The cessation of all sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything for coaches and players in the United States.

And while everyone is on an equal footing for the foreseeable future when it comes to college athletics, when it comes to football Gophers, the coach P.J. Fleck’s the workforce is really disadvantaged for two reasons.

One is that Fleck has proven to be a great talent developer and one of the best game plan coaches in the country, so losing spring training and spring play could really hurt the team if they lost. actually all this teaching time. Fleck said he could see the practice of spring potentially starting again until June, so spring hasn’t been lost yet.

The second reason is that the Gophers are bringing in so many new coaches, and this time at the start of the year is essential to get everyone on the same page.

The three most significant staff hires were Mike Sanford Jr., the offense coordinator and the quarterback coach; cornerback coach Paul Haynes; and defensive line coach Chad Wilt.

You have to imagine that for the Gophers staff – who work not only with their current roster, but also with players who have finished their senior seasons but who are still in school, not to mention the incoming freshmen who have enrolled early in college – it’s a very trying time.

The Gophers were supposed to have their spring game on April 4 at TCF Bank Stadium, but with that no longer happening, the coaching staff mainly focused on recruiting the calls. The NCAA also banned personal recruitment.

Earlier this month, Fleck said this about the demands that were already being placed on his freshmen before the sport closed.

“They just arrived a few months ago, they are adapting to a new life so that they can adapt to college life and college football and all the expectations we have for them,” said Fleck. “But they are doing a good job. We will know more and who will be able to help us once we have crossed the spring ball. “

The fact that the team failed to pass the spring ball will make matters more difficult once the activity ban is lifted by the NCAA.

Non-conference slate

Last season, the Gophers had to do everything in their power to clear the undefeated three-game conference list.

They opened with one of the best FCS teams in the country, sneaking through South Dakota State 28-21 at home, then needed to double overtime and play miraculously to win Fresno State 38 -35 before coming together to beat Georgia Southern 35-32 at home at a Tyler Johnson touchdown reception.

These three teams combined to finish 19-19 last season while the Gophers continued their historic 11-2 campaign.

Because 2020 is a year where Big Ten West teams play four home conference games and five on the road, the next Gophers schedule includes three off-conference home games, as part of a home game of four games to open the season. Assuming the season goes as planned, the Gophers will face Florida Atlantic on September 3, followed by FCS member Tennessee Tech on September 12. This followed with a home game Friday against Iowa, one of the first Gophers conference games in recent memory. After that, they returned to the conference game and welcomed Brigham Young on September 26.

These three non-conference opponents all posted records of 500 or better in 2019, with Florida Atlantic 11-3.

And Iowa was one of the best teams in the country at 10-3, including a 23-19 victory over the Gophers in Iowa City. ESPN raced in the top 25 recent preseason and had the Gophers at # 16 and the Hawkeyes at # 20.

Fleck recently said he was delighted with this non-conference schedule.

“The two people we are going to meet outside the conference at [FBS] level, FAU had a great year last year, more than 10 wins last year with the coach [Lane] Kiffin [who became the coach at Mississippi in the offseason] and I know they come back a lot of people, especially a really athletic and really precise quarterback [Chris Robinson] who is very talented, “said Fleck.

“BYU is always a tough football match, and everyone always knows that, whether at home or away, they are adult men. Many of these guys are older, 24, 25, 26 returning from their [Mormon] mission and they’re ready to play. They are very physical. They have had great success in recent years and they have a very good quarterback in the[[[[Zach] Wilson child. We have a wonderful schedule of non-conferences and intriguing meetings. “

Tight-tipped offense

The Gophers were set to experiment using tighter ends in their offensive game plan this spring, after that position was somewhat limited in 2019.

His best receiver was Jake Paulson, but he only had four receptions for 51 yards in nine games. Brevyn Spann-Ford has four receptions for 25 yards in 12 games.

But in the 31-24 Outback Bowl victory over Auburn, tight end Bryce Witham had two of the biggest receptions of the game and ended up with 12 receiving yards, touchdown and first down.

Fleck said the team always wanted to highlight the tight ends but had to have the right players, saying, “You can’t stick a square peg in a round hole. If the tight ends are not ready to be an integral part of the offense, they probably will not be. Last year we felt like we had a chance and then we got injured guys so it wasn’t huge in what we were doing. This year, it’s going to be a huge part of what we do. We feel we have three really experienced tight ends that can really play the game. “

Another reason Fleck is optimistic about this group is because of what Sanford has been doing on a tight package throughout his career.

“I think that’s what we want to develop, what we wanted to develop. In year 4 at Western Michigan, we used our limits. It’s a unique position and you have to be ready to use it, ”said Fleck. “You have to be able to use it at a high level if you are going to use it because it means you are taking a ball that could go to [wide receivers] Rashod Bateman or Chris Autman-Bell or Demetrius Douglas or one of your backs, and it’s worth it. For us, it’s worth it.

“We are at a point where our tight ends have really changed. [Tight ends coach] Clay Patterson does a great job of coaching and I think it’s the best the room has been since we’ve been here. “

Yes, this next Gophers football season is very promising, but for now, it – like almost everything else – is on hold.