Minnesota officially hires P.J. Fleck as head coach
Minnesota made official the hiring of P.J. Fleck, after courting the former Western Michigan head coach since Wednesday, the school announced.
"P.J. is a proven winner and a strong leader. He's built a unique, positive culture that gets the best out of his students on the field and in the classroom," athletic director Mark Coyle said in a statement. "His infectious energy and passion make him a terrific coach and dynamic recruiter. I am excited he will be leading the Gophers for years to come."
Fleck joins the Golden Gophers program after coaching four years at Western Michigan, taking the program from 1-11 in 2013, to 13-1 in 2016 with a berth to the Cotton Bowl.
"It's an honor to coach at Minnesota and be part of the Big Ten conference," Fleck said. "I want to thank president Eric Kaler, athletic director Mark Coyle, and the Board of Regents for this opportunity. I also want to thank Western Michigan, my players, and the great fans and city of Kalamazoo for a wonderful four years.
"I look forward to meeting my new players and getting to know them as quickly as possible. I am excited to put together a staff and turn my efforts to recruiting, but also want Gopher fans to know that my wife, Heather, and I, and our four children will be visible in the community and we are eager to connect with them. I am ready to go. Ski-U-Mah!"
Fleck's contract is reportedly five years and worth roughly $17.5 million.
In his career, Fleck is 30-22 with three bowl appearances, while winning the Broncos' first MAC Championship since 1988. Prior to WMU, Fleck was a wide receivers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and held the same position at Rutgers from 2010-11.
The 36-year-old becomes the youngest coach in the Power 5, one year to the day younger than Iowa State's Matt Campbell.