BAD BOY MOWERS PINSTRIPE BOWL MEDIA CONFERENCE

December 6, 2022

Mark Holtzman

Mark Coyle

P.J. Fleck

John Wildhack

Dino Babers

Yankee Stadium

Press Conference

RYAN RUOCCO: We welcome you to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. A special YES Network presentation during this holiday season as we get ready for the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl December 29th, 2 p.m., right here in the Bronx.

Welcome to everybody watching on the YES Network as well as the YES app and streaming the broadcast on PinstripeBowl.com. Ryan Ruocco your host.

Joining me on the dais the executive director of the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl Mark, Holtzman, who we'll hear from in just a moment. We also have key principal figures from Syracuse as well as from Minnesota. The athletic director from Minnesota, Mark Coyle joining us, as well as their head coach P.J. Fleck. From Syracuse, the athletic director and my former boss at ESPN, John Wildhack, as well as their head coach Dino Babers. We will hear from all of them in just a bit.

Mark, we've experienced this for a long time now, 12 years there has been a Pinstripe Bowl, new sponsor this year with Bad Boy Mowers. You and I know the holidays in New York this time of year, it's always special.

This bowl has become part of the fabric of New York this time of year. I want to give you the opportunity to welcome everybody in as we kick off what is going to be a really fun few weeks.

MARK HOLTZMAN: Thank you, Ryan. I can't believe it's been 12 years.

Good morning, everyone, welcome. On behalf of team president Randy Levine and the entire Steinbrenner family, I'd like to welcome everyone to the 12th annual Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. That sounds good.

To the Minnesota Golden Gophers, your first time playing here, to Coach Fleck, A.D. Mark Coyle, and the entire Gopher Nation around the country, welcome. I hope to see a lot of you here for the game.

Of course, to Syracuse, Coach Babers, who I've known for many years, A.D. John Wildhack, and the hundreds of thousands of Syracuse loyal fans both in the New York metropolitan area and tri-state area, as well as upper New York state. Welcome. We hope to see you here as well.

The 12th annual Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl is truly a season of firsts this year. It's the first time a two-time Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl champion in Syracuse is playing in our game going for a record-setting third win.

It's hard for me to believe that it's 10 years, 10 years, since Syracuse last played in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. It's 10 years since Prince-Tyson Gulley ran wild on the field for about 220 yards in the snow. Ryan Nassib was throwing darts on the field. Of course, one of Doug Marrone's signature games, he was carried off the field in the snow and went on to great things from there.

It's also the first time for Big Ten powerhouse Minnesota to play in our game. We've been following the Golden Gophers for many years. They've had a fine record for a number of years, a nationally ranked team with a dynamic young coach in P.J. Fleck and some great players including Mohamed Ibrahim, one of the top running backs in the country, and of course a linebacker, first name is Mariano Sori-Marin. How can a Mariano not be successful in Yankee Stadium?

It's also the first time in recent memory that a conference has delivered in the Big Ten. When we entered into the deal, they said they would deliver eight different schools in eight years. With all the bowls in business now, that's very hard.

Congratulations, Commissioner Kevin Warren, Commissioner Jim Delany, you were able to accomplish that. It's not easy to do.

It's also the first time for a new title sponsor for the Pinstripe Bowl: Bad Boy Mowers, who is celebrating their 20th year in business. Thank you, CEO Pete Ballantyne. Thank you director of marketing Lindsey Keller. In today's sports landscape you had many different opportunities to choose. You could have chosen a variety of different sports and bowls. You chose ours. We're thrilled that you did. We hope to live up to all of your expectations.

I'd also like to thank at this time Michael Tusiani from the New York Yankees and Chris Foy from Legends. Without them the Bad Boy Mowers sponsorship would not have been possible.

Bad Boy Mowers is a great company, and their products are known for reliability, ruggedness and power. They're at the forefront of innovation. It's those same qualities which were in Syracuse and Minnesota, which is why we chose those two schools.

A lot of people don't know it, we'll get into it further, but we do have choices when we pick the team that participates in the bowl. We've chosen to pick those two teams for a reason. We feel that they embody all the qualities that Bad Boy Mowers embodies, as well. We're thrilled to have both of them.

Finally, this game is also a testament to the late, great, George Steinbrenner's vision. I can't give an introduction to our bowl game without talking about George for a minute or two.

George was also a very close friend, John, excuse me if I pronounce it wrong, your former A.D. Jack Crouthamel. George was a very close friend of him as well as former Big Ten commissioner Wayne Duke. He was a huge person on the college football scene. And next to baseball, George's first love was football.

For many of you that don't know, George was an assistant coach both at Purdue and Northwestern before he went into his dad's shipbuilding business. When he built the new Yankee Stadium, it was always his dream to have big-time college football here.

I know that he would be thrilled that we are able to take the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl to where it is today. I know that George is smiling.

Later in the program we'll talk about what we're doing the week of the bowl. We have a lot of the same terrific events we've had in past years. We'll get into that as we get later into the body of this program.

It's now back to you.

RYAN RUOCCO: One thing I want to follow up with you right away. You talked about the selection process, how there are choices. Give us a little idea of how you did land on Syracuse and Minnesota and why those two programs are going to be participating in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl this year.

MARK HOLTZMAN: Well, I'd like to call it the middle of the pack. We always have some options. Like I said, we want the schools to embody certain qualities that the Yankees have, and we also want schools that we believe will resonate here at Yankee Stadium.

Obviously Syracuse has played here before. You've seen the results. We've had packed stadiums both times. There's a tremendous amount of alumni within this region.

Minnesota, okay, the program has been very solid the last few years. They have a great coach. They also have a pretty strong alumni base in that Boston to Washington corridor, which is very important for us to be able to draw from.

Also Christmastime, you want to have an airport relatively accessible. There's some major airports right in Minneapolis-St. Paul that you can fly into multiple airports here.

We just felt the combination of those two schools, they played against each other a few times, they are both exciting teams, can be explosive at times, both have good defenses, both play very hard for their coaches. We just felt it would be a very attractive combination not only for the fans of our game but all the people watching on television hopefully across the country.

RYAN RUOCCO: That game of course is going to be December 29th, 2 p.m., on ESPN as well as ESPN Radio. More on the week and the experience in a moment from you, Mark.

Now I want to check in with the director of athletics for Minnesota, that is Mark Coyle.

Mark, we heard Mark Holtzman mention this is the first time Minnesota is playing at Yankee Stadium, whether the current or old stadium. How much does it mean to you, to the program, to be playing at the stadium here in the Bronx with a bowl title on the line?

MARK COYLE: Obviously it's a tremendous honor to represent the Big Ten Conference, not only the University of Minnesota but the state of Minnesota. When you think of sports icons, you think of Yankee Stadium. The first thing that comes to mind is first class.

I know myself, our President Gabel, P.J., our student-athletes are incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to play a great team in Syracuse. We look forward to a great matchup on December 29th.

We're very humbled and excited again to represent the Big Ten, the University of Minnesota and the state of Minnesota in such a prestigious building.

RYAN RUOCCO: We heard Mark Holtzman talking about the alum in the area. How about the initial reaction from your alum and maybe making the holiday season home in New York for them as they get ready for the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl and watching their Gophers?

MARK COYLE: There's no doubt our fans are excited. We have sold out our bowl allotment. When Mark and I were talking leading up to the bowl game, we sold out our bowl allotment the last two bowl games we played in. We have a great alumni base along the East Coast as Mark talked about. Our fans are excited. I give P.J. a lot of credit, energized our fan base over the past 12 years, taken us to multiple bowl games. Our kids are doing the right things on the field, more importantly they're doing the right thing off the field. Again, there is a lot of excitement and we expect a lot of Gophers to be out in New York to celebrate this opportunity.

RYAN RUOCCO: You mentioned P.J. Let's check in with your head coach now, P.J. Fleck, who has done very nicely in bowl games at Minnesota, 3-0, and heading into his fourth.

P.J., how about the reaction from your players to get a bowl game at Yankee Stadium?

P.J. FLECK: First of all, I want to say thank you to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, Mark Holtzman, Randy Levine. Can't thank you enough for selecting the University of Minnesota.

Our players are really excited. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A lot of our players have never been to New York City. They've never been to Times Square. They've never had the experience they're about ready to embark on. Not only that, but being able to play in one of the most historic venues and iconic venues with one of the most iconic organizations in all of sports. It truly is an honor. We're very grateful.

We get to play an elite opponent in Syracuse. Congratulations to them and congratulations to Dino as well. I've known Dino for a long time. We've actually got a chance to watch some of the film as the years have gone on based on who we played overed years.

No place like New York at Christmastime. I can remember growing up watching Home Alone, Home Alone Two, everything that was involved in it. Our players have, too. I know they're really, really excited.

We're honored. I want to thank the Big Ten and Commissioner Warren, our athletic director and president Joan Gabel. Again, obviously the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl for all that you've done. We're honored to accept the selection.

Congratulations to our players as well because I know they're really excited. When we told them, they were fired up. Again, like I said, not many of them have been to New York City. This is going to be one of the most exciting experiences they've ever had. I can't wait to share it with them.

RYAN RUOCCO: Coach, in a little bit we're going to hear about the different activities from Mark that are set up for the players during the week. It's really a broad and immersive experience. What is your approach as a coach as you guys are coming here to take care of business and win a bowl game, but also you're going to have access to very unique opportunities that really only come with this particular bowl game?

P.J. FLECK: Absolutely. That's what makes it so unique. I had an opportunity as an assistant coach to be at that bowl many years ago. It's still one of the best bowls I've ever been to because of the experience.

Bowl games are a reward, right, for the season that you had. It's a celebration of the time together, really one last time together, before a whole new team starts and everybody goes on their way, everybody moves on with the rest of their lives, especially some of our seniors which I'm sure we'll talk about here in a little bit.

It's really ironic that we're playing in this bowl. We've been studying Derik LeCaptain all year, the show that he had. Jets were just in town with the Vikings. I need a new mower. This is perfect (laughter). It works out really well.

But I know our guys are really excited, like I said. It's really special. I know Dino feels the same way. But we can't wait to be there.

RYAN RUOCCO: You mention your seniors, coach. You guys really played well down the stretch to create this opportunity, winning four of your last five games. What has stood out to you about the way you played as group over these last five games to punch your ticket here, also the contributions of the seniors as they finish up their careers in your program?

P.J. FLECK: Yeah, I already said it, but I'm so proud to coach this particular football team. They've taught me so much. A lot of these guys are sixth-year seniors. They were brought in year one, either committed to another place, offered them here, they came along sight unseen. It's a really special, special group.

This is an opportunity for us to win another bowl game, which is huge. But this team has accomplished something that's really special. This is eight straight full seasons -- three straight full seasons of eight-plus wins for the first time since 1903 to 1905. That is historic for our program as we keep knocking down a lot of nevers and firsts. There's a lot more to accomplish.

Our defense averaged 13.3 points a game, which is the least amount of points since 1967. That's critical for us. We have guys like Mohamed Ibrahim, the second time being first team all Big Ten since Laurence Maroney. Bob McNamara back in 1952, 1954.

Tanner Morgan, our quarterback for most of the year and really the majority of the time since I have been here, a Wuerffel Trophy finalist. John Michael Schmitz is on every single award it feels like. For us, back-to-back Axes by beating Wisconsin for the second straight year since 1993, 1994. A lot of highlights for this particular group.

Those stats don't compare to what type of people they are. I'm just grateful to be their football coach. It's so fun.

When your football team teaches you more than you're teaching them, you got the right group of young men. I'm excited to share all of them with you. I know they can't wait to be there.

RYAN RUOCCO: Coach, an incredible season for you. A wonderful time for your program. I know we're all looking forward to seeing you at Yankee Stadium December 29th.

Sending things over to the Syracuse side of things. Athletic director John Wildhack. John, how much does it mean to you and the program to be playing in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl come December 29th?

JOHN WILDHACK: Good morning, Ryan and Mark. It's great. We're proud and privileged to represent the ACC, our alumni, our student body and our fans to participate in the 2022 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. I want to thank the Yankees, Randy Levine and Mark Holtzman. Mark mentioned it, but Mr. Steinbrenner, his passion for college football is absolutely incredible.

Playing in this game for the third time, it's an honor for our program. When we had our team banquet Sunday night, when I talked about coming to New York, playing in Yankee Stadium, one of the great, iconic venues in the world, the media capital of the world, an area we have so many alumni and fans from, players from the tri-state area, so it's a perfect opportunity for us.

We're thrilled to, again, represent the ACC. We congratulate Coach Fleck and Mark on the season that Minnesota had, a very formidable opponent. We look forward to a great game.

Again, we're just pleased to participate. It's going to be a wonderful experience for our young men, and our staff as well, to spend three, four days in New York City and to cap it off by playing in Yankee Stadium.

RYAN RUOCCO: John, you're very familiar with this venue, with this market. How much is it going to mean to you and how exciting is it going to be to just see Yankee Stadium filled with orange shirts, jerseys, jackets like we know we're going to see based on previous outputs when it comes to this bowl game and the Syracuse alumni and fan base?

JOHN WILDHACK: It's great. New York City is kind of like our second home. Again, to play in the game twice has been a great experience. It's been 10 years since we've been back. I just think when our guys and our staff gets down there and they get the full New York experience, they get to the stadium, it's going to be something that's memorable.

This is not just another bowl game, you're playing in New York. You're playing in the media capital of the world. Our fans will be there. You're playing in Yankee Stadium. It's as big a stage as there is. It's a wonderful opportunity. Our guys, they're energized, our staff is energized, and we can't wait to be there.

RYAN RUOCCO: We're looking forward to having you.

Check in now with your head coach, Dino Babers. Coach, congratulations. Just kind of piggybacking off of what John had to say, what has the energy been like around you, your staff and your players since finding out you're coming to Yankee Stadium?

DINO BABERS: The energy has been high. First, Ryan, I want to thank you, Randy Levine of the Yankees, Mark, you know I love you. You guys, thank you so much for picking us. This is going to be an exciting time.

I'm glad I don't have to learn the name of the athletic director and other head coach, practice saying that. Congratulations to Mark Coyle and P.J.

I guess we're going to end up having dinner somewhere again where we bump into each other. I bump into P.J. more having dinner than any other coach in college football. This is just a natural for us.

But the young men are extremely excited. I've had numerous calls. This will be my first opportunity with the Pinstripe Bowl, the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. But I've had numerous calls from coaches in the ACC that are jealous. You're going to a great bowl. I've heard nothing but fantastic things about it.

I'm excited to not only get an opportunity to stay in New York, Christmas Day in New York, Christmas holidays in New York, but also Yankee Stadium, which I've been to before. It's all the things that everyone has already said here. It's a classic. It's a must-do.

When this is all said and done, hopefully it will be one of those things, one of those boxes that you check, that you've got that done, that you were part of not only a fantastic bowl, fantastic city, but being taken care of by a fantastic organization that's always first class in the New York Yankees.

RYAN RUOCCO: Coach, you had a really strong performance in the final regular-season game against Boston College, coming up with a victory. What stood out to you about the way your team played in that game and what you want to see your group duplicate when you get here to Yankee Stadium?

DINO BABERS: First of all, I like the fourth quarter more than I did the first quarter.

The one thing that really stood out, it's a rival game. People were out there giving each other the business. I think that's the best way to put it. That referee had that one shot on YouTube '15 yards personal foul', giving the other guy the business. There was a lot of business going on in that game.

I would like for the bowl game to be just as exciting, just as hard-fought, maybe, take the 'maybe' out, less business going on out there, just two good football teams celebrating, having a really good season and going out there and playing for one another and playing for not only the name, the surnames on the back, but the university's name on the front.

RYAN RUOCCO: 10th appearance at Yankee Stadium for Syracuse. When you talk about the current stadium as well as the original Yankee Stadium, how much is it going to mean to have your alum aluminum here, fans here, knowing you're going to have a lot of support here at Yankee Stadium?

DINO BABERS: 2018 we had an opportunity to take all the fans down to Florida. I think this one is going to be great. Let's stay at home. Let's sleep in our own beds. Let's come out in full force.

I think there's no doubt that the orange will be there. I think they're getting excited and they're waiting for a good contest versus a fabulous Big Ten football team and a fabulous program.

P.J. and I go back all the way to our days at other universities, which we won't mention here. We've broken bread before. I'm sure that will be good.

When it comes to Mark Coyle, I think he has a fantastic discernment when it comes to first judgment in hiring good coaches.

RYAN RUOCCO: We're looking forward tow guys being able to find some great restaurants during the week leading up to Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

Mark is going to tell us what the week is going to be like for the teams participating and we're going to take your questions as well for the coaches and the athletic directors of both programs.

The Golden Gophers and the Orange, Minnesota and Syracuse getting ready to kick it off December 29th, 2 p.m., on ESPN and ESPN Radio in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. We thank all of you for joining us on the YES Network, the YES app. Ryan Ruocco here on our dais along with the executive director of the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl Mark Holtzman for the introductory press conference for this bowl game.

Mark, before we get to some Q&A for the coaches and the athletic directors of both programs, one of the things you alluded to before, people who have participated in this bowl game continually talk about, there's a reason why Coach Babers got calls from other coaches in his conference saying, I'm jealous. It's not just the playing at Yankee Stadium in this bowl game that's so special, it's also the experiences leading up to the bowl game with both programs.

Give us a little idea of what these two programs are going to participate in in the days leading up to the game on December 29th.

MARK HOLTZMAN: First of all, Coach Babers is right. The way the ACC selection is set up, we literally had six schools that qualified for the pool that we pick from. They all called us up and wanted to play in our game first. It's nice for it to be that way.

First of all, the fabric of the week. We have two terrific hotels. We have the Sheraton Midtown and the Hilton Midtown. Right smack Midtown. Easy to get to Yankee Stadium. They do a great job, provide great hospitality and great services and amenities for both programs. Couldn't do it without them.

Also the practice facilities. We use Columbia and Fordham. Not far from Yankee Stadium. They both do a great job. A lot of people home for Christmastime. They come over during that time period, put a great program together for both schools to practice. I'd be amiss if not thanking them.

Yes, we are going to have great events like we always do, iconic stuff, stuff that feels New York, smells New York. I mean, for example, the ringing of the bell at the Stock Exchange. We're going to have both head coaches, athletic directors, Pete Ballantyne from Bad Boy Mowers, the CEO, will be there as well.

That gets like 200 million people worldwide watching that. What great exposure for both schools. What a memory for both captains of both schools to say to their kids and grandkids that I rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Usually when they ring the bell, the Dow is up that day. If you play the market at all, bet that the market is going to go up. Tell your dad, too.

Then also, we're going to Radio City for the Christmas spectacular. What's more New York than going to Radio City and seeing the Rockettes? We're taking everyone Tuesday night to a Ranger game. All the players are going to get to see the New York Rangers at the iconic Madison Square Garden.

It's hard to believe a lot of these kids that are playing in this game are actually too young to have lived through it. We're taking everyone to the 9/11 memorial because you should never forget. It's a very moving experience. We always take the kids to it. The kids who were not alive then should know because it's something, 9/11, something that defined New York, defined our generation, and will define generations to come.

Then we're taking everyone of course to OWO, to go to the top, which is very cool. We're taking the wives to Tavern on the Green, which is always very special. All in all it's going to be, once again, a very, very special week for everyone.

We have plenty for the kids to do. New York, around Christmastime, is just so special. It's going to be chock full of activities to do from the time they get here till the time they leave.

Also one other thing I wanted to mention was the charitable component, very important. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Children's Pediatric Center For Cancer. We're very involved. We'll be doing things with them again. Also the Bronx Youth, all the kids that play football in the Bronx, the teams will be doing a chalk talk with them as well. The charitable component, getting involved in the community, is also very important to us. I'd be amiss if I didn't include that.

RYAN RUOCCO: Really an all-encompassing experience for both teams participating in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl December 29th, 2 p.m., here at Yankee Stadium.

An opportunity for questions to be asked and answered for the different athletic directors and coaches here. With that in mind, let's send things over to the senior director of public relations for the New York Yankees as well as a member of the communications team for Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, Michael Margolis.

MICHAEL MARGOLIS: Thank you very. We have a number of questions in queue. We'll start...

Q. My questions is for P.J. I'm wondering, are you approaching this game as the final game of the 2022 season or the first game of the 2023 season? How do you find the balance between praising your seniors and looking towards the future?

P.J. FLECK: That's a great question. Thanks for being on.

It's a little bit of a combination of both. First and foremost, it is the end of 2022, end of an era for a lot of players on this particular football team who have given a lot to our team both on and off the field. I think it made the University of Minnesota an incredibly strong brand in the college football market over the last six years. Done so much just off the field for our community. It's a celebration of those guys.

But as you can see in college football, the way it's changed, there's a lot of people who have entered the portal, a lot of people who are finding new destinations. That gives a lot of opportunities for young players. Might have played three games, still have an opportunity to redshirt them. A lot of young players might get their first opportunity in the bowl game. It is an extension going into next year. So it's a combination of both right now.

I know this, I'm sure Dino feels the same way, we're going to do everything we can to put the best team on the field. I know a lot of our guys are really excited to play, some for the first time, but also guys that are playing in their sixth year, their final game, maybe of college football ever, or just football in general ever. Some of them won't have a chance to play in the National Football League. For some this is the last college football game they'll play before they go play in the NFL. It's a combination of both.

Q. Mark Coyle, I was hoping you could offer some reflections on your brief time at Syracuse, then maybe on your departure as well.

MARK COYLE: Good morning. First off, obviously it's great to spend time with Coach Babers again. He and I have had a chance to see each other throughout the years. I think it's a credit to him, what he's done at Syracuse, that he's still coaching at Syracuse and leading that program.

I had a chance to spend time with John when I was at Syracuse. When John was over at ESPN, he would come back for games. He's always been such a great fan and supporter of that institution. It's nice to see John again, too.

Syracuse... I've been very blessed to be the athletic director at three institutions, Minnesota, Syracuse and Boise State. Each one of those stops have been very special to me and our family. We miss our house desperately in Syracuse, we had a great house there. Obviously an opportunity came here at Minnesota, we took that opportunity to be with my family. As you all know, my family is from here in the Midwest. It's nice to be able to see my family at events and games. Once again, we are just very grateful for our time at Syracuse. It was a wonderful place. We have great, great memories there, great friends back in Syracuse.

Actually get back to New York, we did our vacation last year in New York, so we do spend time back there. Again, great people back there.

Really excited to be back here in Minnesota with Coach Fleck and President Gabel on our campus.

Q. Mark Holtzman, you spoke earlier about George Steinbrenner, his passion for college football, his involvement with the bowl game. It's my understanding that the coveted MVP trophy of this game is named in honor of Hank Steinbrenner. Could you take us through that decision as to why the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl wanted to name the trophy after Hank.

MARK HOLTZMAN: Sure. The apple didn't fall far from the tree there. Just like his dad, Hank was a huge proponent of college football here at Yankee Stadium. I'm fortunate enough that I got to know Hank a little bit over the years, learned a lot from him. Incredibly passionate guy. Incredibly passionate about college football. He helped us a lot in the early formative years of this bowl.

It was only right, given his recent unfortunate passing, that we name this trophy in his honor because, just like his dad, he was very instrumental in this game becoming a reality and growing as fast as it did.

Q. Mark Coyle, you're in the unique position of having hired both of these coaches. What convinced you on Coach Babers and did that help you when you were hiring Coach Fleck, that process?

MARK COYLE: Yeah, there's no question. There's no question, when I was at Boise State, we went through a coaching transition when Coach Pearson went to Washington, we hired Bryan Harsin out there. When I went to Syracuse, I went through that transition.

What I'll say about Dino and Coach Fleck, when we hired Coach Fleck here at Minnesota, people obviously see them when they're coaching their teams and leading their teams. The one thing that really stood out about Dino and Coach Fleck is they're even better people behind the scenes. They're wonderful men with great, great character. I think there's a reason why you see why they're having so much success leading the programs the way that they do.

Obviously they're really, really good football coaches, but they're even better people. Again, when I had a chance to meet Dino, I think Dino and I spent Thanksgiving together in Detroit, had a chance to meet him. He was very impressive, his wife Susan, his family. When I had a chance to meet P.J. a year later, feel very blessed to have the opportunity to work with Coach Fleck. They're great football coaches, but even better people. I'm excited to see the success that they both have.

Q. P.J., you talked about some of your sixth-year seniors. I was wondering about Tanner's status for the game, whether there's a chance he might play, how you might balance that with getting Athan some more valuable time?

P.J. FLECK: Yeah, right now Tanner is still under our medical care, and he will be. They're kind of steering the ship on that. But he's doing a lot better. I mean, he's been at practice. He's practiced a little bit as we've gone forward as he continues to follow what the medical staff tells him.

But he's done a lot for our program. I don't think people value enough what Tanner Morgan has done for the University of Minnesota. Sometimes we always focus on what somebody hasn't done instead of what they have done.

Tanner Morgan is the all-time winningest quarterback be in the history of our program, and one of the best people you'll ever meet. He's going to be a football coach here very shortly I'm sure. I think that's going to be his path. Whenever he decides to do that, he's going to make this profession way better.

Q. Mark Holtzman, you mentioned Syracuse fans have been in the Pinstripe Bowl before, they've made the trip, but it's been 10 years. What can they expect in terms of maybe some things that have stayed the same in terms of game day and what will be different since 2012?

MARK HOLTZMAN: Well, we have a lot of the same amenities that we had before, except they're enhanced. You'll find more outdoor areas where you can hang out and watch the game and mingle with your friends and family.

We have more hospitality areas now than we had before. The bowl is essentially the same, but I think you'll see, as the stadium has evolved, so has the game day experience. I think you'll see a lot more interactive signage on different levels throughout the stadium.

All in all the best way I can describe it is it's an enhanced experience from when people were last there. I think there will be many other opportunities for people to hang out and go around the stadium.

Once again, the staples that are always there, the well-known and iconic Monument Park is still there, the Yankee Museum is still there, the Yankee Steakhouse is still there. All of the iconic areas, the great hall obviously. We've taken those areas and we've really built upon them.

Someone should really take time before they come here to New York and Yankee Stadium to really take a look online at all the enhancements that we've made because they've really been pretty significant. It will be a pretty special game day experience for anyone who comes to the game.

Q. Both coaches, a couple years back when Steve Addazio was here with Boston College, he said what he was looking forward to was finding a meaningful meatball during the holidays. What are you most looking forward to while you're here?

DINO BABERS: I was going to say... You want to start, P.J. (laughter)?

My biggest thing is I'm excited to finally get to this bowl game. Mark has been bragging about it, trying to get us there for so long. Randy with the Yankees. The Bad Boy Mowers, all this stuff.

We go there, we see it, we see the ball drop, we spend time in New York, but I've never been there in a situation where they're going to take care of us the way that everyone is telling us the way we're going to get taken care of for this bowl game.

It's going to be exciting. It's going to be fun for the players, which I think is really cool. Then there's going to be some really neat stuff for the grownups.

I want to piggyback on one thing that Coach Fleck said, that is, I want to get this out, is that football is such a unique game, we've got players that are playing in the game that are going to be pro players. We've got young men who will be playing for the very last time. I mean, this is not like baseball which you get to join a softball league and hit home runs and tell everybody how good your collegiate baseball career is. When you get done playing college football, there's nowhere else to go. There's no health club that has a team.

Then we also will have guys that play in this game, and they get to go to pro football, but majority of them are not going to make it, they're going to get cut. So the last memorable game that they're going to play in is going to be in Yankee Stadium with the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. It's going to have meaning. It's going to have substance.

I expect to see that in effort and everything else that goes on in this bowl game. I want to make sure I get that out. I'm excited about going to New York, but I'm also excited about playing another game.

P.J., go ahead.

P.J. FLECK: Yeah, I was just going to say the food trucks and steakhouses. Particularly I feel good about that (smiling). It will be interesting what John Mosley puts together for us. We're really excited about that.

We have a lot of foodies on our team. Mariano, I can't imagine, he's probably already made so many reservations. I can't imagine where he'll be going. That will be fun. (Indiscernible) where he's actually going as he spends his time in New York City.

Some of those just iconic New York City food traditions. I just can't wait to get out there. Our players feel the same way. Heading out there on Christmas Day, it's going to be really exciting for our guys.

Q. Mark Coyle, how excited now as an A.D. are you to provide players with an opportunity to experience New York through the bowl?

MARK COYLE: Obviously P.J. talked about it and Coach Babers talked about it, the bowl game is a celebration. These young men have worked so hard all year, the coaching staff, their families have worked so hard all year. We're just really excited.

As P.J. mentioned, a lot of our student-athletes have not been to New York City before. The chance to go to that city, the media market of the world, the excitement, the holiday season, we feel very blessed and fortunate. I know our student-athletes are excited.

I know when I talked to P.J. about this opportunity, how excited he was, he and Heather, to bring their extended family out here to New York. It's going to be really exciting.

Again, excited for them. Excited for the opportunity. As Dino, Coach Babers talked about, hearing from our ACC coaches, I've talked to other athletic directors in the Big Ten who have played in this ball game. They talk about what a first class experience Mark Holtzman and his team do. We're looking forward to that great hospitality as well.

Q. Mark Holtzman, we hear so much that Syracuse has its second home in New York City, that home away from home. Do you see that on your end? Do you feel like Syracuse really is that home team when they come in there? What can you say about your connection with Dino? You spoke about the relationship you've had with him over the years.

MARK HOLTZMAN: First, the connection with Dino, we go way back. John Mosley and I have been traveling up there for years extolling the virtues of the bowl game to him. I mean, it had to be the right set of circumstances for Syracuse to play in our bowl. It took a few years.

As in life, when you talk about something for a while, then finally it comes to fruition like this, it's pretty exciting.

As far as Syracuse and Yankee Stadium, we've had a lot of great bowl games here, a lot of close games. But I got to tell you, the two times that Syracuse played here, the first game against Kansas State with the famous salute game where the Kansas State players saluted to the stands, then they had to go for a two-point conversion from the 35 yard line and lost the game.

Then of course the third year when they were tremendous underdogs. The West Virginia team they played against was ranked during the pre-season as one of the top 10 teams in the country. They had Geno Smith, Tavon Austin. They had a host of All-American players. Syracuse was supposed to be crushed in that game. Syracuse crushed them. It wasn't even a game. It's kind of been a magic carpet ride for Syracuse whenever they've played in our bowl.

Obviously the fact that, look, right on this call today there's Syracuse alumni. They're everywhere. Especially in the communications, sports and communications, entertainment field, one out of every two or three, seems like, in the New York area who are in that field are graduates of Syracuse.

If this year is going to be any indication of past years, it's more than just a football game for them, it's truly a homecoming, get-together of generations of Syracuse alums.

It's always been a very special time for them. I'm confident, having not been to a bowl game for a few years, having not been to a bowl game in Yankee Stadium for 10 years, that that will even make it more special. Hopefully they will turn out en masse as they have in the past.

Q. Dino, what can you say, this is your first time you're going to be over at Yankee Stadium for a bowl game, your second bowl in the last few years, what this whole experience means to you and the road to get back to the bowl season?

DINO BABERS: It's really special. It's really special that we're going to get an opportunity to start it right there in New York City.

But I do feel like we're on our road back. I do feel like rebuilding the foundation that we wanted to start with. I do think it's going to be -- the escalator is coming up from here. It's going to be fun to do it in New York, and hopefully it's going to be exciting, and hopefully we'll feel great at the end.

But I wouldn't want to do it with any other people. Mark Coyle and P.J., I've known them a long time. That's a good football team. They've won a bunch of games over there in the Big Ten. We know what we're entitled for. I know what it's going to be like.

I think the fans on both sides will get a good, clean game by good coaches and players who are excited to be there. Not only do I think it's good and it will help our program down the future, but obviously it's going to continue to help the Golden Gophers as well.

Q. Dino, you mentioned that you met Mark mentioned you met him in Detroit over Thanksgiving. I wanted to hear what your first impressions were of him during that interview process, what it was like to work with him during your time at Syracuse together.

DINO BABERS: What it was for me to work with Mark?

Q. Yes.

DINO BABERS: The big thing about Mark is he asks you what you needed and he tried to give you exactly what you needed to be successful. He was extremely clear in what he was looking for. I always appreciated that.

I'm a military kid, from a military background. Say what you mean and mean what you say. As long as you can do those things, we're going to have an opportunity to have a relationship.

Q. Mark, I understand how private of an A.D. you are. What is your reaction to kind of being front and center, the Venn diagram of this bowl game?

MARK COYLE: The cool thing about being an athletic director is I don't have to throw any passes, make any tackles, call any plays.

Again, as I mentioned earlier, it's really great to see the success that Dino has had. Obviously P.J. and Heather, what they've done for our program. I have talked about P.J. and Heather being the ultimate change agents. Just so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with them.

An exciting opportunity and look forward to seeing some familiar faces when we get out to New York on December 29th.

Q. P.J., this game gives you the chance to win nine games for the third time in four seasons. What does that say about your ability to raise the standard of this program, what kind what you've instilled since you got here?

P.J. FLECK: We always talk about trust is built on time, consistency and proof. As football coaches, that's really what we're measured on when you start to look at the type of success you had over your tenure.

But it's always been a players' game and always will be a players' game. We've had some phenomenal football players here. When you look at every position, start on offense, within the last six years you can arguably make a case at each position, maybe the greatest player in Gopher history, arguably, at almost every position. That's a compliment to our players, the consistency they've had, with the buy-in to the culture and buy-in to the program, University of Minnesota.

We have great leadership. It starts with Mark Coyle and our president is a rockstar. President Joan Gabel is an absolute rockstar. She doesn't get enough credit for even the type of success we've had in our athletics department, and especially in the football program.

So you always set out and championships is where you want to be able to get to. You want to be able to win. That's been our main goal since we've been here. That doesn't mean it's guaranteed and promised every single year.

But our players have done a really good job of focusing in on all of those things. It's a true reward at the end of the season to be selected by the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl and go to New York City.

Just couldn't be more proud of our players. But the consistency they've shown to keep changing their best, keep changing the brand of the University of Minnesota in such a positive way, academically, athletically, socially, and then in the serving and giving category.

They're really good football players, a lot of them are going to go on to play in the NFL. But they're truly better people. They're going to be incredible husbands, fathers, as Mark always says change agents in their community.

We all get judged for our wins and losses. But we really get hired to do a job and make these young men better people. If you're a better person, you're going to be a better player because you're willing to do all the unrequired work necessary, not just the 20-hour rule, you are going to to all the unrequired on your own.

Give our team a lot of credit for doing that consistently over the last four to five years. I know they'll continue to do that in the future. The young players are really excited to get their opportunity to lead the football team, as well.

Q. Dino, I was wondering about those chance encounters with P.J. at dinner that you mentioned throughout your career, whether that was on the recruiting trail in the MAC or what happened with that?

DINO BABERS: Yeah, all right, P.J., here we go (laughter). I don't know what it is about P.J. I don't know what it is. From the very first time we met, boom, they came out at another school and put it on us. The second year we got a chance to reciprocate. That was cool.

But from that time on, I can take these private vacations and all of a sudden nobody knows who you are, you're in this restaurant, nobody knows, it's great. You're just a normal person. You look over and you go, P.J.'s here (laughter).

He can talk to you guys about it, but, I mean, it's not once. I mean, it's almost like he's got my phone, he knows where my location is. It's been spooky how many times it's happened.

So now it's to the point where when we go somewhere, we just say, Hey, come on over. It just happens. We've started apart, we try to eat dinner by ourselves with our significant others, but we end up having these group dinners in restaurants where we didn't tell the other people we were going there. We kind of end up there.

It's really weird (smiling).

P.J. FLECK: If anybody doesn't know Dino, he has this infectious personality. He can talk about anything, any time, anywhere, right? He just draws you in closer all the time.

We always call him together in college football community, he is a special human being and just happens to be that way, truly does. I'm not stocking the guy. We happen to somehow be where we always are. I'm sure in the off-season we'll see somewhere each other somewhere down the road.

DINO BABERS: It will be no big deal. It has happened a lot of times before.

P.J. FLECK: The places are good.

Q. College football, obviously college football fans, are so in love with tradition and everything like that. Right now college football is changing a lot with the Playoff and the transfer portal. What are the sales pitches you would give right now for the current state of college football? What excites you about college football right now?

DINO BABERS: You go first, P.J. I went first last time.

P.J. FLECK: Change. Change is inevitable, change is healthy. You can't grow if you're not changing.

One thing I do love about where we're heading, a lot more teams have an opportunity, in the 2024 season, when they talk about expanding the College Football Playoff, it allows so many teams like Syracuse and like Minnesota. We were right on the break in 2019.

Dino was really close a few years ago as well. If you go back to 2019, we could have been involved in that College Football Playoff. You talk about getting an opportunity, we were one of the most traditional powerhouses when you're talking about the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s at the University of Minnesota. We have seven national titles,18 Big Ten championships. That hasn't happened since the 60s.

This allows teams like the University of Minnesota, like Syracuse, in my opinion, to be involved in the hunt, be involved in an opportunity to bring those national championships back.

As you saw this year how exciting it was to have a team like TCU involved in the College Football Playoff. Last year Cincinnati. The attention and the excitement that brings to college football.

Now, when you're talking about the transfer portal, recruiting, NIL, that's another topic. But I think change is healthy. Change is inevitable. I love where we're headed that way. As long as we keep protecting the rivalries and we protect bowl games. I think we have to continue to value the bowl games, like the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, and not just focus on the CFP. Sometimes we just focus on what's at top. That's a great thing. Instead of four, now you have 12 to focus at the top. As long as we can keep the integrity of the other bowl games, which is all about the student-athlete experience, keep the student-athlete experience at the forefront of everything that we think about, then incorporate the business piece of that, and I think we're going to be really successful as we keep moving forward in college football and it's going to be even more exciting than it is now.

DINO BABERS: 1990 we had an offense, I was at Purdue University, an offensive coordinator by the name of Bobby Turner. Bobby Turner is I believe is the running back coach with the San Francisco 49ers. He's been all over the National Football League. He normally works for Shanahan or he doesn't work at all.

His number one line that I took from him, you always want to take from other great people, emulate them, but his number one line it was, I'd rather be green and growing than red and rotten. I think that's what's going on with college football today. You need to be embracing the change. If you embrace that change, you won't be a dinosaur, okay? You won't are extinct.

You have to be able to move, you have to be able to flow, you have to be able to have a root. You have to be rooted, but you really got to bend like an r-e-e-d in the wind and be able to move in different directions yet keep your integrity, keep your character and stay rooted in the things that you believe in.

When it comes to transfer portal, name, image and likeness, those are the things that are changing college football. 100% agree with P.J., expanding the Playoffs is going to give other football teams opportunities. It's still going to be difficult, okay, but it's giving other teams opportunities just like they had in 2019, we had 2018, we could have been a part of those things. It gives teams like us a chance.

But please do not take away the experience of the collegiate football player. Please don't take away Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowls. Any type of bowl that celebrates what these young men do during the season is a good bowl to me.

We all know we can't get enough of it. We all know that even when we're cooking, even when we're working in the yard, we're listening to college football. We know how exciting college football is because those young men are working and doing some things unselfishly that all of us wish that we could be a part of.

It's a game that has consumed me my entire life. That's the reason why it's not a job, it's a career.

RYAN RUOCCO: Great stuff. Coach Babers, thank you. To everybody who asked questions for our participants, thank you. Thanks to Michael Margolis for directing that.

We are inching closer to the actual game, December 29th, 2 p.m., here at Yankee Stadium on ESPN as well as on ESPN Radio.

Our thanks to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl executive director Mark Holtzman, Mark Coyle and P.J. Fleck from Minnesota, John Wildhack and Dino Babers from Syracuse. That's going to wrap things up here at Yankee Stadium. We look forward to seeing everybody back here in a few weeks for what is going to be a very special afternoon in the Bronx. So long everybody and happy holidays.