Richard Pitino: P.J. Fleck Is A 'Home Run'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota introduced new football coach, P.J. Fleck, Friday to much pomp and circumstance -- provided by the coach himself.

But now comes the hard part -- he has to win.

Fleck's resume is certainly there -- he led Western Michigan to a 13-0 record this season before losing to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl.

But this will be his first time competing in a major conference -- certainly a step up -- and at 36 he is the youngest head coach in a Power 5 conference.

If Fleck is wondering at all what that adjustment will be like, he doesn't have to look very far.

If there's anybody who knows what it's like to be a head coach in his 30s about to take over his first-ever major conference job at the University of Minnesota, it would be Richard Pitino, who pretty much did the exact same thing four years ago. So what advice would he give?

"Ummm. Tell him to fill up his gas tank," he said. "It was a joke. I would say, I think he's going to be terrific.

"Got unbelievable energy, enthusiasm, you can tell his players love him -- that's probably first and foremost the most important thing. I think he's going to do ridiculously well. I think he's a home run.

"So I don't think he needs advice from me, I think he's a pretty darn good coach and deserving of the reputation."

At 34 and 36, respectively, Pitino and Fleck are both the youngest at their jobs in a major conference -- and Pitino conceded there is no blueprint for making the transition.

"It's an adjustment, yeah, it's definitely an adjustment, that takes time," he said.

"I guess the one thing when you're younger, you know, experience, the more you're in it, the more weird things pop up, that there may not be a manual for. So I'm sure he'll surround himself with a great staff, who can help him with those things, but you know, to do what he did at Western Michigan, that was terrific."

Now, can he do it here?