If you've followed the University of Minnesota's hiring of football coach P.J. Fleck, you've probably heard the phrase "Row the Boat" once or twice.
"Row the Boat" – P.J. Fleck's mantra – reportedly will be shipped to University of Minnesota
January 26, 2017 at 6:30PM
Fleck's coined mantra apparently soon will be an official part of the Gophers football program.
"Row the Boat" is in the process of being transferred as property of Western Michigan University, where Fleck coached for four years until this month, to the University of Minnesota, according to MLive.com in Michigan.
"It's just a matter of negotiating the terms of the release of that intellectual property," Western Michigan trustee William Johnston said. No details on the terms have been reported.
The phrase, still used by Fleck and quickly adopted by Gophers fans, has been a rallying cry for the spirited 36-year-old coach since he started at Western Michigan. Fleck has said the phrase stuck with him and helped he and his family through the death of their son, Colt, after birth because of a heart condition.
At his introductory news conference, Fleck said he wanted to keep the phrase "Row the Boat" while respecting the Gophers' "Ski-U-Mah" slogan.
"I'm not here to change tradition. Ski-U-Mah is going to be all over the place. Row the Boat will be mixed," Fleck said. "I'm not here to change tradition. What I am here to do is change a culture; to change a movement. For us to create and experience things that the University of Minnesota football has only dreamed of and hasn't accomplished since the late '60s. With all due respect, that's why I took the job."
Defensive back de-commits
A Florida defensive back rescinded his verbal commitment to play for the Gophers a few days after a visit with Wake Forest, where ex-Gophers defensive assistant Jay Sawvel is now employed.
Raheem Layne, a 6-foot, 175-pound recruit from Sebastian, Fla., had committed to Minnesota under former head coach Tracy Claeys and then-defensive coordinator Sawvel, who was hired last week to the same post at Wake Forest.
"After talking things over with my family I have decided that it is best for me to de-commit from the University of Minnesota," Layne tweeted Monday night, three days after his visit with the Demon Deacons.
Layne is rated as a three-star prospect by Scout and also has received offers from Iowa, Indiana, Purdue and Virginia Tech.
Minnesota’s record climbed to 16-1, and Amaya Battle had 21 points, six rebounds and five assists when two standout first-year players — Minnesota’s Tori McKinney and Rutgers' Kiyomi McMiller — weren’t available to play.
