P.J. Fleck

P.J. Fleck is the current head football coach at the University of Minnesota, a job he has held since January 6, 2017. Fleck is the 30th head football coach in school history. In 2018, Fleck coached Minnesota to a 7-6 record and a 34-10 win in the Quick Lane Bowl against Georgia Tech. The Gophers made school history when they won the final game of the regular season (against Wisconsin) and its bowl game as that was the first time ever that Minnesota won both the last game of the regular season and a bowl game. In Fleck’s first season, the Gophers beat Nebraska 54-21, which were the most points scored by a Minnesota team in a Big Ten game since 2006 when it beat Indiana, 63-26.

Fleck came to the Gophers after four years as the head coach at Western Michigan, where he recorded a 30-22 overall record and went 21-11 in the Mid-American Conference. While at Western Michigan, Fleck brought about one of the most memorable turnarounds in college football history when the Broncos finished the 2016 season with a 13-1 record, a No. 12 ranking, a conference title (the first since 1988) and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. This was after the Broncos went 1-11 in 2013, which was Fleck’s first year. As a result of his efforts, Fleck was twice named MAC Coach of the Year (2014 & 2016). Fleck was also named a finalist for the George Munger Award and Eddie Robinson Award after the Broncos became the first team in MAC history to win all eight conference games by 14 points or more.

Prior to Western Michigan, Fleck was the wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and at Rutgers from 2010-11. He also coached wide receivers and was the recruiting coordinator at Northern Illinois in 2009. Fleck began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2006 at Ohio State.

Fleck played wide receiver for NIU from 1999-2003 and played an integral role in leading them to 10-2 record, a No. 10 ranking and wins against Alabama, Maryland and Iowa State in his last season. Fleck ranks in the top five in Huskies history in receiving yards (2,162) and career receptions (179) He holds the school record for punt returns with 87 and ranks second in punt return yards with 716. In 2003, Fleck was named First Team All-MAC. Fleck signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent in 2004 and spent the majority of time on the practice squad before playing against New England late in the season