All 2018 freshman have reported to campus and are amid summer workouts. The team is allowed 7v7 and player-only led practices now. The coaches are only allowed a minimal time per week to be around the team.
Coaches have weekly meetings regarding players on the team and how they are progressing. It is too early to tell, but PJ said he likes the speed of the 2018 class and should help the team numbers-wise. “Fast group, very athletic at all positions…one guy we’re really excited about is Mariano Sori-Marin. He’s a 4.5-forty guy that weighs 242 pounds. Incredibly intelligent, 4.0 student. He missed his junior year and only played his senior year, he’ll have an opportunity when he gets here.”
The staff is in a dead period right now so while they can still talk to 2019 recruits, they cannot visit campus. “Our 2019 class is very strong. These guys all want to be Gophers. With grey shirts and everything we have 21 total commitments. It’s a compliment to our staff, our fans, our donors, and everyone involved. We want our fans to celebrate the process of winning championships; celebrating the wins in recruiting, in practice, in the classroom, etc. We have nine scholarship seniors and around 14 juniors, we’re very young and inexperienced. That’s a good thing too, because the future is very bright. People want to come here and want to be Gophers.”
There was a significant change in the redshirt rule where a player is now allowed to play up to four games without losing a redshirt. PJ called it “one of the most significant rule changes in the last 10-15 years of college football.” There is a ton of strategy involved going forward regarding who to play, when to play, etc. Fleck is a fan of the rule and thinks it gives an opportunity for players to rest and avoid injury while also letting younger guys get their feet wet.
Recruiting camps have been a major source of talent and recruiting for the team the past couple of years. Typically, the staff will pair up with a Division II school in the south and they run the camp, but the Gopher staff attends. It is a way for kids to get exposure to the school. PJ also likes to see kids with his own eyes to make sure the staff is on the same page.
The new athlete’s village doesn’t give an excuse to recruits for not wanting to come to a school. There is a “wow factor” involved with the school and the facilities for recruits when they visit. Coach said the facilities are a game changer for the team.
PJ kept speaking to the importance of being a player-led team on and off the field. Players aren’t perfect and will mess up occasionally, but that they are striving each day to be better men in all areas of their life.
Three non-conference opponents start off the 2019 schedule with New Mexico State, Fresno State, and Miami of Ohio. Fleck gave a lot of credit to all three teams and their coaches, saying that they are very good teams who the Gophers cannot take lightly.
Coaches have weekly meetings regarding players on the team and how they are progressing. It is too early to tell, but PJ said he likes the speed of the 2018 class and should help the team numbers-wise. “Fast group, very athletic at all positions…one guy we’re really excited about is Mariano Sori-Marin. He’s a 4.5-forty guy that weighs 242 pounds. Incredibly intelligent, 4.0 student. He missed his junior year and only played his senior year, he’ll have an opportunity when he gets here.”
The staff is in a dead period right now so while they can still talk to 2019 recruits, they cannot visit campus. “Our 2019 class is very strong. These guys all want to be Gophers. With grey shirts and everything we have 21 total commitments. It’s a compliment to our staff, our fans, our donors, and everyone involved. We want our fans to celebrate the process of winning championships; celebrating the wins in recruiting, in practice, in the classroom, etc. We have nine scholarship seniors and around 14 juniors, we’re very young and inexperienced. That’s a good thing too, because the future is very bright. People want to come here and want to be Gophers.”
There was a significant change in the redshirt rule where a player is now allowed to play up to four games without losing a redshirt. PJ called it “one of the most significant rule changes in the last 10-15 years of college football.” There is a ton of strategy involved going forward regarding who to play, when to play, etc. Fleck is a fan of the rule and thinks it gives an opportunity for players to rest and avoid injury while also letting younger guys get their feet wet.
Recruiting camps have been a major source of talent and recruiting for the team the past couple of years. Typically, the staff will pair up with a Division II school in the south and they run the camp, but the Gopher staff attends. It is a way for kids to get exposure to the school. PJ also likes to see kids with his own eyes to make sure the staff is on the same page.
The new athlete’s village doesn’t give an excuse to recruits for not wanting to come to a school. There is a “wow factor” involved with the school and the facilities for recruits when they visit. Coach said the facilities are a game changer for the team.
PJ kept speaking to the importance of being a player-led team on and off the field. Players aren’t perfect and will mess up occasionally, but that they are striving each day to be better men in all areas of their life.
Three non-conference opponents start off the 2019 schedule with New Mexico State, Fresno State, and Miami of Ohio. Fleck gave a lot of credit to all three teams and their coaches, saying that they are very good teams who the Gophers cannot take lightly.
