Will Golden Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle extend football coach P.J. Fleck’s contract after yesterday’s stunning and potential program changing 37-15 upset of Wisconsin?
I asked Coyle about an extension earlier this month and he was noncommittal, answering that he will address the subject later this year after more evaluation. Coyle hired Fleck in January of 2017 and in November of last year extended the coach’s contract one year through 2023.
While contract extensions provide more security to coaches and are a reward for good work, they are often for public perception too—sending a message to potential high school recruits that an athletic director is solidly behind his coach. Adding on another year to Fleck’s deal certainly meets the criteria described here.
From the outside looking in, earlier this month Fleck’s program was gloomy as the weather that contributed to embarrassingly small crowds for home games against Indiana, Purdue and Northwestern. Three weeks ago lowly Illinois humiliated the Gophers 55-31, gashing the defense with long runs and coming up with 646 total yards. The loss left Minnesota with a 1-5 Big Ten record and no more “softies” remaining on the schedule to make bowl eligibility likely.
Minnesota rallied, though, winning two of its last three games to finish with a 6-6 overall record and an invitation coming soon for a bowl game. Fleck had the wisdom to fire defensive coordinator Robb Smith after the Illinois game and named Joe Rossi as his replacement. Since then Minnesota has improved dramatically on defense while defeating Purdue 41-10, losing to Northwestern 24-14 and beating Wisconsin while giving up only two touchdowns including one late in the game.
Those wins in the last three games are the most impressive and significant in the Fleck era. Purdue is the only team to defeat 11-1 Ohio State, the Big Ten’s best program. While the Gophers could have played better, they made a competitive game out of their November 17 matchup with Northwestern, the Big Ten West Division champions. Against Wisconsin Fleck and the Gophers earned that signature win they have been pursuing for two years.
Minnesota went into yesterday’s game against the Badgers with a Big Ten worst minus 11 in turnover margin. That’s not what Fleck has had in mind since Day One while preaching “the ball is the program.” Minnesota redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Morgan had three turnovers in the loss to Northwestern but he played clean against the Badgers.
Minnesota scored 24 points off of turnovers yesterday. Badgers quarterback Alex Hornibrook threw three interceptions and had a fumble. Jonathan Taylor, the nation’s leading rusher, was held to 120 yards.
Don’t let anyone diminish the value of what the Gophers did in dominating the Badgers in Madison. Yes, the Badgers have been dealing with injuries (what team isn’t this time of year?), and have stumbled from preseason predictions of playing for a national championship to finishing with a regular season 7-5 record. But this is a team that only a week before at Purdue had rallied from a 27-13 fourth quarter deficit to win in three overtimes as the Boilermakers couldn’t control Taylor who ran for 321 yards.
Wisconsin has long been the standard-bearer in the Big Ten West Division, often beating almost everyone in the conference, and dominating programs like Minnesota. Until yesterday the Gophers hadn’t won in Madison since 1994. They hadn’t taken home Paul Bunyan’s Axe since 2003.
Minnesota’s futility against Wisconsin had become a symbol of a program that too often has been in rebuild mode and had surrendered its winning edge in college football’s most played rivalry. In a series that started in 1890, the record between Minnesota and Wisconsin is now 60-60-8.
Fleck and his program have earned a win that could one day be seen as a game changer for Gophers football. Last year Minnesota won just two Big Ten games, beating dysfunctional Nebraska and awful Illinois. Before defeating Purdue, Fleck’s only other conference win was over so-so Indiana this fall. Three wins that didn’t provide a lot of credibility to Fleck’s goal of building a winning program, but now perceptions are changing.
The Gophers will return most of their players for next season. The roster will have more quality and depth than seen here in awhile. The personnel will include stars and difference makers such as defensive end Carter Coughlin, safety Antoine Winfield Jr., wide receiver Tyler Johnson, and running backs Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith. The quarterback position that has failed the Gophers since Adam Weber ran out of eligibility in 2010 will have two experienced starters returning in Morgan and true freshman Zack Annexstad.
Fleck’s coaching staff looks solid led by offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca and Rossi who had his title changed from interim to permanent defensive coordinator this weekend. Minnesota has given up a total of 49 points in the last three games after allowing Illinois 55. Adding to the optimism is that Fleck’s third recruiting class will arrive next year and likely will provide more quality players and greater depth.
Minnesota also has a favorable schedule next season. The Gophers avoid games against Big Ten bullies Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. The conference schedule also has five home games, with four on the road. The nonconference schedule is friendly except for a road game against Fresno State, a potential top 25 preseason team.
This program has a long way to go and much to prove but maybe Fleck can restore it to what it was decades ago—a Big Ten contender and prominent name on the national scene. West Division rivals Iowa, Northwestern and Wisconsin flipped long ago from bottom feeders to champions.
After a giddy win over Wisconsin the most loyal and optimistic of Gopher fans can hope that Fleck becomes a savior like Iowa’s Hayden Fry, Wisconsin’s Barry Alvarez and Northwestern’s Gary Barnett. Their names live in football immortality in Iowa City, Madison and Evanston.
Take a look at the three coaches’ records on Wikipedia and read how they earned and sustained success after a few seasons at places on the shortlist of laughing stock programs. Fry’s third team at Iowa was 6-2 in Big Ten games and tied for the 1981 conference title. Alvarez’s fourth year (1993) the Badgers went 10-1-1, including a Rose Bowl win. In Barnett’s fourth season (1995) Northwestern changed from the “Mildcats” to the Wildcats winning the Big Ten title. It was the program’s first conference championship since 1936.
That’s a drought Gophers fans can relate to. Minnesota’s last Big Ten title was 1967.
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