MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Football Head Coach P.J. Fleck admitted on Friday that his team needed, and deserved, a break.
"I can't begin to describe what the last three weeks have been like," he told reporters just after his team wrapped up its final practice before heading to Tampa for the Outback Bowl.
"There's a lot of fun things to do before we play in that game, and that's what they've earned. They've earned the right to have a lot of fun, enjoy one of the best games in the country ... and play one of the best teams in the country."
Fleck said his team took a week off after the regular season ended so his players could focus on academics. The second week, he said, they treated like spring practice. The third week they used to prepare and gameplan for the Tigers, and they will continue to do that when they get to Tampa on Dec. 26.
It adds up to 11 or 12 practices total before the game, he said.
"They're very talented, we're talented ... we've both had a long time to prepare for each other. I think it's going to be a great matchup."
AP third-team All-American Rashod Bateman, a Georgia native, said their SEC foe is no reason to prepare or play any differently than the Gophers have all season.
"It's just another game that we get to go play. No matter if it's SEC, PAC-12 or Big Ten, it's just another opponent that we need to go play our best against, no need to be scared," he said.
