PJ Fleck has been one of the names mentioned in connection with the Florida State head coaching vacancy and the head coaching job that could open up at USC in the near future, but Minnesota is not letting him go anywhere.
On Tuesday, Fleck agreed to a seven-year extension with Minnesota that includes raises for him and the members of his staff.
Sources: P.J. Fleck has agreed to a new seven-year contract at Minnesota. Deal includes significant pay raise for he and his staff.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 5, 2019
Even if Fleck was never interested in leaving Minnesota for Florida State or USC, it would have been unwise of him to not use the speculation to his advantage. Numerous reporters have mentioned him as a candidate for both jobs, and the Gophers obviously didn’t want to risk losing him.
Fleck made a name for himself as the head coach at Western Michigan before taking the same job with Minnesota. The Gophers have improved in each of his first three seasons with the program, and they are 8-0 and ranked No. 13 in the country heading into Saturday’s all-important game against Penn State.
Fleck is a young coach (38) who is known for some of the unique tactics he uses, and they have obviously paid off. This is Minnesota’s best season in a long time, so losing him would have been extremely tough for the program. The extension reflects that.
