Another Big Ten school is dealing with the possibility of a toxic environment within its football program. This time it revolves around P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
According to an interview with Front Office Sports, former players weighed in on the Minnesota football program comparing it to that of a cult. One term used in the interviews collected by FOS was the Fleck Bank. It ultimately meant that players could get away with a positive drug test or violation of team rules according to the report.
“You almost wondered who was a rat and who wasn’t a rat,” the first player told FOS. “You always felt like you had to keep [your] guard up. They told us we could seek help with a mental health counselor, and get some therapy sessions. But our schedules were so busy that it was like, when would you do that?”
“Some of Fleck’s recruits tested positive, but he looked past it because they had coins in the Fleck Bank from doing community service or staying around to pray with him,” said the second player. “He wanted you to be family, and he wanted you to do whatever he wanted you to do.”
With so much attention on cultures within programs after the hazing scandal at Northwestern, it remains to be seen what this could mean for the Minnesota program. Athletic director Mark Coyle seems to be firmly in the corner of Fleck but this could become a fluid situation to monitor if any current players come forward as well.