December 1, 2025 • 38 mins
Pete Bercich tries to make sense of yesterday's Vikes game, while PJ Fleck joins to celebrate beating the Badgers on Saturday!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
The analyst at pe Versage analyst for the Vikings Audio
network at pee VERSI via Twitter, and we were happy
that and very very fortunate and gracious that Sue Cup
Manufacturing sponsors this every week. Uh suit cup dot com,
sue cup dot com. Before we go to the analyst,
uh Nordo. Yeah, stop stop smiling and and I'm gonna
(00:44):
try to make you laugh here, okay?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Perfect.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Another text from Johnny the Mouse Nicholson, captain of the
eighty three Wise at a club hockey team, Paul, if
I do decide to be the cow and play with
my sensitive teeth, I would at least be grass fed.
One organic angus beeped to make Nordo happy. I always
(01:07):
loved that. Boy, that's well done. That's just well done.
Hey hey Pete, what's going on a much? How are
you awful? But Nordo has something he wants to play.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, I was driving. I was driving into the studio.
Everything's negative yesterday, we all know that. But I'm listening
to the call as I'm getting in to eventually do
fan line. I think this was this was.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Early third quarter, mid third quarter, we'll call it that.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
But there was a penalty somebody was trying to rough
up our guy, Justin Jefferson. Here's how it sounded like
on your home for Vikings football.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
The fan gets away from pressure, throws left.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
It's pought by Jefferson behind the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
He's thrown down so violently throw the flat I mean.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
What are you doing, Nicki min Worri.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
That's a rookie move by a rookie and he's going
to be penalized for it.
Speaker 5 (01:55):
Yeah, that was kind of ridiculous. I mean he had
taken him back at least seven yards, whistles were blowing,
and then he's picked him up and threw him on
the ground. So Justin Jefferson getting his first reception, it
was a blitz. Seattle does a great job. They're disguise
in picking their spots here at the play personal.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Foul and this sy roughness defense continuen number first tell.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Say number three feet, So everybody dream and thank you
who knows who made that foolish plus.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Say his name so everyone at lubid could hear it.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Hey, Pete, I'm going to bring him behind the scenes
for a second if you don't mind. So there, I'm
just going to say, somebody with the Seattle staff who
knows me through others who are on the Seattle staff.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Who I've known for years.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
And the individual walked by the box box and kind
of smirked at me at halftime, and Pete knows what
I said. We had to close the door. The announcer
was apoplectic. Spearfish comes in and basically is like, you
need to calm down. Okay a box. I was like,
he couldn't handle Flores defense when he was here, and
(03:05):
you can bleeping have him. And we had to close
the door. Oh ye, people was right next to me
when I did that.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
It was the day.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
It was just loud, and you got you got these
you were talking to hockey, you got these food and beverage,
These nicest ladies in the world looking at me, just terrified, just.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Trying to put more water bottles in the bucket.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Eye I read my face was when this guy snickered
at me at halftime, and I'm like, you can have him, okay,
how about rams game? Okay anyway, So anyway, Sue Cup Manufacturing,
Pete suecup dot Com, be nice to manufacture a victory
and maybe against Washington to begin, teams lost four in
a row. How do we manufacture a victory just really
(03:47):
against anybody.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
It's not it's not complicated that side of it, right,
It's it's a matter of quick turning the damn ball over.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
It's it's really that's that part of it's that simple.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Maybe maybe stop killing our field position with penalties and
special teams, that would help too, But that's that's it.
That's where you start. I mean, what else you're giving
up extra possessions. I mean you look at you look
at the numbers, and if I had if I told
you before the game that Brozmann was going to throw
(04:20):
for two less yards than Sam Donald, you would probably
have been like, Wow, the kid's gonna light it up,
or the kid's gonna look great. Right, you know, thirty
passing attempts, we only you know, we ran the ball
sixteen times. But again that total number forty six, right,
it's only forty four forty five. You know, we're just
not running plays. So the ability to just move the
(04:45):
chains is important, stay on the field the time. I mean,
it's all the problem is is everything's such a chain reaction, right,
You just one thing goes here and another thing goes
over there, and then all of a sudden, all these
other things start, you know, rearing their ugly heads. But
if you can just stay on the field and keep moving,
(05:06):
keep moving, the chains and other things are kinda they're
going to show up on the good side. So it's
a it's an avalanche effect, and uh, you have to
start somewhere. And I think you know, obviously, turning the
football over is the biggest thing, because that's just putting
our defense on the field more. It's killing momentum offensively,
(05:27):
field position. Blah blah blah blah blah. I mean, there's
no way that Seattle Seahawks walked away from Looming Field
yesterday happy with their offensive performance. Really, there's no way,
right right, this is a this is the the number what,
number four passing team in the league, number one per play,
smoking marriage and yeah, and they had two hundred and
(05:47):
what two hundred and some odd yards of offense. I mean,
it's it's like they can't be thrilled with that either.
So we just got to keep up with them, and
we got to find a way. But it's it's getting
it's getting tough because you have all these pretty things,
you have all these wide receivers and you know you
can't just you just can't get them the football, and
(06:08):
that that could be a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
In that regard, go ahead, unhappy people, this.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Is a feewa fairness and will family act. In case
all of them are listening, go ahead and pause there
for a second. Let that sin again. It's bad ball.
It's just bad ball. And don't listen to me. Listen
to what Harrison Smith said.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
After the game.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
I'm looking at a tweet from young Alec at alec underscore.
Lewis question was, what's the frustration level? Harrison, I don't know.
I don't know if there's a frustration level at this point.
It's just bad ball now, I mean that's harsh, and
the defense did play winning football and majority of the game.
(06:52):
But when potential hof and Viking's immortality says it's just
bad ball, what do you think about all that?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (07:01):
I Harrison's been around long enough where he's gonna give
you some brute honesty. He's gonna he has a certain
level of expectation where he wants to be. He's played
winning football, He's been on a lot of winning football teams,
and when it's not there, it's.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He has a lot more.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
I guess if you take a look at his catalog
of games to compare it to as opposed to I
don't know, Dallas Turner right or Jalen Redmond right. He's
been around a long time, he's seen a lot of
good football, and you know he's saying we're just not
good enough, and he's honest enough about it.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So I I those kinds of things, those postgame.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Interviews when guys say stuff, Yeah, you're emotional, you should
be pissed off, you shouldn't be happy about what just happened.
So you know, he wasn't calling anybody in particular out,
but I mean, it's it's honesty, right, It's bad foot
it's bad football.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Well that's that's what it was.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
So now you just have to go about fixing it
and have the discipline and the wherewithal than want to
to do what you have to do to fix it,
and the extra time whatever it takes to turn this
thing around and beat the Commanders when they come into
town on Sunday. That's all you should be thinking about
for the next five days, six days.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
How realistic is it at this point in time for
this team to quote unquote turn it around or you know,
maintain that focus, whether it's the potential hof safety saying
what he said, I think the stud wide receiver said
a lot by simply just kind of not going to
talk to reporters today. I'm just gonna, you know, chill
(08:34):
out a little bit and I'm going to head back
to Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Like how how realistic is it?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You know, for some stark contrast to emerge to what
we've seen the last four.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
It can happen.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
I guess it's a matter of the right person has
to lead this team out of this. The quarterback position
needs to lead this team out of this, meaning get
out on the field, have a couple of good drives,
protect the football, do better on third down, and it
doesn't have to be a total one to eighty, but
at least show some progress, right, throw some throw some
(09:12):
balls where the receiver has to go up and make
a great play and move the chains and get that
good feeling again.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I mean, that's I think offensively, that's that.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
Position that spot really really needs to whoever it is
a quarterback, they need to try. They need to turn
this thing around and just show some light at the
end of the tunnel. Show some progress and then everybody,
I think everybody around them will respond. Right, you'd like
to say the defense for theoretically, I mean, you sit
(09:40):
down as a defense and you say, you can only
worry about what you can control. You can't control when
you take the field if it's turnover or after the
offense scores a touchdown. Either way, whenever you step on
the field, you got to play at a certain level.
So but still they'll get a boost out of it too, right,
defense will get a boost out of it too. I
can't imagine how much these the guys on defense would
(10:02):
love to step on the field with a two score
lead now, or with a ten point lead, yeah right,
or you know whatever, eight point lead and just have fun,
you know, trying to stop an offense that needs to
throw the football to catch up. It's been a while,
so they're facing teams that just you know, hand the
ball off, run the ball, run the ball, run the
ball short, you know, third and five on a short pass. Okay,
(10:22):
it's I think that if the quarterback position comes out,
gets us up and down the field, just to get
on a couple series early in the game. Whatever, that'll
spark this team and it'll help with a lot of
a lot of the woes and everything that we're seeing.
So that's where I personally think that that's going to
(10:43):
come from. Hey, I, it has to come from that
spot into the Washington game. Sunday noon, KFAM with with
I in the Sky at YouTube. Pete Bursige five to
six for your search.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Bar pleasure, maybe you do an extensive breakdown on the
maturation and progress of one Dallas Turner.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Doesn't that sound fun? It does, Dallas.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
It's like the light bulbs coming on in the regard
of playing in this system, right, it's because it's a
different system under Flores. He didn't play that position in college,
so he's kind of learning how to walk in that regard.
The injuries to Van Ginkle and and Grenard, I think
(11:30):
have helped him in that he's been out there steadily
week after week after week.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Uh, because it's hard.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
It's hard to you know, it's hard to take either
Gernard or Van Ginkle off the field.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So it's just been kind of it's been.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
Tough for outside outside of situationally for Garnard. I'm sorry
for Turner to be out there week in and week out.
He has been now for a lot of this season,
and we're finally starting to see the instinct of the
position and it matters. He's not just a d lineman anymore.
He's playing outside linebacker, which is a very nuanced position.
(12:05):
We see Andrew van Ginkle do what he does when
the quarterback has to pump fake a quick screen on
the outside because Van Ginkle is in the throwing lane, right,
That's that's the Those are the little things, the effects
that you can have, and he's picking up on it.
So we all know the athleticism is there. We know
the explosiveness is there. And maybe you know, you look
(12:27):
back that fifteen yard penalty that he got earlier this
year on the sack that we all thought was garbage,
Well maybe that's why against you know, yesterday he batted
that football and and and you know, knocked it out
of Darnold's hands instead of just lighten them up.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
So it's it's a it's cool to see the evolution
of him and see him grow up right in front
of our eyes. And it's a he's not done yet though.
That's the main thing, right, You're not done, You just
you're just getting started. So every week needs to needs
to be a step forward, and you have to do
what you have to do to continue to improve because
you're not there yet, but you're you're you're showing us
(13:05):
that you could be a game changing outside linebacker.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Hmm.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
With I in the sky, what do you think of
this idea? Perhaps you contact Greg Coleman, he zooms in
from Jacksonville and you guys break down Ryan Wright having
the best season of his career.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
What do you think about that? That's something? Right?
Speaker 5 (13:22):
The kicker, the kicking game is at least the kickers
are doing great. Right, Yeah, we didn't. We didn't see
any of our field goalk We didn't see any record yesterday, do.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Me no, But you know what I mean seriously speaking, though,
when you haven't scored a touchdown in like seven quarters
and everything is so tightly congested with just trying to
win the time of possession or at least push it
you're your punter all of a sudden is very important.
And this this young man is coming through with flying colors,
(13:52):
isn't he.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Pete.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Yeah, he's doing well. I mean as he's doing his
job is what he's supposed to do. So, I mean,
you know, like I said, both the kickers. I think
doing a good job out terrific as far as that goes.
I mean, when you're two and eight, what do we two?
Will we two for eight on third down?
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Yeah, something like that. We're gonna be putting the ball
a lot, So.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
I gotta be games like that. I don't spend a
ton of time in the box score after a game
like that, but I know I'm not.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Arguing wow, right, And that's kind of I think the problem,
not the problem, but the challenge of this whole thing
is just because it went that way, you still need
to look at the numbers, right, You still need to
look at the numbers. And when you do, you're you're
you're amazed that that that what we what we were
able to do. I mean, yeah, there were two attacks.
(14:39):
We held the Seahawks to under one hundred yards passing.
I mean, honest to god, they're averaging two fifty a game.
Were they two forty eight point five right under one hundred?
It's pretty damn remarkable. Part of it's like, oh, yeah, well,
we just running the ball because it didn't well, no,
they it's still they they weren't able to get vertical
(14:59):
Jackson Smith, the Jigba broke a eleven game, ye had
it was the first player in NFL history with seventy
five receiving yards in the first eleven games. Right, that's
it third most by a player in eleven games in
the Super Bowl era.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
And what do you get yesterday? Twenty something?
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Right, So there's so many good things that if you
just ignore the numbers, you won't see it. Plus and
the defense was forced to go out there what four
extra times?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:28):
So yeah, I mean there's there's a lot third down
needs to get better offensively. That's what I'm talking about.
Stringing things together, starting with the quarterback position. Get some
momentum again in that regard, whether it's on the ground
or through whatever, but just string some first downs together
and I think that you know, you get that momentum,
and that's where you that's where you begin playing air
(15:48):
or free because those mistakes are going to kill you.
Were not good enough to overcome five yard penalties and
things like that.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
So anyway, well, let me ask you this.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That quarterback position, and I just think I think it's
absolutely vital, not just for the mentality of whoever the
quarterback is this weekend and beyond, but for the team
in general when you talk about just needing to see something,
finding and feeling some form of success. So we know
Kevin O'Connell's offense can be super high end. We saw
it a year ago one fourteen games with that offense.
(16:21):
But this year, whether it's the six games with McCarthy,
the game you saw from Max yesterday, each of those
quarterbacks have in some ways, despite being a little bit
different in their style, have really suffered the same consequences
of this offense. At this stage with five games to go,
is there anything that the head coach can do that
the offensive staff can do to maybe take some pressure
(16:45):
off the kids whoever it is and manufacture some of
that success. Is there anything we can do to put
it any more dead center on a silver platter so
that these kids can find some success the final five
I I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I I really don't think.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
So this offense has already changed a ton, just just
if you look at it from a schematic standpoint compared
to you look at what we ran as an offense
last year to what we're doing this year. It's all
it's already changed a ton, and they've tried to accommodate
I think as much as they can for the young
(17:24):
you know, for the younger quarterback.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
And so it's just not our style. We're just that's
not us. We're not.
Speaker 5 (17:33):
Play action and and you know drag and dig and
you know, dink and dunk and all those we don't.
We're just not that's not our offense. That's not our identity,
it's not who we are. We don't have a bunch
of road graders that like you know, offensive linemen that
just can run block, but they don't like the pass block.
So it's a different it's a completely I guess to
(17:53):
a keep to continue to accommodate it, to accommodate what
what the players that you have would require a paradigm shift.
That's that's beyond what they can accomplish, I think in
one year. So it's you know, you are who you are,
you have an identity as an offense, this is who
we are, this is what we do, and this is
what we aspire to. And they when the players got
(18:16):
to meet you halfway, the players have to elevate themselves
to that system. And that's the true essence of the
whole thing. Is how much of a push and pull
is it is the coach is asking too much, is
that the player is not responding, and those things we
really you really don't know unless you're sitting out there
at practice and in the meeting rooms and know exactly
(18:37):
what's going on. So we can only speculate from the outside.
But like I said, this is this isn't the offense
we ran a year ago. So I know the coaches
and the coaching staff are doing everything they can to
accommodate the young quarterback and young quarterbacks period. And you know,
that's a that's a tough spot because this is not
(18:58):
what our offense is. It's not what's going to be right.
You know, this is a temporary window of developing a
kid quarterback, whether whichever one it is. But you're developing
a kid quarterback, so you you you you change to
accommodate that and then you know, and gradually grow out
of it.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
So this is sort of too that kind of lends
to some pessimism in the short term then, Pete, right,
I mean, you know, of course, the identity of this team, sadly,
specifically offensive has become mistakes. Whether it's I mean they
have more they have more turnovers as an offense, right
now than they do have offensive touchdowns at this stage
of the season. So, you know, optimism for the future,
(19:37):
but maybe some pessimism kind of continues here in the
short term. If if, if there's nothing, if you're feeling
that that paradigm shift might be too tall a task, yeah, yeah, if.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
It is, it's I guess you just have to You
have to you have to redo your your your your
what your wins are right and make them if you
have to make them smaller, you got to make them
smaller and then find out what those are, do it,
and then build on that as quickly as possible. But yeah,
like I said, it's you don't want to read You
(20:12):
don't want to redo the entire offense for where you
are right now because we're not. The one thing you
expect out of a young quarterback is improvement week in
and week out, to be able to build week in
and week out. So you can't you don't design your
entire offense on where the quarterback is right now. Now,
maybe if you have a veteran guy and you have
(20:34):
Kirk Cousins, Yeah, that's exactly what you do, right This
is our guy, this is what he can do, and
this is what we're going to build around, and this
is what our offense is going to look like based
on that skill set. Right now, it's such a that
that skill set is such a moving target. How much
do you, you know, yank everything off the table.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
I do know this.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
The better you run the football, the easier it's going
to be on the quarterback. That's I mean, that's just
the bottom. That's just so the emphasis on the run
and blocking the run and being positive and that you
don't have to be you know, Red Grange and all that.
You can just as long as you're efficient in the
running game, that is always going to help. And that's
usually kind that's that's kind of the you know, general
(21:18):
way you look at it. Run the football, then you
can build the play action off it, and then the bootlegs,
and then after that you can say, all right, we'll
start dropping back and now you're comfortable and blah blah blah.
That's that's the old school way I guess of building up,
building up young quarterback. So that's where we are and
that's what it is, and it sucks, right, but it.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Is, But that's what I mean. These little wins.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
You got to find a way to see some light
at the end of the tunnel. You do, You're right
the last five weeks and I don't expect a total
flip of the record and all of a sudden, you know,
we're putting up to three hundred and some odd yards
through the air. But improvement weekend and week out, and
it starts with the turnovers. That's it, right there, you,
my friend, are and I look forward to seeing you
(22:02):
later this week.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
It's kind of like going to the dentist, isn't it.
What do you mean this? Just like okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Yeah, it's a verbal It's a verbal root canal without
nitrous oxide.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
That's about the only way to put it.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
It's like the one once you're talking about going to
the old Mattner's sleeping bag, which stops in it and everything.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
It's like, oh the good old days. Don't be don't
be a cow, don't run away from the storm. Be
a bison and run right into it, endure it for
a shorter amount of time, and beat it exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Let's not be a great, big fat cow. Tear the
band aid off quickly. You're you're the best, See you soon,
all right. PJ.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Fleck joins about thirteen minutes from now and nine to
Noon continues after this.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Another one bites the dust.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Hopefully teams don't look at the Minnesota Vikings playing that
little rift going. Another one bites the dust. This segment
is dedicated to a talk back, and then PJ. Flett,
coach of the Golden Gophers football team, joins nine minutes
from now and here they are.
Speaker 7 (23:09):
Good morning, nine to noon. This is your friendly neighborhood
delivery driver venue from mons View. I just want to
shout out you guys this morning for making it a
wing it Monday. If I had to make a suggestion,
if we could do a wing it Monday at Buffalo
Wild Wings more, we can eat wings and wing it there,
(23:31):
that would be amazing. You guys, have a great day
and stay.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
More appreciate you. And were that the case, I undoubtedly
would choke on the chicken. And I choke on the
chicken simply because I'm not a fan of fiena fairness
and nine to Noon act, sitting down for an hour
and fifteen minutes crafting four pages of fourteen font pros,
(23:57):
only to have it eliminated by the technological monsters that
are all part of the world, and we're in a
battle with all of the good of heaven kind before
the Earth was formed.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Talkbacks, let's play two, Pa Nordo. It's Ryan in Michigan.
Speaker 5 (24:20):
I heard a lot of people saying Brozman is going
to do the impossible, and by golly, he did.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
He made us all pine for the days of JJ McCarthy.
Oh that's me.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
But we're handling talkbacks. Yeah, and the phone calls if
and or when we take them. I haven't looked at
the six four six eighty six since AOL was invented,
so you can handle that. We're handling all of that
with a plumb We're handling it with boise. We're handling
it with class, dignity, and respect. So even if unwarranted
strays are caught by people we have to we we
(24:55):
happen to enjoy h We on this wing of Monday
are just we're just gonna have to.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Let the old strays fly. Yes, we will cool with that.
I'm cool with that. Of course. You are you whooped
up on my fantasy basketball team. You're cool with anything.
Six to two felt good. I'll tell you that off
topic for a moment. APO Mike Arizona. Man, we got
the XP is good.
Speaker 6 (25:22):
It's good the Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
The producer's playing fast. And how do I know that, Well,
because PJ Fleck joins next, and it's wonderful Radio t's
three two. It's wonderful audio teas work to have somebody
celebrate taking the ax for the fourth time in the
last five years. And for us to say, hey, PJ.
(25:50):
Fleck is neck. Here's the last step. Its meal down
thirty five seconds. They will not need to snap again.
There's the dash to the end zone to the left.
Rushawn Lawrence is the first man there. The axe is
in hand. It stays where it belongs.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
In Minneapolis, Minnesota snow Angels from the Gopher cheerleaders head
first times by the Gopher players, and Minnesota beats Wisconsin
seventeen to seven, and the axe stays here.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
My Grima on the call on KFA N joining us
now is Golden gopherst head coach PJ. Fleck undefeated at
home with this portion of the season done, we got
a bowl game on the horizon, captured Paul Bunyan's axe,
which is becoming commonplace. And the head coach joins us now.
Everything I just said PG. That's all pretty cool. What
do you think about all that?
Speaker 6 (26:47):
And good morning, Yeah, good morning to you, Paul, thanks
for having us on. Yeah, it was a great win
for us. I mean, anytime you can beat your rival,
especially at home in front of your fans and in
the snow globe, man, you're gonna take advantage of it,
and and you're really going to enjoy it. And I
told our team before we played, I said, this is
your moment memory. Robbery games are always about the players
(27:08):
and UH and our fans, and they get a chance
to create their own moment memory. And you got to
make your own. Just because we won last year, that
was last year's team's moment memory. And but at the
end of regular season with the victory, UH, with the
with the acts stay at home against Wisconsin was a
great bow on a season there could bear. There's some
really great moments. There's some really disappointing moments, but every
(27:29):
season has those, UH. And now we're gonna get ready
for our bull preface. We get going towards that and
find out who we go play and where we go play.
So it's exciting time of year. UH. Just really really
proud of our team and the resolved and the resiliency
all year, and to cap it off with the robbery
win is really big for the University of Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
So what got any sneaky intel on what bowl game
we're going to get?
Speaker 6 (27:51):
I wish I did. I really don't, and I've heard
a gamut of them, so I mean heard four or
five of them. So right now it's all speculation. Everybody's
got of going somewhere else. Uh, just all depends on
what happens after this week.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Any any preferences, any like warm weather, destinations or anything.
Speaker 6 (28:08):
I think all ball games are great, so I'm the
wrong person to ask. I think all ball experiences and
create an unbelievable moment memory for our players and create
something very unique in their own way. We'll go anywhere,
that's for sure. So just like we love to, you know,
got to continue to work on playing anywhere. Uh, but
we've uh, we'll go anywhere because they're all really lead experiences.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So what So, what do you guys do next?
Speaker 1 (28:31):
I mean undefeated at home conference, don ballgame on horizon?
Speaker 2 (28:35):
What do you guys do next?
Speaker 6 (28:38):
Yeah, Well, we definitely don't go on vacation. We're in
the office or meet with our players today, you know,
doing everything we can, uh, signing contracts with our players,
getting them locked in for next year, retention, having a
lot of conversations with players, you know, the end of
the season type meetings, Uh, getting our players some rest uh,
and then you know we'll be practicing Thursday, Friday. Uh,
(28:58):
So getting our bull preps. Starting to move forward. But
you know, December is dead and recruiting now, which last
year it wasn't. January is a big recruiting month coming
up for us. But this is really huge for us
in the retention piece, meeting with a lot of players,
meeting a lot of with a lot of agents, and
getting our roster at least for the retention piece hopefully
solidified in the next few weeks so that we can
(29:20):
move into the portal piece. As we continued moving to
the portal in January.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
That on Darius Taylor's long touchdown run your right guard
and your center with the pin down double on the
defensive tackle for Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
That was a work of art. How about all that?
Speaker 6 (29:38):
Yeah, I say, Tony Nelson did a really good job
at right guard, and I love how he's playing, and
you know he's earned the opportunity to play a lot more,
and you know, I think aston Beer's on that play
did a great job. I think it was a good
play call. Here. We went on the quick where you know,
we were able to to get them in a certain defense,
get them to not check or try to check the check,
and we kind of caught him a little bit and
(29:58):
it was really good on the double team and Darius
took care of the rest a little bit of a
misfit that was the point of the of the cadence
and the play call and and worked in our advantage.
So that was a really good run, really good finished
by Darius. You know, he's he's kind of been beat
up all year, you know, and it's kind of been
one of those years for him. But when he's been
in there, he's made us a better football team. And
(30:19):
we had to get him continually to be healthy and
so we can have a great bowl game and see
what the future holds.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Paul Parker Fox has rolled into the studio to join
a PJ. Fleck, coach of the Golden Go First Football Team.
Good morning Barker, Good.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Morning, good morning Pj.
Speaker 8 (30:33):
You know, congratulations on the big win going, you know,
protecting that home field is something that I know a
lot of fans value. There's there's one play in the
game that really just made me smile, highlighted kind of
just the energy and the culture you guys have created.
As a big third down stop late in the fourth quarter.
I think Aiden Gooseby made the tackle and then he's
celebrating about twenty yards down the field with John Nester,
(30:54):
and this is before Wisconsin's going to go for it
on fourth down.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
So but just a really fun play.
Speaker 8 (30:59):
Can you talked about eating it would be a guy
that kind of goes underrated in your secondary.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
He really does. You know.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
We actually moved him the corner for this game, and
I think that just shows the type of versatility he
has at a safety position but also could play corner.
He is a team guy. He'll do whatever it takes
for the team. When you look at our secondary, at
least at the safety position, we're pretty deep. We got
a lot of really good players, but we're pretty thin
at the corner position, especially with Nester being out, my
Carold was being hurt in the last few weeks, and
(31:26):
Zakwan and kind of being hurt here and there, so
we've been kind of really thin back there and I
thought he did a great job stepping in, stepping up
and making some huge plays. And you know you mentioned
the seven to zero at home, and that has to
do with our fans. You know, this is nine years
into it where we want to create an environment where
it's really really difficult to play and our fans and
our student body. When you watch games all over the
country and you look at really bad weather and you
(31:48):
see a bunch of empty stans, that's not us. I mean,
it was a packed house. It was a rivalry game.
I think that just shows you know, what we're creating
and how great of an experience our fans, our student body,
our band and create. And I can't thank them all
enough because that's why we were seven to oh at
home for the first time since the thirties at a
(32:08):
long tizs one hundred years where we've been seven and
oh at home, undefeated since sixty seven, was undefeated where
it was less games.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
But.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
Seven no at home for the first time since the
thirties almost a century has says a lot about this
era of Gopher football and this era of Gopher fans,
and we're so thankful.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
For them, and I'm glad you said that because the
student section was packed. You know, like you're referencing and
that's a common thread that wasn't the case before you arrived.
I mean that really really makes a difference for the
young man, the kids, however you want to describe them
when they're playing in games, to look up.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
To the student section and be like, hey, they all
came to see us play.
Speaker 6 (32:51):
Yeah. It's commitment. And it's not just commitment from a
head coach or a staff or players. It's commitment from
a community. It's rowing the boat together. It's understanding. It's
way bigger than just us. We need our fans, we
need our band, we need our student section and our jobs.
As you create the best moment and memories we can
for everyone because we're the ones that have to play.
(33:11):
But everybody got a moment memory again and that's two again,
field Storm. I love that people do that. I love
that our students come down, specially and Robert. We get
on the field and the snow making snow Angels. I mean,
we have a ranked win against Nebraska that they do
that with and then you beat your rival in the
snow globe and what a moment memory that those students
will have forever they come here. It worked really hard.
(33:32):
They pay their tuition, you know. They want to go
to the football games and be around winners and be
a part of those experiences in those games. That's what
college football is all about. You want to have that.
And same thing with our season ticket holders and our supporters.
And when we first got here, we said that we
want to be able to pack Hunting the Bank Stadium
at the time, TCS Bank Stadium with people who maybe
don't even care much about football, but they care because
(33:55):
of how we play and row the boat and our
players in the community and how we run our program.
And I think nine years later, are we where we
want to be? Not yet, but that the cultural sustainability
allows you to have the best chance to do it.
And packing that stadium even on a night like that,
shows the progress we're making. And I can't thank our
fans at up.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
John Nester, the Chicago Kid, seven solos, two picks and
two tackles for loss.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
What do you love about all that?
Speaker 6 (34:23):
I just love that he loves football. He's a competitor,
he's tough. He fits this program so well, you know,
and I think that that's what you can talk about
the transferport. All we want we can talk about, you know,
the commitments, all we want we want to talk about
and I all we want. That's fine, But there's still
got to be a fit, you know, for people to
have in teams, to have success, they've got to have
(34:44):
a bunch of players that fit fit the culture, fit
the scheme, fit the identity, fit the response, fit the
cultural standard when things don't go right, fit the cultural
standard when things are going right. And he does. And
I think that's why he's been able to play so
well from when he got here in January to where
he is now. I think he's a more grown up person.
(35:04):
He's way more mature. He's a better football player. He's evolved,
he's grown, he's challenged himself, and I think he's in
a perfect fit for him as he continues to go
through his career.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Amen PJ. Flat, coach of the Golden Gophers football team.
Couple more to close. Can't skip skip steps as you
so adroit Lee detail. Max will learn from yesterday, but
probably wishes that step never happened.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 8 (35:31):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (35:31):
Absolutely? I mean that's really hard, right, I mean, no
matter what, losing is hard. But I do know that
he has a warrior spirit. He's an unbelievable leader, and
that young man will respond whatever that looks like, he'll respond.
And I'm sure he's walking into that building this morning
doing everything he can to be the best leader he
can be, learn as much as he possibly can, and
(35:53):
be willing to and able to respond in the next opportunity.
So that's all you can do. Again, I love I
love that young man.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
I mean he is.
Speaker 6 (36:03):
He's a phenomenal person. And even when you look back
at it and you look at like when North we
played North Carolina, it didn't go so well, but then
everything from there was unbelievable. Well, yesterday didn't go so well,
but from there, never know what that could be. So
so sometimes that that failing is necessary to grow. And
but the NFL is a non forgiving league. That's what
it stands for, and it's hard at that level. But
(36:25):
I'm really really excited to see how he responds.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I had an extra field pass for you at Luminfield.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
I was hoping you were going to jet out there
for the game and like, surprise all those Golden Gophers
in the game.
Speaker 6 (36:37):
Well, I was going to and then you know, we
celebrated our birthday, my birthday on Saturday, and we had
some stuff we were going to do on Sunday because
of the players and getting all the agent meetings set up,
so I was going to but I had a great seat,
that's for sure. I had a great seat watching it
on TV.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
And Andy, I mean getting ready for the Turks and
kkos ball, I mean that requires every day you can
get right.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
Oh that teal blue water, you bet, man, you bet.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
The white sand. Oh you know what.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Yesterday was boy A mafees twenty seventh birthday, and you know,
deep dive in the game up to the game. He's
done really well for himself in the NFL. You guys
did a good job getting him ready. But four years
into it, twenty seven years of age, boy A Mafees
he belongs.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
He really does.
Speaker 6 (37:23):
He's worked so hard, and you know, he was such
a developmental player when he got here, and he'd grown
so much as a person and as a football player,
and then it's transferred that over into the National Football
League and I know they're ecstatic to have him. And
I think Nick Callar have had a really good game
as well for Seattle. And you've seen multiple Gophers on
the field yesterday and that was really important for us
and him. You shoot, this football team, we're seven and five,
(37:44):
but you know we lost nine players that are in
NFL games yesterday from last year's football team, the twenty
twenty five team. And to still be able to go
to a bull game b seven and five and seven
and zero at home and beat Wisconsin just says a
lot about the program and where we're at and rowing
into the future here as we keep moving forward.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
All Right, I know you have to go.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
You're busy getting those trick plays and gadgets ready for
the Antigua ball.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
So enjoy December and we will call you soon. Okay,
I appreciate it.
Speaker 6 (38:13):
Brow the boat, sky Malgo Gophers the school bikes. Thanks.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
See you about PJ. Flax, coach of the Golden Gophers
football team. Hey, it's Parker Foxy at Parker Fox two four.
Now he's going to join us for a Steve's Appliances
marathon around the corner. You're listening to nine to noon
on KFAM.
The analyst at pe Versage analyst for the Vikings Audio
network at pee VERSI via Twitter, and we were happy
that and very very fortunate and gracious that Sue Cup
Manufacturing sponsors this every week. Uh suit cup dot com,
sue cup dot com. Before we go to the analyst,
uh Nordo. Yeah, stop stop smiling and and I'm gonna
(00:44):
try to make you laugh here, okay?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Perfect.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Another text from Johnny the Mouse Nicholson, captain of the
eighty three Wise at a club hockey team, Paul, if
I do decide to be the cow and play with
my sensitive teeth, I would at least be grass fed.
One organic angus beeped to make Nordo happy. I always
(01:07):
loved that. Boy, that's well done. That's just well done.
Hey hey Pete, what's going on a much? How are
you awful? But Nordo has something he wants to play.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, I was driving. I was driving into the studio.
Everything's negative yesterday, we all know that. But I'm listening
to the call as I'm getting in to eventually do
fan line. I think this was this was.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Early third quarter, mid third quarter, we'll call it that.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
But there was a penalty somebody was trying to rough
up our guy, Justin Jefferson. Here's how it sounded like
on your home for Vikings football.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
The fan gets away from pressure, throws left.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
It's pought by Jefferson behind the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
He's thrown down so violently throw the flat I mean.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
What are you doing, Nicki min Worri.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
That's a rookie move by a rookie and he's going
to be penalized for it.
Speaker 5 (01:55):
Yeah, that was kind of ridiculous. I mean he had
taken him back at least seven yards, whistles were blowing,
and then he's picked him up and threw him on
the ground. So Justin Jefferson getting his first reception, it
was a blitz. Seattle does a great job. They're disguise
in picking their spots here at the play personal.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Foul and this sy roughness defense continuen number first tell.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
Say number three feet, So everybody dream and thank you
who knows who made that foolish plus.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Say his name so everyone at lubid could hear it.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Hey, Pete, I'm going to bring him behind the scenes
for a second if you don't mind. So there, I'm
just going to say, somebody with the Seattle staff who
knows me through others who are on the Seattle staff.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Who I've known for years.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
And the individual walked by the box box and kind
of smirked at me at halftime, and Pete knows what
I said. We had to close the door. The announcer
was apoplectic. Spearfish comes in and basically is like, you
need to calm down. Okay a box. I was like,
he couldn't handle Flores defense when he was here, and
(03:05):
you can bleeping have him. And we had to close
the door. Oh ye, people was right next to me
when I did that.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
It was the day.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
It was just loud, and you got you got these
you were talking to hockey, you got these food and beverage,
These nicest ladies in the world looking at me, just terrified, just.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Trying to put more water bottles in the bucket.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Eye I read my face was when this guy snickered
at me at halftime, and I'm like, you can have him, okay,
how about rams game? Okay anyway, So anyway, Sue Cup Manufacturing,
Pete suecup dot Com, be nice to manufacture a victory
and maybe against Washington to begin, teams lost four in
a row. How do we manufacture a victory just really
(03:47):
against anybody.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
It's not it's not complicated that side of it, right,
It's it's a matter of quick turning the damn ball over.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
It's it's really that's that part of it's that simple.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Maybe maybe stop killing our field position with penalties and
special teams, that would help too, But that's that's it.
That's where you start. I mean, what else you're giving
up extra possessions. I mean you look at you look
at the numbers, and if I had if I told
you before the game that Brozmann was going to throw
(04:20):
for two less yards than Sam Donald, you would probably
have been like, Wow, the kid's gonna light it up,
or the kid's gonna look great. Right, you know, thirty
passing attempts, we only you know, we ran the ball
sixteen times. But again that total number forty six, right,
it's only forty four forty five. You know, we're just
not running plays. So the ability to just move the
(04:45):
chains is important, stay on the field the time. I mean,
it's all the problem is is everything's such a chain reaction, right,
You just one thing goes here and another thing goes
over there, and then all of a sudden, all these
other things start, you know, rearing their ugly heads. But
if you can just stay on the field and keep moving,
(05:06):
keep moving, the chains and other things are kinda they're
going to show up on the good side. So it's
a it's an avalanche effect, and uh, you have to
start somewhere. And I think you know, obviously, turning the
football over is the biggest thing, because that's just putting
our defense on the field more. It's killing momentum offensively,
(05:27):
field position. Blah blah blah blah blah. I mean, there's
no way that Seattle Seahawks walked away from Looming Field
yesterday happy with their offensive performance. Really, there's no way,
right right, this is a this is the the number what,
number four passing team in the league, number one per play,
smoking marriage and yeah, and they had two hundred and
(05:47):
what two hundred and some odd yards of offense. I mean,
it's it's like they can't be thrilled with that either.
So we just got to keep up with them, and
we got to find a way. But it's it's getting
it's getting tough because you have all these pretty things,
you have all these wide receivers and you know you
can't just you just can't get them the football, and
(06:08):
that that could be a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
In that regard, go ahead, unhappy people, this.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Is a feewa fairness and will family act. In case
all of them are listening, go ahead and pause there
for a second. Let that sin again. It's bad ball.
It's just bad ball. And don't listen to me. Listen
to what Harrison Smith said.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
After the game.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
I'm looking at a tweet from young Alec at alec underscore.
Lewis question was, what's the frustration level? Harrison, I don't know.
I don't know if there's a frustration level at this point.
It's just bad ball now, I mean that's harsh, and
the defense did play winning football and majority of the game.
(06:52):
But when potential hof and Viking's immortality says it's just
bad ball, what do you think about all that?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (07:01):
I Harrison's been around long enough where he's gonna give
you some brute honesty. He's gonna he has a certain
level of expectation where he wants to be. He's played
winning football, He's been on a lot of winning football teams,
and when it's not there, it's.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He has a lot more.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
I guess if you take a look at his catalog
of games to compare it to as opposed to I
don't know, Dallas Turner right or Jalen Redmond right. He's
been around a long time, he's seen a lot of
good football, and you know he's saying we're just not
good enough, and he's honest enough about it.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So I I those kinds of things, those postgame.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Interviews when guys say stuff, Yeah, you're emotional, you should
be pissed off, you shouldn't be happy about what just happened.
So you know, he wasn't calling anybody in particular out,
but I mean, it's it's honesty, right, It's bad foot
it's bad football.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Well that's that's what it was.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
So now you just have to go about fixing it
and have the discipline and the wherewithal than want to
to do what you have to do to fix it,
and the extra time whatever it takes to turn this
thing around and beat the Commanders when they come into
town on Sunday. That's all you should be thinking about
for the next five days, six days.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
How realistic is it at this point in time for
this team to quote unquote turn it around or you know,
maintain that focus, whether it's the potential hof safety saying
what he said, I think the stud wide receiver said
a lot by simply just kind of not going to
talk to reporters today. I'm just gonna, you know, chill
(08:34):
out a little bit and I'm going to head back
to Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Like how how realistic is it?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You know, for some stark contrast to emerge to what
we've seen the last four.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
It can happen.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
I guess it's a matter of the right person has
to lead this team out of this. The quarterback position
needs to lead this team out of this, meaning get
out on the field, have a couple of good drives,
protect the football, do better on third down, and it
doesn't have to be a total one to eighty, but
at least show some progress, right, throw some throw some
(09:12):
balls where the receiver has to go up and make
a great play and move the chains and get that
good feeling again.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I mean, that's I think offensively, that's that.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
Position that spot really really needs to whoever it is
a quarterback, they need to try. They need to turn
this thing around and just show some light at the
end of the tunnel. Show some progress and then everybody,
I think everybody around them will respond. Right, you'd like
to say the defense for theoretically, I mean, you sit
(09:40):
down as a defense and you say, you can only
worry about what you can control. You can't control when
you take the field if it's turnover or after the
offense scores a touchdown. Either way, whenever you step on
the field, you got to play at a certain level.
So but still they'll get a boost out of it too, right,
defense will get a boost out of it too. I
can't imagine how much these the guys on defense would
(10:02):
love to step on the field with a two score
lead now, or with a ten point lead, yeah right,
or you know whatever, eight point lead and just have fun,
you know, trying to stop an offense that needs to
throw the football to catch up. It's been a while,
so they're facing teams that just you know, hand the
ball off, run the ball, run the ball, run the
ball short, you know, third and five on a short pass. Okay,
(10:22):
it's I think that if the quarterback position comes out,
gets us up and down the field, just to get
on a couple series early in the game. Whatever, that'll
spark this team and it'll help with a lot of
a lot of the woes and everything that we're seeing.
So that's where I personally think that that's going to
(10:43):
come from. Hey, I, it has to come from that
spot into the Washington game. Sunday noon, KFAM with with
I in the Sky at YouTube. Pete Bursige five to
six for your search.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Bar pleasure, maybe you do an extensive breakdown on the
maturation and progress of one Dallas Turner.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Doesn't that sound fun? It does, Dallas.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
It's like the light bulbs coming on in the regard
of playing in this system, right, it's because it's a
different system under Flores. He didn't play that position in college,
so he's kind of learning how to walk in that regard.
The injuries to Van Ginkle and and Grenard, I think
(11:30):
have helped him in that he's been out there steadily
week after week after week.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Uh, because it's hard.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
It's hard to you know, it's hard to take either
Gernard or Van Ginkle off the field.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So it's just been kind of it's been.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
Tough for outside outside of situationally for Garnard. I'm sorry
for Turner to be out there week in and week out.
He has been now for a lot of this season,
and we're finally starting to see the instinct of the
position and it matters. He's not just a d lineman anymore.
He's playing outside linebacker, which is a very nuanced position.
(12:05):
We see Andrew van Ginkle do what he does when
the quarterback has to pump fake a quick screen on
the outside because Van Ginkle is in the throwing lane, right,
That's that's the Those are the little things, the effects
that you can have, and he's picking up on it.
So we all know the athleticism is there. We know
the explosiveness is there. And maybe you know, you look
(12:27):
back that fifteen yard penalty that he got earlier this
year on the sack that we all thought was garbage,
Well maybe that's why against you know, yesterday he batted
that football and and and you know, knocked it out
of Darnold's hands instead of just lighten them up.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Right.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
So it's it's a it's cool to see the evolution
of him and see him grow up right in front
of our eyes. And it's a he's not done yet though.
That's the main thing, right, You're not done, You just
you're just getting started. So every week needs to needs
to be a step forward, and you have to do
what you have to do to continue to improve because
you're not there yet, but you're you're you're showing us
(13:05):
that you could be a game changing outside linebacker.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Hmm.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
With I in the sky, what do you think of
this idea? Perhaps you contact Greg Coleman, he zooms in
from Jacksonville and you guys break down Ryan Wright having
the best season of his career.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
What do you think about that? That's something? Right?
Speaker 5 (13:22):
The kicker, the kicking game is at least the kickers
are doing great. Right, Yeah, we didn't. We didn't see
any of our field goalk We didn't see any record yesterday, do.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Me no, But you know what I mean seriously speaking, though,
when you haven't scored a touchdown in like seven quarters
and everything is so tightly congested with just trying to
win the time of possession or at least push it
you're your punter all of a sudden is very important.
And this this young man is coming through with flying colors,
(13:52):
isn't he.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Pete.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Yeah, he's doing well. I mean as he's doing his
job is what he's supposed to do. So, I mean,
you know, like I said, both the kickers. I think
doing a good job out terrific as far as that goes.
I mean, when you're two and eight, what do we two?
Will we two for eight on third down?
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Yeah, something like that. We're gonna be putting the ball
a lot, So.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
I gotta be games like that. I don't spend a
ton of time in the box score after a game
like that, but I know I'm not.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
Arguing wow, right, And that's kind of I think the problem,
not the problem, but the challenge of this whole thing
is just because it went that way, you still need
to look at the numbers, right, You still need to
look at the numbers. And when you do, you're you're
you're amazed that that that what we what we were
able to do. I mean, yeah, there were two attacks.
(14:39):
We held the Seahawks to under one hundred yards passing.
I mean, honest to god, they're averaging two fifty a game.
Were they two forty eight point five right under one hundred?
It's pretty damn remarkable. Part of it's like, oh, yeah, well,
we just running the ball because it didn't well, no,
they it's still they they weren't able to get vertical
(14:59):
Jackson Smith, the Jigba broke a eleven game, ye had
it was the first player in NFL history with seventy
five receiving yards in the first eleven games. Right, that's
it third most by a player in eleven games in
the Super Bowl era.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
And what do you get yesterday? Twenty something?
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Right, So there's so many good things that if you
just ignore the numbers, you won't see it. Plus and
the defense was forced to go out there what four
extra times?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:28):
So yeah, I mean there's there's a lot third down
needs to get better offensively. That's what I'm talking about.
Stringing things together, starting with the quarterback position. Get some
momentum again in that regard, whether it's on the ground
or through whatever, but just string some first downs together
and I think that you know, you get that momentum,
and that's where you that's where you begin playing air
(15:48):
or free because those mistakes are going to kill you.
Were not good enough to overcome five yard penalties and
things like that.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
So anyway, well, let me ask you this.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
That quarterback position, and I just think I think it's
absolutely vital, not just for the mentality of whoever the
quarterback is this weekend and beyond, but for the team
in general when you talk about just needing to see something,
finding and feeling some form of success. So we know
Kevin O'Connell's offense can be super high end. We saw
it a year ago one fourteen games with that offense.
(16:21):
But this year, whether it's the six games with McCarthy,
the game you saw from Max yesterday, each of those
quarterbacks have in some ways, despite being a little bit
different in their style, have really suffered the same consequences
of this offense. At this stage with five games to go,
is there anything that the head coach can do that
the offensive staff can do to maybe take some pressure
(16:45):
off the kids whoever it is and manufacture some of
that success. Is there anything we can do to put
it any more dead center on a silver platter so
that these kids can find some success the final five
I I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I I really don't think.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
So this offense has already changed a ton, just just
if you look at it from a schematic standpoint compared
to you look at what we ran as an offense
last year to what we're doing this year. It's all
it's already changed a ton, and they've tried to accommodate
I think as much as they can for the young
(17:24):
you know, for the younger quarterback.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
And so it's just not our style. We're just that's
not us. We're not.
Speaker 5 (17:33):
Play action and and you know drag and dig and
you know, dink and dunk and all those we don't.
We're just not that's not our offense. That's not our identity,
it's not who we are. We don't have a bunch
of road graders that like you know, offensive linemen that
just can run block, but they don't like the pass block.
So it's a different it's a completely I guess to
(17:53):
a keep to continue to accommodate it, to accommodate what
what the players that you have would require a paradigm shift.
That's that's beyond what they can accomplish, I think in
one year. So it's you know, you are who you are,
you have an identity as an offense, this is who
we are, this is what we do, and this is
what we aspire to. And they when the players got
(18:16):
to meet you halfway, the players have to elevate themselves
to that system. And that's the true essence of the
whole thing. Is how much of a push and pull
is it is the coach is asking too much, is
that the player is not responding, and those things we
really you really don't know unless you're sitting out there
at practice and in the meeting rooms and know exactly
(18:37):
what's going on. So we can only speculate from the outside.
But like I said, this is this isn't the offense
we ran a year ago. So I know the coaches
and the coaching staff are doing everything they can to
accommodate the young quarterback and young quarterbacks period. And you know,
that's a that's a tough spot because this is not
(18:58):
what our offense is. It's not what's going to be right.
You know, this is a temporary window of developing a
kid quarterback, whether whichever one it is. But you're developing
a kid quarterback, so you you you you change to
accommodate that and then you know, and gradually grow out
of it.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
So this is sort of too that kind of lends
to some pessimism in the short term then, Pete, right,
I mean, you know, of course, the identity of this team, sadly,
specifically offensive has become mistakes. Whether it's I mean they
have more they have more turnovers as an offense, right
now than they do have offensive touchdowns at this stage
of the season. So, you know, optimism for the future,
(19:37):
but maybe some pessimism kind of continues here in the
short term. If if, if there's nothing, if you're feeling
that that paradigm shift might be too tall a task, yeah, yeah, if.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
It is, it's I guess you just have to You
have to you have to redo your your your your
what your wins are right and make them if you
have to make them smaller, you got to make them
smaller and then find out what those are, do it,
and then build on that as quickly as possible. But yeah,
like I said, it's you don't want to read You
(20:12):
don't want to redo the entire offense for where you
are right now because we're not. The one thing you
expect out of a young quarterback is improvement week in
and week out, to be able to build week in
and week out. So you can't you don't design your
entire offense on where the quarterback is right now. Now,
maybe if you have a veteran guy and you have
(20:34):
Kirk Cousins, Yeah, that's exactly what you do, right This
is our guy, this is what he can do, and
this is what we're going to build around, and this
is what our offense is going to look like based
on that skill set. Right now, it's such a that
that skill set is such a moving target. How much
do you, you know, yank everything off the table.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
I do know this.
Speaker 5 (20:55):
The better you run the football, the easier it's going
to be on the quarterback. That's I mean, that's just
the bottom. That's just so the emphasis on the run
and blocking the run and being positive and that you
don't have to be you know, Red Grange and all that.
You can just as long as you're efficient in the
running game, that is always going to help. And that's
usually kind that's that's kind of the you know, general
(21:18):
way you look at it. Run the football, then you
can build the play action off it, and then the bootlegs,
and then after that you can say, all right, we'll
start dropping back and now you're comfortable and blah blah blah.
That's that's the old school way I guess of building up,
building up young quarterback. So that's where we are and
that's what it is, and it sucks, right, but it.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Is, But that's what I mean. These little wins.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
You got to find a way to see some light
at the end of the tunnel. You do, You're right
the last five weeks and I don't expect a total
flip of the record and all of a sudden, you know,
we're putting up to three hundred and some odd yards
through the air. But improvement weekend and week out, and
it starts with the turnovers. That's it, right there, you,
my friend, are and I look forward to seeing you
(22:02):
later this week.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
It's kind of like going to the dentist, isn't it.
What do you mean this? Just like okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Yeah, it's a verbal It's a verbal root canal without
nitrous oxide.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
That's about the only way to put it.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
It's like the one once you're talking about going to
the old Mattner's sleeping bag, which stops in it and everything.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
It's like, oh the good old days. Don't be don't
be a cow, don't run away from the storm. Be
a bison and run right into it, endure it for
a shorter amount of time, and beat it exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Let's not be a great, big fat cow. Tear the
band aid off quickly. You're you're the best, See you soon,
all right. PJ.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Fleck joins about thirteen minutes from now and nine to
Noon continues after this.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Another one bites the dust.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Hopefully teams don't look at the Minnesota Vikings playing that
little rift going. Another one bites the dust. This segment
is dedicated to a talk back, and then PJ. Flett,
coach of the Golden Gophers football team, joins nine minutes
from now and here they are.
Speaker 7 (23:09):
Good morning, nine to noon. This is your friendly neighborhood
delivery driver venue from mons View. I just want to
shout out you guys this morning for making it a
wing it Monday. If I had to make a suggestion,
if we could do a wing it Monday at Buffalo
Wild Wings more, we can eat wings and wing it there,
(23:31):
that would be amazing. You guys, have a great day
and stay.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
More appreciate you. And were that the case, I undoubtedly
would choke on the chicken. And I choke on the
chicken simply because I'm not a fan of fiena fairness
and nine to Noon act, sitting down for an hour
and fifteen minutes crafting four pages of fourteen font pros,
(23:57):
only to have it eliminated by the technological monsters that
are all part of the world, and we're in a
battle with all of the good of heaven kind before
the Earth was formed.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Talkbacks, let's play two, Pa Nordo. It's Ryan in Michigan.
Speaker 5 (24:20):
I heard a lot of people saying Brozman is going
to do the impossible, and by golly, he did.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
He made us all pine for the days of JJ McCarthy.
Oh that's me.
Speaker 5 (24:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
But we're handling talkbacks. Yeah, and the phone calls if
and or when we take them. I haven't looked at
the six four six eighty six since AOL was invented,
so you can handle that. We're handling all of that
with a plumb We're handling it with boise. We're handling
it with class, dignity, and respect. So even if unwarranted
strays are caught by people we have to we we
(24:55):
happen to enjoy h We on this wing of Monday
are just we're just gonna have to.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Let the old strays fly. Yes, we will cool with that.
I'm cool with that. Of course. You are you whooped
up on my fantasy basketball team. You're cool with anything.
Six to two felt good. I'll tell you that off
topic for a moment. APO Mike Arizona. Man, we got
the XP is good.
Speaker 6 (25:22):
It's good the Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
The producer's playing fast. And how do I know that, Well,
because PJ Fleck joins next, and it's wonderful Radio t's
three two. It's wonderful audio teas work to have somebody
celebrate taking the ax for the fourth time in the
last five years. And for us to say, hey, PJ.
(25:50):
Fleck is neck. Here's the last step. Its meal down
thirty five seconds. They will not need to snap again.
There's the dash to the end zone to the left.
Rushawn Lawrence is the first man there. The axe is
in hand. It stays where it belongs.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
In Minneapolis, Minnesota snow Angels from the Gopher cheerleaders head
first times by the Gopher players, and Minnesota beats Wisconsin
seventeen to seven, and the axe stays here.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
My Grima on the call on KFA N joining us
now is Golden gopherst head coach PJ. Fleck undefeated at
home with this portion of the season done, we got
a bowl game on the horizon, captured Paul Bunyan's axe,
which is becoming commonplace. And the head coach joins us now.
Everything I just said PG. That's all pretty cool. What
do you think about all that?
Speaker 6 (26:47):
And good morning, Yeah, good morning to you, Paul, thanks
for having us on. Yeah, it was a great win
for us. I mean, anytime you can beat your rival,
especially at home in front of your fans and in
the snow globe, man, you're gonna take advantage of it,
and and you're really going to enjoy it. And I
told our team before we played, I said, this is
your moment memory. Robbery games are always about the players
(27:08):
and UH and our fans, and they get a chance
to create their own moment memory. And you got to
make your own. Just because we won last year, that
was last year's team's moment memory. And but at the
end of regular season with the victory, UH, with the
with the acts stay at home against Wisconsin was a
great bow on a season there could bear. There's some
really great moments. There's some really disappointing moments, but every
(27:29):
season has those, UH. And now we're gonna get ready
for our bull preface. We get going towards that and
find out who we go play and where we go play.
So it's exciting time of year. UH. Just really really
proud of our team and the resolved and the resiliency
all year, and to cap it off with the robbery
win is really big for the University of Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
So what got any sneaky intel on what bowl game
we're going to get?
Speaker 6 (27:51):
I wish I did. I really don't, and I've heard
a gamut of them, so I mean heard four or
five of them. So right now it's all speculation. Everybody's
got of going somewhere else. Uh, just all depends on
what happens after this week.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Any any preferences, any like warm weather, destinations or anything.
Speaker 6 (28:08):
I think all ball games are great, so I'm the
wrong person to ask. I think all ball experiences and
create an unbelievable moment memory for our players and create
something very unique in their own way. We'll go anywhere,
that's for sure. So just like we love to, you know,
got to continue to work on playing anywhere. Uh, but
we've uh, we'll go anywhere because they're all really lead experiences.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So what So, what do you guys do next?
Speaker 1 (28:31):
I mean undefeated at home conference, don ballgame on horizon?
Speaker 2 (28:35):
What do you guys do next?
Speaker 6 (28:38):
Yeah, Well, we definitely don't go on vacation. We're in
the office or meet with our players today, you know,
doing everything we can, uh, signing contracts with our players,
getting them locked in for next year, retention, having a
lot of conversations with players, you know, the end of
the season type meetings, Uh, getting our players some rest uh,
and then you know we'll be practicing Thursday, Friday. Uh,
(28:58):
So getting our bull preps. Starting to move forward. But
you know, December is dead and recruiting now, which last
year it wasn't. January is a big recruiting month coming
up for us. But this is really huge for us
in the retention piece, meeting with a lot of players,
meeting a lot of with a lot of agents, and
getting our roster at least for the retention piece hopefully
solidified in the next few weeks so that we can
(29:20):
move into the portal piece. As we continued moving to
the portal in January.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
That on Darius Taylor's long touchdown run your right guard
and your center with the pin down double on the
defensive tackle for Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
That was a work of art. How about all that?
Speaker 6 (29:38):
Yeah, I say, Tony Nelson did a really good job
at right guard, and I love how he's playing, and
you know he's earned the opportunity to play a lot more,
and you know, I think aston Beer's on that play
did a great job. I think it was a good
play call. Here. We went on the quick where you know,
we were able to to get them in a certain defense,
get them to not check or try to check the check,
and we kind of caught him a little bit and
(29:58):
it was really good on the double team and Darius
took care of the rest a little bit of a
misfit that was the point of the of the cadence
and the play call and and worked in our advantage.
So that was a really good run, really good finished
by Darius. You know, he's he's kind of been beat
up all year, you know, and it's kind of been
one of those years for him. But when he's been
in there, he's made us a better football team. And
(30:19):
we had to get him continually to be healthy and
so we can have a great bowl game and see
what the future holds.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Paul Parker Fox has rolled into the studio to join
a PJ. Fleck, coach of the Golden Go First Football Team.
Good morning Barker, Good.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Morning, good morning Pj.
Speaker 8 (30:33):
You know, congratulations on the big win going, you know,
protecting that home field is something that I know a
lot of fans value. There's there's one play in the
game that really just made me smile, highlighted kind of
just the energy and the culture you guys have created.
As a big third down stop late in the fourth quarter.
I think Aiden Gooseby made the tackle and then he's
celebrating about twenty yards down the field with John Nester,
(30:54):
and this is before Wisconsin's going to go for it
on fourth down.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
So but just a really fun play.
Speaker 8 (30:59):
Can you talked about eating it would be a guy
that kind of goes underrated in your secondary.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
He really does. You know.
Speaker 6 (31:05):
We actually moved him the corner for this game, and
I think that just shows the type of versatility he
has at a safety position but also could play corner.
He is a team guy. He'll do whatever it takes
for the team. When you look at our secondary, at
least at the safety position, we're pretty deep. We got
a lot of really good players, but we're pretty thin
at the corner position, especially with Nester being out, my
Carold was being hurt in the last few weeks, and
(31:26):
Zakwan and kind of being hurt here and there, so
we've been kind of really thin back there and I
thought he did a great job stepping in, stepping up
and making some huge plays. And you know you mentioned
the seven to zero at home, and that has to
do with our fans. You know, this is nine years
into it where we want to create an environment where
it's really really difficult to play and our fans and
our student body. When you watch games all over the
country and you look at really bad weather and you
(31:48):
see a bunch of empty stans, that's not us. I mean,
it was a packed house. It was a rivalry game.
I think that just shows you know, what we're creating
and how great of an experience our fans, our student body,
our band and create. And I can't thank them all
enough because that's why we were seven to oh at
home for the first time since the thirties at a
(32:08):
long tizs one hundred years where we've been seven and
oh at home, undefeated since sixty seven, was undefeated where
it was less games.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
But.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
Seven no at home for the first time since the
thirties almost a century has says a lot about this
era of Gopher football and this era of Gopher fans,
and we're so thankful.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
For them, and I'm glad you said that because the
student section was packed. You know, like you're referencing and
that's a common thread that wasn't the case before you arrived.
I mean that really really makes a difference for the
young man, the kids, however you want to describe them
when they're playing in games, to look up.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
To the student section and be like, hey, they all
came to see us play.
Speaker 6 (32:51):
Yeah. It's commitment. And it's not just commitment from a
head coach or a staff or players. It's commitment from
a community. It's rowing the boat together. It's understanding. It's
way bigger than just us. We need our fans, we
need our band, we need our student section and our jobs.
As you create the best moment and memories we can
for everyone because we're the ones that have to play.
(33:11):
But everybody got a moment memory again and that's two again,
field Storm. I love that people do that. I love
that our students come down, specially and Robert. We get
on the field and the snow making snow Angels. I mean,
we have a ranked win against Nebraska that they do
that with and then you beat your rival in the
snow globe and what a moment memory that those students
will have forever they come here. It worked really hard.
(33:32):
They pay their tuition, you know. They want to go
to the football games and be around winners and be
a part of those experiences in those games. That's what
college football is all about. You want to have that.
And same thing with our season ticket holders and our supporters.
And when we first got here, we said that we
want to be able to pack Hunting the Bank Stadium
at the time, TCS Bank Stadium with people who maybe
don't even care much about football, but they care because
(33:55):
of how we play and row the boat and our
players in the community and how we run our program.
And I think nine years later, are we where we
want to be? Not yet, but that the cultural sustainability
allows you to have the best chance to do it.
And packing that stadium even on a night like that,
shows the progress we're making. And I can't thank our
fans at up.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
John Nester, the Chicago Kid, seven solos, two picks and
two tackles for loss.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
What do you love about all that?
Speaker 6 (34:23):
I just love that he loves football. He's a competitor,
he's tough. He fits this program so well, you know,
and I think that that's what you can talk about
the transferport. All we want we can talk about, you know,
the commitments, all we want we want to talk about
and I all we want. That's fine, But there's still
got to be a fit, you know, for people to
have in teams, to have success, they've got to have
(34:44):
a bunch of players that fit fit the culture, fit
the scheme, fit the identity, fit the response, fit the
cultural standard when things don't go right, fit the cultural
standard when things are going right. And he does. And
I think that's why he's been able to play so
well from when he got here in January to where
he is now. I think he's a more grown up person.
(35:04):
He's way more mature. He's a better football player. He's evolved,
he's grown, he's challenged himself, and I think he's in
a perfect fit for him as he continues to go
through his career.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Amen PJ. Flat, coach of the Golden Gophers football team.
Couple more to close. Can't skip skip steps as you
so adroit Lee detail. Max will learn from yesterday, but
probably wishes that step never happened.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 8 (35:31):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (35:31):
Absolutely? I mean that's really hard, right, I mean, no
matter what, losing is hard. But I do know that
he has a warrior spirit. He's an unbelievable leader, and
that young man will respond whatever that looks like, he'll respond.
And I'm sure he's walking into that building this morning
doing everything he can to be the best leader he
can be, learn as much as he possibly can, and
(35:53):
be willing to and able to respond in the next opportunity.
So that's all you can do. Again, I love I
love that young man.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
I mean he is.
Speaker 6 (36:03):
He's a phenomenal person. And even when you look back
at it and you look at like when North we
played North Carolina, it didn't go so well, but then
everything from there was unbelievable. Well, yesterday didn't go so well,
but from there, never know what that could be. So
so sometimes that that failing is necessary to grow. And
but the NFL is a non forgiving league. That's what
it stands for, and it's hard at that level. But
(36:25):
I'm really really excited to see how he responds.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
I had an extra field pass for you at Luminfield.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
I was hoping you were going to jet out there
for the game and like, surprise all those Golden Gophers
in the game.
Speaker 6 (36:37):
Well, I was going to and then you know, we
celebrated our birthday, my birthday on Saturday, and we had
some stuff we were going to do on Sunday because
of the players and getting all the agent meetings set up,
so I was going to but I had a great seat,
that's for sure. I had a great seat watching it
on TV.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
And Andy, I mean getting ready for the Turks and
kkos ball, I mean that requires every day you can
get right.
Speaker 6 (37:01):
Oh that teal blue water, you bet, man, you bet.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
The white sand. Oh you know what.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Yesterday was boy A mafees twenty seventh birthday, and you know,
deep dive in the game up to the game. He's
done really well for himself in the NFL. You guys
did a good job getting him ready. But four years
into it, twenty seven years of age, boy A Mafees
he belongs.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
He really does.
Speaker 6 (37:23):
He's worked so hard, and you know, he was such
a developmental player when he got here, and he'd grown
so much as a person and as a football player,
and then it's transferred that over into the National Football
League and I know they're ecstatic to have him. And
I think Nick Callar have had a really good game
as well for Seattle. And you've seen multiple Gophers on
the field yesterday and that was really important for us
and him. You shoot, this football team, we're seven and five,
(37:44):
but you know we lost nine players that are in
NFL games yesterday from last year's football team, the twenty
twenty five team. And to still be able to go
to a bull game b seven and five and seven
and zero at home and beat Wisconsin just says a
lot about the program and where we're at and rowing
into the future here as we keep moving forward.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
All Right, I know you have to go.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
You're busy getting those trick plays and gadgets ready for
the Antigua ball.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
So enjoy December and we will call you soon. Okay,
I appreciate it.
Speaker 6 (38:13):
Brow the boat, sky Malgo Gophers the school bikes. Thanks.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
See you about PJ. Flax, coach of the Golden Gophers
football team. Hey, it's Parker Foxy at Parker Fox two four.
Now he's going to join us for a Steve's Appliances
marathon around the corner. You're listening to nine to noon
on KFAM.
Popular Podcasts
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.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.