An opposing Big Ten assistant coach shared some interesting comments about the Gophers football program for Athlon Sports’ preview magazine, wondering about coach P.J. Fleck’s commitment last offseason and whether new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman’s scheme will translate to the Big Ten.
The coach, granted anonymity to speak more freely, also was intrigued by the addition of New Hampshire transfer quarterback Max Brosmer.
Here are the coach’s statements put into context:
“I think P.J. chased UCLA and some other jobs pretty hard to get out of there, and that didn’t happen for him.”
In an interview last winter, Gophers athletics director Mark Coyle confirmed the Bruins’ interest in Fleck was “real.” As for the supposed “other jobs,” that remains a mystery.
When Fleck was connected to UCLA in February, Coyle and Fleck had “long conversations” that weekend, and that led to Fleck professing his commitment to the Gophers on social media. Then in March, Fleck received an amended contract with annual retention bonuses worth a total of $5.7 million over the six years left on his contract.
At Big Ten Media Days late last month, Fleck appeared to reference this situation again.
“I think in 2024 it’s OK to love where you’re at,” he said at the podium at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. “It is OK to love Minnesota. It’s OK to love the position that you’re in, and I think (Coyle and I) share that.”
Fleck added that he and wife, Heather, are building a new home and plan to move into it this month.
Over his seven years in Dinkytown, Fleck has not has consecutive losing seasons at Minnesota, but will that shared “love” remain if the U meets Vegas’ low expectations of another under-.500 season this fall?
“The transfer quarterback from FCS could be a really exciting player in that offensive system. He’s already a captain for them, so they really believe he can be a game-changer for their offense.”
As a sixth-year senior with a pre-med education, Brosmer has come across as a smart and polished leader in interviews, saying all the right things since he joined the team during Quick Lane Bowl prep in December and through the start of fall camp.
Brosmer was second in FCS with 3,449 passing yards last season, making him a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. Fleck pointed out that being in the running for the Payton Award, given annually to the FCS player of the year, was especially hard because New Hampshire went 6-5 a season ago. The QBacknowledged his own adjustment to FBS competition in practices, and he still needs to prove he can not only cope but thrive against the size and speed of the Big Ten.
Just as important, Fleck will need to trust Brosmer to make plays through the air, and if things don’t go according to plan, not retreat to the comfort blanket of running the ball.
Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh said last week he trusts Brosmer with every call in the playbook. That’s a departure from predecessor Athan Kaliakmanis.
“The new defensive coordinator is known for a big attacking scheme from when he was an FCS coordinator. It will be interesting to see how that translates to this league. Minnesota doesn’t have the kind of personnel that can allow you to blitz like that.”
Hetherman built that aggressive reputation during his tenure at James Madison from 2019-21. Former Dukes defensive end Ron’Dell Carter told the Daily News Record in Harrisonburg, Va. in 2019: “It’s super aggressive. You blitz every play.”
At Minnesota, Hetherman has been asked about his defense’s calling card and his style as a coach, but like a sly linebacker or covert defensive back, he just might have disguised how often he will blitz at the U.
“We want to create explosives on defense,” Hetherman said before spring practices in March. “We want to take the football away. We want to create takeaways, change the field.”
Hetherman said he wants to throw multiple looks at offenses, and that will include moving versatile defensive linemen around to different alignments. Like pretty much every DC, he wants to make opponents one-dimensional by stopping the run and forcing them to throw the ball. That can include sacks to get opponents behind the sticks.
“How do we make it so they have to throw the football and they are not in charge of dictating to us what the play type is going to be?” Hetherman said.
The anonymous Big Ten assistant is right to question Minnesota’s personnel. From safety to cornerback and linebacker, inexperienced players within each group will need to prove they are up to the task that can include more man coverage.
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