If P.J. Fleck is as self-absorbed as former Gophers coach Jerry Kill thinks he is, you wouldn’t know it based on the reaction current Gophers football players have had.
Kill, who resigned from coaching at the University of Minnesota in 2015, was extremely critical of Fleck during an interview on SiriusXM’s “Big Ten Today,” saying Fleck doesn’t care about the players and is all about himself.
Carter Coughlin, a junior linebacker from Eden Prairie, tweeted that he loves playing for Fleck and “EVERY day I see how much he cares about me and the entire team.”
Just for the record – I absolutely love playing for Coach Fleck, EVERY day I see how much he cares about me and the entire team, and there are honestly few men I’ve met who I respect as much as Coach Fleck. Some people need to hear that!
— Carter Coughlin (@Cmoe34) February 21, 2019
Coughlin got the snowball rolling downhill as teammates Rashod Bateman, Benny Sapp, Tanner Morgan and Kamal Martin retweeted him, calling Coughlin’s opinion a “fact” while one of them said Fleck is a “players coach.”
Former Gophers basketball player Akeem Springs also spoke highly of the current football coach, tweeting a story of Fleck randomly approaching him in the gym after an injury ended his college career.
Pj saw me in the gym the summer after my seasons as a gopher- he stopped what he was doing came and had a conversation with me about my injury and the game it happen. It wasn’t a fake “I care” thing he was really into it. This may not relate to the football but I’m a fan! #Elite
— Prince Springs (@SpringsAkeem) February 21, 2019
Even a high school quarterback in Texas who won’t graduate until 2020 and might not ever wear a Gophers uniform said he got the impression that Fleck genuinely cares about the players and the University of Minnesota.
I know I only spent a short time with @Coach_Fleck but I came away inspired and an honest sense that he deeply cared about the players and the University. Hard to believe anyone could think differently pic.twitter.com/VEJPMXG36W
— Ken Seals (@KenSealsQB) February 21, 2019
Fleck hasn’t responded to Kill’s unprompted comments other than retweeting a quote from Mother Teresa about forgiveness and kindness, which, may or may not have been in response to Kill’s remarks.
For more on Kill’s criticism, click here.
