PP: Gophers’ P.J. Fleck embracing ‘everybody thinking we’re going to be good’

per Greder:

Minnesota Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck isn’t injecting an underdog, us-against-the world mentality into his team going into the 2019 season. Quite the contrary.

“People think we’re going to be good; some people don’t think we are going to be good,” Fleck said Tuesday after Minnesota’s fifth spring practice. “I’m going to err on everybody thinking we’re going to be good, so we are going to train our players: Here’s what’s coming.”

That means embracing the inclusion of Minnesota in too-early top 25 projections, pointing to their high amounts of returning production and being circled as a program capable of building on three wins in the last four games, including an upset of Wisconsin in Madison and blowout of Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl.

The message of handling expected improvement on top of a 7-6 record in 2018 was a focus of the team meeting Tuesday. It’s with an eye to be prepared for the season opener against South Dakota State on Aug. 29.

“How can you handle the stress, the pressure, the expectation, the fear and the doubt and the success?” Fleck said. “… We’re not going to sneak up on anybody.”

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/s...bracing-everybody-thinking-were-going-be-good

Go Gophers!!

BleedGopher said:

per Greder:

Minnesota Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck isn’t injecting an underdog, us-against-the world mentality into his team going into the 2019 season. Quite the contrary.

“People think we’re going to be good; some people don’t think we are going to be good,” Fleck said Tuesday after Minnesota’s fifth spring practice. “I’m going to err on everybody thinking we’re going to be good, so we are going to train our players: Here’s what’s coming.”

That means embracing the inclusion of Minnesota in too-early top 25 projections, pointing to their high amounts of returning production and being circled as a program capable of building on three wins in the last four games, including an upset of Wisconsin in Madison and blowout of Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl.

The message of handling expected improvement on top of a 7-6 record in 2018 was a focus of the team meeting Tuesday. It’s with an eye to be prepared for the season opener against South Dakota State on Aug. 29.

“How can you handle the stress, the pressure, the expectation, the fear and the doubt and the success?” Fleck said. “… We’re not going to sneak up on anybody.”

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/s...bracing-everybody-thinking-were-going-be-good

Go Gophers!!

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I'm really happy to see P.J. Fleck taking this approach. He's letting the players know that the coaches and the fans are expecting great things from them. I am pleased he's not poor-mouthing this team, and he's not backing away from increased pressure.

RememberMurray said:

I'm really happy to see P.J. Fleck taking this approach. He's letting the players know that the coaches and the fans are expecting great things from them. I am pleased he's not poor-mouthing this team, and he's not backing away from increased pressure.

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I agree. Looking back, that's something that I don't think Kill really did. It seemed like even after the 8 win seasons he never expected to take another step, or at least he wasn't as vocal about it. Maybe I missed that, but it seemed like he always tried to make Minnesota out to be an underdog.

Part of what he is doing is not just setting expectations for the team, it's advertising to try to boost the reputation of the program. Look at where Wisconsin started in the rankings last year - that was based solely off reputation. He wants the people who vote to think of Minnesota in a similar light - a team the belongs in the top 25, not a team that could get there if they get lucky. I like that.

That said, either way has it's ups and downs. If people expect great things and you don't deliver, you're putting your own head on the chopping block. If people don't expect great things and something good happens, it's a huge boost. But if you look at the top tier programs, they expect great things AND deliver. If Fleck can do that (still TBD), that will be the ultimate step in the right direction.

I very much like seeing Fleck start pushing the side of expectations of performance vs. the 'nobody thinks we can do it' concept. They have to believe up front that they belong where they are and that just showing playing close games against power teams is enough. It's not. It's about beating those teams and it starts with the mindset that you belong on that field.

Fire McHale said:

I very much like seeing Fleck start pushing the side of expectations of performance vs. the 'nobody thinks we can do it' concept. They have to believe up front that they belong where they are and that just showing playing close games against power teams is enough. It's not. It's about beating those teams and it starts with the mindset that you belong on that field.

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I agree. Well said.

Fire McHale said:

I very much like seeing Fleck start pushing the side of expectations of performance vs. the 'nobody thinks we can do it' concept. They have to believe up front that they belong where they are and that just showing playing close games against power teams is enough. It's not. It's about beating those teams and it starts with the mindset that you belong on that field.

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Well said. Fleck's goal for the program is to reach new heights and this is the next logical step in that progression. The culture he is trying to build is one where the team expects to win, not just hopes to compete on a week in week out basis. Learning how to deal with increased pressure and increased expectations is a huge part of getting to that point.

Those last four games ensured we won't sneak up on anyone this year. Now is the time to start proving we belong in the discussion as one of the better teams in the conference and not just an also ran as we have been for a very long time. Big hurdle to climb but if the way we ended the season is a sign of things to come we are definitely on the right path.

He's got the team thinking big.

hungan1 said:

He's got the team thinking big.

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Big rhymes with Pig!

It just means everyone wants them to fail.


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