P.J. Fleck remaining patient at Minnesota after rough start in 'Year Zero'

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per the Chicago Tribune:

PJ Fleck went 5-7 in Year 1 of his Minnesota tenure. Or did he?

“I call this Year 1,” Fleck said Monday at Big Ten media days. “The way I look at a program, last year was Year Zero. I know everybody’s like: What do you mean by that? Is that just to get a contract extension or delay the process? No, that’s reality.”

As Fleck put it: “Year Zero, everybody’s learning and getting to know each other. We took over a very tumultuous time and had players leave, players stay. It was a transitional time.”

Fleck, the former Kaneland and Northern Illinois receiver who led Western Michigan to an undefeated regular season in 2016, is playing the long game.

“It goes back to the greatest lesson I learned from Greg Schiano (whom Fleck worked for at Rutgers and with the Buccaneers): Never sacrifice what you really want down the road for what you want right now.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...nesota-big-ten-media-days-20180723-story.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Given that he team is even younger this season, it feels like “year 0.2”.
 

I'm a big Fleck guy, but if I wasn't, I'd be skeptical that he's angling to buy more time. Make sure the clock isn't ticking on him too quickly.

But I understand to trust the process and this isn't a quick rebuild.
 

I'm a big Fleck guy, but if I wasn't, I'd be skeptical that he's angling to buy more time. Make sure the clock isn't ticking on him too quickly.

But I understand to trust the process and this isn't a quick rebuild.

the last guy recruited MAC talent and coached the team with 'ok to good' results. Fleck isn't half the x's and o's coach that jerry was and so he better be twice the recruiter. Oh, and Fleck isn't getting 5-6 years. If he appears to be Brew.2 or Light Brew after this year then he should prepare the excuse machine. MN wasn't prepared for me to field a winning program......MN lacks dedication to athletics.......Media and town don't support the school etc.
 

the last guy recruited MAC talent and coached the team with 'ok to good' results. Fleck isn't half the x's and o's coach that jerry was and so he better be twice the recruiter. Oh, and Fleck isn't getting 5-6 years. If he appears to be Brew.2 or Light Brew after this year then he should prepare the excuse machine. MN wasn't prepared for me to field a winning program......MN lacks dedication to athletics.......Media and town don't support the school etc.

I'm very curious how you know this. Either way, he has assistants that can be great x's and o's coaches even if he isn't.
 


the last guy recruited MAC talent and coached the team with 'ok to good' results. Fleck isn't half the x's and o's coach that jerry was and so he better be twice the recruiter. Oh, and Fleck isn't getting 5-6 years. If he appears to be Brew.2 or Light Brew after this year then he should prepare the excuse machine. MN wasn't prepared for me to field a winning program......MN lacks dedication to athletics.......Media and town don't support the school etc.


So is Fleck, like 40% of the x and o's coach Jerry was?

What areas of coaching was Jerry at least twice as good at?
Was it a key position? (better at teaching O-lineman, or CB's how to play)?

Or by X and O's are you saying defensive or offensive scheme wise?
If it's scheme wise, are you saying it was just better execution of standard schemes / plays, or was it that Jerry ran advanced schemes that caught teams off-guards. or combination of both?



Seems like several have said this. Before it just becomes generally accepted, I'd like to know specifically what area we are talking about.
 

The allergic reaction people seem to have to the year number thing is amusing.
 

Head coaches don't prepare the game plans, usually. At least that's my understanding.

They might have input on game planning, and roster decisions. But usually they let coordinators and assistants dictate that stuff. Head coaches are more like the face of the program (media, meeting with donors, meeting with parents), set the generally protocol for how the program should operate (what type of schemes on offense/defense, what types of players to bring in, where to recruit, etc.), and are the "closer" on recruiting. Things like that.
 

Head coaches don't prepare the game plans, usually. At least that's my understanding.

They might have input on game planning, and roster decisions. But usually they let coordinators and assistants dictate that stuff. Head coaches are more like the face of the program (media, meeting with donors, meeting with parents), set the generally protocol for how the program should operate (what type of schemes on offense/defense, what types of players to bring in, where to recruit, etc.), and are the "closer" on recruiting. Things like that.

I think to some extent that is true, but I also think it varies wildly from coach to coach.

There have been HCs who outright say they called offense, or defensive plays from play to play. Other's like Jerry are nearly entirely disconnected and said just make the call at critical times such as going for it on 4th .... and sometimes not even that.

It probably also varies depending on how much time coach's spend with their coordinators. New green coordinator "Welcome, here is what we do and how." Experienced coordinator brought in to help "Oh gawd do whatever you can to fix this mess!" and other situations.
 



The allergic reaction people seem to have to the year number thing is amusing.

My reaction to the "year number thing" is that it's a cop-out. Fleck isn't so special that he gets to number his years differently from everyone else, and everybody knows that first-year expectations have to be held in check, so when he insists on calling year one "year zero," it comes across very clearly that he's insecure and making excuses in advance.

I want so badly to get behind this guy, but until he turns in real results, I can't get over the feeling that there's a lack of genuineness here. But then I'm the original Flecktic.
 

Fleck skeptic here but I am not reading into this as a way to buy more time. To me it is the reality of the situation when you take over a program with someone else's players. It takes at least a year to install your system and begin bringing in your own players. This doesn't change my skepticism for him or distaste for his theatrics and over the top stuff though.


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Fleck skeptic here but I am not reading into this as a way to buy more time. To me it is the reality of the situation when you take over a program with someone else's players. It takes at least a year to install your system and begin bringing in your own players. This doesn't change my skepticism for him or distaste for his theatrics and over the top stuff though.

Of course this is all true, but it's true for all coaches, not just Fleck. How many of them insist on this year zero crap?
 

Fleck isn't so special that he gets to number his years differently from everyone else, and everybody knows that first-year expectations have to be held in check, so when he insists on calling year one "year zero," it comes across very clearly that he's insecure and making excuses in advance.

Why not get upset about nekton or whatever else?

Dude can call stuff what he wants.... I'm lost on this whole concept where people are bothered or care how a guy numbers things.
 



I get his point about year zero but also don't put a lot of weight into it.

Similar to a fly landing on the outside of a window on my house.
I don't want the fly on the window, but I'm not going to do anything differently if one lands there.
 

Nekton is odd, but it isn't a wimp puss-out. Trying to pretend that your entire first year on a job shouldn't count, that is.

But do me a favor and don't say that I'm upset when I'm only annoyed. ;)
 

As far as the X's and O's thing - worth noting that Fleck was never a Coordinator at any level before becoming a head coach - which is somewhat rare. (will note that he had been hired as OCoord at Northern Illinois, but never took the job as he was then hired to go to Tampa Bay as an NFL WR coach.)

Most coaches served as an O or D coord at some level - where you are more directly involved with drawing up game plans, X's and O's and so forth.

Not saying that Fleck can't or couldn't draw up plays and game plans - just that he has never been in a position where that was his primary responsibility.

Looking at Head coaches, they tend to fall into categories. some coaches, like Fleck, are motivators and recruiters 1st, and may have less day-to-day involvement with hands-on coaching or schemes. Other coaches are more hands-on, and may directly draw up game plans and/or call plays on the sideline. Both approaches can be successful - just need the right people in place. It's just that in the Fleck model (coach as CEO), the coordinators play a larger role in schemes and game plans - with the head coach holding veto power.

In recent Gopher history, Jerry Kill had worked as both an OCoord and a DCoord in his coaching career. Claeys was all on the D side of the ball.
 

As far as the X's and O's thing - worth noting that Fleck was never a Coordinator at any level before becoming a head coach - which is somewhat rare. (will note that he had been hired as OCoord at Northern Illinois, but never took the job as he was then hired to go to Tampa Bay as an NFL WR coach.)

Most coaches served as an O or D coord at some level - where you are more directly involved with drawing up game plans, X's and O's and so forth.

Not saying that Fleck can't or couldn't draw up plays and game plans - just that he has never been in a position where that was his primary responsibility.

Looking at Head coaches, they tend to fall into categories. some coaches, like Fleck, are motivators and recruiters 1st, and may have less day-to-day involvement with hands-on coaching or schemes. Other coaches are more hands-on, and may directly draw up game plans and/or call plays on the sideline. Both approaches can be successful - just need the right people in place. It's just that in the Fleck model (coach as CEO), the coordinators play a larger role in schemes and game plans - with the head coach holding veto power.

In recent Gopher history, Jerry Kill had worked as both an OCoord and a DCoord in his coaching career. Claeys was all on the D side of the ball.

Fleck freely admits he's not an Xs and Os guy. He's more of a 30,000 foot guy...provides big picture of the types off O and D he wants, focuses on a few key areas, and lets the coordinators figure out the details and execution.
 

So is Fleck, like 40% of the x and o's coach Jerry was?

What areas of coaching was Jerry at least twice as good at?
Was it a key position? (better at teaching O-lineman, or CB's how to play)?

Or by X and O's are you saying defensive or offensive scheme wise?
If it's scheme wise, are you saying it was just better execution of standard schemes / plays, or was it that Jerry ran advanced schemes that caught teams off-guards. or combination of both?



Seems like several have said this. Before it just becomes generally accepted, I'd like to know specifically what area we are talking about.

I have zero stats but Jerry kills career and his being on the ncaa board prove he is held in high esteem amongst his coaching peers. Probably the best X’s and O’s coach at the u in 60 years
 

My reaction to the "year number thing" is that it's a cop-out. Fleck isn't so special that he gets to number his years differently from everyone else, and everybody knows that first-year expectations have to be held in check, so when he insists on calling year one "year zero," it comes across very clearly that he's insecure and making excuses in advance.

I want so badly to get behind this guy, but until he turns in real results, I can't get over the feeling that there's a lack of genuineness here. But then I'm the original Flecktic.

I wouldn't call him insecure and making excuses. We have individuals on this board who want him to fail despite saying otherwise. When you look at the scope of things as to what he was taught (not burning red shirts for the future etc.), we need to give him some time. Doesn't happen overnight. Look what Frost is doing and players are leaving. Here on this board the alarm was sounded when it happened here, but when it happened in Nebraska people were saying that this was expected on this board. Negativity continues unfortunately due to Trolls and people who don't get it.
 

I wouldn't call him insecure and making excuses. We have individuals on this board who want him to fail despite saying otherwise. When you look at the scope of things as to what he was taught (not burning red shirts for the future etc.), we need to give him some time. Doesn't happen overnight. Look what Frost is doing and players are leaving. Here on this board the alarm was sounded when it happened here, but when it happened in Nebraska people were saying that this was expected on this board. Negativity continues unfortunately due to Trolls and people who don't get it.

Do you think I don't get all this? Like I said in my post, "everybody knows that first-year expectations have to be held in check." Transitions are rough, players quit or are dismissed, personnel are sometimes poor matches for the new system, etc. etc. etc. I know all that. I also know that if I took a new job and insisted at my first annual review that my first year didn't count, I'd be laughed right out the door.
 

the last guy recruited MAC talent and coached the team with 'ok to good' results. Fleck isn't half the x's and o's coach that jerry was and so he better be twice the recruiter. Oh, and Fleck isn't getting 5-6 years. If he appears to be Brew.2 or Light Brew after this year then he should prepare the excuse machine. MN wasn't prepared for me to field a winning program......MN lacks dedication to athletics.......Media and town don't support the school etc.

Is that why Fleck’s MAC team faired better against Wisconsin than ANY of Jerry Kill’s Gopher teams? [emoji848]


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I have zero stats but Jerry kills career and his being on the ncaa board prove he is held in high esteem amongst his coaching peers. Probably the best X’s and O’s coach at the u in 60 years

Being held in high esteem could just be from his "country Jerr..." personality. So I find your response very subjective.

What X and O's part was he better than say Mason or Brewster at?
 

Is that why Fleck’s MAC team faired better against Wisconsin than ANY of Jerry Kill’s Gopher teams? [emoji848]


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What we know of Fleck is his team was the first to get shutout vs Wisconsin since 1982, and was outscored 31-0 at home. That margin probably rivals or exceeds any of the JK or Claeys teams, even the 2011 squad.

Obviously we all hope and pray his teams will get much, much better (and they should) but what he did at WMU, on a neutral field vs Wisconsin isn’t really as interesting to me as what he has done at MN with our players.
 

i am curious does anyone know what the new hockey coach thinks about year one, or year zero? Better yet does anyone know if the new hockey coach is even breathing?
 

i am curious does anyone know what the new hockey coach thinks about year one, or year zero? Better yet does anyone know if the new hockey coach is even breathing?

Motzko points out that UMD won it all and Gophs were a fraction behind UMD in Pairwise.
 

Has the Purdue coach mentioned if last season was “year zero” for his vastly improved team?
 

Nekton is odd, but it isn't a wimp puss-out. Trying to pretend that your entire first year on a job shouldn't count, that is.

But do me a favor and don't say that I'm upset when I'm only annoyed. ;)

I don't think that is the point of calling it year 0.

I'm sure his bosses know it counts regardless of what Fleck calls it.
 


Is that why Fleck’s MAC team faired better against Wisconsin than ANY of Jerry Kill’s Gopher teams? [emoji848]


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That cotton bowl was never in doubt. You also conveniently leave out that Flecks two best wins in 2016 were against teams the gophers absolutely throttled. Claeys also had a two possession lead when jump around came on in 2016

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That cotton bowl was never in doubt. You also conveniently leave out that Flecks two best wins in 2016 were against teams the gophers absolutely throttled. Claeys also had a two possession lead when jump around came on in 2016

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I'm not sure I'd go that far. Wisconsin was in control most of the game but it was a one score game for part of the 2nd half including at the end.
 




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