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Notable SEC School Interested in Gopher Football Coach?
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- Notable SEC School Interested in Gopher Football Coach?
D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Gophers pulled off a big win against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday night . It's fair to wonder if Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule may have been a bit distracted as he has been swept up in rumors regarding the Penn State head coaching search.
Maybe the Nittany Lions could turn their focus to someone like Minnesota's P.J. Fleck . That's unlikely given the profile of that position, but that doesn't mean other schools might not take a liking to the successful Gophers coach.
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It wasn't long ago that Fleck was nearly lured to UCLA , and it's possible an SEC opening could be a fit for the former Western Michigan leader.
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Arkansas poking around Gophers coach P.J. Fleck
Nearly a month ago now, the Arkansas Razorbacks fire head football coach Sam Pittman. Bobby Petrino is currently the interim head coach, but they will be looking for a full-time hire. The latest from On3's Pete Nakos suggest not to completely dismiss the idea of P.J. Fleck.
One sitting Power Four head coach to know in this search is Minnesota's P.J. Fleck. The former Western Michigan head coach is 63-41 in nine seasons with the Golden Gophers, winning five bowl games. His name was previously tied to the past UCLA coaching search.
It's possible that Arkansas just removes the interim label for Petrino and goes back to their former head coach. That would be an uninspiring move though, and it's something they don't seem in a hurry to do.
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Fleck represents a Power Four coach that has had success, and the jump to Arkansas would be a significant promotion for him. While the Big Ten is no slouch of a conference, the SEC is the pinnacle of college football.
Prior to taking the Gophers job, Fleck finished with a 13-1 season for Western Michigan that culminated in a Cotton Bowl appearance. Minnesota won 11 games in 2019 and bested Auburn in the Outback Bowl. The Gophers are currently 5-2, and face a tough test against Iowa this weekend at Kinnick Stadium.
Familiarity in the south for Fleck
Minnesota obviously has recruits from all over the country, so Fleck is well-traveled. That said, Arkansas is the home of current freshman gem quarterback Drake Lindsey. Minnesota's signal caller is a Fayetteville-native , and grew up wanting to play for the Razorbacks. His entire family walked the halls of Arkansas.
Fleck has had success recruiting in the state, and should he be tempted with the job, it's possible he tries to bring Lindsey with him. That would certainly be a blow for the Gophers on both fronts, but the logic is sound.
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For now, Minnesota will need to keep the focus on going 1-0 in the Iowa season. They are 8.5 point underdogs against the Hawkeyes . Similarly to the Nebraska game, this is one that Fleck needs to win if he wants to take the program to new heights.
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