The B1G 10: PJ Fleck can only hope his on-the-field defense hits as hard as his takedown of ‘cult’ allegations

1. The B1G Story

We have to be smart here. We have to stand back and look at this thing, and see the pieces moving.

And more importantly, decipher what’s real and what’s contrived.

“We’re probably going to see more of this type of thing happen with the transfer portal,” says Minnesota coach PJ Fleck.

Before we go further, understand this: As Fleck was explaining that declaration to me, he followed it with these careful words: “with either baseless or real allegations.”

We have to be smart here, everyone. There are absolutely cases of player abuse in every sport, and the worst thing that could happen is said abuse being ignored — or worse — covered up.

You know what else can’t happen? We can’t allow a coach’s reputation to be tainted by false accusations.

Minnesota’s president and its athletic director have publicly said they stand behind Fleck and how he runs the Gophers’ football program. Fresh off shocking hazing allegations at Northwestern that led to the firing of beloved coach Pat Fitzgerald, there’s zero reason for Minnesota to back Fleck if there’s a shred of truth to a Front Office Sports report that detailed, from anonymous former players, that Fleck’s program was a “toxic and intimidating” environment.

Among the allegations: players earned “Fleck Coins” by performing community service, and those coins would then be deposited in the “Fleck Bank” to be used to eliminate behavior issues, such as positive drug tests. Anonymous players alleged that Fleck’s use of acronyms and quirky phrases were “brainwashing.”

Players also claim they had to clap whenever Fleck entered the room.

Fleck says the same story had been “peddled for the last 3 years,” and that it’s the same 3rd party who takes information from “mostly players who have been dismissed.” Fleck says that all Minnesota drug tests are administered by an NCAA-contracted company (Drug Free Sport), and “I have no control over who gets chosen. I can’t reduce or eliminate consequences.”

Fleck brought wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell with him to Media Days last week, and the 7th-year player (medical exemption and Covid season exemption) declared that “everything” in the FOS report is “false.”

“You either get Fleck or you don’t,” Autman-Bell said. “If you get him, he can literally change your life and make you a better man. He has done nothing but invest in me daily.”

2. Unintended consequences

When Fleck arrived last week at Media Days, he had a manilla folder with bullet points and information to defend his program.

And frankly, he’s tired of defending it.

He gets it. Some coaches in the Big Ten aren’t thrilled with his rah-rah attitude and high energy style. Heck, some players aren’t, either.

He’s not for everybody.

But for those players who don’t invest and buy in, the transfer portal has become an easy escape. And with player power growing with each passing season, the portal has become a haven for players looking for an excuse.

Again, this isn’t anything new. Players transferred from one program to another for decades and complained about other coaches and programs.

But in this heightened, social media-driven era of player empowerment, it’s an easy out to place blame and avoid responsibility. If that’s all it was, Fleck doesn’t have a problem with it.

But when a man’s character is called into question, that’s a different animal. That’s when Fleck declares that there are multiple avenues for players to take grievances, and “players can go there anonymously without anyone finding out.”

The campus leadership council, the student advisory committee, the equal opportunity and affirmative action office, and athletic director Mark Coyle. To this day, Fleck says, “not 1 of these claims has been made” to the anonymous help groups.

3. Smart and sensible

If there were any truth to the allegations, Minnesota would be exposed to significant legal action.

If there were any truth to the allegations, Minnesota could get out from under a large contract (7 years, $6.1 million per) it owes Fleck by firing him for cause — and pay him nothing.

If there were any truth to the allegations, Minnesota president Jeff Ettinger and Coyle wouldn’t have publicly supported Fleck.

And the clapping allegations?

Fleck says when he walks into a meeting, everyone claps for a few seconds so the focus is clapping — and not on phones, or individual conversations — before he blows a whistle to begin the team meeting.

He did it at Western Michigan, and does it at Minnesota — and it works. Again, that style may not be for everyone, but it’s very clear when players are recruited what kind of program they’ve committed to, and the investment it takes.

We have to be smart, everyone.

The line between what’s real and what’s contrived gets more blurry with each passing year — with either baseless or real allegations.

4. Realignment pieces are moving

The Pac-12 is expected to announcing the framework of a new media rights deal today, and the results could lead to more schools leaving for the Big 12.

Colorado left last week, and if Arizona, Arizona State and Utah leave as a group for the Big 12 — pushing its 2024 lineup to 16 schools — the Pac-12 will be mortally wounded, with 6 schools remaining in the league.

In that scenario, the Big Ten can move on further expansion west to alleviate logistical, travel and academic obstacles for athletes. Two Big Ten sources told Saturday Tradition in June that Big Ten presidents don’t want to be seen as the conference that destabilized the Pac-12.

But if the Pac-12 loses multiple schools to the Big 12 and is no longer a realistic Power 5 entity, the Big Ten can move on expansion. Oregon and Washington are the top candidates, but Stanford and Cal could also be part of the move.

Former Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren wanted all 4 schools, but couldn’t find a television partner — or streaming partner — to match the monetary value the other 16 conference teams will earn over the course of the new 7-year deal.

But those 2 (or 4) schools are now desperate, and will take a significant decrease in media rights money. If the Big Ten can get 2 (or 4) teams at a reduced rate for the 7 years of the deal — from Fox, CBS, NBC, a streaming site, or some combination — it will alleviate many obstacles of having just USC and UCLA on the West Coast.

5. The Weekly 5

The 5 games that stress the Indiana win total (3.5):

1. Nov. 18, Michigan State: The Spartans just aren’t that solid defensively. Last team with the ball wins?

2. Sept. 16, Louisville: Week 3 for new Louisville coach Jeff Brohm, who was 4-1 vs. Hoosiers as Purdue coach from 2017-22.

3. Oct. 21, Rutgers: There’s little secret Rutgers wants a ground and pound game, and IU may not be able to withstand/trade blows.

4. Sept. 8, Indiana State: An absolute must win. Better roster, playing at home, even with the Sycamores’ geeked for the rivalry.

5. Sept. 23, Akron: Zips will be better, their offense more consistent. Not a game to overlook.

6. Your tape is your resume

An NFL scout analyzes a draft eligible Big Ten player. This week: Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams.

“There are already teams who have him high on their boards because of potential, and certainly not from production. He has played about 400 snaps in 2 seasons, and he’s still really raw. But he’s an elite athlete, and he has to be more consistently disruptive. He has strong hands, and on good snaps, he’s quick to split and shed blocks. But you don’t see it every play. Too inconsistent. Big and strong, and really flexible and athletic for an interior guy.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll, and 1 big thing: most important fall camp competition.

1. Michigan: Offensive line. The strength of the team, with as many as 7 potential NFL draft picks in 2024. But which 5 start? Stanford transfer C Drake Nugent and Arizona State LT transfer La’Darius Henderson should join 3 returning starters.

2. Ohio State: Quarterback. To be fair to Devin Brown, he wasn’t completely healthy in the spring. He is now. But does he have enough to push and overtake Kyle McCord — the assumed starter for months?

3. Penn State: Wide receiver. A crowded position got more talent with transfers Dante Cephus (Kent State) and Malik McClain (Florida State). KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Harrison Wallace III are the incumbents, and Omari Evans made a big move during spring practice.

4. Iowa: Offensive line. A subpar unit in 2022, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says as many as 8-10 could play in 2023. It begins with LT Mason Richman and transfers G Rusty Feth (Miami, OH) and RT Daijon Parker (Saginaw Valley State).

5. Minnesota: Running back: 1 of 3 candidates will likely get the bulk of the carries in replacing multi-year starter Mo Ibrahim: Western Michigan transfer Sean Tyler, Zach Evans and Darius Taylor, a blue-chip recruit with a load of potential.

6. Wisconsin: Wide receiver. The deepest room on the team. Chimere Dike is a lock at 1 spot, while a group of transfers made a big impact in the spring, including Will Pauling (Cincinnati), CJ Williams (USC) and Bryson Green (Oklahoma State).

7. Illinois: Secondary. All 4 starting spots are wide open. Sophomore Tyler Strain may be the best corner, and Louisville transfer Harper Nicario is a leader at 1 safety spot. There’s a large group of freshmen and sophomores battling for the other 3 spots.

8. Maryland: Wide receiver. There are plenty of options, including transfers Kaden Prather (WVU) and Tyrese Chambers (FIU), who may have won a job in the spring. Blue-chip 2022 recruit Shaleak Knotts could work his way into the starting lineup.

9. Purdue: Secondary. Specifically, the cornerbacks. New coach Ryan Walters signed 5 corners from the transfer portal, and Salim Turner-Muhammad (Stanford) and Marquis Wilson (Penn State) have the edge on Braxton Myers (Ole Miss).

10. Michigan State: Quarterback. Noah Kim vs. Katin Houser. Kim has been with coach Mel Tucker all 4 seasons, and is comfortable with the system and gives MSU a run threat. A blue-chip from the 2022 class, Houser is more physically gifted, and has elite arm talent — but is still developing.

11. Nebraska: Linebacker. Luke Reimer is a lock at MLB, and the Huskers need to get production from Georgia transfer MJ Sherman or former 5-star recruit and transfer Chief Borders (Florida) at the hybrid Jack rush spot.

12. Indiana: Quarterback. IU coach Tom Allen trumpeted the transfer of Tennessee blue-chip recruit Tayven Jackson, but Jackson didn’t pull away from Brendan Sorsby in spring practice. Jackson has the higher ceiling, but Sorsby could be the safer choice.

13. Rutgers: Wide receiver. Now that QB Garrett Wimsatt has been named the starter, Rutgers can focus on help. Two small school additions will provide some: Naseim Brantley (Western Illinois) and JaQuae Jackson (California-Pennsylvania). Maybe 5th-year senior Isaiah Washington finally plays to his big-play potential.

14. Northwestern: Wide receiver. Transfer Cam Johnson (Arizona State) is the best of the bunch, and had a big season in 2020 at Vanderbilt. Michigan transfer AJ Henning will likely win the other starting spot, but there are as many as 5 receivers pushing for time.

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: I really like what I saw from David Braun at Media Days. Is he a legitimate candidate for the permanent job?  — Donna Franklin, Dallas.

Donna:

This is a brutal ask of Braun, who just arrived in January from FCS heavyweight North Dakota State as the new defensive coordinator. He hasn’t seen anything remotely close to what he’s dealing with.

He performed about as well as can be expected at Big Ten Media Days, especially considering he’s the first person of significance from the university to speak publicly about the hazing allegations. He has been put into an untenable situation, and there are times when rare ability shows.

The problem: Northwestern is what it is — a 1-11 team in 2022, and a program that has been 1 of the worst in the Power 5 over 3 of the last 4 seasons. It’s a heavy lift.

There are obvious potential candidates for the permanent job, but no interested coach is making a move until the process has run its course. For example, there’s no chance David Shaw, who won big at Stanford, will jump into the Northwestern job if there are still unresolved issues.

It’s a difficult job — 1 of the hardest in the nation — without the hazing allegations.

9. Numbers

7. Iowa begins the season with games against Utah State, Iowa State and Western Michigan, and new quarterback Cade McNamara could have more touchdown passes in those 3 games than Iowa had all last season (7).

McNamara only threw 15 TD passes in leading Michigan to the 2021 Big Ten championship and the Playoff, and didn’t reach 7 TD passes until the 8th game of the season. He’ll beat that number by Week 3 this season.

10. Quote to note

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule: “I know it’s just the beginning, I know we’re just getting started. But I like this team. I like our players.”