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Gopher FB Coach PJ Fleck appeared on the Sports Huddle on WCCO Radio.
Sid: I thought Gophers played pretty good except for turnovers.
PJ: Big part of the game. the ball is the program. if you win the turnover battle you win the game; we lost it. there were some big plays in the game. 2 INT, sack/fumble. kid tries to make a play on a cover-2 zone. the KO return before half. NW is champions for a reason. they've won 7 games in conference. won those games by an average of just over one score each. they know how to win. they have an experienced group, experienced QB. don't beat themselves. we beat ourselves at times.
Sid: will Cashman be an NFL player?
PJ: He's going to be a great player in NFL. Can play special teams. he'll always be able to make a roster. versatile. has his own non-profit organization. selfless. has a bright future. made 20 tackles in the game. exceptional player. But it's not just about 1 guy. we need everyone to play up to that level. some are capable, some aren't capable of playing at that level yet. Cashman is a great leader, great teammate.
Sid: you matched NW in stats
PJ: you have to learn how to win. we're still very young, inexperienced. as a team, have to learn how to win. you learn by failure. you fail, you grow. we had a chance to do that. we got beat by some champions. we will learn how to become champions some day. get to a point where we can play in a game like that. errors led to the final score. 5 plays made a difference. kids fought through some difficult things. we have 1 game left to become bowl-eligible. get to play in one of the greatest rivalries in college football.
Sid: OL has improved.
PJ: I thought it was one of our poorer performances of the year. NW did some things that got to us. my expectations continue to rise. maybe it would have been good enough in week #1. we've got to continue to get better.
Max: is playing in a bowl game important?
PJ: if we're ready, we'll go. if we're not, we won't. need to continue to learn from our failing. I'd love to go to one if we're ready. everyone wants to do it. wanting it and doing it are two different things. need to go out and find a way to get it done.
Mona: does Morgan have ability to keep ball on options? NW Linemen looked like they were assuming he was going to hand off.
PJ: I don't think they were ignoring him. different plays have different reads. I thought he made good decisions. their (NW) scheme can force you into things.
Sid: going to lose some good Seniors
PJ: we have a lot of guys returning. we'll lose some important guys. they've been through a lot. some of them have had 3 head coaches - very difficult. proud of their resolve, resiliency. you learn how to hand adversity in life. we have a lot of work left to do. told team they have 6 days to accomplish an enormous amount.
Max: Emmit Carpenter.
PJ: tremendous young man, leader. had ability to respond to different things. nobody's perfect. watched him continue to get better. made huge kicks for us. every kicker misses a few. you can watch and learn from him. that's what leadership is all about
Mona: red-shirt situation. kids play against WI?
PJ: we'll play some kids with one game left. others, with 1 game remaining, I won't play them to break red-shirt. does not matter what our injury situation is, I will not play them.
Sid: team has improved
PJ: we've gotten better. young, inconsistency. can't just look at record. we're still in position to go to a bowl game. that's a credit to this football team. we have an opportunity to do something special. seen improvement by areas - Ty Johnson having special year. Blake Cashman having the best year of his career. had an influx of freshman talent. I see this long term -where we're going, not just where we are.
Sid: hope you can upset Wisconsin. Murray's
PJ: RTB, Ski-U-Mah, Go Gophers
Sid: I thought Gophers played pretty good except for turnovers.
PJ: Big part of the game. the ball is the program. if you win the turnover battle you win the game; we lost it. there were some big plays in the game. 2 INT, sack/fumble. kid tries to make a play on a cover-2 zone. the KO return before half. NW is champions for a reason. they've won 7 games in conference. won those games by an average of just over one score each. they know how to win. they have an experienced group, experienced QB. don't beat themselves. we beat ourselves at times.
Sid: will Cashman be an NFL player?
PJ: He's going to be a great player in NFL. Can play special teams. he'll always be able to make a roster. versatile. has his own non-profit organization. selfless. has a bright future. made 20 tackles in the game. exceptional player. But it's not just about 1 guy. we need everyone to play up to that level. some are capable, some aren't capable of playing at that level yet. Cashman is a great leader, great teammate.
Sid: you matched NW in stats
PJ: you have to learn how to win. we're still very young, inexperienced. as a team, have to learn how to win. you learn by failure. you fail, you grow. we had a chance to do that. we got beat by some champions. we will learn how to become champions some day. get to a point where we can play in a game like that. errors led to the final score. 5 plays made a difference. kids fought through some difficult things. we have 1 game left to become bowl-eligible. get to play in one of the greatest rivalries in college football.
Sid: OL has improved.
PJ: I thought it was one of our poorer performances of the year. NW did some things that got to us. my expectations continue to rise. maybe it would have been good enough in week #1. we've got to continue to get better.
Max: is playing in a bowl game important?
PJ: if we're ready, we'll go. if we're not, we won't. need to continue to learn from our failing. I'd love to go to one if we're ready. everyone wants to do it. wanting it and doing it are two different things. need to go out and find a way to get it done.
Mona: does Morgan have ability to keep ball on options? NW Linemen looked like they were assuming he was going to hand off.
PJ: I don't think they were ignoring him. different plays have different reads. I thought he made good decisions. their (NW) scheme can force you into things.
Sid: going to lose some good Seniors
PJ: we have a lot of guys returning. we'll lose some important guys. they've been through a lot. some of them have had 3 head coaches - very difficult. proud of their resolve, resiliency. you learn how to hand adversity in life. we have a lot of work left to do. told team they have 6 days to accomplish an enormous amount.
Max: Emmit Carpenter.
PJ: tremendous young man, leader. had ability to respond to different things. nobody's perfect. watched him continue to get better. made huge kicks for us. every kicker misses a few. you can watch and learn from him. that's what leadership is all about
Mona: red-shirt situation. kids play against WI?
PJ: we'll play some kids with one game left. others, with 1 game remaining, I won't play them to break red-shirt. does not matter what our injury situation is, I will not play them.
Sid: team has improved
PJ: we've gotten better. young, inconsistency. can't just look at record. we're still in position to go to a bowl game. that's a credit to this football team. we have an opportunity to do something special. seen improvement by areas - Ty Johnson having special year. Blake Cashman having the best year of his career. had an influx of freshman talent. I see this long term -where we're going, not just where we are.
Sid: hope you can upset Wisconsin. Murray's
PJ: RTB, Ski-U-Mah, Go Gophers