MINNEAPOLIS — University of Minnesota head football coach P.J. Fleck will be rowing the boat in maroon and gold for many more years to come.
The U of M and Fleck have agreed on a new seven-year contract, the university announced in a press release on Wednesday. Pending approval by the Board of Regents, Fleck will remain at the helm of the Gopher football program through the 2029 season. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed publicly, but a source confirmed to KARE 11 that Fleck's average annual salary will increase from $5 million to $6 million.
"I think it was expected. And I think it was a good move by the U. Especially when you look at all these new coaches coming into the Big Ten, they needed to stay competitive with the salaries that other schools are offering," said Nadine Babu, the co-owner of GopherHole.com. "[Fleck] is almost a victim of his own success, in that he raised expectations -- and now people are holding him to those. Versus, just looking at overall program, and the number of wins, and how he's done it."
The deal follows another winning season for the Gophers, who finished 8-4 and accepted an invite to play in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York.
"This is all about cultural sustainability," Fleck said in a statement. "We have talked about that from day one, and this new contract is a commitment to continuing to change our best academically, athletically, socially and spiritually. It is also a commitment to our elite staff and our tremendous fans. During the last six years, we have been able to do some amazing things at Minnesota, some of which have not been accomplished in more than 115 years. It is a tremendous honor to lead this football program, and our goal is to compete for championships every year."
Fleck has a 43-27 record in six seasons with Minnesota, putting him fifth in program history for total wins. His current win percentage (.614) is third among the 11 Gopher coaches who led the team for at least 45 games. He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2019.
"I am excited that P.J., Heather and their family will continue to call Minnesota home," U of M Athletic Director Mark Coyle said in a statement. "What P.J. and his staff have done in a short amount of time is remarkable. He has recruited and developed some of the best student-athletes to ever play at Minnesota and his team continues to excel academically, athletically and socially. This year alone, a Gopher was either a semifinalist or a finalist for six different major college football awards, ranging from the best center in the nation to the best running back in the nation to the most impactful community service leader in the nation. P.J. consistently builds a team that Minnesotans can take pride in and one that competes for championships."