Minnesota Gophers Hire New Coach on Defense

Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Minnesota Gophers football season is over, meaning PJ Fleck and his coaching staff are out on the recruiting trail, trying to add talent for future Golden Gophers squads. Every day, this time of year, college football coaches are crisscrossing the country trying to convince high schoolers and transfer portal entries that their school is the best fit for them.

But offseasons these days, both at the college and professional level, see just as much movement within coaching staffs, as it does player rosters. Nobody knows that better than the University of Minnesota, who has lost its defensive coordinator to better paying jobs each of the past two years.

Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

Last offseason, defensive coordinator Joe Rossi made a lateral move to Michigan State. Somehow, under new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, the 2024 Gophers defense was even better, finishing top 10 nationally in points allowed (16.9 – 9th) and yards allowed (285.4 – 5th).

PJ Fleck, Minnesota Gophers hire another coach to help on defense

One week after Minnesota beat Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Hetherman was hired away by Miami, to be their defensive coordinator. As he did when Rossi left for MSU, PJ Fleck filled the Gophers’ defensive coordinator vacancy internally, promoting safety/defensive backs coach Danny Collins to defensive coordinator.

Then, on Wednesday evening, news broke that the Minnesota Gophers are hiring Kevin Kane as a new coach on their defensive staff. Kane, 41, spent 2023 and 2024 as defensive coordinator of the Purdue Boilermakers.

Sources: Minnesota is hiring veteran defensive coordinator Kevin Kane in an on-field coaching role. Kane has been the defensive coordinator NIU, SMU and Purdue. He’ll bring more experience to the Minnesota…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/minnesota-gophers-hire-coach-defense-194352618.html

Author : Minnesota Sports Fan

Publish date : 2025-01-22 19:43:00

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