P. J. FLECK
Game 874 | February 16, 2017 | P. J. Fleck
Gopher Athletics Director Mark Coyle introduced his new hire as Gopher football coach. Speaking with great energy and enthusiasm, Fleck talked about his career and his "Row the Boat" philosophy. The Gopher team, suffering from injuries and a lack of depth, finished 5-7 with two wins in Big Ten play. A highlight of the meeting came in an observation from a member, "I wear a hearing aid, and you're the first speaker in years where I didn't even need it!"
(LtoR) Dave Mona, P. J. Fleck, Mark Coyle (physician), Pete Kostroski
Game 899 | July 31, 2018 | P. J. Fleck
Without the need of a microphone, Fleck painted an energetic picture of what he's trying to accomplish with a program that hasn't been to the Rose Bowl since 1962. "I'm not for everybody,"he said, "and I'm not trying to recruit you. I'm trying to recruit 17 and 18 year olds, and in order to win we need to attract better players." The team finished 7-6 and won impressively (37-15) in Madison to return Paul Bunyan's Axe to Minnesota. The team played Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, winning 34-10.
(LtoR) Dave Mona, P. J. Fleck, Nancy Lindahl, Darrell Thompson (physician)
Game 918 | July 29, 2019 | P. J. Fleck
Pacing continuously and speaking without the need of a microphone, the Gopher football coach said his program was built around teaching the team how to win. "Up to 80% of football teaching turns out to be about trying not to lose. We don't believe in that." He said he was very pleased with the way the previous season had ended with victories at Wisconsin and in a bowl game against Georgia Tech. Still, pre-season polls showed the Gophers 12th among 14 Big Ten teams and sixth among the seven Big Ten West teams. "I keep telling the team that respect needs to be earned," he said. The team finished 11-2, defeated favored Auburn in the Outback Bowl and was ranked 10th in the nation for the season.
(LtoR) John Cunningham (physician), Lester Bagley, P.J. Fleck, Mark Coyle, Dave Mona
Game 928 | June 3, 2020 | P. J. Fleck, Joe Rossi, Mike Sanford and Mike Grimm
Gopher football coach P.J. Fleck, not knowing the status of Big Ten football in 2020, talked about the January 1 Outback Bowl victory over Auburn and its impact on recruiting. The team finished the Covid-shortened season with a 3-4 record.
(LtoR) Row 1: Ross Levin, Joe Rossi, Mike Sanford; Row 2: Mike Grimm, Dave Mona; Row 3: Coach P. J. Fleck
Game 954 | August 3, 2021 | P. J. Fleck
Entering his fifth year as Gopher football coach, Fleck said he was disappointed with his team’s finish in 2020 and that he thought the 2021 team had a chance to out-perform early expectations. His team finished 9-4 with a season-ending victory over Wisconsin and a 18-6 victory over West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
(LtoR) Dave Mona, Dave Stead, P. J. Fleck, Lea B. Olsen, Mark Coyle
Game 965 | June 23, 2022 | P. J. Fleck
In Coach Fleck’s sixth year as Gopher head coach his team finished with a 9-4 record and defeated Syracuse 28-20 in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York City. It was the Gophers’ sixth consecutive bowl victory. The Gophers have a 44-27 record under Coach Fleck.
(LtoR) , Dan Stoltz, P. J. Fleck, Mark Coyle, Dave Mona
