Minnesota HC P.J. Fleck linked to Power Four job opening
‘Tis the season of the coaching carousel. Each year, it comes earlier, and this year is no exception.
On Thursday, On3’s Pete Nakos linked Minnesota head football coach P.J. Fleck to the opening at Arkansas.
“One sitting Power Four head coach to know in this search is Minnesota’s PJ Fleck,” Nakos said in his report. 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.”
Fleck was one of a handful of coaches mentioned in the report from Nakos, which also included SMU’s Rhett Lashlee. There’s also the remaining possibility that interim head coach Bobby Petrino could retain the job depending on how the remainder of the Razorbacks’ season progresses.
Minnesota and Fleck are no strangers to the head coach’s name being linked to jobs.
As Nakos notes, Fleck was also linked to the UCLA job two offseasons ago following the departure of Chip Kelly in Westwood. He was also linked to the Tennessee Volunteers head coaching search in 2021.
The Gophers administration, led by athletic director Mark Coyle, has been aggressive as well when it comes to keeping Fleck in the Twin Cities. Coyle has also, on numerous occasions, voiced his support for the Illinois native.
This summer, Fleck received a one-year contract extension to a seven-year extension that he signed originally in December of 2022. Notably, that one-year extension included new buyout terms for Fleck.
If another team looks to poach Fleck this offseason, Fleck, by way of his new program, would have to pay Minnesota $5.5 million.
According to the USA TODAY coaching salary database, Fleck’s salary of $7 million ranks 31st among all college football head coaches and 12th in the Big Ten.
For comparison, former Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman was scheduled to make $6.8 million this season, which ranked 35th nationally. The Razorbacks paid approximately $7 million to buy out Pittman from the remainder of his coaching contract in late September following a 56-13 loss to Notre Dame.
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