The University of Minnesota football team will take the field August 31 in its season opener against Nebraska hoping to continue the momentum of the last four years. Since 2019 the Golden Gophers have one of the best records among Big Ten programs.
Coach P.J. Fleck’s program has the fourth best winning percentages among league teams dating back to the 2019 season, as pointed out this summer by Lindy’s Sports in its Big Ten football preview. The Gophers trail only Ohio State, Michigan and Iowa with their .696 percentage in all games and .618 against Big Ten opponents.
Minnesota is 21-13 in league games during this stretch. The 21 Big Ten wins over four years is the most ever for the football program that began in 1882. The Gophers are 32-14 overall, including three consecutive bowl wins during the four-years.
Throw out Minnesota’s 3-4 record during the COVID season of 2020 when the Gophers played only conference games, and the winning percentages are even more impressive. That year was an outlier for many programs because of the pandemic challenges, including for the Gophers who were coming off a 2019 season with an 11-2 overall record and 7-2 Big Ten mark (tied with Wisconsin for best in the Big Ten West Division). Expectations in Dinkytown were not for 3-4.
The Gophers are having their best four-year stretch since 1960-1963 when the overall and Big Ten records were 25-12 and 19-9 respectively. In the four seasons before Fleck arrived in 2017, Minnesota was 16-17 in league games and 31-21 overall.
Historically, Minnesota ranks about in the middle of the 14-team Big Ten in winning games, so the past four years are out of the norm. Critics can point out the Gophers (and Iowa) are members of the Big Ten West Division and play a softer schedule than the more powerful East Division led by Ohio State and Michigan. Those same critics can fault Minnesota for not playing a more formidable nonconference schedule and may also point out that the modern day Big Ten plays more league and nonconference games than in the past, but for the Gophers to have the resume of the past four years is impressive.
Fleck is 44-27 in six seasons leading the program. He is fifth in program history in overall wins (44), games coached (71) and sixth in Big Ten wins (26). His .619 winning percentage is third best among the 11 Gopher head coaches who have at least 45 games leading the program. Ahead of Fleck are Dr. Henry L. Williams (.786, 1900-21) and Bernie Bierman (.716, 1932-41, ‘45-50).
Part of the program’s success has been built on a foundation of impressive defense. Joe Rossi was named defensive coordinator in November of 2018 and Minnesota’s record since then is 26-11. The Gophers had an outstanding defense last year and were even better in 2021. That season Minnesota ranked third in the nation in total defense, tied for sixth in scoring defense and eighth in the nation in rushing defense.
For all the program’s success, there are significant things remaining on the to-do list. Goals including winning the program’s first outright West Division title, first Big Ten championship since 1967, a return to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1962 and an initial entry into the playoffs which will have an expanded field starting in 2024.
This fall the Gophers are trying to win nine games or more for the third time in four seasons. If they do, the program will gain even more local and national recognition because the schedule includes games at Ohio State and Iowa, and home against Michigan. Fleck is winless against all three including 0-6 versus the Hawkeyes. Yes, throw in winning back Floyd of Rosedale on the priority list detailed above.
Remembering an Extraordinary Friend
This is a sobering week after learning Sunday of Mark Sheffert’s passing at age 76. I remember the mornings at the Hilltop restaurant in Edina when I would listen to his words of wisdom about the University of Minnesota including athletics. He was one of the most intelligent sources about business, education, community and politics that I have ever known.
Former regent Dave Larson suggested to me years ago that Mark would have been a superb athletic director at Minnesota. Couldn’t agree more because Mark knew how to collaborate with people, was a master at finding solutions to problems and strived for excellence.
In the mid-1960s Mark was on the Gophers freshman football team before an injury ended his career. Mark never lost his affection for the U including the football program.
My friend was a prominent businessman for decades in Minneapolis including as president of First Bank Systems and later his Manchester Companies where he was a nationally known advisor in financial, strategic, leadership and governance issues that challenge companies experiencing change, and even crisis. He was a member of the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame and loved teaching at the U’s Carlson School of Management where he could mentor future leaders.
In 2018 Mark told me he had served on 56 boards for public, private and nonprofit entities including Minneapolis-based Bolder Options that mentors youth. He lived a life dedicated to giving back and helping others. Bolder Options stirred memories of his own upbringing.
“We lived on welfare in Lincoln, Nebraska so I know what it’s like to be poor,” Sheffert told Sports Headliners in 2018. “I know what it’s like to have kids make fun of you when you’re poor. It’s probably why I am as tough as I am.”
Tough, yet compassionate. That was Mark who died way too soon. He had been battling health issues for years but was a champion to Bolder Options to the end. Memorials can be directed to the organization at https://bolderoptions.salsalabs.org/webdonationpage0copy1/index.html
Here is a link to the 2018 Sports Headliners column about Mark and Bolder Options. https://shamasportsheadliners.com/ex-gophers-help-kids-at-risk/