At the risk of turning this into a “how it started/how it went” meme, just a few months ago Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck said of quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, “He’s got a little bit of that grit. , that ‘X’ factor, he can create, I think that’s the difference. He’s got to keep going and keep developing, but he’s really fun to coach.”
TUESDAY — After Fleck expressed frustration with the quarterback’s progress after the 2023 season didn’t live up to everyone’s expectations, New Hampshire transfer quarterback Max Brosmer said Monday he had an offer from the Gophers. Afterwards – Kalyakmanis announced that he was bringing his grit to the team. Transfer Portal.
Assuming third-year sophomore Kaliakmanis doesn’t make a rare U-turn out of the portal and returns to the Gophers, he’ll join a long list of quarterbacks under Fleck who either haven’t lived up to their potential No results were achieved either.
The list of successful quarterbacks in the Fleck era is relatively short, which I talked about on Wednesday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
Bill Belichick has Tom Brady in New England. Fleck has. . . Tanner Morgan in Minnesota?
It’s kind of funny when we talk about comparing skill levels and accomplishments, but these are the simple facts: Belichick has a .774 winning percentage as Patriots head coach, Brady as a starter, and .460 without him .
In Minnesota, Fleck had a winning percentage of .702 (33-14 record) when Morgan started and a .444 winning percentage with everyone else (16-20 record).
The “others” starting quarterback category includes Connor Roda, Demri Kroft, Zach Anistad and Kaliakmanis. Others, like Seth Green and Vic Veramontes (remember Vic?) were heralded as top-notch quarterback options but couldn’t earn a starting job.
This is not meant to belittle any player, nor is it meant to make Fleck spit out the cake on his 43rd birthday. It should also be noted that Morgan presided over the Gophers’ natural rise as Fleck put his stamp on the program.
But it is also a warning and a lesson. Some of us were tired of Morgan’s play and lamented his inability to replicate his stellar 2019 season, so couldn’t wait for someone new to take over.
Coaches crave stability, and it’s clear why Fleck wants him here, if only he can keep him.
(Side note: This is also a big reason why Kevin O’Connell might consider switching from the inconsistent but exciting Joshua Dobbs to the system-friendly Nick Mullens).
What’s also clear, though, is that Fleck and his staff need to get this position right in 2024. Even if we grant Fleck the grace of an “adjustment year,” that sentiment won’t be there next season.
With mediocre quarterback play in 2024 and a schedule without the forgiving cushion of the Big Ten West, the Gophers will be lucky to win five games again. With better-than-average quarterback play, Fleck’s Gophers can start swinging the arc upward again.
It’s that simple, although winning with a quarterback other than Morgan has proven to be extremely difficult.
Four more things to know today:
*Is benching Dobbs a bad idea? I thought about this on today’s podcast.
*Social media reflects poorly on real life, but Wild fans appear to be somewhere in between, highlighting John Hines’ 3-1 win in his coaching debut on Tuesday that ended a seven-game losing streak but still misled Dean · Evason was fired.
*The Wolves are 13-4 after beating Oklahoma City, and even the horrific loss of star Anthony Edwards didn’t seem to dampen enthusiasm. Should the Wolves replicate the Bobcats’ championship parade route, or plan a new one?
*Thursday’s podcast will feature an in-depth look at Gophers volleyball with Jeff Day. Minnesota regroups and heads into the NCAA Tournament, where it will play against Minnesota State in Omaha on Friday. Utah.