P.J. Fleck shares Minnesota’s journey plans for first ever sport at Oregon

LAS VEGAS — In 16 weeks, Oregon can be internet hosting Minnesota for the primary time ever and that isn’t the one uncommon facet of the Big Ten matchup. The Ducks play at Iowa the week earlier than internet hosting the Friday evening sport towards the Golden Gophers, who’ve a bye earlier than coming to Eugene.

“That’s unique,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning stated. “If you’re aware of it, you communicate it and don’t make the moment bigger than the moment — go play the game not the occasion, we’ll be fine.”

It’s considered one of three Friday evening video games at West coast Big Ten groups in 2025 wherein the house crew is coming off a highway journey and the customer is coming off a bye — Washington hosts Rutgers and USC hosts Northwestern underneath those self same circumstances.

Minnesota, which went 8-5 final season, ended the 2024 common season with a Friday day sport at Wisconsin. It has additionally performed a number of Friday evening video games and brought a number of West coast journeys throughout P.J. Fleck’s tenure, together with to Oregon State in 2017.

Fleck stated his expertise from Western Michigan taking part in midweek video games within the MAC can be helpful when making ready to return to Autzen Stadium late within the fall.

“I like to keep everybody on Central time and keep it pretty standard,” Fleck stated. “I don’t like to get out somewhere 2-3 days early. I’ve never been that way.”

The Ducks performed two Friday evening video games final season; at residence towards Michigan State and at Purdue.

Unlike Fleck, former Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith stated he’d desire to get to a West coast web site two days earlier than the sport sooner or later, however that was “not feasible” final yr with the Spartans coming off taking part in Ohio State earlier than dealing with Oregon. The Ducks confronted the identical problem when touring to West Lafayette.

At least getting into the season, Fleck’s plan is to reach the day earlier than Minnesota’s two West coast video games — the Gophers play at Cal on Sept. 13.

“We take all the information and data from the National Football League when they travel internationally and when they’re going so many time zones over,” Fleck stated. “We have certain routines we use on the plane; what we do on the plane, before we get on the plane, when we get off the plane.

“There’s all these little 1% advantages you’re trying to grab because you’re doing a huge trip and a lot of people are going to set the narrative of talking about (it) and create a distraction. … It’s all about presentation. I think presentation is a big key of it. How do you present that to your football team.”

— James Crepea covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten.