P.J. Fleck Calls Michigan Best Team in 11 Years He's Seen as a Head Coach
“I think they’re the best football team I’ve seen in 11 years of being a head coach. I’ve never seen a football team like that, that deep. I’m not sure if this is true, but I was told this walking off the field; I think they traveled 75 people and maybe played like 74 of them. I don’t know.”
“I mean, they’re one of the deepest teams, one of the best teams, one of the biggest teams, fastest teams, strongest teams, and they do not make mistakes. They are truly like a boa constrictor and they do not beat themselves. They’re very good at each position. They’re very aligned with everything that they do. They know who they are, and they go and execute that game plan. There were times they did it it at will tonight.”
I can't recall any coach being this forthright complimentary EVER.
Thanks coach, we know. Please join MGoBlog.
October 9th, 2023 at 4:39 AM ^
Will mean more as soon as we beat a team within Hubble Telescope viewing distance of the Top 25, but that's lovely. Thanks PJ, now go get your shinebox you boat-rowing MF.
October 9th, 2023 at 8:41 AM ^
This!!!. 😂. The shinebox reference. Classic.
October 9th, 2023 at 9:50 AM ^
I guess PJ really is a good fella...
October 9th, 2023 at 9:24 AM ^
PJ Batts!
October 9th, 2023 at 5:33 AM ^
I always knew PJ Fleck was a smart coach. Maybe not a good coach, but smart.
October 9th, 2023 at 6:09 AM ^
He must be watching Klatt or read MGoBlog. Good for him for being blunt and truthful. The first quarter showed he knows how to coach. He just doesn't have the horses to execute at the high level.
October 9th, 2023 at 6:21 AM ^
The "boa constrictor" line is too on the nose for it to be zeitgeist. I wouldn't be shocked if staffs have someone watching things like Klatt (and others that also try to do what he does), to get an outside look at themselves and those they might be playing. I'd be willing to bet Fleck has been told the "boa constrictor" line and found it quite apt.
October 9th, 2023 at 7:29 AM ^
Or perhaps a reporter brought it up to him.
October 9th, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^
Fleck is the type of guy who likes to hear his name mentioned by the media. The dude is obsessed with his image. I can totally see him watching every show that even mentions him.
October 9th, 2023 at 6:40 AM ^
Thanks, P.J.
Now it is time to focus on Indiana and Michigan Agricultural
October 9th, 2023 at 6:44 AM ^
And yet Michigan has zero 1st place votes in the Coaches Poll. This is why I call it the grad assistant poll as clearly PJ did not cast his own vote.
October 9th, 2023 at 8:36 AM ^
Happy to.be under the radar. I think the team could handle it, but there is added pressure being #1. We’re just where I’d like to be heading into November. Once we’re in the home stretch, #1 is fine.
October 9th, 2023 at 1:06 PM ^
Michigan is not under the radar. They're on the radar for every program on the schedule, any team with a possibility of making the playoff, every talking head on every network, and every sports writer in the country. Michigan isn't a secret to be unleashed on an unsuspecting country in January. Not anymore
October 9th, 2023 at 7:45 PM ^
Further, Michigan is THE (or maybe one of two) circled game(s) for each team on the schedule. Hell, most teams in the conference are either our rivals or want to be.
October 9th, 2023 at 6:56 AM ^
ok, honestly, who's not a little bit in love with PJ Fleck after a quote like that?
October 9th, 2023 at 8:59 AM ^
I actually never quite got all the hate for him.... he reminds me of a shorter, balder, younger version of JH in some ways.
He's quirky and excentric, his players love the guy, he's a motivator. Row the boat, Who's got it better than us? I eat difficult conversations for breakfast, don't eat chicken, its a nervous bird.
Onward, GO BLUE
October 9th, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
I see Fleck as wannabe Tressel. What makes Harbaugh great is how genuine he is. Fleck and Tressel are super-calculated about their image. It’s all extremely fake.
October 10th, 2023 at 7:54 PM ^
This is probably silly, but I can't get past the stupid dress shirt, tie, and quarter zip. It annoys the living hell out of me and my wife doesn't understand why. Either do I. I just hate it.
October 9th, 2023 at 7:24 AM ^
Credit Fleck for that because it has to be rough to get crushed like that and to have to say so.
October 9th, 2023 at 7:27 AM ^
Can’t wait to see this team play another team of quality. Penn St will be a really fun challenge.
October 9th, 2023 at 7:45 AM ^
Maybe? I get this feeling it could be like 2006- over when M gets to double digits.
October 9th, 2023 at 10:13 PM ^
Agree here, Penn State on the road is always a huge challenge. But at the same time I don’t think Allar at QB for them will have seen anything close to our quality of defense by the time we play.
October 9th, 2023 at 7:36 AM ^
Ask Lou Holtz.
October 9th, 2023 at 7:52 AM ^
Except when they're playing Michigan, I almost always root for Minnesota (in football at least).
Fleck is a bit of a character, but he has some character, and is trying his best to do what he can with what has got to be a difficult place recruiting-wise.
October 9th, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
he had it "rowing" pretty good there for a little but but honestly, NIL just crushes a school like Minnesota. They can't bid in a portal player and even if one of their under recruited players performs well, they just go to a different school for the money
October 9th, 2023 at 9:04 AM ^
A lot has been made about NIL and no doubt that is a real factor. But is it the only or key factor?
Another overlooked factor is actual training and development.
The UM is getting junior, and senior OL, former captains of other teams and players who clearly will be the heart of their original squads coming over. It isn't about getting the NIL. It is about getting good professional level training and development. Putting a lot on tape and having a place that can get that tape seen. (Tuttle, Barner, Hausmann,etc.)
The OL here all have many opportunities to show they can run block complex schemes, pass protect complex schemes and thanks to the wide ranging Harbaugh coaching connections (Jim, dad, his brother John) their is a network of contacts.
October 9th, 2023 at 10:20 AM ^
The other thing I haven't heard about re: NIL is it possibility of creating MORE parity.
If more schools can and do offer top players NIL dollar bucks to come play for them, we may see fewer elite athletes clustering at a handful of schools and more of them disbursed among a larger group of payors.
We honestly have no idea (yet) how NIL really changes the college landscape but I can see two possible paths that NCAA football takes in the future:
1. a handful of schools with huge NIL plans/funding suck up all the best players, creating a small, elite tier of teams that no one else can touch
2. Schools with decent NIL programs and top-level coaching/player development become more attractive to better athletes who have NFL aspirations. Since those players can get paid decent-to-good NIL money at a number of schools, talent development and building a good NFL draft resume become increasingly important factors in deciding which school to attend. I wonder if Michigan will begin to benefit greatly in this respect - they seem to pay decent NIL money in general and pretty good NIL money for star players. Michigan also gets many of their players good playing time, and seems pretty awesome at developing talent in many of their position groups, especially high paying NFL positions like OL, DL, LB, and Safety.
October 9th, 2023 at 10:47 AM ^
The bottom line is kids want to play. They will play for less to earn more in the future.
October 9th, 2023 at 8:05 AM ^
Very praiseworthy of Michigan. Officially not a candidate for MSU.
October 9th, 2023 at 8:40 AM ^
So, what i got out of this is that Fleck and Harbaugh must have a decent relationship, unlike Harbaugh with some other coaches.
October 9th, 2023 at 8:50 AM ^
Most encouraging. My Brother in law mentioned P.J. Fleck had something to this effect yesterday. The validation to what we think we have been seeing while wanting to avoid being delusional is most appreciated. Thanks for posting.
October 9th, 2023 at 8:55 AM ^
Idk, I just assume anything Fleck says is hyperbole after calling Joe Milton a "generational talent" before the 2020 game.
October 9th, 2023 at 9:05 AM ^
its not like he's the only one that's had great things to say about Milton..... He was even being mentioned as a potential Heisman candidate by some
October 9th, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
I don't recall saying or implying that he was the only one saying good things about Milton. "Good things" is quite different than fully realized generational talent. The Heisman talk was laughable, even after the 2020 Minnesota game to anyone other than sports pundits.
October 9th, 2023 at 9:03 AM ^
It was probably posted already, but who was the 1 out 75 who did not play? Did Warren travel?
October 9th, 2023 at 9:06 AM ^
the back up long snapper, I don't recall his name.
October 9th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
That does raise some serious depth questions... /s
October 9th, 2023 at 9:28 AM ^
He's not wrong, they look like the best Michigan team in at least the last two decades, the only annoying part is that we might not see a true measuring-stick game until they play Georgia.
October 9th, 2023 at 10:22 AM ^
Could you even imagine saying anything close to what you just said about this team 3 short years ago? What a time to be alive! It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!
October 9th, 2023 at 9:32 AM ^
He ain't lying. And P.J. is a man of great taste and excellent discernment. This is an individual who truly appreciates the finer things in life, and he moves through the world with panache and an unmistakable sang froid. So, here's to you, P.J., the most brilliant and insightful coach Michigan has faced in its long history.
October 9th, 2023 at 9:47 AM ^
he’s right you know
October 9th, 2023 at 10:06 AM ^
He's not wrong.
October 9th, 2023 at 10:26 AM ^
[delete. stupid post]
October 9th, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
I was surprised when I watched the press conference and heard him say that stuff. He's such an arrogant douchebag, but that was pretty classy.
October 9th, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
PJ Fleck looks a lot better if he loses 52-10 at home to 'the best team ever' than he would otherwise. It's self-serving mumbo jumbo from a guy who's slowly but surely wearing out his welcome in the Twin Cities.