BleedGopher
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per Jake:
In full disclosure, I understand the frustration, especially for those who lived during the golden age of Gopher football with the program accomplishing feats that today seem like a pipe-dream. By the same token, why should a coach be criticized for setting goals of that caliber, and how can one expect the team to reach that level of excellence in such a short amount of time with a historically young team?
In short, it’s time to loosen up the leash put on coach Fleck and give him some time to put it all together before calls for termination are made, and here’s why.
Best recruiting classes in years
When trying to evaluate the success of a coach at the collegiate level, near the very top should be their ability to recruit high-end players to their program in order to build for the future. In his two years here at the U of M, you would be hard-pressed to find a more successful coach not only in the Big Ten, but in the country at winning recruiting battles, as Fleck has elevated the quality of the recruiting classes with athletes that likely wouldn’t have even considered dawning the Maroon and Gold had it not been for Fleck.
To put it into perspective, the incoming Gopher recruiting class is currently ranked No. 31 (according to 24/7 sports) in the country – just one spot behind the Wisconsin Badgers – who have been a model of consistency among Big Ten teams. Prior to Fleck’s arrival, the Gophers have ranked as low as 63 in 2015, behind the likes of teams such as San Jose State University and Oregon State University.
Highest cumulative GPA in the history of the program
In a day and age where academic scandals are common place and the emphasis of the athlete portion of “student-athlete’ is the norm, Fleck has shattered the mold in preaching the importance of academic success and the results of such efforts speak for themselves. Case in point, the Gopher football team registered its highest cumulative G.P.A. in program history this past semester.
Proven track record of success
When comparing the resumes of past head football coaches at the University of Minnesota, the achievements made by Fleck during his time at Western Michigan University in guiding a relatively unknown program to an undefeated season and a trip to a Cotton Bowl put him head and shoulders above his predecessors.
However, these accomplishments didn’t happen overnight and took some time to develop, similar to what we’re seeing with the ongoing growing pains the Gophers have gone through during his two years at the helm.
In other words, let’s be patient. After all, what is one or two more years of mediocrity to a fanbase that has grown accustomed to it over the course of the last half-century, especially if it could lead to a much brighter future on the horizon.
http://www.marshallindependent.com/...is-needed-with-pj-fleck-and-gophers-football/
Go Gophers!!
In full disclosure, I understand the frustration, especially for those who lived during the golden age of Gopher football with the program accomplishing feats that today seem like a pipe-dream. By the same token, why should a coach be criticized for setting goals of that caliber, and how can one expect the team to reach that level of excellence in such a short amount of time with a historically young team?
In short, it’s time to loosen up the leash put on coach Fleck and give him some time to put it all together before calls for termination are made, and here’s why.
Best recruiting classes in years
When trying to evaluate the success of a coach at the collegiate level, near the very top should be their ability to recruit high-end players to their program in order to build for the future. In his two years here at the U of M, you would be hard-pressed to find a more successful coach not only in the Big Ten, but in the country at winning recruiting battles, as Fleck has elevated the quality of the recruiting classes with athletes that likely wouldn’t have even considered dawning the Maroon and Gold had it not been for Fleck.
To put it into perspective, the incoming Gopher recruiting class is currently ranked No. 31 (according to 24/7 sports) in the country – just one spot behind the Wisconsin Badgers – who have been a model of consistency among Big Ten teams. Prior to Fleck’s arrival, the Gophers have ranked as low as 63 in 2015, behind the likes of teams such as San Jose State University and Oregon State University.
Highest cumulative GPA in the history of the program
In a day and age where academic scandals are common place and the emphasis of the athlete portion of “student-athlete’ is the norm, Fleck has shattered the mold in preaching the importance of academic success and the results of such efforts speak for themselves. Case in point, the Gopher football team registered its highest cumulative G.P.A. in program history this past semester.
Proven track record of success
When comparing the resumes of past head football coaches at the University of Minnesota, the achievements made by Fleck during his time at Western Michigan University in guiding a relatively unknown program to an undefeated season and a trip to a Cotton Bowl put him head and shoulders above his predecessors.
However, these accomplishments didn’t happen overnight and took some time to develop, similar to what we’re seeing with the ongoing growing pains the Gophers have gone through during his two years at the helm.
In other words, let’s be patient. After all, what is one or two more years of mediocrity to a fanbase that has grown accustomed to it over the course of the last half-century, especially if it could lead to a much brighter future on the horizon.
http://www.marshallindependent.com/...is-needed-with-pj-fleck-and-gophers-football/
Go Gophers!!
