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Fleck’s contract extension exhibits how serious Minnesota is taking football these days
By Phil Ervin
Published:
If you walked out of Huntington Bank Stadium the afternoon of Oct. 16, you could feel it in the unseasonably comfortable autumn air.
You could see it in the faces of fans. You could hear it as they celebrated a win over historical power Nebraska. Some of them talked smack to the out-of-towners. Most of them just kicked back with a celebratory beverage and a sense of swagger.
That’s what coach PJ Fleck has brought to the Twin Cities. This from a program that hasn’t won a conference championship since 1967 — 13 years before Fleck, 40, was born.
Fleck would like you to believe the standard has changed. There is evidence it’s getting close; here we are, in November, and Minnesota is in first place in the Big Ten West. For the 2nd time in 3 seasons, the Gophers are knocking on the door of the Big Ten championship game.
“From day one, we talked about cultural sustainability and how important it is to building a successful football program and life program,” Fleck said in a statement Wednesday announcing his 7-year, $35 million contract extension. “Today is another step in that process, and this new contract is a commitment to our elite staff and the entire state of Minnesota.”
The timing makes sense. Fleck is 32-21 overall, and 6-2 (4-1 B1G) this season.
But this is about much more than a moment in time.
This is a signal to the rest of the B1G — and college football — that while Minneapolis-Saint Paul may be a Vikings town in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, the state’s flagship public university is serious about being competitive in football.
That means keeping its guy, whose name comes up annually in association with coaching vacancies at schools with more recent tradition.
According to the Pioneer Press’ Andy Greder, the deal includes increased buyout amounts. It also ups the amount of salary dedicated to assistants.
This is what big-boy programs do when they have their guy. And we’ve said it here before: both culturally and in terms of the overall college football landscape, Minnesota and Fleck are a perfect match.
“This is home,” Fleck said. “Our family loves it here.”
So do his players, apparently. The “Row the Boat” mantra and constant acronyms and catch phrases can be irksome to those outside the Golden Gophers football ecosystem. But Fleck’s approach works with 18-22-year-olds who feel like they have something to prove.
The culture Fleck has created is starting to cut through the stigma of Minnesota being an also-ran in this conference. The Gophers still have a ways to go, but it’s hard to question their commitment at present.
“He continues to build a program that fans can take great pride in, and his student-athletes compete at a high level academically, athletically and socially,” athletic director Mark Coyle said. “He is a tremendous recruiter and has elevated the stature of our program by an immeasurable amount.”
Jerry Kill and Tracy Claeys set out a decent table for Fleck by stringing together bowl appearances and winning seasons. The next step would be a conference title game, an endeavor in which Minnesota controls its own fate this season.
A perennial contender? Perhaps not. But the Gophers and this state’s desire for a winner appear to be on the rise.
Fleck will continue to get courted. But it’ll be harder to get him to leave the house he’s built here.
For a program that was once considered a stepping-stone destination, that in itself is macro-level progress.
Veteran sports writer Phil Ervin brings his expertise on Minnesota and B1G football to Saturday Tradition. Follow him on Twitter @PhilErvin.