While the rest of college football was overhauling, Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck planned a reunion.
Running back Mo Ibrahim, who tore his Achilles after a 170-yard first half against Ohio State, passed on the NFL to return for a sixth season. Fleck thinks Ibrahim’s decision influenced Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan (now with two degrees and a wife), wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell and offensive lineman John Michael Schmidtz to do the same.
The oldsters call themselves “The Encore Four.†They'll be coached by offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, who will call plays again after spending one year each at Penn State and West Virginia.
The last time Ciarrocca coached that core, the Gophers won 11 games in 2019.
That made it an easy “yes†for Fleck to welcome Ciarrocca back to St. Paul. During his first offensive meeting this offseason, Ciarrocca explained his departure and return. The players, led by the lone remaining quartet from Fleck’s first recruiting class, responded positively and haven’t looked back.
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Fleck says the 2022 Gophers are the most committed bunch he’s coached at Minnesota. They “can’t wait†to perform their required duties and they’re organizing themselves for offseason workouts.
Fleck credited his “Encore Four†for leading the Gophers’ commitment. It helps to have familiar faces around the program.
“This team is fully committed to each other and it’s been fun to watch,†Fleck said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days. “… You can weed through all the other things that don’t matter and get right to the heart of what matters with this team.
“They don’t have any time for silliness. They go right in, get their work done and get better.â€
*Â Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald loved the Big Ten before he ever coached or played in it. Fitzgerald, entering his 16th season as coach at his alma mater, remembers when the league had 10 teams and every member played one another.
“It was a really unique thing,†Fitzgerald said, tongue-in-cheek.
That’s changed and will change again, especially now that USC and UCLA are slated to join the conference in 2024. Fitzgerald is excited about the additions. He sees an opportunity for the Wildcats, who recruit “worldwide,†to be more aggressive on the West Coast. And while paraphrasing Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren, Fitzgerald said, “Change is kind of the word in college football right now. We’ll lean forward and embrace that.â€
That may mean losing an annual rivalry game. But Fitzgerald isn’t as concerned with rivalries as he is with ensuring his players (and fans) can see every stadium. From Piscataway to the Rose Bowl, Fitzgerald believes playing in college football’s “cathedrals†has always separated the sport from its counterparts.
He’s willing to sacrifice regional trophies for that opportunity.
“I’m sure Illinois will be (a rival) for us,†Fitzgerald said. “Beyond that, we’ll figure it out. I think most if not all of our rivalries in the Big Ten have been built on respect, and I’m sure that tradition will continue.â€
* Fleck’s opening statement lasted nearly six minutes. Nebraska coach Scott Frost eschewed an opening statement and jumped straight into questions. Dichotomy.
*Â Fitzgerald says the Wildcats, among the youngest teams in the Big Ten last year, showed their inexperience.
As Northwestern prepares to open camp Thursday, Fitzgerald is emphasizing fundamentals. He said the Wildcats have to improve on “the basics†of their offense, defense and kicking game.
Sound familiar?
*Â Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has three new coordinators for two positions, and he feels comfortable with all of them.
Harbaugh was impressed with defensive coordinator Jesse Minter when the job came open last offseason. Co-offensive coordinators Sherron Moore and Matt Weiss were on the staff last year. Harbaugh called both coaches “incredibly smart,†and believes Michigan has a “perfect blend†of offensive minds.
“It’s a tremendous group,†Harbaugh said. “We have some really great analysts as well. So I feel great about the offensive staff, and I feel great about the defensive staff.â€