PJ Fleck enthusiastic about Minnesota’s chances in new Big Ten

INDIANAPOLIS — Although the Golden Gophers are coming off a losing campaign, their head coach is confident they’ll show improvement this upcoming season, and make a statement in the Big Ten.

PJ Fleck is the third-longest tenured coach in the conference, and could potentially be fielding his best team yet. With Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington set to officially join the Big Ten on August 2, Fleck knows he has to do whatever it takes to keep Minnesota from being a needle in the haystack.

The Golden Gophers have momentum approaching fall camp, considering they’re coming off their fifth-straight bowl win. Fleck and his staff put the team through intense practices over the spring, and now the pieces are in place to make a run at the conference title. Most importantly, everyone is healthy.

Fleck’s longevity speaks volumes, especially with the fierce competition is in today’s game. The secret to Fleck’s success is the way he continues to evolve with the sport. He’s grateful to have an Athletic Director like Mark Coyle, who’s been by Fleck’s side since he took the job in Minneapolis.

“We’re going to bring culture sustainability back to Minnesota,” Fleck said. “You look at all of the successful coaches that have been at Minnesota for a long period of time, and they all had sustainability with the same culture, and we’re doing everything we can to keep that culture sustainability in place.”

The Golden Gophers are known for being a run-oriented team under Fleck. It’s hard to argue against that when he used Mohamed Ibrahim as a battering ram for several seasons, and he ended up as Minnesota’s all-time leading rusher. However, Fleck wants to make changes to the offense, and establish a new identity. Offensive Coordinators Greg Harbaugh Jr., and Matt Simon will have a variety of ways to move the ball this fall in Fleck’s mind.

“When we’re talking about the passing game, we want that to be way better, we want to be more balanced, but we also have to have the personnel to do that, which I think we have,” he said. “We’re deeper, and if we stay healthy we can be balanced, and be consistent on the offensive side of the ball.”

Fleck does have a new Defensive Coordinator in place in Corey Hetherman, who’s replacing Joe Rossi. Hetherman has Big Ten experience, considering he’s been Rutgers’ Linebackers Coach for the past two years. Fleck is leaning on familiarity as the Golden Gophers approach uncharted territory in 2024.

On top of that, the schedule is favorable, with most of Minnesota’s tough games at home, including North Carolina, Iowa, USC and Penn State. For a second-straight year, Fleck will have the spotlight on a Thursday night to open the season. This time it’s going to be against the Tar Heels, a team that smashed the Golden Gophers by 17 points in Chapel Hill last year.

Fleck has a ton of respect for Mack Brown, but understands the importance of starting the season off with a bang, and taking down a quality ACC team will do wonders. Every game is important though, and Fleck won’t be overlooking none of the opposition. He’s a proven winner, which is why he chuckles at the critics who talk about his job security.

“If I can get the most out of the team, and I can make decisions with clarity and calmness, and be confident in this team, I think we’ll be really successful,” the 43-year old said. “My job is not to just win football games, I know I have to win football games, or I don’t get to do my job, but my job is to make sure that these guys are successful, period.”

Fall camp is going to tell Fleck a lot about what he’ll be fielding at the end of August. There’s no denying the Golden Gophers are going to have a slimmer margin for error in the new 18-team, Big Ten. Still, Fleck likes his team chances as contenders, and they can’t wait for the opportunity to prove themselves, starting a month from now.

“I still think it’s a clear path, it’s just a lot bigger path for a lot of other teams.”