MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Golden Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck continues to pile up praise as the Gophers advance to 9-0.
Fleck was announced as the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week on Tuesday. The honor is bestowed by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. It recognizes a coach who has led their team to a significant victory during the previous week, "while also embodying the award's three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity."
Saturday's victory over undefeated Penn State marked Minnesota's first home victory over a top-five team since 1977. The first sellout crowd for the Gophers at home swarmed the field, and the team left with a top-four spot in the first edition of the rankings.
It's Minnesota's first time going undefeated through nine games since 1904.
So it's not surprising that there's a lot of excitement around third-season coach P.J. Fleck.
"Minnesota proved to the nation that the Golden Gophers are legitimate contenders in the Big Ten and that they belong in the conversation for the College Football Playoff," said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "This was a program-defining win. The way coach Fleck has invested in his players and his program's culture reminds us of coach Dodd."
Fleck recently signed a seven-year contract extension to stay with the Gophers until 2026.
