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Gophers P.J. Fleck talks bye week, Maryland for Homecoming
Gophers coach P.J. Fleck met with reporters Monday ahead of hosting Maryland for Homecoming on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium.
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Gophers are back from their bye week and host Maryland for Homecoming on Saturday afternoon at Huntington Bank Stadium.
On Monday, coach P.J. Fleck heaped praise on linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who assumes the green dot duties at linebacker. Fleck also had to make sure he got his comparable music terms right, correcting himself in the middle of his news conference. At first, Fleck called Lindenberg the composer of the defense. He quickly corrected himself to director.
As the green dot, Lindenberg has direct helmet-to-sideline communication with coaches for pre-snap adjustments.
"I think Cody does a really good job of orchestrating that, you’re still a composer. I think that’s what that person is called? No? Director. Dang it, composer writes the music, am I right? I played the trumpet for three weeks everybody. I go to enough musicals to understand that, I should know," Fleck joked. "But he’s the director of the defense, and he’s making sure everybody is where they need to be. We’re a better defense with him healthy."
Why it matters
Lindenberg has started all seven games for the Gophers this season after missing the first half of last year with an injury in fall camp. He’s Minnesota’s leading tackler at 48, has one interception, one sack and three pass break-ups.
Gone are the days of looking to the sideline for signals and posters of plays. It’s on Lindenberg and the coaches to communicate through the headset until there’s 15 seconds left on the play clock.
"The days of like yelling onto the field ‘Hey, look over here! We’re changing something! Tell No. 12 to do this!’ You can’t hear that in a White Out at Penn State, you can’t hear that at our three sellouts. Those days are over," Fleck said. "Part of the reason why my voice is the way it is because I still think I can do that."
Preaching connectivity for Homecoming
The Gophers tweaked their schedule with a bye week. They had their normal Tuesday night practice on Sunday under the lights at Huntington Bank Stadium. Fleck said there were a lot of handshakes and hugs after a few days away.
"In the season when you’re away from them for like a day and a half or two days, it feels like a year. It feels like forever," Fleck said.
Fleck has preached connectivity throughout his time with the Gophers. That means the players within his own team, and alumni coming back to visit the program. There will be several former players back in town for Homecoming.
"This is not just about the eight years we’ve been here, this is about the entirety of being a Gopher. One of the No. 1 jobs as a head coach is to get your players to absolutely love their alma mater and have the greatest experience they can. When you’re gone, they come back and feel really welcome no matter what," Fleck said. "Ski-U-Mah is the tradition, Row the Boat is now and the culture mixed with that tradition, that’s how we do it. Nobody is bigger than the program."