Fleck:
Sid opened asking about the 2019 recruiting class and how PJ feels about it. Fleck is happy with the progress they’ve made so far in addressing areas that couldn’t be only address in one class. They are in camp season all over the country recruiting.
The next question was about Vic Viramontes transferring back to his JUCO school. Fleck responded, “I think that is a compliment to Tanner Morgan and Zack Annexstad. Everyone has an equal opportunity to win the starting job. When a kid feels that he’s at the bottom on the depth chart, and wants an opportunity to play, they feel the best route is to transfer. I’m happy for Vic, I want him to play whether it be at QB or at another position. We wish him the best, we’re going to have two QB’s on the roster. Seth (Green) will stay at TE and can be an emergency quarterback. We’ll have two quarterbacks for the 2019 class and I’m really excited about Tanner and Zack. It’s going to be fun to develop them.”
The current team only has nine scholarship seniors for the 2018 season. PJ doesn’t use that as an excuse but it is a reality that we have a young team. Combined with 16-17 juniors, that gives the team 25 upperclassmen. Young players will have to play, and coach is excited to develop those players. He wants the upperclassmen to be leaders and, in a sense, run the team.
Coaches cannot make contact with players during the dead period. Players are in summer workouts with the conditioning program as well as in summer school/internships. “Everyone here now is on board with the way we do things. Players can work out on their own and run their own practices, but coaches cannot be a part of that. We had the third straight semester with the highest team GPA. I really like the development of our football team this spring.”
Sid questioned the Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities and how PJ utilizes that in recruiting. PJ thinks that Minneapolis can be a one-stop shop for players coming here. Companies for your future work here, a big city is here for fun, the school is here. He considers it to be one of those “you don’t know how good you have it” sort of situations.
Curtis Dunlap and Daniel Fa’alele were two highly recruited offensive lineman that came in early this spring. Fleck commented that he will have to make some decisions coming up here regarding if he will redshirt those two. Since there is still a lack of depth there, those two guys may have to play this year. The rest of the 2018 recruiting class are reporting tomorrow for summer school.
Talking about 2019 recruits, Coach says when he shows them the campus there is an “a-ha!” moment from recruits. They cannot believe this is the University of Minnesota. He said one of the hardest things he had to do when he got to Minnesota is change the perception about the University from an athletics standpoint. Now the team has the facilities, those are no longer a negative when talking about the team. “I’m very proud to be the head football coach of the University of Minnesota.”
Fleck will take four or five JUCO players for this upcoming recruiting class. He prefers to recruit high school players, however there are certain positions that need immediate help. Coach tries to recruit “3 for 2” or “3 for 3” JUCO players, meaning they can have a redshirt year and still have two eligible years to play.
The team has requests “every day” for grad transfers to transfer to the University of Minnesota. The team plans to take a full 22, 23, or 24 recruits for the 2019 class.
Coyle:
Regarding the baseball team hosting a regional; “Great crowd. John (Anderson) has done an incredible job. The fans are really getting into it.”
If the Gophers win tonight versus UCLA, then the team will most likely travel to Oregon State for the Super Regional. That would be a one versus one, best of three series.
On the feeling of Gopher athletics. Coyle: “The facilities have given us a ton of momentum. All of the athletes are in one building. It has given us a jolt of energy in the athletics. We want to compete at a high level in all of our sports. We wind down seasons with our respective teams and sit down with the coaching staffs to find out what is working, what isn’t etc. We feel our coaches contracts are in a good spot and we are constantly evaluating that.”
Coyle indicated that their athletic department is very grateful for the fans for their support and assisting with the facility upgrades. Now the list of what they “don’t have” is getting smaller and smaller.
Men’s basketball, men’s football, and men’s hockey were commonly asked about improvement there when the athletic department staff went on the road around the state.
Sid opened asking about the 2019 recruiting class and how PJ feels about it. Fleck is happy with the progress they’ve made so far in addressing areas that couldn’t be only address in one class. They are in camp season all over the country recruiting.
The next question was about Vic Viramontes transferring back to his JUCO school. Fleck responded, “I think that is a compliment to Tanner Morgan and Zack Annexstad. Everyone has an equal opportunity to win the starting job. When a kid feels that he’s at the bottom on the depth chart, and wants an opportunity to play, they feel the best route is to transfer. I’m happy for Vic, I want him to play whether it be at QB or at another position. We wish him the best, we’re going to have two QB’s on the roster. Seth (Green) will stay at TE and can be an emergency quarterback. We’ll have two quarterbacks for the 2019 class and I’m really excited about Tanner and Zack. It’s going to be fun to develop them.”
The current team only has nine scholarship seniors for the 2018 season. PJ doesn’t use that as an excuse but it is a reality that we have a young team. Combined with 16-17 juniors, that gives the team 25 upperclassmen. Young players will have to play, and coach is excited to develop those players. He wants the upperclassmen to be leaders and, in a sense, run the team.
Coaches cannot make contact with players during the dead period. Players are in summer workouts with the conditioning program as well as in summer school/internships. “Everyone here now is on board with the way we do things. Players can work out on their own and run their own practices, but coaches cannot be a part of that. We had the third straight semester with the highest team GPA. I really like the development of our football team this spring.”
Sid questioned the Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities and how PJ utilizes that in recruiting. PJ thinks that Minneapolis can be a one-stop shop for players coming here. Companies for your future work here, a big city is here for fun, the school is here. He considers it to be one of those “you don’t know how good you have it” sort of situations.
Curtis Dunlap and Daniel Fa’alele were two highly recruited offensive lineman that came in early this spring. Fleck commented that he will have to make some decisions coming up here regarding if he will redshirt those two. Since there is still a lack of depth there, those two guys may have to play this year. The rest of the 2018 recruiting class are reporting tomorrow for summer school.
Talking about 2019 recruits, Coach says when he shows them the campus there is an “a-ha!” moment from recruits. They cannot believe this is the University of Minnesota. He said one of the hardest things he had to do when he got to Minnesota is change the perception about the University from an athletics standpoint. Now the team has the facilities, those are no longer a negative when talking about the team. “I’m very proud to be the head football coach of the University of Minnesota.”
Fleck will take four or five JUCO players for this upcoming recruiting class. He prefers to recruit high school players, however there are certain positions that need immediate help. Coach tries to recruit “3 for 2” or “3 for 3” JUCO players, meaning they can have a redshirt year and still have two eligible years to play.
The team has requests “every day” for grad transfers to transfer to the University of Minnesota. The team plans to take a full 22, 23, or 24 recruits for the 2019 class.
Coyle:
Regarding the baseball team hosting a regional; “Great crowd. John (Anderson) has done an incredible job. The fans are really getting into it.”
If the Gophers win tonight versus UCLA, then the team will most likely travel to Oregon State for the Super Regional. That would be a one versus one, best of three series.
On the feeling of Gopher athletics. Coyle: “The facilities have given us a ton of momentum. All of the athletes are in one building. It has given us a jolt of energy in the athletics. We want to compete at a high level in all of our sports. We wind down seasons with our respective teams and sit down with the coaching staffs to find out what is working, what isn’t etc. We feel our coaches contracts are in a good spot and we are constantly evaluating that.”
Coyle indicated that their athletic department is very grateful for the fans for their support and assisting with the facility upgrades. Now the list of what they “don’t have” is getting smaller and smaller.
Men’s basketball, men’s football, and men’s hockey were commonly asked about improvement there when the athletic department staff went on the road around the state.
