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Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck is expected to become the new Minnesota head coach, a source told FOX Sports on Friday. The two sides are working to finalize the deal today.
Via @JoeCStrib: Source says it will be a 5-year deal for Fleck, and sides are “very close.” #Gophers
— Star Tribune (@StarTribune) January 6, 2017
The 36-year-old Fleck, a former NFL wide receiver from Northern Illinois, led the Broncos to the Cotton Bowl and a 13-1 season. He would replace Tracy Claeys, who was fired earlier this week amid an ongoing sexual assault investigation involving several of the Golden Gophers players and a near-boycott of the Holiday Bowl by the team. Minnesota finished the season at 9-4 with a Holiday Bowl win over Washington State, despite 10 players being suspended for that bowl game.
Western Michigan went on quite a rise under Fleck, a Greg Schiano protege. The Broncos went 1-11 in his debut season in 2013 but then jumped to back-to-back eight-win seasons before winning the MAC and cracking the Top 15 in 2016.
Fleck’s “Row the Boat” mantra became well known throughout college football, as did his high-energy style.
Fleck had been the Gophers’ top target for the vacancy all along, multiple sources told FOX Sports.
Western Michigan athletic director Kathy Beauregard confirmed Fleck’s departure on Friday morning:
WMU has been informed of PJ Fleck’s intention to accept the Minnesota job.We will hold a noon press conference in Seelye
— Kathy Beauregard (@BeauregardKathy) January 6, 2017
While Minnesota has filled its coaching void, the search is on for Fleck’s replacement at Western Michigan.
Names to keep in mind for #WMU>STC Rob Wenger; #GVSU‘s Matt Mitchell & #Alabama‘s Mario Cristobal (like Fleck a high-energy Schiano protege)
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 6, 2017
