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Gopher Football Coach PJ Fleck was on the Sports Huddle on WCCO Radio. (phone interview - Huddle was live at the State Fair).
(note - Fleck was not on at usual time. they got him on the phone at about 10:45 for a short interview. Huddle ended early due to Twins game.)
Sid: scouting report on Fresno state.
PJ: lot of people got to watch them last night. they were a top 25 team last year. one of top teams in Mountain West. finished 12-2. they played us all the way to the end. We won on the Winfield play in the end zone. they are very good. well-coached. had a chance to beat USC last night. one of the better teams we'll play all year. very tough. we've got to go out to their place. they have a good QB who's been waiting his turn, very savvy. they have good RB's. their defense is stifling. we've got a whole year of data on them. That's why I was late today - we were in the process of game-planning with a film session.
Sid: Were your players over-confident against SDSU?
PJ: I don't think so. what SDSU did, that's a compliment to them. we need to play better. we need to fix a lot of things. you look around country at some of the 1st week games ISU, WVA - playing that 1st game with FCS schools. week one is always strange. did we play our best football, no. did we win the game, yes. we've got to get a lot better. team came in to practice after the game with the mentality to get better
Max: offensive and defensive line play?
PJ: at times it was good, at times it was bad. we need to be more consistent. have to iron that out.
Mona: Bateman.
PJ: he's very talented. we went through this last year at times. People know Tyler is really good. Bateman was really good as a true FR. maybe you don't trust him as much as a true FR. now we have two weapons on the outside. we have some other guys to go along with the running attack. they wanted to take Tyler out of the game. that was their game plan - stop the run and take Tyler out of the game. It's like I said with week one - you're preparing for ghosts - don't know what they're going to do. They did things we didn't plan for, and we were adjusting to on the sideline. have to find out how your opponents are going to play you.
Sid: who played well?
PJ: as a team, we all have to play better. we're not going to be stat people. we need to be better on 3rd down. we were close to 50%, but want to be above that. On 4th downs we were 1 for 1. We scored both times in the red zone. We only ran around 60 plays - that's not a lot. we need to have more plays. need to get the ball back for our offense. had 3 penalties - we were pretty disciplined. we just never got into a rhythm.
Max: RPO. how do you defend that
PJ: it's difficult. We hadn't seen their QB play. RPO adds another element. have to be able to read offenses -read the pad level - RPO different than a regular run. Teams run variations - run inside-outside RPO's. very difficult to stop. every team is using it. it's an easy way to get play-action. the ball can get out of QB's hands quicker. on defense, your eyes have to be in the right place. we had too many people trying to make someone else's plays. we have to trust every one around us. it was a case of some guys being on the field for the first time in a while, or the first time ever.
Max: problems with guys cramping?
PJ: we had one or two guys. we usually do a good job with that. sometimes you think you're hydrated, doing all the right things. we've got to do a better job as we go out to the West Coast where it's going to be 95 degrees. may have to change our hydration a little bit. I don't like it when the team cramps up. I take that personally.
Sid: don't give up on Gophers. they'll be all right. Murray's.
PJ: RTB, Ski-U-Mah, Go Gophers.
(note - Fleck was not on at usual time. they got him on the phone at about 10:45 for a short interview. Huddle ended early due to Twins game.)
Sid: scouting report on Fresno state.
PJ: lot of people got to watch them last night. they were a top 25 team last year. one of top teams in Mountain West. finished 12-2. they played us all the way to the end. We won on the Winfield play in the end zone. they are very good. well-coached. had a chance to beat USC last night. one of the better teams we'll play all year. very tough. we've got to go out to their place. they have a good QB who's been waiting his turn, very savvy. they have good RB's. their defense is stifling. we've got a whole year of data on them. That's why I was late today - we were in the process of game-planning with a film session.
Sid: Were your players over-confident against SDSU?
PJ: I don't think so. what SDSU did, that's a compliment to them. we need to play better. we need to fix a lot of things. you look around country at some of the 1st week games ISU, WVA - playing that 1st game with FCS schools. week one is always strange. did we play our best football, no. did we win the game, yes. we've got to get a lot better. team came in to practice after the game with the mentality to get better
Max: offensive and defensive line play?
PJ: at times it was good, at times it was bad. we need to be more consistent. have to iron that out.
Mona: Bateman.
PJ: he's very talented. we went through this last year at times. People know Tyler is really good. Bateman was really good as a true FR. maybe you don't trust him as much as a true FR. now we have two weapons on the outside. we have some other guys to go along with the running attack. they wanted to take Tyler out of the game. that was their game plan - stop the run and take Tyler out of the game. It's like I said with week one - you're preparing for ghosts - don't know what they're going to do. They did things we didn't plan for, and we were adjusting to on the sideline. have to find out how your opponents are going to play you.
Sid: who played well?
PJ: as a team, we all have to play better. we're not going to be stat people. we need to be better on 3rd down. we were close to 50%, but want to be above that. On 4th downs we were 1 for 1. We scored both times in the red zone. We only ran around 60 plays - that's not a lot. we need to have more plays. need to get the ball back for our offense. had 3 penalties - we were pretty disciplined. we just never got into a rhythm.
Max: RPO. how do you defend that
PJ: it's difficult. We hadn't seen their QB play. RPO adds another element. have to be able to read offenses -read the pad level - RPO different than a regular run. Teams run variations - run inside-outside RPO's. very difficult to stop. every team is using it. it's an easy way to get play-action. the ball can get out of QB's hands quicker. on defense, your eyes have to be in the right place. we had too many people trying to make someone else's plays. we have to trust every one around us. it was a case of some guys being on the field for the first time in a while, or the first time ever.
Max: problems with guys cramping?
PJ: we had one or two guys. we usually do a good job with that. sometimes you think you're hydrated, doing all the right things. we've got to do a better job as we go out to the West Coast where it's going to be 95 degrees. may have to change our hydration a little bit. I don't like it when the team cramps up. I take that personally.
Sid: don't give up on Gophers. they'll be all right. Murray's.
PJ: RTB, Ski-U-Mah, Go Gophers.