Tag: Minnesota Football

Minnesota just gave head coach P.J. Fleck … a raise?

Minnesota just gave head coach P.J. Fleck … a raise?

Yes, you read that headline correctly.

Action Network’s Brett McMurphy reported first on Friday afternoon that Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck “receives contract amendment with increased salary pool for assistant coaches and staff and an additional annual bonus for Fleck.”

In other words, Minnesota gave Fleck a raise after a 6-7 2023 season.

Related: Breakout candidates for Wisconsin football 2024 spring practice

This news comes somewhat on the heels of Fleck’s name being tossed when the UCLA head coaching job was open. It isn’t a stretch to assume some of the public posturing, through proper channels, could have been for Fleck to gain leverage to ask for more assistant money and a raise.

Minnesota’s 6-7 2023 season is the program’s second sub-500 season under Fleck; it went 3-4 during the COVID-19 season of 2020. Fleck is 50-34 since taking over in 2017, though he failed to ever win the Big Ten West.

The Golden Gophers project as one of the worst teams in the Big Ten in 2024 with a Las Vegas win total of 4.5.

Wisconsin and Minnesota are scheduled to meet in their usual end-of-season slot, though this time without the existence of the Big Ten West.

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Minnesota HC P.J. Fleck addresses UCLA rumors

Minnesota HC P.J. Fleck addresses UCLA rumors

The college football coaching carousel took another turn last week.

Ohio State offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien left for the head coaching job at Boston College — that only a few weeks after leaving the NFL for the Buckeyes’ job. The Eagles’ job was open because former head coach Jeff Hafley previously left to take the Packers defensive coordinator job.

Then, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly swiftly took O’Brien’s old post with the Buckeyes. The move made waves, especially given Kelly’s pedigree as a head coach and the current state of coaching in college football.

Related: Win totals released for Wisconsin, every Big Ten team in 2024 football season

This recent movement now leaves UCLA without a head coach as it transitions into the Big Ten alongside Oregon, Washington and USC.

As is often the case with coaching movement, insiders were quick to release their big boards for the Bruins’ next coach. Stadium’s Brett McMurphy’s first name was a fellow Big Ten head coach — Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck.

Fleck appeared to address these rumors on ‘X’ last night, writing that he’s ‘honored to be the Head Football Coach at Minnesota.’

Fleck is entering his eighth season at Minnesota and coming off one of his worst. The Golden Gophers went 6-7 last year with a 3-6 record in the Big Ten. His program never won the Big Ten West during its existence, and things are about to get tougher in the new era of the conference.

With the polarizing head coach seemingly staying in Minneapolis, Minnesota, other potential candidates include former Stanford head coach David Shaw, UCLA running backs coach DeShaun Foster, Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford and Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White.

UCLA must act swiftly with spring practice fast approaching.

Rutgers makes, Minnesota takes: Golden Gophers set to hire Corey Hetherman, per report

Corey Hetherman appears set to leave Rutgers for Minnesota.

Corey Hetherman is on the move, the Rutgers football linebackers coach appears headed to Big Ten rival Minnesota.

Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Hetherman is heading to Minnesota to become their defensive coordinator.

Hetherman, who just finished his second season with Rutgers, is a major reason why the program had its first winning season since 2014. He had a major impact with his ability to coach up and motivate a talented linebackers room.

Prior to his time at Rutgers, he was a defensive coordinator at James Madison for three years. Before that, he was the defensive coordinator at Maine.

He played collegiately at Fitchburg State where he was a quarterback.

 

At Rutgers, Hetherman was known for his intensity as a coach and always pushing his players to hold a high level in practice and on gameday. While he was intense, he was also a coach who had an open-door policy and encouraged feedback from his players.

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Around Rutgers, he was highly regarded and seen as a personality and a coach who is likely going to be a Power Five head coach at some point in his career.

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Rutgers finished this season 7-6 (3-5 Big Ten), capturing the Pinstripe Bowl over Miami for their first postseason win since 2014.

Rutgers has certainly taken a number of talented coaches from Minnesota over the past few years including Kirk Ciarrocca (offensive coordinator) and Joe Harasymiak (defensive coordinator).

Rutgers has also landed Minnesota products Curtis Dunlap (guard), safety Flip Dixon (safety), quarterback Athan Kaliamkmanis (quarterback) and Dino Kaliakmanis (wide receiver) out of the transfer portal from Minnesota.

Minnesota ran the worst trick play you’re going to see this bowl game season

What was that?

The Minnesota Golden Gophers took the “bowl games don’t matter” philosophy to new heights against the Bowling Green Falcons in Tuesday’s Quick Lane Bowl.

In what looked like a routine extra point attempt for Minnesota kicker Dragan Kesich, things got wacky once the Golden Gophers shifted the formation from a kick to some sort of spread-out look with the offensive linemen on one side, the receivers on the other and Kesich standing alone as the quarterback.

Rather than execute a weird pass play, the design called for Kesich to scramble to the end zone for a possible 2-point conversion. However, as you can guess, it didn’t work as Kesich was stopped before the goal line.

Instead of tying the game up, Minnesota bafflingly remained behind by a point late in the first quarter.

Instead of throwing this play out of the playbook, Minnesota needs to demolish this thing with the same fury Harry Potter used to get rid of all those Voldemort Horcruxes. Like, take a basilisk fang to this design.

If we see a worse trick play this bowl game season, we’ll be shocked. This was, through and through, an absolute disaster in football form.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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Brady Pretzlaff de-commits from Minnesota, plans commitment date

Brady Pretzlaff explains his decision to de-commit from Minnesota.

Brady Pretzlaff opened up his recruitment this week, the one-time Minnesota commit still planning to sign with a program during the upcoming early signing period.

Committed to Minnesota for almost a year, Pretzlaff is a hot name on the recruiting circuit. Pretzlaff is a four-star linebacker per On3. He is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker prospect from Gaylord High School (Gaylord, MI).

The decision to open up his commitment, he said, came down to what he saw was taking place at Minnesota.

“There were some changes that happened at Minnesota like coaches leaving and some other options that came up,” Pretzlaff told USA TODAY High School Sports on Thursday.

“It definitely wasn’t an easy decision but me and my family came to the decision that it would be best to take a look at the options and decommit from Minnesota.”

Pretzlaff isn’t planning any more visits, he says. He is down to four definite schools in Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois, and Stanford. It is a final four, but not a final four.

“Not really a final four because there have been other schools reaching out and those would be in the top four if they offer,” Pretzlaff said.

Washington is a program that the linebacker said could get in the mix if they offered.

In early December, Pretzlaff was offered by Michigan.

“It definitely was something that meant a lot being an in-state team that I watched growing up,” Pretzlaff said. “And they have had a lot of success in recent years.”

Minnesota’s starting quarterback is entering the transfer portal

Minnesota’s starting quarterback is entering the transfer portal

The week gets rougher for Wisconsin’s border rival Minnesota, as its starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis announced recently he would be entering the transfer portal.

Kaliakmanis started for a year and a half in Minneapolis, taking over for an injured Tanner Morgan in 2022. He finished his Minnesota career with a 9-9 record as the starter, a completion percentage of 53.3, 2784 total yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Given the general mediocrity of the offense and the four-game losing streak to end the 2023 season after a 5-3 start, maybe Gophers fans aren’t crushed to see the news today. After all, losing large quantities of production off of poor units isn’t always the worst thing for the future.

But what it does mean is P.J. Fleck has some big moves to make entering 2024.

Fleck’s mantra and attitude don’t work nearly as well when the team is missing bowl games (but yet still somehow making one because they’re good at academics).

Minnesota has now had one 10-win season under Fleck (11 wins in 2019), and seemed to step backwards in 2023 after consecutive 9-4 seasons in 2021 and 2022. Now with an opening at quarterback, it’s a significant offseason for Fleck and his staff.

 

UPDATE: Minnesota third-string QB Drew Viotto has also entered the portal. That’s two of the program’s top three quarterbacks.

WATCH: Wisconsin players celebrate with The Axe after taking it from Minnesota

Wisconsin takes The Axe from Minnesota

In one of the oldest rivalries in college football we also have one of the best trophies. Few things beat Paul Bunyan’s Axe in terms of a prize for a victor in the theatre that is college football rivalry matchups.

Wisconsin took down Minnesota 28-14 on Saturday, and with it get to enjoy The Axe in its rightful home in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to keeping Minnesota out of a bowl game in 2023, Wisconsin got to celebrate on the Gophers home turf with the trophy, and there are few better celebrations than trying to chop down your opponents goalpost like it’s a giant tree trunk.

The Axe is back home:

WATCH: The Axe is back home, Wisconsin takes down Minnesota

The Axe is back home where it belongs

A rough opening campaign for head coach Luke Fickell was salvaged over the last two weeks, culminating in Wisconsin’s 28-14 win over Minnesota and The Axe returning home to Madison.

The Badgers used the old school to get it done on the road on Saturday, behind 26 carries for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns from Braelon Allen who was likely playing in his last Battle for the Axe matchup.

For Luke Fickell, it was his first matchup for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, and the trophy will end up in the Madison, Wisconsin trophy case. The Axe is back where it belongs as the new Badger head coach celebrated with his team postgame:

Wisconsin vs. Minnesota: Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet

Can Wisconsin take down the Gophers?

The Badgers (6-5) play the Minnesota (5-6) on the road Saturday and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet.

The game starts at 2:30PM and can be seen on Fox Sports.

Wisconsin is coming off of a 24-17 overtime win over Nebraska. In that game, the Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai was able to carve out 160 yards and a score through the air while running back Braelon Allen compiled 62 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Minnesota lost to Ohio State last weekend, falling to the Buckeyes 37-3 on the road. The Gophers were unable to do much of anything against their Big Ten foe, producing 159 total offensive yards.

Wisconsin will look to avoid losing to Minnesota for a third straight matchup and this is how BetMGM sees the game going:

  • Point spread: Wisconsin -2.5
  • Money line: Wisconsin -145 / Minnesota +120
  • Over-under: 46

It’s unclear exactly what injuries each team are dealing with but here’s the most recent info:

Wisconsin:

Minnesota:

  • D. Green, DB: Out Sat – Undisclosed
  • M. Baranowski, LB: Ques Sat – Undisclosed
  • Z. Evans, RB: Ques Sat – Shoulder
  • D. Taylor, RB: Ques Sat – Undisclosed
  • A. Gousby, DB: Out for season – Undisclosed
  • P. Walsh, TE: Out indefinitely – Undisclosed
  • L. Brockington, WR: Out indefinitely – Leg
  • C. Osterman, WR: Out for season – Undisclosed
  • B. Williams, RB: Out for season – Undisclosed
  • J. Ruschmeyer, OL: Out indefinitely – Undisclosed
  • D. LeCaptain, LB: Out for season – Undisclosed
  • D. Jefferies, DL: Out for season – Undisclosed

Wisconsin has not lost three in a row to Minnesota in 40 years and it won’t be happening today. Both team have had disappointing campaigns overall, but the Badgers will be in a position to finish with a respectable seven wins with a victory Saturday.

Prediction: 27-17 Wisconsin wins

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Wisconsin versus Minnesota football series history

Will the Badgers get statement win at Minnesota?

The Badgers football team (6-5) will face off with Minnesota (5-6) on the road Saturday at 2:30PM. The two programs have faced each other 132 total times throughout their football history with Wisconsin owning a 62-62-8 overall record against their Big Ten foe.

Over the last 10 matchups, the Badgers have gone 7-3, but they have lost the last two matchups. They will look to avoid a three-game losing streak versus the Gophers for the first time since 1985-1987.

The most notable storyline for the contest is the fact that the Badgers have clinched a 22nd straight bowl game appearance while they can prevent Minnesota from qualifying for one.

It’s unclear what players will and won’t play for Wisconsin, but Luke Fickell’s squad will look to make a statement on the road at Minnesota.

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