Defending 'culture': Three notable P.J. Fleck episodes with rival coaches
The coach's flashy ways and "Row the Boat'' culture have ruffled some feathers in the Big Ten coaching fraternity, but the Gophers coach isn't about to change.
October 21, 2021 at 11:32PM
A look around college football each week
Three memorable P.J. Fleck episodes
The flyby handshake
Fleck and Purdue coach Jeff Brohm have been rivals since both joined their schools in 2017, and the lead-up to the 2019 game included a Purdue player saying, "We owe them one." Fleck used that as a motivational tool, and after the Gophers' 38-31 win, he didn't break stride during a brisk postgame handshake with Brohm.
Floyd and the timeouts
Down 35-0 to Iowa last year in the battle for Floyd of Rosedale, Fleck called timeout with 19 seconds left in hopes of avoiding a shutout. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz responded by calling all three of his timeouts. Afterward the 35-7 Iowa win, Ferentz explained, "We figured we'd take Floyd with us and leave the timeouts here.''
'Culture, culture, culture'
During Big Ten media days in July, Nebraska coach Scott Frost detailed his dislike of sloganeering as a motivational ploy. Aimed at Fleck or not, the Gophers coach responded after his team's 30-23 victory over the Huskers by saying, "That was truly culture vs. skill." During his postgame news conference Saturday, Fleck mentioned "culture" 19 times.
Improving the run game, stuffing the run and creating more takeaways are on coach P.J. Fleck’s to-do list.
