PJ Fleck on Sports Huddle 12-23-18

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The Sports Huddle on WCCO presented a taped interview with PJ Fleck on Sunday.

Dave Mona said Fleck was participating in some required activities for the Quick Lane Bowl and could not appear live.

(disclaimer - this was an interview Sid did with Fleck for a recent column in the Strib. I took some of the answers verbatim from that column.)

Sid: talk about recruiting class
PJ: I am really happy with it. We hit a bunch of needs. We needed defensive linemen, we needed secondary members, and across the board at every position I thought we did a very good job of identifying the right people to be able to come into this program and be able to do what we need them to do.

Sid: will you recruit any JUCO's?
PJ: We got a few. I like to be able to make this a developmental program where we’re from the beginning with high school student-athletes all the way through their senior year and develop them. But we did sign a few junior college players.

Sid: what do you like about this group of recruits?
PJ: Them as a whole, their closeness, I’m not going to say just a position because it’s them as a whole. They have gotten to know each other the past year and they are a tight knit group. They talk to each other all the time, and I think that is a really, really strong connection that you want your recruiting class to have.

Sid: you won 5 games 1st year. won 6 games this year. what are your goals for next year?
PJ: we want to be better today than we were yesterday, be better tomorrow than we are today.

Sid: did you think this team was going to make a bowl game?
PJ: it's not all or nothing. I thought the team was capable of doing that. they did that in a challenging way. they found a way to get it done. the players learned from their success, learned from failing.

Sid: how many days of practice will you have before the bowl game?
PJ: days of practice. by the time we get to the game, 13 total.

Sid: does reaching a bowl game help with recruiting?
PJ: Of course, any time you have a really historic win or big wins or rivalry wins, I think it helps you. But I think you know student-athletes or young men look at two different ways, they want to either help you go get that trophy back or be a part of the trophy and the tradition of continuing to win. I think it helps, but I think just because you win a game kids don’t necessarily look at that as much as they used to look at that.

Sid: how is the health of the team?
PJ: we've got some guys banged up, some guys are out. it's part of the process. they're practicing well, trying to get healthy.

Sid: will there be changes in the lineup?
PJ: There will be some changes even just based on propelling ourselves to next year. Curtis Dunlap Jr. on the offensive line you’re going to see him a little bit more. We’ll be playing eight freshman on offense and that is one of those things that’s going to help us down the road. And hopefully help us on the bowl game, as well.

Sid: will the loss of Cashman hurt?
PJ: he's a tremendous FB player. he's performed a lot for the U of MN. Cashman and Greene - we wish them the best in the NFL.

Sid: after WI game - are you in a better position to win the Bowl game?
PJ: every game is its own experience, its own challenge. we're playing the triple option for the 1st time. lot of work to do to prepare.

Sid: What do you know about GA Tech?
PJ: They have a very unique style, very good ACC team, beat a lot of good teams this year. They produce a lot of challenges for you in terms of the triple option. They make you change almost your entire defensive scheme. It’s just different. We’ve been cutting in practicing, wearing shin guards in practice, doing everything we can through our scout teams to simulate Georgia Tech’s offense.

Sid: what about Non-FB activities in Detroit?
PJ: we're Going to the Vikings-Lions game. For the Quick Lane bowl, the Lions take the teams to a game. that helps us - we get to see our home-state MN Vikings play in Detroit. there will be a bunch of other festivities.

Sid: what about the off-field things you talked about at the Press conference?
PJ: You can get it from there. (an unidentified voice says "we have the transcript.")

(a pause, and then)

PJ: there will be players that miss the game. what was reported in the paper in terms of the number of players was inaccurate.

(end of interview - no Murray's gift certificate, Ski-U-Mah or RTB.....)
 

Thank you Son! Happy Holidays to you.
I wonder if there are any Gopher fans already in Detroit to watch the Vikings today and staying through the game?
 


Thanks a million snowflakes Son! Job well done!
 



Thanks SON for always doing this.

Much appreciated.
 




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