Fleck on KFAN “all that falls on me” in response to Gophers performance.

[Dano564]

He’s done it before. Howden comes to mind.

True.
I don't know if he called him out by name, but he essentially did by saying "walk on safety" so everyone knew who it was, and when he did say it, he put it into the context that it's not Howden's fault that he had to play since we had such few options.

Since then, we have not been short on safeties.

I don't know if PJ called out any others that I recall.



I guess my overall point is when he sees stuff wrong, he takes the blame and works with coaches and players to correct it. He's patient enough to let the Howden's get right (or maybe he had no other options) or he's impatient enough to fire coaches at the end of a bad season.

I don't think we have any actions that we want PJ to take that have not taken place by PJ since he took over this program. We wanted Robb Smith fired. He got fired after three really bad games. We wanted Sanford fired. He didn't get renewed end of season.

We wanted Cam Wiley benched, he eventually was told something that made him hit the transfer portal.

This is not a Kirk Ferentz, Brian Ferentz, Spencer Petras situation where people are asking for Brian to be fired, or Spencer to be benched, and nothing happens for 5-6 games.

We want from top 2 defense and offense in the nation to three straight losses against two ranked teams and a loss to Purdue where our offense really stunk.

I'm not sure what move people are clamoring for that PJ hasn't addressed so far.

 

[PhiloVance]

Unrealistic expectations put on a bunch of kids who entered MN as 1, 2, & 3 star players.

Are you upset because you invested so much emotions believing all hype generate by a 4 game win streak?

Let's see how you feel after the Rutgers, Nebraska, and Northwestern games.

 

[Spoofin]

True.
I don't know if he called him out by name, but he essentially did by saying "walk on safety" so everyone knew who it was, and when he did say it, he put it into the context that it's not Howden's fault that he had to play since we had such few options.

Since then, we have not been short on safeties.

I don't know if PJ called out any others that I recall.



I guess my overall point is when he sees stuff wrong, he takes the blame and works with coaches and players to correct it. He's patient enough to let the Howden's get right (or maybe he had no other options) or he's impatient enough to fire coaches at the end of a bad season.

I don't think we have any actions that we want PJ to take that have not taken place by PJ since he took over this program. We wanted Robb Smith fired. He got fired after three really bad games. We wanted Sanford fired. He didn't get renewed end of season.

We wanted Cam Wiley benched, he eventually was told something that made him hit the transfer portal.

This is not a Kirk Ferentz, Brian Ferentz, Spencer Petras situation where people are asking for Brian to be fired, or Spencer to be benched, and nothing happens for 5-6 games.

We want from top 2 defense and offense in the nation to three straight losses against two ranked teams and a loss to Purdue where our offense really stunk.

I'm not sure what move people are clamoring for that PJ hasn't addressed so far.

The only change I would ask for is to stop being so scared and conservative. The beginning of the game setting up AK8 for 3rd and long repeatedly was mind numbing. I didn’t get the impression PJ thought we had any chance to win. He wouldn’t have been wrong

 

[Dano564]

The only change I would ask for is to stop being so scared and conservative. The beginning of the game setting up AK8 for 3rd and long repeatedly was mind numbing. I didn’t get the impression PJ thought we had any chance to win. He wouldn’t have been wrong

Oh, yeh. I agree with that.

My guess ion that was two things.

1. They were going to ensure Mo got his 100 yards last night no matter what. I predicted 30 carries for Mo coming in and that's what he got.

2. Let's keep the training wheels on AK even though he AK says he's ready so we limit his mistakes and "hopefully" we can Tressel ball our way to victory. (and it didn't work). After we got down 14, then we started to play more open offensively, but we were already behind the 8 ball there.

I believe if Tanner wasn't dinged and he was starting, we would have been more pass-orientated to start the game to get the defense out of the box, but with AK, we just tried to run against a brick wall to help AK avoid a first quart pick-six.

 

[btowngopher]

I don't think most people want Fleck fired.

All I am saying is that Gopher fans need to consider the possibility that Fleck is not a miracle worker.
Mason, Kill, Claeys - all had some solid seasons. Some fans thought the program should be winning Division titles or even Conference titles, and they thought Fleck was going to make that happen.

So far, he hasn't. Yes, the Gophers won 11 games in 2019. that was exciting. But I don't think that earns Fleck a "get out of jail Free" card for the rest of his tenure at MN.

Well he also won 9 games last year. Kind of ridiculous to call for his head half way through this year.

 

[Six to Eight]

I believe if Tanner wasn't dinged and he was starting, we would have been more pass-orientated to start the game to get the defense out of the box, but with AK, we just tried to run against a brick wall to help AK avoid a first quart pick-six.

Morgan got 12 throws off for 21 yards in the first three quarters the game before this one. PJ will have his excuses and his supporters will have plenty of additional ones but as he said coming out out the locker room at the half, his game plan for yesterday was to run the ball and shorten the game.

It was piss poor preparation and then execution. He did not put his team in a position to win yesterday.

 

[PMWinSTP]

There is nothing else for him to really say.

A true leader isn't going to directly call out his coaches or players.

Anyone working under PJ, whether player or coach, has a pretty clear message that if things don't improve it's on Fleck to find people who will improve it through coaching or improve it through recruiting, or improve it by playing players who execute better.

Behind the public eye, everyone knows this and PJ has made moves various times when he's had to repeatedly say it's on him to improve it, and he's made changes (most that turned out for the better).

There is nothing else he will say, and you might find that frustrating, but there is no reason for you to get truly frustrated by it until PJ keeps saying it and he doesn't make any changes after a certain amount of patience is practiced.


PJ is not going to call out any player by name for not performing well, and if he did, most people would go after Fleck for doing so. That's not the way he operates. He's not that type of leader. Scott Frost maybe was, but PJ is a servant leader.

Pretty sure he called out the player who missed his assignment on the uncovered receiver. But that's really not the point. He says it but over time it rings hollow if nothing changes. Another game where in game adjustments did not happen. I really thought they would put together a different gameplan for this game.

 

[Dano564]

Morgan got 12 throws off for 21 yards in the first three quarters the game before this one. PJ will have his excuses and his supporters will have plenty of additional ones but as he said coming out out the locker room at the half, his game plan for yesterday was to run the ball and shorten the game.

It was piss poor preparation and then execution. He did not put his team in a position to win yesterday.

The game plan for Illinois with Tanner coming off their first loss to Purdue doesn't mean it would have been the same if Tanner was QB'ing against PSU.

The fact AK was the QB at Penn State probably played into the idea to again shorten the game and try to minimize AK's mistakes early in his first start.

That seems reasonable, right? AK's first start, you probably don't want him starting off with 30 attempts and 4 interceptions and several sacks. Not when you expect him to be your QB for the next couple years.

 

[DanvilleGopher]

Maybe he feels 1) that list is too long for a press conference and/or 2) that discussion could get ugly.

Either way, I really don't care what he says. I only care about the results on the field. If we see improvement, I won't hold it against him because he didn't explain his intended remedies to us beforehand. If there is no improvement, then explaining the intended remedies didn't matter anyway.

Isn't this the guy who claims to eat difficult conversations for breakfast?

 

[Dano564]

Pretty sure he called out the player who missed his assignment on the uncovered receiver. But that's really not the point. He says it but over time it rings hollow if nothing changes. Another game where in game adjustments did not happen. I really thought they would put together a different gameplan for this game.

What was the change you were expecting?
AK was going to throw 30 times in this game and we were going to start off pass happy in his first start?

I didn't expect that at all. I totally expected what we got last night.

PJ was hoping our defense could keep us close and we'd eventually wear down the PSU defense.
I think if they played it again tonight it would be the same game plan with one or two more passes mixed in after the interception, but that's hindsight at this point.

 

[PMWinSTP]

The only change I would ask for is to stop being so scared and conservative. The beginning of the game setting up AK8 for 3rd and long repeatedly was mind numbing. I didn’t get the impression PJ thought we had any chance to win. He wouldn’t have been wrong

Imagine if Fleck would have allowed Athan to throw earlier and more often in the first half. Gophs score to close it to 7, and having the opportunity to come out in the third and tie the game.

 

[PMWinSTP]

What was the change you were expecting?
AK was going to throw 30 times in this game and we were going to start off pass happy in his first start?

I didn't expect that at all. I totally expected what we got last night.

PJ was hoping our defense could keep us close and we'd eventually wear down the PSU defense.
I think if they played it again tonight it would be the same game plan with one or two more passes mixed in after the interception, but that's hindsight at this point.

Guess you need to change your expectations, and Fleck needs to change his best against opponents like PSU.

 

[Six to Eight]

The game plan for Illinois with Tanner coming off their first loss to Purdue doesn't mean it would have been the same if Tanner was QB'ing against PSU.

Ok. If that's your story, I won't try to convince you otherwise.

That seems reasonable, right? AK's first start, you probably don't want him starting off with 30 attempts and 4 interceptions and several sacks. Not when you expect him to be your QB for the next couple years.

We're talking about a kid who was a 4 star recruit and who has now been in the program for two years. And one who clearly showed he had all the tools to be successful at this level against Penn State caliber competition. You're not going to convince anyone that running three straight draws after that interception was necessary for Athan's future success (or winning the game yesterday).

 

[gopherfan007]

He says this every week and absolutely nothing has changed.

 

[Some guy]

For those in the Fire Fleck crowd, who would you get? The U is too gun shy to hire a coach with any controversy in their past. And if I'm a big time coach, I'm only going to a program that can guarantee big NIL money so I can buy the best possible players. You want to win, someone is going to have to open the pocket book.

I think the way to go if fleck were to be gone would be to go get an innovative person on one side of the ball. Likely offense.

I don’t think you’re going to get someone better. You would hope to get someone as good but when the next person has their 2019 you win 1-2 more games.

Fleck had a moment. Remains to be seen if he will have another moment.

I don’t think 3-4 (pandemic), 9-4 (losing 3 RBs), and 4-3 has me thinking there isn’t another chance for a break through. In 2-4 years I might think differently.

 

[Plato]

Too early to hang the black crepe but soon enough to make plans if the rest of the season goes bad by losing the axe, not getting the pig, and falling to NE.

 

[Go4Broke]

Yes, PJ, it ALL falls on you.

 

[holereader]

Spare me - the only thing missing is our sixth year QB Tanner Morgan telling us he needs to be better

 

[disco]

I think the way to go if fleck were to be gone would be to go get an innovative person on one side of the ball. Likely offense.

Then you have Mason.

 

[Some guy]

Then you have Mason.

Mason had a moment much like fleck did. Twice.
1999 and 2003. Years later it got too stale. He never really was that close again.

If we hire another Mason, we could break through. We would need the next Mason to finish when the time came. Still think fleck may get another shot at a breakthrough season. Not this year

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

It amazes me how many people seem shocked by the lack of specifics at post game press conference after a loss. This is not unique to Fleck or Minnesota. The whole "it falls on me" can be heard from the head coach of the losing team all over the country in the moments after the game ends.

Is it coach speak....yep.....does he really believe that.....nope.....will the players and coaches hear what he really thinks.....yep....will the fans and media....nope. This really isn't that hard to figure out.

I agree, it's coach speak. However when you're a coach who is full of slogans that get celebrated when things are going well, you shouldn't be amazed that people see his coach speak as trite when things aren't going well.

You're right though, what else is he going to say after a loss?

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

For those in the Fire Fleck crowd, who would you get? The U is too gun shy to hire a coach with any controversy in their past. And if I'm a big time coach, I'm only going to a program that can guarantee big NIL money so I can buy the best possible players. You want to win, someone is going to have to open the pocket book.

I think the vast majority of people criticizing Fleck do not want him fired.

 

[GoodasGold]

Why does he and mama Fleck look so happy?

 

[Replacement Gopher]

I don't think most people want Fleck fired.

All I am saying is that Gopher fans need to consider the possibility that Fleck is not a miracle worker.
Mason, Kill, Claeys - all had some solid seasons. Some fans thought the program should be winning Division titles or even Conference titles, and they thought Fleck was going to make that happen.

So far, he hasn't. Yes, the Gophers won 11 games in 2019. that was exciting. But I don't think that earns Fleck a "get out of jail Free" card for the rest of his tenure at MN.

Post of the day!

 

[dbmn]

What Fleck means is it's all on me for not having better (1) player talent, (2) coaches, (3) game plans. Have heard him comment about player talent being the most important component for winning. And he's correct saying it's all on me.

 

[pk2]

Why does he and mama Fleck look so happy?

If you look closely, you’ll see that was taken at TCF (or Huntington) Bank Stadium, likely after a Gophers win.

 

[Word]

The only change I would ask for is to stop being so scared and conservative. The beginning of the game setting up AK8 for 3rd and long repeatedly was mind numbing. I didn’t get the impression PJ thought we had any chance to win. He wouldn’t have been wrong

I didn't agree with it either but I think he was just really babying AK8. Didn't want to rattle him in his first start in that tough environment.

 

[Spoofin]

I didn't agree with it either but I think he was just really babying AK8. Didn't want to rattle him in his first start in that tough environment.

I suspect you are right and he was trying to "help" AK8. I'd say that approach did anything but help AK8.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I suspect you are right and he was trying to "help" AK8. I'd say that approach did anything but help AK8.

If his goal was to send a message to a redshirt freshman that his coach doesn't trust him, then mission accomplished, because that message was pretty self-evident on national TV.

 

[Dakota2]

Oh, yeh. I agree with that.

My guess ion that was two things.

1. They were going to ensure Mo got his 100 yards last night no matter what. I predicted 30 carries for Mo coming in and that's what he got.

2. Let's keep the training wheels on AK even though he AK says he's ready so we limit his mistakes and "hopefully" we can Tressel ball our way to victory. (and it didn't work). After we got down 14, then we started to play more open offensively, but we were already behind the 8 ball there.

I believe if Tanner wasn't dinged and he was starting, we would have been more pass-orientated to start the game to get the defense out of the box, but with AK, we just tried to run against a brick wall to help AK avoid a first quart pick-six.

It's really not keeping a guy on training wheels when he only throws on third and long to third and very long with an all out rush in his face. Actually, the opposite.