KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — PJ Fleck has what he wants, a head coaching job at a Power Five school and a whopping salary, said to be for $18.5-million over five years.
But for all the nice words exchanged between the coach and staff in Kalamazoo, it’s still a business, and a very competitive one at that.
It’s been learned that Fleck has been calling some of the high school athletes he had already recruited to come to WMU next fall, and is now trying to persuade them to come to Minnesota instead.
At least 8 have withdrawn their commitments to Western and 3 of them have said they are switching to the University of Minnesota.
Fleck also plans to raid the coach’s staff at WMU and will be moving some of them to Minneapolis.
WMU will be scrambling to hire a new coach, and whoever that is will be dealing with the scorched earth left behind by Fleck.
Athletic Director Cathy Beauregard says because of the timing, they may need to appoint an interim coach to resume recruiting before they run out of time. Letters of intent have to be secured by February 1st.
WMU Officials say there is still unfinished business with Fleck, including a $600,000 claw back provision that WMU is owed if Fleck left for another school. Western will be exercising that clause and demanding that either Fleck, or the Golden Gophers pay the bill.
The Board of Trustees also owns the rights to the “Row the Boat” mantra, and if Fleck wants to use it again, he may need to compensate them for that as well.
