November 10, 2025 • 38 mins
Pete Bercich joins to kick off the hour on the Vikings, PJ Fleck ends the hour with a look ahead to his team's trip to Oregon this weekend!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Stop.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Pete Mercage, analyst for the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network, joins
us from Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center. That's where nine
to noon will be tomorrow, and in fact, I'm about
twenty five hours from now. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell
will be chatting with us via x's and o's. The
(00:51):
analysts inclusion. Nine to noon is provided by suit Cup
Manufacturing and sue Cup dot Com. Pete, just a an
open ended question here, just off something Nordo and I
were just discussing. Do you do you think the Vikings
should have a more put more focus on a rushing
(01:13):
attack or is that too broad of a question to
just lay it out like that without context? And good morning,
Good morning, all right.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
So it's a balance, right, and we know we've had
we've had the opportunity to to watch this offense now
for a number of years, and you were talking about
it earlier. Just what it was like the first year
that Kevin O'Connell's here. We threw the ball sixty two
percent of the time. I mean, that's our that's that's
our identity and offense, that's what Kevin O'Connell does that's
(01:45):
what this offense does. Is there aggressive, they attack, they
get down the field. That's what makes us unique. So
the question is what the It's the process then, so
as you are developing this young qure order back, Okay,
this is where we want to be, this is eventually
what we want to get to. This is what we do.
(02:06):
What's the best way of getting there? Is the best
way of getting there? Building a trying to build an
unstoppable road game along you know what I mean along
the way, do we change our identity for a while
and say, okay, we need to run the football. There's
no question that running the ball more is going to
(02:27):
help JJ McCarthy right now. Short term it's going to
help the long term I don't know, but short term yes,
because it's a lot easier for a younger quarterback is
turn around and hand the football off. So that balance
between run and pass. We again it's like, we know
what our our identity is and our deal is ideal,
(02:49):
But how do we get there in the fastest way?
And you know, yes, I mean in the short term,
running the football is I mean we out rushed Baltimore
on a per rush basis, which is which is crazy
we also had more yards per you know, yards per completion,
yards per play throwing the football too, by over a yard,
(03:11):
So you know it's there. It's the question of what
kind of balance do you want and are we going
to completely change the identity of this offense so we
can build back into a vertical throwing passing game.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Type of an offense.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
And that's I guess that's the that's the development question,
and it's not an easy one to answer.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
So off that and off what we've seen through everything
through nine games, well that, I mean, the Vikings absolutely
will win the next one. Why because like off the
terrible Chargers game, it seems they bounce back from legit
doll drums with big time efforts. So, I mean, who
(03:53):
really would be surprised the Bear? You know, the Bears.
I like the Ravens more than I like the Bears,
and the Ravens even beat the Bears earlier this year.
But nevertheless, if that happens, I'm not going to be surprised.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
What about you, it's definitely schizophrenic. I mean, there are
there are a couple of things that that that bothered
me in in the regard of playing at home. Okay,
playing at home should be you need to build an
advantage playing at home. And right now at this stage
(04:27):
of the of the of the season, we've been playing
better on the road, and we well, and I guess
we did play on the road in California, But one
and three at home, I mean, that's that's that's that's
that's tough. You know, these Bears, they're believing now. They've
had four games where they were behind inside of two
(04:47):
minutes to go in the fourth quarter and come back
in one. So they're believing.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
This isn't the Bears team that you know, you keep
it close and they fall apart in the fourth quarter
with false starts and with penalties and with you know
those kinds of things that they've changed. They they're they're
believing in themselves now. So I think we're gonna get
a more a more resolute Bears team coming in because
they're gonna look at this and say, they're getting back
(05:12):
into the division games now, and this is you know,
this is a big one for them if they want
to try to take care of the NFC North. But yeah,
it's it's I expect him to play better, man. I mean,
thirteen penalties, I mean you know, regardless of how young
your quarterback is. Right, those those pre snap penalties, I
(05:37):
mean I looked it up last night. We have we
have thirty three. We have as many. We have as
many as any team in the NFL. I think we're
tied with with Miami, I believe, with pre snap penalties.
So those things, the procedural stuff, right, I mean, before
the ball is snapped, that should be that should be tight,
that that should be the expectation. Reality is, it may
(05:59):
not be because your quarterback is young and all that,
but that should be a standard right there that you
can't and you won't you know, waiver on meaning if
we don't take care of business before the ball snap,
how the hell are we gonna do it after it is? Right,
So everybody needs to know snapcount everybody and just the
(06:20):
process of everything. Even towards the end of the game
with the two minute situation and just that didn't feel
super clean, you know what I mean. It takes a
long time to build that. It's not easy to do.
We take for granted how easy some of these quarterbacks
and what guys we've seen in the past, and how
easy they make it.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Look to run that operation.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So yeah, I think the demand to running the operation
being as good as possible is not out of.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
It.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Shouldn't You shouldn't waiver on that one as far as
the performance goes. And you know the airmailing path is
late in the game. I mean, those are things that
need to be worked on.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Pete Bursua, joannalyist for the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network and
KFAM thanks to suit Cup Manufacturing and sue Cup dot Com.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
You know, it wasn't all negative yesterday, Pete, and just
fun moments of the game, and I just wanted your
insight on this in particular, very early on in the
festivities yesterday.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
This is the one hundred ninety ninth regular season game
for Harry the hit Man. Still going strong, isn't he?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Pete? All right?
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Can I Lamar Jackson goes under center for I felt okay?
So I felt I felt awful about that. Why well,
here's the thing, and this could be this could be
my mistake. And I haven't a chance to talk to Paul Bob,
but he mentioned Ben and as soon as as soon
as Paul talks to because he talks to Abbott and says,
(07:56):
I'm you know, I'm gonna go to Ben here on
this and so that way everybody behind it is all
is all ready to go. And as soon as I
hear Paul say I'm going to go to Ben, I
just turned my brain off and I start looking at
my notes and things about what, you know, what I
could talk about or what whatever, because it's going to Ben.
And then I hear him ask. I hear him say
(08:16):
my name, and I just assume he you made a
mistake that you know, I mean, you meant to say Ben.
And that's me I you know, you you know the
old saying you assume something, you make an ass out
of you and me. And then I'm sitting there going
I'm waiting, and I'm waiting. I'm like, hey, Ben's not answering,
what the hell? And I'm thinking where it's like weird, Yeah,
did you not hear it? And then I'm thinking maybe
(08:37):
I should jump in, And by then, you know, obviously
we're three four seconds into the awkward silence. And so
my apologies to UPA and all the listeners who come on.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
That's what you wanted, right, that's what you want.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Genorido could not stop texting me during the game, by
the way, after it happened because we're a family and
surrogate brothers and cousins tease each other. In fact, if
you just jumped into nine to noon on this Monday,
what are we talking about? Well, a moment from early
in the game yesterday. This is the one hundred ninety
(09:14):
ninth regular season game for Harry the hit Man.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Still going strong, isn't he? Pete? I love it. That
might have been. That might have been my best commentary
I've ever done. I'm like Lamar Jackson is come buck down.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Well, then the next after the next play, Sorry about
a minute ago there, Paula.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Anyway, Justice Hill.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah, let's uh and and let's make it fight to
fairness and duo act with Pete and I because there
are things that have taken place.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
This is an emotional game for all of us.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
And you know, we neither one of us are team employees,
but you know we're We travel with the team, we
stay with the team. We like a lot of people
within the organization. Shoot, we want him to win every
single game. Nordo's the surrogate to that with us, and
he legitimately cares. So we get a little wound up
at times. Well, the last couple of weeks, I've just
(10:10):
kind of lost my mind a little bit. I got
frustrated at Ford Field when I think it was the
Isaiah No, it was the oh, the push off on
Jamison Williams. Thank you, Jamison Williams push off. We're inside
Ford Field. They kept showing the replay but cutting it
off at the push off, and they did it three times,
(10:34):
and I freaked out, and I'm like, you know, I'm
basically I didn't say, hey, detroit Lyons ops in house, ops,
you frauds, but I'm like, you guys are frauds. Well,
you just show the right freaking replay here. So I
lost my mind a little bit on that two weeks ago.
And yesterday we had a Roquan Smith moment where I
thought he went step on Gilmore on Aaron Jones.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Would you like to hear it.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The way Gilmore went Gilmore on Justin Jefferson in two
And I felt bad about this. McCarthy facing a four
man rush, steps away from the pressure to the left.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Now he pumps throws left incomplete by the way, probably
Rokwan Smith just.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Decapitated Aaron Jones.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
What's that full doing? Were you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (11:18):
With that.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
I mean it was a mile away from the ball. Yeah,
I lost my mind.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
The crowd, well, the crowd didn't help Paul Yep Well yeah,
I mean, but yeah, I understand that.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
But I mean I have my binoculars on it.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
I saw Jones's head go back hard like whiplash effect.
Just pissed off the way the game's going. And Roquan Smith,
all right, there's been some knucklehead factor with Rokwan Smith
during the course of his career with Chicago mostly, but
you know what I mean, Roquan Smith had no right
to catch that verbal l yesterday with me being like,
(11:52):
what's this full doing?
Speaker 5 (11:53):
But in fairness though, about thirty seconds later, you're like, okay,
he shoved hip and then he just kind of moved
why now Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
So I think I think survive. I'm pulling movie on
all that. Man, I mean, I just yeah, that just
can't happen. This is a Pete Bursa jennaalist for the
Vikings Radio Network. Thank you Sue Cup Manufacturing and Sue
Cup dot Com. Harrison Smith. He's playing basically all the
plays now, you know, Harry the hit Man one one
(12:21):
hundred ninety ninth regular season game for Harry the hit Man.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Still going strong, isn't he?
Speaker 5 (12:27):
Pete, would you like to say what you didn't say yesterday?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Pete?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Could that put that in the Hall of Fame? Yeah,
I mean Harrison Smith's Yeah, he's still going strong. And
I think he was a very important part of how
the Vikings defeated the Lions, and and and the looks
and I've talked about this before with you know, defenses
can make make it look like something or or skies
(13:00):
walk down on the line of scrimmage, that kind of thing.
But a smart quarterback will know if you're bluffing because
it doesn't look like anything else that you've done. And
I think Harry can play that second level type game
where he knows that this what we're what we're trying
to do looks similar to a blitz, and so I'm
gonna show that other blitz. So the quarterback sees something
(13:24):
that has been on tape. Okay, it's a bait and
switch kind of thing, but the bait has to be legit.
You can't bait him with something that they haven't seen
if you have a smart quarterback. So yeah, he's he's
still Harry still. I mean what he I mean, what
else are you gonna say? He's still I think for
Harry the most, he's the most versatile safety in the league.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
He has been for a long time. He can do everything.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
He can cover, he can tackle, he can blitz, you know,
I really you know, taking and watching Kyle Hamilton and
seeing what they're doing with him in Baltimore reminds me
a lot of what the Vikings had done and have
done with Harrison Smith. And so to see Kyle Hamilton
kind of his career evolved from being a pure cover
(14:12):
type safety to now he's down in the box, he's
playing the run, he's he's blitzing off the edges quite
a bit. He's you know, he's doing all he's getting
around the quarterback, doing all those things. There aren't many
guys in the league that can do that. Because when
when Harrison Smith comes down to the line of scrimmage,
you have to respect him because he's that good. He
can blitz, he can you know. We remember the the
(14:33):
game in Carolina, I believe it was two seasons ago,
and he had two sacks in one game, and one
of which he basically uh power, you know, power rushed
bull rushing offensive lineman. I mean, not many safeties can
do that, so uh yeah, to see you know, to
see Harry out there and then Kyle Hamilton, it was
kind of It was great because you're seeing kind of
(14:55):
not the passing of the torch, but a guy who's set,
who's kind of set the road or set the tape
for a guy like Kyle Hamilton and what you can
do with a versatile safety, and you know they're they're
definitely doing that. I think Zach Orr during the buye,
the defense coordinator for Baltimore during the bye, kind of
put all that in motion and said, we got a
(15:17):
Lohi Gillman. Now we can let him run around in
the back end, and we're going to take and make
Kyle Hamilton kind of the Josh Mattelis or Harrison Smith
of this defense and it's working well for him. They've
definitely turned things around, especially in the turnover department.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
Hey, Pete, I didn't pay a ton of attention yesterday
as I was looking at false starts and just looking
at the kid QB, et cetera. I got this a
lot in fan line and didn't know really how to
answer it. Was there, did you feel from from your
vantage point, was there something off with with Jefferson yesterday?
I mean you got seven seven catches on twenty three
targets between Jefferson and Addison, so that that looks ugly
(15:52):
on paper, But I just saw people, you know, whether
he didn't he didn't run back and try and chase
down Malachi Starks, just kind of lack of lack of
jump or juice at certain times. Great ball by in
a tough one to catch, but a great ball by
McCarthy into the end zone goes right through his arms.
Just any thoughts on number eighteen yesterday.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah, I don't think he looked uh, he looked himself.
We have a very high standard for what we see
out of Justin Jefferson on a weekly basis. And I
can't sit here and say that once the ball was
snapped until the whistle blew, that there was that there
was a ton of difference. But afterwards, you know, kind
(16:33):
of the walking and some of the some of the
other things that you saw. Yeah, I mean I would
I'd be interested to know, you know, what the deal
is or what's going on or or you know, if
he's a little if he's a little nicked up playing
through something. We'll never know that because they won't tell
us and they shouldn't. But there's, yeah, there's something he's
(16:55):
either playing through right now or that's how it appeared
to me right and that could change, that could obviously
change this Sunday. I don't know, uh, but yeah, there again,
I think it's it's a it's a situation where we
you know, we don't sit here and you know, go well,
Eric Wilson was a little bit off today, or Dwight
mcglotherin man, he was, he's just a little bit. We
(17:18):
watched JJ. He is the focal point of the defense.
He's a focal point of what we do, and so
we watch him extremely closely.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
And that's yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
And so I I agree with you know what, there
there's there's there. There was something, you know, and it
could be the normal course of a season and in
the wear and tear and all those things. But we'll
we'll see, as you know, as as Chicago rolls in here,
we'll see how how he looks this weekend.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Thank you, my brother, see you soon, all right. He
burstu ch analyst for the Vikings Audio Network and kf
A m at Pete Bursage via Twitter for hardcore football takes.
He also updates I believe weekly at least his YouTube channel,
and it's called.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
I in the Sky.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
If you go to YouTube and you search Pete Bursich
Eye in the Sky or Pete Bursage five six, you'll
find it extensive fantastic film breakdowns of Vikings football and
all of that is courtesy of Suecup Manufacturing and Sue
Cup dot Com.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
We're into the second half of the radio show around
the corner. PJ.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Fleck, coach of the Golden Gophers football team, joins us
twenty minutes from now.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
But first we got this.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Yeah, the Fan along with two men in a junk
truck want to give you a shot at some bonus
bucks with the National Cash Contest. You can go to
kfa in dot com, enter the keyword money and you
might win some money if you enter the keyword money
at kfan dot.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Traumatic.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Pause brings us back to nine to noon and in particular.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Vikes Bites, Bikes Bites, Vikes.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Bites always brought to you by Lifetime Grazed Grass fed
Sean Jenkins, and you can shop online and a box
of meat'll show up at your doorstep. You can also
go to of course, your local Coburns and Kowalski's locations,
proud sponsors of Gophers athletics as well. And thank you
so much Thousand Hills for all your support and Minnesota
(19:16):
Vikings losing twenty seven to nineteen yesterday.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
And We've talked about the kid QB a lot, but.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
I'm curious what your thoughts are on how we move forward,
how we handle things when we have situations like this.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Boh, there's the loop.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Kit. Here comes Miles Price to the five ten fifteen.
He dropped the ball at the twenty two yard line.
Miles Price second fumble this year at the twenty two
may give the Ravens the ball and very good field
position after they just grabbed the lead.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
It's a scrum, scrum, It's a scrum.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Three officials in there to establish who has the ball.
Miles Price fumbled at the twenty two to twenty three
Ravens ball from.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Miles three in the take the we are you kidding me?
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 5 (20:00):
I'm not kidding you. That was the first to two fumbles.
By the way, I think he ran in. Was it
Tyler Baddie?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah? Potentially who in a friendly fire.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Yeah, well, blocking another person knocked the next kickoff out
of his hands.
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Yesterday had a little bit of avalanche.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
It had a little bit of just when it rains,
it pours, whatever cliche you want to use. It was
like Saturday morning freaking football follies with the false starts.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
To me, I think we had four in the fourth
quarter alone, I.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Mean half like, Okay, we changed cadence, we did this,
we adjusted, and then we had four of them in
the final frame at any rate.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I mean the bomb the cheap shots are just coming
from all over the place.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
You just unfurled one. It was, I've unfurled a bunch.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
It's fantastic, right Why because it only hurts when we laugh?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
That is correct.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Well, now, Johnny the Mouse Nicholson, captain of the eighty three,
why is that a club hockey team?
Speaker 4 (20:51):
A formidable club hockey team? And the mouse wore the sea?
Speaker 2 (20:54):
He texted me, I got seats on the twenty yard
line row twelve for the Bears game. Should I wear
my synthetic gore Tex receiver gloves in case a ball
flies up there? Kind of like a baseball game, John,
That's too much, honey, Come on he's a kid.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Oh kind of brilliant though, Yes, just so you know,
ladies and gentlemen, first five rows, end zone side. Just
keep your head on the swivel. That's all I would
suggest for now. Keep your head on the swivel. As
the kid QB continues to improve. I believe that's a
total of three fumbles this year after yesterday for mister Price.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Yeah, and it.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
Just feels I don't know where your head's at on this,
but it's like week to week. It's like last week
you had Tavier Thomas stealing Miles Price is lunch money.
He gets the kickut return touchdown called back. You have
these issues. I mean, I wonder if Kobe King actually
got waived specifically because he went through that stretch with
all those special teams penalties. You kind of right the
ship and then you get the fumbles like Miles Price.
(21:56):
Is there a lack of trust there or do you
think that you know, despite those two fumbles, you're rolling
into that Bears game saying, we gave you this opportunity,
you took it by the horns. You just bleeped up
at a high level. Yeah, don't do that ever again.
You're still our guy Boom, I think you nailed it,
and is that probably that easy? Well, I don't even think.
(22:18):
I don't even think it's a talker.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I think the talker will be Matt Daniels or or
Dallman the assistant or somebody you know, just like looking
at it closely and like being hey, do this and
do that with how you're holding it and juking and
stuff like that, because they're going to remember, and it's
not inconveniently because it happened.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
It's reality.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Yeah, two games ago he had five kick returns for
thirty three per and like Nordo said, he busted one
for ninety and change to the house, but thirty seven
brought it back. Now, if thirty seven doesn't do what
thirty seven does, he doesn't get to the house, so
that all plays into it. But still the ones that
counted five of them for thirty three per So the
(23:03):
undrafted kit from Indiana is again. Raising kids has its
challenges personally and professionally, but there also are rewards, and
there are rewards that are great for those who want
to go bikes. I tried to quote a song by
(23:23):
Prince called The Latter and.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
I messed it.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Up.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Oh, vikes bites, Thank you thousand hills.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
If we were doing Nordo's numbers, Yeah, okay, Nordo's numbers.
Here's a number from the game that is interesting. John
Bonus and company. Tom Zone coverage. You guys do terrific work.
Thank you Zone Coverage. If I was going to do
a number, and I know I'm trying hard, team loss yesterday,
teams four and five, Kid QB throws a pick. Maybe
(23:50):
you should have just run for the first down. Kid
throws another pick and j Justin Jefferson falls down and
it's Humphrey and it's easy.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Okay, a lot of negative things. Totally get it.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
However, in his first start, JJ McCarthy was sacked three times.
In his second start, he was sacked six times. Oh,
hurts his ankle, he's gone forever comes back. We got
to goff a handful of times. They got to our
guy a handful of times. Need the kid to take
(24:20):
fewer sacks yesterday, just one.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
Sack, one sack of the kid. Can I provide some context? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
The Baltimore Ravens entered the game with eleven sacks, tied
for second fewest in the National Football League.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Next was eleven to the camps.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
I mean seeing that that's just again when we crack wise,
when we get a little on the negatory side, that's
because we are talking out things on our therapeutic davenport
of love. That's age old with nine to noon or
ten to one.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Just for fun.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Yes, that's what we're doing off kind of like what
you just said there, and that further frustrates yours truly
and probably the con when you recognize that sacked one time. However,
at halftime it's ten to nine, and I mean, you know,
I'm going to my chill spot at halftime. Got you
(25:16):
know somebody walks in there every single week with whom
I and we chat. We got everybody with the Vikings
Audio Network, and I'm like, wow, they're playing really, really
well in all facets of the game, all facets of
the game, all fastest.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And then they played the second half, and they played
the second had.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Now now we're using Diana Ross and the Supremes with
Stah in the name of love, and we got a
litany and a laundry list of things that need to stop.
Speaker 5 (25:43):
Okay, let me try one more thing, just a positive moment.
Speaker 4 (25:46):
And it was early and it'll get lost in the shuffle.
That fade to Naylor.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
If one of the high if one of the whoever
your version of the highest of the high end at
the position is in the league when they make that throw,
if it's Collin's ear in primetime, or it's potentially sweet
Nectar down on the fox in case, if it's Dan Miller,
and yes, sir, from the analyst, you're saying good.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Things about this Gala Williams this year Minnesota one of
one on third down, two receivers, rite three left empty backfield,
McCarthy wearing the nine, facing a poor man rush, He's
gonna fade left.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
To Dalen Naylor.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Cut at the.
Speaker 4 (26:24):
Forty, then all raven blue and tackle still bar by
Naylor at the thirty. Ball dogs till it's money Quins to.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
The ten, down at the five.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Hey sixty two yard catch and run by the speedy
Dalen Naylor.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
What nice trimming. Whoever put those highlights together yesterday, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Then I got pissed off from the third quarter because
he never was in the game.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
He's raight case good. Where was he right?
Speaker 1 (26:52):
I mean?
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Yeah, so anyway, well, I mean he led the team
and catches yesterday five for a buck twenty four in
that late score.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Another nice throw toe tapper of the end zone.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
Not every throw the kid QB made yesterday was a disaster.
Not every decision he made put the team in peril,
specifically early and then in well you had again you
had to dig deep and the producers trying hard. There
were good moments yesterday from number nine that we must
appreciate and then now just need to see fewer of
(27:21):
the sales, more of the good moments. Against Chicago and
you're five and five.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
If they run on that third and one, they win
by twenty one. I always loved that one. That's the
bottom line. I mean, there's so much that took place
in all the whole game, all the plays and everything,
just at one moment they run on that third and one.
I always loved that one. They went by multiple score.
See you laughed, Yes I did. That's what nine to
Noon is here to do. The surrogate young Parker Fox
(27:48):
just walked into the studio all negative and everything off
the Vikings game, and we cracked that joke and the
kid smiles. It is one big therapeutic Davin port of love.
We're all on it right now, we're all outstretched, we're
all trying to make each other laugh before we beat
the Bears.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
And as we continue to move on through Nine to Noon,
pumped up to talk about Gophers at Oregon this weekend,
looking for more positivity.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
And it's PJ Fleck, coach of the team, who joins
nine to Noon Weekly And that's next. PJ Fleck is
(28:36):
coach of the Golden Gophers football team. He's nice enough
to join this radio show with yours tirly Paul Allen
and Parker Fox joins for this part of the conversation
and a marathon segment at eleven and Pj's Golden Gophers
back off of BBE and first they get seventh ranked
Oregon in the Ducks out Eugene Way and the head
coach joins us. Now, PJ, Paul Allen and Parker what
(29:00):
was good for you and the gang during the bye time?
Speaker 1 (29:03):
And good morning, Hey, good morning to you as well, Pa,
thanks for having us on the show. Good morning to Parker.
You know the big thing we wanted to hit on
our three things. We wanted to continue to get our
football team as healthy as possible, and that's mentally physically
and emotionally. Our guys work really hard, sacrificed a lot
always in the training room and they're here constantly, So
(29:24):
get everybody a little bit time away refresh, but then
also keep them really healthy when we practice. Get a
lot of the young guys reps too. It was more
of a process audit, how are we doing, where are
we at after six straight games? What do we have
to get better at? Systematic approaches, offense, defense, special teams,
kind of do an audit of ourselves, and then you
go back and number three was all about response. We
(29:46):
just got to continue to respond here down the stretch.
Played some really good football teams, done really well at
home on the road, played some really good defenses and
top five defenses in the country, and I got to
find a way to play a little bit better on
the road. Challenge for us this week going out to Eugene, Oregon.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
And there are two on the road with Oregon and Northwestern.
Then Bucky is here to close things. Like PJ just
intimated or referenced, the Gophers are six and zero at
Huntingdon Back Stadium this season, and that six game winning
streak at home is the longest since winning the first
six there in twenty nineteen, and that season is also
(30:23):
the last time the Gophers won their first six home
games in a season. PJ overall sixty four and forty
two and nine seasons with the Gophers, and that's a wonderful,
wonderful record. Now you get undoubtedly a very tough Oregon team.
These these ducks allow one hundred and twenty six passing
yards a game, Holy cow, which is tops in FBS.
(30:44):
What makes that rush and cover for Oregon so stout?
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Well, first of all, they're just really really talented. They've
They've done a great job of acquiring some of the
best talent in the country. I think that's you know,
that's that's not a secret to anybody. But it's another
thing to have the talent. It's another thing to develop
and coach the talent and get all that talent playing
really well together. I think that's what Dan Lanning is
really really good at. He deserves a lot of credit
(31:11):
not just for the type of team he has, but
connecting that team. They play so well bottom up, top down.
They're very well connected. They play and sink as eleven
is one. But they are very very very good. I mean,
this is probably when you look at the teams. Some
of the teams we played. We played at top five defense,
number one defense in Ohio State. We played top five
(31:33):
defense in Iowa, and then a top five defense again
here at the Oregon And they have a lot of
things in common. I mean, they work really well as
all eleven. They got a lot of experience, they're really
really talented, they tackle well, their twitchy, they're all long,
they can all run. But this is a tremendous challenge
for us, and then again, we haven't handled that necessarily
well at times. But we've got to continue to grow up,
(31:55):
continue to mature, and continue to find ways to do
the simple things way better.
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Just going to be back with you this morning.
Speaker 6 (32:01):
Obviously, I'm curious from a scouting standpoint, you and Oregon
both just played Iowa. How much do you and your
staff look at specific games like that and compare them
or is that something only really us fans kind of
like to do.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Yeah, I think it's a little bit more of a
fan piece. We were out of that game so fast,
I mean within eight offensive plays, I think we were
down twenty four to nothing. So I mean you're talking
there's everything that could have went wrong, went wrong, and
it went wrong so early that I think it's really
hard to even look at that tape and say, Okay, well,
here's what we did well. Here's what we didn't do well,
because it was really bad really quickly, and really good
(32:36):
for them really quickly. So but when you do look
at it, you look at more matchups, Parker, You look
at more of the individual matchups, because you do assess
the talent of both teams. You do have breakdowns, you
do have depth charts, and then you break that down
in terms of a personnel standpoint, and I think you
take those things. But again, I mean, there's a really
(32:57):
good football team. There's a really good team that we're playing,
and it's one of the best teams in the country
for a reason, and we're going to have to play
really really well.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
PJ Flag, coach of the Golden Gophers football team, joins
nine to now your quarterback Drake Lindsay in the in
the very formative stages of not only his collegiate career,
but who knows where it'll go from there during the
course of your.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Elongated head coaching run, PJ.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Whether it's here Western Michigan, when it comes to raising
the gifted. So Drake clearly is gifted, but just like
so many who start at a high level at that
key position, experience is required to work through things. What's
that like? Like, what are some head coaching keys when
(33:43):
you have gifted players who are making mistakes because they
lack experience getting through that.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
We got to love to fail. And I know that
sounds crazy, but we define failing as growth and fail
you're as quit. Those are two different words. We need
our players to want to fail. Our job as coaches
is to get them to fail and get them to
respond to that sailing constantly. And I think that's what
Drake's really good at. On Sundays, you can't really tell
(34:11):
with Drake whether we won or lost. He just wants
to grow. I think I said this last week, and Pa,
I'm not sure if you heard me talk about this,
but you know when you talk about playing Drake, when
you're playing a freshman, as a head coach, you make
a decision, and whether that's a rookie or whether that's
a freshman, you make a decision as a head coach
to play a really young, inexperienced player. You know there's
(34:32):
going to be highs and lows. Now the fans might
not agree with that or want that, but there's going
to be some really good moments and there's going to
be some really really hard moments. But you can't get
the steps. The steps to becoming an elite player are
the steps, and so you can't get those steps. You
got to go through those, and you better be prepared
with that as a head football coach and the starting quarterback.
(34:53):
When you go through that, there have to be an
understanding that this is going to happen. But when we
have those times, the response is going to be critical.
And I've absolutely loved Drake's response, And that's what shows
me he's going to be such a great player is
because of his response that it's not a reaction based
on what society thinks, it's based on an internal response
that he has that he's going to grow, change and
(35:14):
get better with time.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Hey, PJ, how is recruiting going? And how much can
you discuss? Because I'm playing off the social media machines
here seeing like this person's at a game and this
person commits or the verbals or all that, like how
it seems like it's going really well? But I don't
want to put you in a weird spot. How much
can you discuss?
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Yeah, it's interesting with recruiting because, as somebody asked me,
how's recruiting going, I said, last me in three years,
and then I'll tell you how it went, because you
never really know. But I do think this is one
of our best. It's not the best class we put together,
even over the last week, seven commitments and committed to us.
We are really busy in the bye week with recruiting,
and I thought our staff did a really good job.
(35:56):
I don't think anybody talks or sell the program. I
hate to use the word sell the program, but that's
the way I have to describe it. That more than
the players, and our players do such an outstanding job
of talking about play our program. Talking to people about
this is exactly what it is. I mean, if you're
up for this, great, If you're not up for this,
don't come here. And our players do such a great job.
(36:18):
But I think this is probably our best class you've
ever had when you look at it from top to bottom,
and that's where you want to be, you know, nine
years into your tenure here, and our staff and players
deserve a lot of credit.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
To that okay.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
Now, this potentially is a dumb question, but when when
you okay? So they're still in high school, so I mean,
is it like a fore gone conclusion it's closed, or
do you still have to sweat a little bit until
we actually get them here?
Speaker 4 (36:45):
Oh no, we have.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Twenty three days till signing days, so absolutely you're gonna
sweat all the way to getting there and then the
portal opens and then you got to look at that.
So there's a whole point of that in early January now,
which is a two week window, which is only one
window now, which helps, but you just never know how
that shapes up with your football team and who comes
after him. So we all know that kind of goes
(37:06):
on in college football, and we got to do everything
we can. I think it's what we do. We create
a great experience for people who want to be a
part of that life program on the field, off the field,
and takes a special person to want to be a
part of that and instead of just chase a logo
or chase money.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
So part of being a college coach these days legitimately
is also constantly recruiting within your walls, making sure those
you want to stay emphasis on those you want to
stay stay right.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, I wouldn't even call it recruiting. I think it's
just creating an experience from top to bottom academically, athletically,
socially and spiritually that people don't want to trade for something,
and simply that we create an experience that for the
majority of the time we have one of the top
protension rates in the country that players really like being
a part of. Are we perfect? No, But I think
(37:55):
that when you create an experience that really is a
little different than most collegiate experieneriences right now, I think
it gravitates to your players and allows them to say,
I could be the best person I could be and
play and make money and do it all, and I
don't have to go risk that and go somewhere where
maybe I'm being sold something that's not necessarily true. So
I think we do a really good job of still
(38:15):
creating a collegiate experience in this new NIL portal slash
if you want to call it professional like type atmosphere.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
I appreciate the conversation. My brother Safe travels. We'll chat
next week, all.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Right, look forward to it.
Speaker 5 (38:29):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
The moos Kai Imago Gophers is go by.
Speaker 4 (38:31):
Thanks Yes, Sir, Seal Letter. PJ.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Fleck, coach of the Golden Gophers football team, weekly nine
to noon peat Box sticks around. We mix up the
topics after that
Stop.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Pete Mercage, analyst for the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network, joins
us from Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center. That's where nine
to noon will be tomorrow, and in fact, I'm about
twenty five hours from now. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell
will be chatting with us via x's and o's. The
(00:51):
analysts inclusion. Nine to noon is provided by suit Cup
Manufacturing and sue Cup dot Com. Pete, just a an
open ended question here, just off something Nordo and I
were just discussing. Do you do you think the Vikings
should have a more put more focus on a rushing
(01:13):
attack or is that too broad of a question to
just lay it out like that without context? And good morning,
Good morning, all right.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
So it's a balance, right, and we know we've had
we've had the opportunity to to watch this offense now
for a number of years, and you were talking about
it earlier. Just what it was like the first year
that Kevin O'Connell's here. We threw the ball sixty two
percent of the time. I mean, that's our that's that's
our identity and offense, that's what Kevin O'Connell does that's
(01:45):
what this offense does. Is there aggressive, they attack, they
get down the field. That's what makes us unique. So
the question is what the It's the process then, so
as you are developing this young qure order back, Okay,
this is where we want to be, this is eventually
what we want to get to. This is what we do.
(02:06):
What's the best way of getting there? Is the best
way of getting there? Building a trying to build an
unstoppable road game along you know what I mean along
the way, do we change our identity for a while
and say, okay, we need to run the football. There's
no question that running the ball more is going to
(02:27):
help JJ McCarthy right now. Short term it's going to
help the long term I don't know, but short term yes,
because it's a lot easier for a younger quarterback is
turn around and hand the football off. So that balance
between run and pass. We again it's like, we know
what our our identity is and our deal is ideal,
(02:49):
But how do we get there in the fastest way?
And you know, yes, I mean in the short term,
running the football is I mean we out rushed Baltimore
on a per rush basis, which is which is crazy
we also had more yards per you know, yards per completion,
yards per play throwing the football too, by over a yard,
(03:11):
So you know it's there. It's the question of what
kind of balance do you want and are we going
to completely change the identity of this offense so we
can build back into a vertical throwing passing game.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Type of an offense.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
And that's I guess that's the that's the development question,
and it's not an easy one to answer.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
So off that and off what we've seen through everything
through nine games, well that, I mean, the Vikings absolutely
will win the next one. Why because like off the
terrible Chargers game, it seems they bounce back from legit
doll drums with big time efforts. So, I mean, who
(03:53):
really would be surprised the Bear? You know, the Bears.
I like the Ravens more than I like the Bears,
and the Ravens even beat the Bears earlier this year.
But nevertheless, if that happens, I'm not going to be surprised.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
What about you, it's definitely schizophrenic. I mean, there are
there are a couple of things that that that bothered
me in in the regard of playing at home. Okay,
playing at home should be you need to build an
advantage playing at home. And right now at this stage
(04:27):
of the of the of the season, we've been playing
better on the road, and we well, and I guess
we did play on the road in California, But one
and three at home, I mean, that's that's that's that's
that's tough. You know, these Bears, they're believing now. They've
had four games where they were behind inside of two
(04:47):
minutes to go in the fourth quarter and come back
in one. So they're believing.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
This isn't the Bears team that you know, you keep
it close and they fall apart in the fourth quarter
with false starts and with penalties and with you know
those kinds of things that they've changed. They they're they're
believing in themselves now. So I think we're gonna get
a more a more resolute Bears team coming in because
they're gonna look at this and say, they're getting back
(05:12):
into the division games now, and this is you know,
this is a big one for them if they want
to try to take care of the NFC North. But yeah,
it's it's I expect him to play better, man. I mean,
thirteen penalties, I mean you know, regardless of how young
your quarterback is. Right, those those pre snap penalties, I
(05:37):
mean I looked it up last night. We have we
have thirty three. We have as many. We have as
many as any team in the NFL. I think we're
tied with with Miami, I believe, with pre snap penalties.
So those things, the procedural stuff, right, I mean, before
the ball is snapped, that should be that should be tight,
that that should be the expectation. Reality is, it may
(05:59):
not be because your quarterback is young and all that,
but that should be a standard right there that you
can't and you won't you know, waiver on meaning if
we don't take care of business before the ball snap,
how the hell are we gonna do it after it is? Right,
So everybody needs to know snapcount everybody and just the
(06:20):
process of everything. Even towards the end of the game
with the two minute situation and just that didn't feel
super clean, you know what I mean. It takes a
long time to build that. It's not easy to do.
We take for granted how easy some of these quarterbacks
and what guys we've seen in the past, and how
easy they make it.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Look to run that operation.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So yeah, I think the demand to running the operation
being as good as possible is not out of.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
It.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Shouldn't You shouldn't waiver on that one as far as
the performance goes. And you know the airmailing path is
late in the game. I mean, those are things that
need to be worked on.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Pete Bursua, joannalyist for the Minnesota Vikings Audio Network and
KFAM thanks to suit Cup Manufacturing and sue Cup dot Com.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
You know, it wasn't all negative yesterday, Pete, and just
fun moments of the game, and I just wanted your
insight on this in particular, very early on in the
festivities yesterday.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
This is the one hundred ninety ninth regular season game
for Harry the hit Man. Still going strong, isn't he?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Pete? All right?
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Can I Lamar Jackson goes under center for I felt okay?
So I felt I felt awful about that. Why well,
here's the thing, and this could be this could be
my mistake. And I haven't a chance to talk to Paul Bob,
but he mentioned Ben and as soon as as soon
as Paul talks to because he talks to Abbott and says,
(07:56):
I'm you know, I'm gonna go to Ben here on
this and so that way everybody behind it is all
is all ready to go. And as soon as I
hear Paul say I'm going to go to Ben, I
just turned my brain off and I start looking at
my notes and things about what, you know, what I
could talk about or what whatever, because it's going to Ben.
And then I hear him ask. I hear him say
(08:16):
my name, and I just assume he you made a
mistake that you know, I mean, you meant to say Ben.
And that's me I you know, you you know the
old saying you assume something, you make an ass out
of you and me. And then I'm sitting there going
I'm waiting, and I'm waiting. I'm like, hey, Ben's not answering,
what the hell? And I'm thinking where it's like weird, Yeah,
did you not hear it? And then I'm thinking maybe
(08:37):
I should jump in, And by then, you know, obviously
we're three four seconds into the awkward silence. And so
my apologies to UPA and all the listeners who come on.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
That's what you wanted, right, that's what you want.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Genorido could not stop texting me during the game, by
the way, after it happened because we're a family and
surrogate brothers and cousins tease each other. In fact, if
you just jumped into nine to noon on this Monday,
what are we talking about? Well, a moment from early
in the game yesterday. This is the one hundred ninety
(09:14):
ninth regular season game for Harry the hit Man.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Still going strong, isn't he? Pete? I love it. That
might have been. That might have been my best commentary
I've ever done. I'm like Lamar Jackson is come buck down.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Well, then the next after the next play, Sorry about
a minute ago there, Paula.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Anyway, Justice Hill.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah, let's uh and and let's make it fight to
fairness and duo act with Pete and I because there
are things that have taken place.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
This is an emotional game for all of us.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
And you know, we neither one of us are team employees,
but you know we're We travel with the team, we
stay with the team. We like a lot of people
within the organization. Shoot, we want him to win every
single game. Nordo's the surrogate to that with us, and
he legitimately cares. So we get a little wound up
at times. Well, the last couple of weeks, I've just
(10:10):
kind of lost my mind a little bit. I got
frustrated at Ford Field when I think it was the
Isaiah No, it was the oh, the push off on
Jamison Williams. Thank you, Jamison Williams push off. We're inside
Ford Field. They kept showing the replay but cutting it
off at the push off, and they did it three times,
(10:34):
and I freaked out, and I'm like, you know, I'm
basically I didn't say, hey, detroit Lyons ops in house, ops,
you frauds, but I'm like, you guys are frauds. Well,
you just show the right freaking replay here. So I
lost my mind a little bit on that two weeks ago.
And yesterday we had a Roquan Smith moment where I
thought he went step on Gilmore on Aaron Jones.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
Would you like to hear it.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The way Gilmore went Gilmore on Justin Jefferson in two
And I felt bad about this. McCarthy facing a four
man rush, steps away from the pressure to the left.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Now he pumps throws left incomplete by the way, probably
Rokwan Smith just.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Decapitated Aaron Jones.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
What's that full doing? Were you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (11:18):
With that.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
I mean it was a mile away from the ball. Yeah,
I lost my mind.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
The crowd, well, the crowd didn't help Paul Yep Well yeah,
I mean, but yeah, I understand that.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
But I mean I have my binoculars on it.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
I saw Jones's head go back hard like whiplash effect.
Just pissed off the way the game's going. And Roquan Smith,
all right, there's been some knucklehead factor with Rokwan Smith
during the course of his career with Chicago mostly, but
you know what I mean, Roquan Smith had no right
to catch that verbal l yesterday with me being like,
(11:52):
what's this full doing?
Speaker 5 (11:53):
But in fairness though, about thirty seconds later, you're like, okay,
he shoved hip and then he just kind of moved
why now Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
So I think I think survive. I'm pulling movie on
all that. Man, I mean, I just yeah, that just
can't happen. This is a Pete Bursa jennaalist for the
Vikings Radio Network. Thank you Sue Cup Manufacturing and Sue
Cup dot Com. Harrison Smith. He's playing basically all the
plays now, you know, Harry the hit Man one one
(12:21):
hundred ninety ninth regular season game for Harry the hit Man.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Still going strong, isn't he?
Speaker 5 (12:27):
Pete, would you like to say what you didn't say yesterday?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Pete?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Could that put that in the Hall of Fame? Yeah,
I mean Harrison Smith's Yeah, he's still going strong. And
I think he was a very important part of how
the Vikings defeated the Lions, and and and the looks
and I've talked about this before with you know, defenses
can make make it look like something or or skies
(13:00):
walk down on the line of scrimmage, that kind of thing.
But a smart quarterback will know if you're bluffing because
it doesn't look like anything else that you've done. And
I think Harry can play that second level type game
where he knows that this what we're what we're trying
to do looks similar to a blitz, and so I'm
gonna show that other blitz. So the quarterback sees something
(13:24):
that has been on tape. Okay, it's a bait and
switch kind of thing, but the bait has to be legit.
You can't bait him with something that they haven't seen
if you have a smart quarterback. So yeah, he's he's
still Harry still. I mean what he I mean, what
else are you gonna say? He's still I think for
Harry the most, he's the most versatile safety in the league.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
He has been for a long time. He can do everything.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
He can cover, he can tackle, he can blitz, you know,
I really you know, taking and watching Kyle Hamilton and
seeing what they're doing with him in Baltimore reminds me
a lot of what the Vikings had done and have
done with Harrison Smith. And so to see Kyle Hamilton
kind of his career evolved from being a pure cover
(14:12):
type safety to now he's down in the box, he's
playing the run, he's he's blitzing off the edges quite
a bit. He's you know, he's doing all he's getting
around the quarterback, doing all those things. There aren't many
guys in the league that can do that. Because when
when Harrison Smith comes down to the line of scrimmage,
you have to respect him because he's that good. He
can blitz, he can you know. We remember the the
(14:33):
game in Carolina, I believe it was two seasons ago,
and he had two sacks in one game, and one
of which he basically uh power, you know, power rushed
bull rushing offensive lineman. I mean, not many safeties can
do that, so uh yeah, to see you know, to
see Harry out there and then Kyle Hamilton, it was
kind of It was great because you're seeing kind of
(14:55):
not the passing of the torch, but a guy who's set,
who's kind of set the road or set the tape
for a guy like Kyle Hamilton and what you can
do with a versatile safety, and you know they're they're
definitely doing that. I think Zach Orr during the buye,
the defense coordinator for Baltimore during the bye, kind of
put all that in motion and said, we got a
(15:17):
Lohi Gillman. Now we can let him run around in
the back end, and we're going to take and make
Kyle Hamilton kind of the Josh Mattelis or Harrison Smith
of this defense and it's working well for him. They've
definitely turned things around, especially in the turnover department.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
Hey, Pete, I didn't pay a ton of attention yesterday
as I was looking at false starts and just looking
at the kid QB, et cetera. I got this a
lot in fan line and didn't know really how to
answer it. Was there, did you feel from from your
vantage point, was there something off with with Jefferson yesterday?
I mean you got seven seven catches on twenty three
targets between Jefferson and Addison, so that that looks ugly
(15:52):
on paper, But I just saw people, you know, whether
he didn't he didn't run back and try and chase
down Malachi Starks, just kind of lack of lack of
jump or juice at certain times. Great ball by in
a tough one to catch, but a great ball by
McCarthy into the end zone goes right through his arms.
Just any thoughts on number eighteen yesterday.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah, I don't think he looked uh, he looked himself.
We have a very high standard for what we see
out of Justin Jefferson on a weekly basis. And I
can't sit here and say that once the ball was
snapped until the whistle blew, that there was that there
was a ton of difference. But afterwards, you know, kind
(16:33):
of the walking and some of the some of the
other things that you saw. Yeah, I mean I would
I'd be interested to know, you know, what the deal
is or what's going on or or you know, if
he's a little if he's a little nicked up playing
through something. We'll never know that because they won't tell
us and they shouldn't. But there's, yeah, there's something he's
(16:55):
either playing through right now or that's how it appeared
to me right and that could change, that could obviously
change this Sunday. I don't know, uh, but yeah, there again,
I think it's it's a it's a situation where we
you know, we don't sit here and you know, go well,
Eric Wilson was a little bit off today, or Dwight
mcglotherin man, he was, he's just a little bit. We
(17:18):
watched JJ. He is the focal point of the defense.
He's a focal point of what we do, and so
we watch him extremely closely.
Speaker 4 (17:26):
And that's yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
And so I I agree with you know what, there
there's there's there. There was something, you know, and it
could be the normal course of a season and in
the wear and tear and all those things. But we'll
we'll see, as you know, as as Chicago rolls in here,
we'll see how how he looks this weekend.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Thank you, my brother, see you soon, all right. He
burstu ch analyst for the Vikings Audio Network and kf
A m at Pete Bursage via Twitter for hardcore football takes.
He also updates I believe weekly at least his YouTube channel,
and it's called.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
I in the Sky.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
If you go to YouTube and you search Pete Bursich
Eye in the Sky or Pete Bursage five six, you'll
find it extensive fantastic film breakdowns of Vikings football and
all of that is courtesy of Suecup Manufacturing and Sue
Cup dot Com.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
We're into the second half of the radio show around
the corner. PJ.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Fleck, coach of the Golden Gophers football team, joins us
twenty minutes from now.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
But first we got this.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
Yeah, the Fan along with two men in a junk
truck want to give you a shot at some bonus
bucks with the National Cash Contest. You can go to
kfa in dot com, enter the keyword money and you
might win some money if you enter the keyword money
at kfan dot.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Traumatic.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Pause brings us back to nine to noon and in particular.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Vikes Bites, Bikes Bites, Vikes.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Bites always brought to you by Lifetime Grazed Grass fed
Sean Jenkins, and you can shop online and a box
of meat'll show up at your doorstep. You can also
go to of course, your local Coburns and Kowalski's locations,
proud sponsors of Gophers athletics as well. And thank you
so much Thousand Hills for all your support and Minnesota
(19:16):
Vikings losing twenty seven to nineteen yesterday.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
And We've talked about the kid QB a lot, but.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
I'm curious what your thoughts are on how we move forward,
how we handle things when we have situations like this.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Boh, there's the loop.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Kit. Here comes Miles Price to the five ten fifteen.
He dropped the ball at the twenty two yard line.
Miles Price second fumble this year at the twenty two
may give the Ravens the ball and very good field
position after they just grabbed the lead.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
It's a scrum, scrum, It's a scrum.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Three officials in there to establish who has the ball.
Miles Price fumbled at the twenty two to twenty three
Ravens ball from.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Miles three in the take the we are you kidding me?
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 5 (20:00):
I'm not kidding you. That was the first to two fumbles.
By the way, I think he ran in. Was it
Tyler Baddie?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah? Potentially who in a friendly fire.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Yeah, well, blocking another person knocked the next kickoff out
of his hands.
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Yesterday had a little bit of avalanche.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
It had a little bit of just when it rains,
it pours, whatever cliche you want to use. It was
like Saturday morning freaking football follies with the false starts.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
To me, I think we had four in the fourth
quarter alone, I.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Mean half like, Okay, we changed cadence, we did this,
we adjusted, and then we had four of them in
the final frame at any rate.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
I mean the bomb the cheap shots are just coming
from all over the place.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
You just unfurled one. It was, I've unfurled a bunch.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
It's fantastic, right Why because it only hurts when we laugh?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
That is correct.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Well, now, Johnny the Mouse Nicholson, captain of the eighty three,
why is that a club hockey team?
Speaker 4 (20:51):
A formidable club hockey team? And the mouse wore the sea?
Speaker 2 (20:54):
He texted me, I got seats on the twenty yard
line row twelve for the Bears game. Should I wear
my synthetic gore Tex receiver gloves in case a ball
flies up there? Kind of like a baseball game, John,
That's too much, honey, Come on he's a kid.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Oh kind of brilliant though, Yes, just so you know,
ladies and gentlemen, first five rows, end zone side. Just
keep your head on the swivel. That's all I would
suggest for now. Keep your head on the swivel. As
the kid QB continues to improve. I believe that's a
total of three fumbles this year after yesterday for mister Price.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Yeah, and it.
Speaker 5 (21:33):
Just feels I don't know where your head's at on this,
but it's like week to week. It's like last week
you had Tavier Thomas stealing Miles Price is lunch money.
He gets the kickut return touchdown called back. You have
these issues. I mean, I wonder if Kobe King actually
got waived specifically because he went through that stretch with
all those special teams penalties. You kind of right the
ship and then you get the fumbles like Miles Price.
(21:56):
Is there a lack of trust there or do you
think that you know, despite those two fumbles, you're rolling
into that Bears game saying, we gave you this opportunity,
you took it by the horns. You just bleeped up
at a high level. Yeah, don't do that ever again.
You're still our guy Boom, I think you nailed it,
and is that probably that easy? Well, I don't even think.
(22:18):
I don't even think it's a talker.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I think the talker will be Matt Daniels or or
Dallman the assistant or somebody you know, just like looking
at it closely and like being hey, do this and
do that with how you're holding it and juking and
stuff like that, because they're going to remember, and it's
not inconveniently because it happened.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
It's reality.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Yeah, two games ago he had five kick returns for
thirty three per and like Nordo said, he busted one
for ninety and change to the house, but thirty seven
brought it back. Now, if thirty seven doesn't do what
thirty seven does, he doesn't get to the house, so
that all plays into it. But still the ones that
counted five of them for thirty three per So the
(23:03):
undrafted kit from Indiana is again. Raising kids has its
challenges personally and professionally, but there also are rewards, and
there are rewards that are great for those who want
to go bikes. I tried to quote a song by
(23:23):
Prince called The Latter and.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
I messed it.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Up.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Oh, vikes bites, Thank you thousand hills.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
If we were doing Nordo's numbers, Yeah, okay, Nordo's numbers.
Here's a number from the game that is interesting. John
Bonus and company. Tom Zone coverage. You guys do terrific work.
Thank you Zone Coverage. If I was going to do
a number, and I know I'm trying hard, team loss yesterday,
teams four and five, Kid QB throws a pick. Maybe
(23:50):
you should have just run for the first down. Kid
throws another pick and j Justin Jefferson falls down and
it's Humphrey and it's easy.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
Okay, a lot of negative things. Totally get it.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
However, in his first start, JJ McCarthy was sacked three times.
In his second start, he was sacked six times. Oh,
hurts his ankle, he's gone forever comes back. We got
to goff a handful of times. They got to our
guy a handful of times. Need the kid to take
(24:20):
fewer sacks yesterday, just one.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
Sack, one sack of the kid. Can I provide some context? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
The Baltimore Ravens entered the game with eleven sacks, tied
for second fewest in the National Football League.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Next was eleven to the camps.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
I mean seeing that that's just again when we crack wise,
when we get a little on the negatory side, that's
because we are talking out things on our therapeutic davenport
of love. That's age old with nine to noon or
ten to one.
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Just for fun.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Yes, that's what we're doing off kind of like what
you just said there, and that further frustrates yours truly
and probably the con when you recognize that sacked one time. However,
at halftime it's ten to nine, and I mean, you know,
I'm going to my chill spot at halftime. Got you
(25:16):
know somebody walks in there every single week with whom
I and we chat. We got everybody with the Vikings
Audio Network, and I'm like, wow, they're playing really, really
well in all facets of the game, all facets of
the game, all fastest.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And then they played the second half, and they played
the second had.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Now now we're using Diana Ross and the Supremes with
Stah in the name of love, and we got a
litany and a laundry list of things that need to stop.
Speaker 5 (25:43):
Okay, let me try one more thing, just a positive moment.
Speaker 4 (25:46):
And it was early and it'll get lost in the shuffle.
That fade to Naylor.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
If one of the high if one of the whoever
your version of the highest of the high end at
the position is in the league when they make that throw,
if it's Collin's ear in primetime, or it's potentially sweet
Nectar down on the fox in case, if it's Dan Miller,
and yes, sir, from the analyst, you're saying good.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Things about this Gala Williams this year Minnesota one of
one on third down, two receivers, rite three left empty backfield,
McCarthy wearing the nine, facing a poor man rush, He's
gonna fade left.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
To Dalen Naylor.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Cut at the.
Speaker 4 (26:24):
Forty, then all raven blue and tackle still bar by
Naylor at the thirty. Ball dogs till it's money Quins to.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
The ten, down at the five.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Hey sixty two yard catch and run by the speedy
Dalen Naylor.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
What nice trimming. Whoever put those highlights together yesterday, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Then I got pissed off from the third quarter because
he never was in the game.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
He's raight case good. Where was he right?
Speaker 1 (26:52):
I mean?
Speaker 5 (26:52):
Yeah, so anyway, well, I mean he led the team
and catches yesterday five for a buck twenty four in
that late score.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Another nice throw toe tapper of the end zone.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
Not every throw the kid QB made yesterday was a disaster.
Not every decision he made put the team in peril,
specifically early and then in well you had again you
had to dig deep and the producers trying hard. There
were good moments yesterday from number nine that we must
appreciate and then now just need to see fewer of
(27:21):
the sales, more of the good moments. Against Chicago and
you're five and five.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
If they run on that third and one, they win
by twenty one. I always loved that one. That's the
bottom line. I mean, there's so much that took place
in all the whole game, all the plays and everything,
just at one moment they run on that third and one.
I always loved that one. They went by multiple score.
See you laughed, Yes I did. That's what nine to
Noon is here to do. The surrogate young Parker Fox
(27:48):
just walked into the studio all negative and everything off
the Vikings game, and we cracked that joke and the
kid smiles. It is one big therapeutic Davin port of love.
We're all on it right now, we're all outstretched, we're
all trying to make each other laugh before we beat
the Bears.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
And as we continue to move on through Nine to Noon,
pumped up to talk about Gophers at Oregon this weekend,
looking for more positivity.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
And it's PJ Fleck, coach of the team, who joins
nine to Noon Weekly And that's next. PJ Fleck is
(28:36):
coach of the Golden Gophers football team. He's nice enough
to join this radio show with yours tirly Paul Allen
and Parker Fox joins for this part of the conversation
and a marathon segment at eleven and Pj's Golden Gophers
back off of BBE and first they get seventh ranked
Oregon in the Ducks out Eugene Way and the head
coach joins us. Now, PJ, Paul Allen and Parker what
(29:00):
was good for you and the gang during the bye time?
Speaker 1 (29:03):
And good morning, Hey, good morning to you as well, Pa,
thanks for having us on the show. Good morning to Parker.
You know the big thing we wanted to hit on
our three things. We wanted to continue to get our
football team as healthy as possible, and that's mentally physically
and emotionally. Our guys work really hard, sacrificed a lot
always in the training room and they're here constantly, So
(29:24):
get everybody a little bit time away refresh, but then
also keep them really healthy when we practice. Get a
lot of the young guys reps too. It was more
of a process audit, how are we doing, where are
we at after six straight games? What do we have
to get better at? Systematic approaches, offense, defense, special teams,
kind of do an audit of ourselves, and then you
go back and number three was all about response. We
(29:46):
just got to continue to respond here down the stretch.
Played some really good football teams, done really well at
home on the road, played some really good defenses and
top five defenses in the country, and I got to
find a way to play a little bit better on
the road. Challenge for us this week going out to Eugene, Oregon.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
And there are two on the road with Oregon and Northwestern.
Then Bucky is here to close things. Like PJ just
intimated or referenced, the Gophers are six and zero at
Huntingdon Back Stadium this season, and that six game winning
streak at home is the longest since winning the first
six there in twenty nineteen, and that season is also
(30:23):
the last time the Gophers won their first six home
games in a season. PJ overall sixty four and forty
two and nine seasons with the Gophers, and that's a wonderful,
wonderful record. Now you get undoubtedly a very tough Oregon team.
These these ducks allow one hundred and twenty six passing
yards a game, Holy cow, which is tops in FBS.
(30:44):
What makes that rush and cover for Oregon so stout?
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Well, first of all, they're just really really talented. They've
They've done a great job of acquiring some of the
best talent in the country. I think that's you know,
that's that's not a secret to anybody. But it's another
thing to have the talent. It's another thing to develop
and coach the talent and get all that talent playing
really well together. I think that's what Dan Lanning is
really really good at. He deserves a lot of credit
(31:11):
not just for the type of team he has, but
connecting that team. They play so well bottom up, top down.
They're very well connected. They play and sink as eleven
is one. But they are very very very good. I mean,
this is probably when you look at the teams. Some
of the teams we played. We played at top five defense,
number one defense in Ohio State. We played top five
(31:33):
defense in Iowa, and then a top five defense again
here at the Oregon And they have a lot of
things in common. I mean, they work really well as
all eleven. They got a lot of experience, they're really
really talented, they tackle well, their twitchy, they're all long,
they can all run. But this is a tremendous challenge
for us, and then again, we haven't handled that necessarily
well at times. But we've got to continue to grow up,
(31:55):
continue to mature, and continue to find ways to do
the simple things way better.
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Just going to be back with you this morning.
Speaker 6 (32:01):
Obviously, I'm curious from a scouting standpoint, you and Oregon
both just played Iowa. How much do you and your
staff look at specific games like that and compare them
or is that something only really us fans kind of
like to do.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Yeah, I think it's a little bit more of a
fan piece. We were out of that game so fast,
I mean within eight offensive plays, I think we were
down twenty four to nothing. So I mean you're talking
there's everything that could have went wrong, went wrong, and
it went wrong so early that I think it's really
hard to even look at that tape and say, Okay, well,
here's what we did well. Here's what we didn't do well,
because it was really bad really quickly, and really good
(32:36):
for them really quickly. So but when you do look
at it, you look at more matchups, Parker, You look
at more of the individual matchups, because you do assess
the talent of both teams. You do have breakdowns, you
do have depth charts, and then you break that down
in terms of a personnel standpoint, and I think you
take those things. But again, I mean, there's a really
(32:57):
good football team. There's a really good team that we're playing,
and it's one of the best teams in the country
for a reason, and we're going to have to play
really really well.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
PJ Flag, coach of the Golden Gophers football team, joins
nine to now your quarterback Drake Lindsay in the in
the very formative stages of not only his collegiate career,
but who knows where it'll go from there during the
course of your.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Elongated head coaching run, PJ.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Whether it's here Western Michigan, when it comes to raising
the gifted. So Drake clearly is gifted, but just like
so many who start at a high level at that
key position, experience is required to work through things. What's
that like? Like, what are some head coaching keys when
(33:43):
you have gifted players who are making mistakes because they
lack experience getting through that.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
We got to love to fail. And I know that
sounds crazy, but we define failing as growth and fail
you're as quit. Those are two different words. We need
our players to want to fail. Our job as coaches
is to get them to fail and get them to
respond to that sailing constantly. And I think that's what
Drake's really good at. On Sundays, you can't really tell
(34:11):
with Drake whether we won or lost. He just wants
to grow. I think I said this last week, and Pa,
I'm not sure if you heard me talk about this,
but you know when you talk about playing Drake, when
you're playing a freshman, as a head coach, you make
a decision, and whether that's a rookie or whether that's
a freshman, you make a decision as a head coach
to play a really young, inexperienced player. You know there's
(34:32):
going to be highs and lows. Now the fans might
not agree with that or want that, but there's going
to be some really good moments and there's going to
be some really really hard moments. But you can't get
the steps. The steps to becoming an elite player are
the steps, and so you can't get those steps. You
got to go through those, and you better be prepared
with that as a head football coach and the starting quarterback.
(34:53):
When you go through that, there have to be an
understanding that this is going to happen. But when we
have those times, the response is going to be critical.
And I've absolutely loved Drake's response, And that's what shows
me he's going to be such a great player is
because of his response that it's not a reaction based
on what society thinks, it's based on an internal response
that he has that he's going to grow, change and
(35:14):
get better with time.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Hey, PJ, how is recruiting going? And how much can
you discuss? Because I'm playing off the social media machines
here seeing like this person's at a game and this
person commits or the verbals or all that, like how
it seems like it's going really well? But I don't
want to put you in a weird spot. How much
can you discuss?
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Yeah, it's interesting with recruiting because, as somebody asked me,
how's recruiting going, I said, last me in three years,
and then I'll tell you how it went, because you
never really know. But I do think this is one
of our best. It's not the best class we put together,
even over the last week, seven commitments and committed to us.
We are really busy in the bye week with recruiting,
and I thought our staff did a really good job.
(35:56):
I don't think anybody talks or sell the program. I
hate to use the word sell the program, but that's
the way I have to describe it. That more than
the players, and our players do such an outstanding job
of talking about play our program. Talking to people about
this is exactly what it is. I mean, if you're
up for this, great, If you're not up for this,
don't come here. And our players do such a great job.
(36:18):
But I think this is probably our best class you've
ever had when you look at it from top to bottom,
and that's where you want to be, you know, nine
years into your tenure here, and our staff and players
deserve a lot of credit.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
To that okay.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
Now, this potentially is a dumb question, but when when
you okay? So they're still in high school, so I mean,
is it like a fore gone conclusion it's closed, or
do you still have to sweat a little bit until
we actually get them here?
Speaker 4 (36:45):
Oh no, we have.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Twenty three days till signing days, so absolutely you're gonna
sweat all the way to getting there and then the
portal opens and then you got to look at that.
So there's a whole point of that in early January now,
which is a two week window, which is only one
window now, which helps, but you just never know how
that shapes up with your football team and who comes
after him. So we all know that kind of goes
(37:06):
on in college football, and we got to do everything
we can. I think it's what we do. We create
a great experience for people who want to be a
part of that life program on the field, off the field,
and takes a special person to want to be a
part of that and instead of just chase a logo
or chase money.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
So part of being a college coach these days legitimately
is also constantly recruiting within your walls, making sure those
you want to stay emphasis on those you want to
stay stay right.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Yeah, I wouldn't even call it recruiting. I think it's
just creating an experience from top to bottom academically, athletically,
socially and spiritually that people don't want to trade for something,
and simply that we create an experience that for the
majority of the time we have one of the top
protension rates in the country that players really like being
a part of. Are we perfect? No, But I think
(37:55):
that when you create an experience that really is a
little different than most collegiate experieneriences right now, I think
it gravitates to your players and allows them to say,
I could be the best person I could be and
play and make money and do it all, and I
don't have to go risk that and go somewhere where
maybe I'm being sold something that's not necessarily true. So
I think we do a really good job of still
(38:15):
creating a collegiate experience in this new NIL portal slash
if you want to call it professional like type atmosphere.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
I appreciate the conversation. My brother Safe travels. We'll chat
next week, all.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Right, look forward to it.
Speaker 5 (38:29):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
The moos Kai Imago Gophers is go by.
Speaker 4 (38:31):
Thanks Yes, Sir, Seal Letter. PJ.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Fleck, coach of the Golden Gophers football team, weekly nine
to noon peat Box sticks around. We mix up the
topics after that
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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.