Minnesota turns to Fleck to take over program
Enthusiastic coach leaves W. Michigan
MINNEAPOLIS — P.J. Fleck is leaving Western Michigan to take over a Minnesota program reeling from a threatened player boycott of a bowl game and the handling of a sexual assault investigation.
Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle said Friday that he was bringing in Fleck in hopes that his seemingly boundless enthusiasm would help unite a program and school that have been fractured over the last month.
“P.J. is a proven winner and a strong leader,” Coyle said in a statement issued before an afternoon news conference. “He’s built a unique, positive culture that gets the best out of his students on the field and in the classroom. His infectious energy and passion make him a terrific coach and dynamic recruiter.”
The hiring comes three days after Coyle fired Tracy Claeys following a standoff between players and the administration over the suspension of 10 players in connection with the assault allegations that date to September. Coyle needed to quickly find a replacement who could plunge into recruiting, and he found someone he hopes can help bridge the deep divisions that remain between the team and school leaders.
“I look forward to meeting my new players and getting to know them as quickly as possible,” Fleck said. “I am excited to put together a staff and turn my efforts to recruiting, but also want Gopher fans to know that my wife, Heather, and I and our four children will be visible in the community and we are eager to connect with them. I am ready to go.”
Fleck guided the Broncos to a 13-1 record this season and a spot in the Cotton Bowl, where they lost 24-16 to Wisconsin.
The 36-year-old coach is 30-22 in four years at Western Michigan, with three bowl appearances. His relentless, youthful energy and motivational team motto “Row the boat!” helped push the Broncos into the national spotlight this fall, with the campus and city of Kalamazoo abuzz over a program that had never before won more than nine games in a season. FLORIDA: The Gators are sticking with Randy Shannon as its defensive play-caller.
Shannon was promoted to defensive coordinator Friday, assuming the role he held for the Gators’ 30-3 victory against 21stranked Iowa in the Outback Bowl.
Shannon previously coached linebackers the last two seasons in Gainesville. He also served as associate head coach and codefensive coordinator, although Geoff Collins called plays. Temple hired Collins as its head coach last month.
EARLY ENTRIES: Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley is leaving school early and entering the NFL draft, joining four teammates in forgoing their final year of college eligibility.
… North Carolina tailback Elijah Hood has changed his mind and will enter the NFL draft instead of returning for his senior season.
GEORGIA TECH: Craig Candeto, who played quarterback for Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson at Navy, has been hired as the Yellow Jackets’ quarterbacks coach.
IOWA: Offensive coordinator Greg Davis announced his retirement Friday, ending a coaching career that spanned more than four decades.
TENNESSEE STATE: Former Florida quarterback Treon Harris plans to resume his career at Football Championship Subdivision program Tennessee State.
247Sports first reported that Harris plans to enroll at Tennessee State next week. Harris has two seasons of eligibility remaining. FCS CHAMPIONSHIP: Youngstown State quarterback Hunter Wells had heard plenty of stories from family and friends about the glory days of Penguins football, and the four national championships won in the 1990s with Jim Tressel as their coach.
But Wells, who grew up just more than an hour from the Ohio campus, wasn’t aware of the 1999 runner-up finish in their last title game appearance until he saw a banner at their practice facility.
“No one cares if you almost win,” Wells said. “You’ve got to win.”
The Penguins (12-3) finally get their chance at another title today when they play James Madison (13-1) in the FCS championship game in Frisco, Texas.
For the first time in six years, North Dakota State didn’t make it from Fargo to Frisco to play for the title. James Madison won its semifinal game 27-17 over the five-time defending champion Bison in the Fargodome.
“It kind of felt like we had to go dethrone the champ,” junior quarterback Bryan Schor said. “That’s what we needed to do. We said over the summer and over spring, that if we’re going to win a national championship, it’s going to go through Fargo, North Dakota.”
But the Dukes, from the Colonial Athletic Association, know they have another game to play. They won the 2004 national title the only other time they made it this far.
“I just think that whole experience right there was probably as good of preparation as you can have for this game right here,” first-year JMU coach Mike Houston said. CFP CHAMPIONSHIP: Alabama and Clemson are back at the College Football Playoff championship game, and ready for a rematch.
The Crimson Tide landed about noon on Friday at Tampa (Fla.) International Airport.
The Tigers weren’t far behind, touching down around 4 p.m.
The teams play for the national championship Monday night.