"The Players Run The Program" - College Football: PJ Fleck Reveals Truth To Running 'Elite' Teams Following 6th Win

In college football, there are bad teams, average teams, and elite teams, but often small factors will result in massive differentiations.

For Minnesota Golden Gophers coach PJ Fleck, there is one real key to creating an “elite” time that every program should focus on. Fleck began his coaching career in 2006 as a graduate assistant at Ohio State before accepting a job with Northern Illinois the following year. The coach spent the next eight years specifically coaching wide receivers through a variety of jobs, including a year in the NFL with Tampa Bay.

Afterwards, Fleck accepted the head coaching role with the Western Michigan Broncos to return to college football. Fleck really made a name for himself with the Broncos, going 30-22 with three winning seasons and an appearance in the top-25 rankings in 2016 with his most talented team to date. The coach went on to lose the Cotton Bowl against Wisconsin before accepting a job with a rival of the Badgers; Minnesota.

Recently, Fleck was asked about what allows different programs to be successful in this day and age. The coach gave a long, but rather direct answer by stating that “elite teams, players lead” in college football and the NFL as well.

“Bad teams, no one leads. Average teams, coaches lead. But elite teams, players lead.” – Minnesota Golden Gophers Coach PJ Fleck

Fleck has long been a coach known for creating a player-led culture that forces everyone to be accountable. The coach has worked to develop a team where players lead by example and control their own process developing on and off the field.

PJ Fleck Aims to Jump Back to the Top of the College Football World

USATSI 24593251 168400517 lowres — Oct 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Daniel Jackson (9) celebrates his touchdown against the Maryland Terrapins during the first half at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Since accepting the head coaching role with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Fleck has gone 56-37 and has been heavily criticized while doing so. Many college football fans point out the fact that Fleck has not won an outright conference title, or made it to a Big Ten Conference Championship game.

Previously, Fleck made earned a share of the 2019 Big Ten Conference West Title, but the Wisconsin Badgers made their way into the championship game. Wisconsin won the final game of the season against the Golden Gophers and snuck into the championship game with a head-to-head win.

Since 2019, Fleck has not won more than nine-games in a season but has achieved three-straight bowl game wins. Minnesota has won the Guaranteed Rate, Pinstripe, and Quick Lane college football bowls in the last three years. An important note is that while Fleck might not be in major bowls games, he has not lost any of his five bowl games with the Golden Gophers program.

Minnesota is still not on top of the college football world, and it could take time for that to happen with Fleck at the helm. Currently, Fleck has begun adapting to the new college football changes and landed big transfers such as Christian Driver and Max Brosmer.

The massive four-star recruits are still not fully there for Minnesota, but that should come with time as Fleck continues to develop the recruiting base for the Golden Gophers.