BoNeyard Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 As annoying as he can be, PJ Fleck has done a marvelous job at Minnesota, and the guy is actually a really good coach and motivator. Looking at what he has done at Minnesota and the culture he has built, it could be a little of what we could become in the near future. Fleck didn't inherit that bad of a roster when he arrived in Minnesota, Jerry Kill and Claeys had started building the Gophers into decent and respectable competition before Fleck. But Fleck arrived and he started to insert his culture and trying to elevate the Minnesota program from what Kill and Claeys had build. Now, in his first two years of trying to install that culture and build what he wanted he didn't have that great of years. 5-7 and 7-6, but again he didn't inherit that bad of a roster and he had some B1G size already on that roster. Now here he is in year 3 and his DNA seems very much all over that team and program and it's paying off to an 8-0 start. Fleck is very "loud" at what he does and he has a ton of energy and yet it's even taken him 3 years to fully put his culture and DNA in place at a program that didn't really have any positive culture since the 1960's. Point is, even someone who is really really good at motivating and wears his culture on his sleeve and implements that wherever he goes, still took him at least 3 years to get things to stick at a place that isn't use to a ton of winning. It's still early, but Minnesota seems to be holding their own against #4 Penn State. While watching the Gophers I can't help but think they are going to be contenders in the West for quiet some time, as long as Fleck is there anyways. They are still trending up and they are built with size in the trenches and speed in the skill positions. It's easy to see Fleck has structured the Gophers pretty well, but again he inherited some of that structure when he arrived at Minnesota thanks to Kill and Claeys. It just goes to show how much effort and how long it can take to actually get things going. Frost is having to not only change the culture and put his DNA into the current program, but he is having to build up the roster to fit the B1G. Quote Link to comment
Igetbored216 Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 I will be happy when all the Riley players are gone. I'm so tired of hearing about culture. I wonder if fans of other teams with new coaches talk about culture as much as we do. 5 Quote Link to comment
SFW Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Things really changed for them when Fleck fired his DC. Now they have a chance to compete in the B10. 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment
BoNeyard Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 1 minute ago, Igetbored216 said: I will be happy when all the Riley players are gone. I'm so tired of hearing about culture. I wonder if fans of other teams with new coaches talk about culture as much as we do. Florida State Tennessee Texas in Herman's first couple seasons USC Those are just a few of the notable teams in recent years I've heard a lot about culture. Quote Link to comment
LumberJackSker Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Fleck and Frost seem to be complete opposites. Frost wants the players to establish the culture and police themselves where at Minnesota is all about fleck. I don't know if one way of doing things is better than the other or what Minnesota's roster looked like before fleck git there but he seems to be ahead of schedule. Quote Link to comment
BoNeyard Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 Just now, LumberJackSker said: Fleck and Frost seem to be complete opposites. Frost wants the players to establish the culture and police themselves where at Minnesota is all about fleck. I don't know if one way of doing things is better than the other or what Minnesota's roster looked like before fleck git there but he seems to be ahead of schedule. I think both ways can work and one way isn't better then the other. I was just pointing out that someone has energetic and loud as Fleck has taken 3 years to get his culture and identity going at a place that didn't even really have an identity to begin with. As far as the roster Fleck inherited, he inherited a 9-4 team and a program that had been to 5 straight bowl games. Now 5 straight bowl games may be a laughable fact, but that is a huge accomplishment for Minnesota given where they were before Kill arrived. 1 Quote Link to comment
SFW Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Love the way Fleck manages the clock keeping PSUs D on the field and his D off the field. 1 Quote Link to comment
LumberJackSker Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 11 minutes ago, BoNeyard said: I think both ways can work and one way isn't better then the other. I was just pointing out that someone has energetic and loud as Fleck has taken 3 years to get his culture and identity going at a place that didn't even really have an identity to begin with. As far as the roster Fleck inherited, he inherited a 9-4 team and a program that had been to 5 straight bowl games. Now 5 straight bowl games may be a laughable fact, but that is a huge accomplishment for Minnesota given where they were before Kill arrived. Fleck's way probably works faster to establish a culture in a place that needs a culture change. Frost is asking a roster of guys that have never been part of a winning college program to carry a lot in my opinion. Not saying it won't work but it will take a long time. Quote Link to comment
SFW Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Here’s a model Check your fancy play calling...when you can put a team away. Manage the clock properly. Run a 4-3 Defense Get off the field on 3rd and long. Stop someone on their final possession. Start there! Then worry about culture. 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Drutopian Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Flipping quickly between this thread and the Oregon State thread is a great example of glass half full/empty Quote Link to comment
Popular Post knapplc Posted November 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 9, 2019 Weird how these threads didn't pop up last year when Minnesota was 7-6 and we beat them by four scores. 4 5 1 Quote Link to comment
TheSker Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 17 minutes ago, SFW said: Here’s a model Check your fancy play calling...when you can put a team away. Manage the clock properly. Run a 4-3 Defense Get off the field on 3rd and long. Stop someone on their final possession. Start there! Then worry about culture. Tell us more. Quote Link to comment
Huckleberry Muhammad Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Sad. Thinking we're so low at this point in time that the notion we need Minnesota as a "model for us" is actually being discussed. 1 Quote Link to comment
huskerfan74 Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Fleck has turned things around in Minnesota in his third year. His cupboards were as empty as ours if not emptier. Will Frost and his incompetent supporting cast led by chin be able to do the same in year 3? The next three games will tell us. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Jason Sitoke Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 24 minutes ago, SFW said: Here’s a model Check your fancy play calling...when you can put a team away. Manage the clock properly. Run a 4-3 Defense Get off the field on 3rd and long. Stop someone on their final possession. Start there! Then worry about culture. I think you forgot ‘recruit a fullback’ 3 Quote Link to comment
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