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Ivory CoastP.J. Fleck Wipes Player's Blood on His Cheek After Minnesota's Road Victory
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck celebrated a gritty 27-24 road win over Washington by wiping linebacker Maverick Baranowski's blood on his own face.
A Wild Postgame Celebration
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck showed his intense coaching style after his team secured a 27-24 road victory against Washington. Following the hard-fought game, Fleck celebrated with senior linebacker Maverick Baranowski in an unusual way.
Baranowski was bleeding from his mouth after being hit by a cleat on the final play. After the two embraced, Fleck grabbed the linebacker's head with both hands, wiped the blood from Baranowski's mouth, and smeared it on his own left cheek.
Fleck called them blood brothers, comparing the act to what frontiersmen out West used to do. Baranowski, who has played for Fleck for five years, called his coach a crazy man but said it was a great moment.
How the Gophers Secured the Win
The victory marked a major success for the Golden Gophers, who improved to 3-1 on the season. It was the program's first road win since they beat Wisconsin 24-7 on November 29, 2024.
Baranowski was a major factor in the defensive effort. He recorded seven tackles, one sack, and an interception. The interception happened after Anthony Smith hit Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr., forcing an inaccurate throw.
On the very next play, Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Quayd Hendryx. That play put the Gophers up 7-0 early in the game. Receiver Javon Tracy also contributed to the offense, catching seven passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.
A Deep Coach and Player Bond
Tracy witnessed the postgame blood smearing incident firsthand. He smiled and said he would never do that himself, but noted that Fleck is different and very energetic.
Even after trying to clean himself up, Fleck still had blood stains on his right white sleeve during his postgame press conference. He had high praise for Baranowski, calling him the heartbeat of the defense and the team.
Fleck, who has coached Minnesota since 2017, said Baranowski is one of his favorite players. He compared him to former players Blake Cashman and Robert Spillane, saying Baranowski plays the game the right way and loves football.
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