to test people - see what's not on film. they get a chance to show something on the field in camp. we love camp season. We'll be going around to camps in other states - OK, Houston, GA, got a busy week ahead.
Sid: feeling better about OL maturity?
PJ: we took 7 OL for a reason. when we got here - only had 4 scholarship linemen healthy. took 7 linemen to create depth. we'll take 2 or 3 in 19 class. after that, should be able to have numbers back. couldn't fix every issue in one year. OL is a priority. WR is a priority. DB is a major priority. DL is a priority. one class doesn't fix it. the players in the program are working hard. making huge strides. highest GPA in history of program. doing a tremendous job in the community.
Sid: are All players healthy?
PJ: Everyone will be ready for training camp. Barber, Cashman - coming back better than they were before. Barber changed his body, sculpted his body. He looks like a B1G Mike LB. Cashman the same way. we didn't have a lot of off-season surgeries. that's a credit to our training staff - doing great things with nutrition, diet, strength program.
Sid: great ticket packages available for Gophers. Murray's certificate.
PJ: got a long way to go. Happy father's day. RTB. Ski-U-Mah.
Sid: Last week 5 commitments in one day. have you ever had a day like that?
PJ: had a day like that last year, with 4 or 5 commits - at WMU had 6-7 in one day. our staff does amazing job. we need to get to the best people, best players - bring here on official visits. we like to get to know kids over long period of time. get on official visits. summer helped us with certain types of kids who are ready to make a decision earlier. other kids want to wait until December to make visits and decisions. and some kids we're in battles for right now, the process will go through December. Happy there are so many young people who want to be gophers.
Sid: (asks about the national recruiting rankings?)
PJ: we're still early in process. I feel we have a talented class. the 18 & 19 classes will show what we can do as we move forward. they are coming in to create depth. older players will have to lead the way. I'm pleased with the type of people we're bringing in. we have players who will be difference-makers, game-changers. the 18 class finally got here last week. the 19's will be here in another year.
Sid: what do you think about the transfers (who are already on team)?
PJ: I'm excited about everybody on our team. I don't do a lot of transfers. we don't have a lot of those. We do look to add players to our roster in creative ways. will do that for 19 class as well, based on new NCAA rules. we have to do a tremendous job in adding players. only have 9 scholarship SR's, 16 JR's.
Max: New rule - coaches can't block a kid from transferring.
PJ: it depends on what the head coach prefers to do I've never denied a player. some conferences have their own rules. I've never blocked a kid. some coaches have done that. the new rule opens it up. it won't have an effect on us.
Sid: are all the recruits in school?
PJ: 2018 class is here. they're doing a great job. been here 2 weeks. lot of athletes, speed, talent. got to have a lot of these guys play. same thing with the 19 class. 18 and 19 will be two main classes that we as a staff can put our stamp on. haven't watched them do a ton yet. they're in the weight room, testing, conditioning. I'm not allowed to be around them when they're doing FB activities. I hear good reports. excited about training camp.
Sid: what about Junior College players (who have joined the team for this year)?
PJ: not many of them. JUCO's in the 2019 class won't be here for another year. those are guys we want to see play right away. not a lot of JUCO's in 2018. might red-shirt some of them. Dickson - I would probably rather have him for 2 more years after this year, instead of this year and one more year. we'll see. sometimes you make decisions for right now - sometimes for the long term. we'll see where we are at training camp.
Mona: any punters able to hit the roof of new facility?
PJ: Herbers hit top of it. told them they've got to hit the highest point. they do every thing they can to hit that thing. takes a pretty high punt to do that. He didn't tell me about the distance.
Sid: like any players you've seen in summer camp?
PJ: camp is the only time the head coach gets the ability to go evaluate. I'm not allowed out in spring football. At a camp, I get a chance to work with these young people. I hope to have some things happen in the next few weeks. hope to get more commits soon. make some more offers. We've made a ton of offers based on camp for this year, and the following year. I was a player who got 1 scholarship because I went to a camp. Get to test people - see what's not on film. they get a chance to show something on the field in camp. we love camp season. We'll be going around to camps in other states - OK, Houston, GA, got a busy week ahead.
Sid: feeling better about OL maturity?
PJ: we took 7 OL for a reason. when we got here - only had 4 scholarship linemen healthy. took 7 linemen to create depth. we'll take 2 or 3 in 19 class. after that, should be able to have numbers back. couldn't fix every issue in one year. OL is a priority. WR is a priority. DB is a major priority. DL is a priority. one class doesn't fix it. the players in the program are working hard. making huge strides. highest GPA in history of program. doing a tremendous job in the community.
Sid: are All players healthy?
PJ: Everyone will be ready for training camp. Barber, Cashman - coming back better than they were before. Barber changed his body, sculpted his body. He looks like a B1G Mike LB. Cashman the same way. we didn't have a lot of off-season surgeries. that's a credit to our training staff - doing great things with nutrition, diet, strength program.
Sid: great ticket packages available for Gophers. Murray's certificate.
PJ: got a long way to go. Happy father's day. RTB. Ski-U-Mah.