Minnesota's P.J. Fleck on Kirk Ferentz's late-game timeouts? 'Didn't offend me one bit'

[BleedGopher]

per HawkCentral:

When Minnesota visits Kinnick Stadium Nov. 13, it will be almost exactly one year since one of Kirk Ferentz’s most brash moments of his coaching career — uncorking all three of his timeouts, back-to-back-to-back, up 35-0 in a frigid night game with 22 seconds to go in Minneapolis.

Ferentz didn’t admit this, but the speculation was that he was perturbed that the Gophers were leaving their first-string stars, like Mo Ibrahim and Rashod Bateman, in the game against Iowa’s second- and third-stringers. Afterward, Iowa hoisted the Floyd of Rosedale trophy after a 35-7 win (Minnesota did avoid the shutout with 19 seconds left) and then Ferentz delivered a postgame zinger of an explanation when he said, “Figured we’d take Floyd with us and leave the timeouts here.”

“Timeouts are there to be used,” Fleck said, grinning with mostly Minnesota media surrounding him. “That doesn’t affect me one bit. And you know what? We haven’t beat ‘em. So they can do what they want to do. They have Floyd of Rosedale. They have the pig. They have something they really want in their trophy case.”

Minnesota's P.J. Fleck on Kirk Ferentz's late-game timeouts? 'Didn't offend me one bit'

The Gophers coach continued his answer by praising Kinnick Stadium's fans and "The Wave."

www.hawkcentral.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[NotAFanOfBecky]

Don’t worry PJ I was offended for you. It was a dick move. Apparently only Ferwntz can decide what is ok for playing players. Geez maybe PJ was trying to send a message to his starters, maybe there was some plays they were working on, who knows. Kirk was just worried about his shut out. All I know is WHO…

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

It was silly, but not worth getting worked up about.

 

[Word]

Great answer by PJ. Even if he's really pissed, he took the high road in his comments.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

Until PJ stops crapping the bed against Iowa, Ferentz can call his shot.

 

[Nax5]

PJ said it best. We need to beat them. That's all that matters.

 

[MplsGopher]

What was he gonna say?

"Yeah it pissed me off!! Let me tell you something! F YOU Kirk Ferentz!! F YOU!"

Then rips off his shirt.

 

[CurveballJesus]

What was he gonna say?

"Yeah it pissed me off!! Let me tell you something! F YOU Kirk Ferentz!! F YOU!"

Then rips off his shirt.

Take it easy Scott Frost.

 

[John Rose]

As an Iowa fan and retired high school football coach, I can say that I thought Ferentz’s move was unnecessary and out of character. There are valid reasons for leaving starters in when the outcome has been settled, and that is up to the coach. I think Fleck’s response showed class.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

As an Iowa fan and retired high school football coach, I can say that I thought Ferentz’s move was unnecessary and out of character. There are valid reasons for leaving starters in when the outcome has been settled, and that is up to the coach. I think Fleck’s response showed class.

I thought it was out of character too. I wouldn't have thought Kirk would do that.

Kirk has always seemed prickly on the outside, but always been professional from what I know.

I just assumed it was a one off out of character thing (we all do stuff like that sometimes) and ... not a big deal anyway.

 

[salzie]

I thought it was out of character too. I wouldn't have thought Kirk would do that.

Kirk has always seemed prickly on the outside, but always been professional from what I know.

I just assumed it was a one off out of character thing (we all do stuff like that sometimes) and ... not a big deal anyway.

it's pretty obvious Ferentz and staff do not like PJ

 

[#2Gopher]

it's pretty obvious Ferentz and staff do not like PJ

The program is changing here in Minnesota. They are getting insecure down there.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

it's pretty obvious Ferentz and staff do not like PJ

Brian for sure... I don't know about Kirk / that he cares. He's never been all that expressive that way.

 

[GFBfan]

The TO’s were just as silly as us having the starters still in the game. Had Iowa put their starters back in, that would have been a dick move. Calling the TO’s not so much.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Brian for sure... I don't know about Kirk / that he cares. He's never been all that expressive that way.

The apple never falls far from the tree. Brian has also complained in the past about all of the offers Fleck and Campbell throw out, and Fleck has joked around in the past about how Iowa's staff has called his program archaic on the recruiting trail.

Much of this has led to the staffs not liking each other. Fleck did not want to let Iowa shut them out last year, and it's obvious Ferentz took exception to that.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

This isn't High School. there is no "gentlemen's agreement" about pulling your starters when one team gets a big lead.

but, FWIW - I have seen some dick moves in my day from HS Coaches. the all-timer was in a girls basketball tournament game. the #1 seed got a big lead at halftime, and put in the subs. the subs played poorly and the other team started to come back - and when I say "started to come back," I mean they cut a 40-point deficit down to under 30 points. so the coach of the #1 seed put his starters back in the game to begin the 4th quarter and run up the lead again.

 

[GoldenRodents]

What was he gonna say?

"Yeah it pissed me off!! Let me tell you something! F YOU Kirk Ferentz!! F YOU!"

Then rips off his shirt.

This

 

[Full Speed Ahead]

Great answer by PJ. Even better would be wearing these jerseys when we play Iowa this year.

 

[Taji34]

Like of course we'd still have our starters in the game, we're trying to avoid a shutout AND prevent the already big lead Iowa had from widening.

 

[LakerFan]

Don’t worry PJ I was offended for you. It was a dick move. Apparently only Ferwntz can decide what is ok for playing players. Geez maybe PJ was trying to send a message to his starters, maybe there was some plays they were working on, who knows. Kirk was just worried about his shut out. All I know is WHO…

HATES!!!!........

 

[WAGopher]

IOWA!!!!!

 

[GFBfan]

We

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

IOWA!!!!!

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

 

[West Fargo Gopher Fan]

Great answer by PJ taking the high road.

My guess is that it bugged him though. Even if just a little bit. It bothered me.

 

[BilldGopher]

History suggests that either I-O-W-A or Minnesota throwing racism charges from the past at each other is not useful.

Floyd settled that.

Time for The Pig to come home from Iowa City when we visited. Period. We're past 20 years and counting...

 

[EG#9]

Not sure what he's supposed to say publicly about this. When the Iowa fans stormed the field and took down the goal posts after embarrassing Mason he was on the radio and said "let them have them" and also called the rivalry trophy's "trinkets". It seems like that sums up the "rivalry" games for Minnesota. The opposition plays for a historial trophy and we play like we're playing for a trinket.

The "Who hates Iowa" thing is funny because it's clearly not Minnesota. We're on a series record 6 game losing streak to Iowa after just having a series record 5 game losing streak to them not that long ago. The record against Iowa the last 30 years or so would be disappointing if it was Ohio State. The last win against in Iowa City occurred in 1999! Minnesota has been extremely friendly to Iowa for far too long.

Just win the damn game this year. Then win it again in '22. And keep winning it. And don't say Sh!t about winning it until you've had Floyd for a decade. The same for the Axe.

 

[HitMeAgainIAmStillMoving]

Not sure what he's supposed to say publicly about this. When the Iowa fans stormed the field and took down the goal posts after embarrassing Mason he was on the radio and said "let them have them" and also called the rivalry trophy's "trinkets". It seems like that sums up the "rivalry" games for Minnesota. The opposition plays for a historial trophy and we play like we're playing for a trinket.

The "Who hates Iowa" thing is funny because it's clearly not Minnesota. We're on a series record 6 game losing streak to Iowa after just having a series record 5 game losing streak to them not that long ago. The record against Iowa the last 30 years or so would be disappointing if it was Ohio State. The last win against in Iowa City occurred in 1999! Minnesota has been extremely friendly to Iowa for far too long.

Just win the damn game this year. Then win it again in '22. And keep winning it. And don't say Sh!t about winning it until you've had Floyd for a decade. The same for the Axe.

Fully agree. I don't hate any team really (well Penn St for the crimes), but I do hate losing. PJ has an ego so big he needed to buy a bigger front door to fit his head through. I like that about him. Now lets start winning.

 

[MplsGopher]

Not sure what he's supposed to say publicly about this. When the Iowa fans stormed the field and took down the goal posts after embarrassing Mason he was on the radio and said "let them have them" and also called the rivalry trophy's "trinkets". It seems like that sums up the "rivalry" games for Minnesota. The opposition plays for a historial trophy and we play like we're playing for a trinket.

The "Who hates Iowa" thing is funny because it's clearly not Minnesota. We're on a series record 6 game losing streak to Iowa after just having a series record 5 game losing streak to them not that long ago. The record against Iowa the last 30 years or so would be disappointing if it was Ohio State. The last win against in Iowa City occurred in 1999! Minnesota has been extremely friendly to Iowa for far too long.

Just win the damn game this year. Then win it again in '22. And keep winning it. And don't say Sh!t about winning it until you've had Floyd for a decade. The same for the Axe.

Well said!

 

[Plato]

What was he gonna say?

"Yeah it pissed me off!! Let me tell you something! F YOU Kirk Ferentz!! F YOU!"

Then rips off his shirt.

PJ would never ever disturb his very carefully chosen game day attire.