'We're right there': Mark Coyle believes P.J. Fleck can lead Gophers to College Football Playoff
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The Gophers football program is about to kick off its 2026 regular season campaign, which will be Year 10 under head coach P.J. Fleck. University of Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle hired him in 2017, and now they’re one of the longest tenured duos in the Big Ten.
Fleck passed Glen Mason last fall to move into fourth place all-time for wins as a head coach at Minnesota. The three coaches in front of him — Murray Warmath, Bernie Beirman and Henry Williams — all won national titles. College football looks unrecognizable from those times, but Fleck’s resume isn’t even comparable.
Fleck led Minnesota to its most successful season in the modern era in 2019. Their 11 wins were the most in program history, and they’ve been trying to replicate that season ever since. With seven or fewer regular-season wins in three straight seasons, everyone is waiting for the next step.
“There’s no doubt; everybody goes back to 2019. We would all go back to 2019; what a great experience… We’re trying to do that every year,” Coyle said on The Go Gopher Podcast with Mike Grimm. “That is our expectation, to compete at a high level. I do think if the College Football Playoff expands to 24 teams… We would’ve been in the CFP; we finished 5th in the Big Ten the last two or three years. You finish fourth in the Big Ten, you’re in the CFP; like you have a spot. Could you imagine hosting a (playoff) game at Huntington Bank Stadium? We’re right there.”
Coyle and the Big Ten have been pushing hard to expand the College Football Playoff (CFP) to 24 teams. While he might be right about 2019, the Gophers haven’t even been in the CFP Top 25 rankings since 2021. So saying, “We’re right there,” might not be entirely accurate.
“I know our fans: ‘Seven wins, eight wins, whatever.’ No, in this league, what we’re doing, it’s hard. Believe me, people across the country pay attention because every year… What happens in November? What’s one name that’s listed for every job? P.J. Fleck.”
Fleck’s name is annually connected to open head coaching jobs across the country. A recent ESPN story already mentioned him as a Power 4 head coach to watch for the next big job opening. Coyle even confirmed that UCLA’s past interest in Fleck was “real” before hiring DeShaun Foster. Arkansas was floated as a possibility last offseason, but what other jobs is Coyle referencing?
“P.J. is not putting his name out there. P.J. will tell you that. He and (his wife) Heather love it here. They feel like the state of Minnesota has adopted them. They have a beautiful home; they like where they live. They love Minnesota; they love being here. Thankfully, he and I have a very good relationship,” Coyle said.
A recent article from 247Sports and CBSSports had Minnesota near the bottom of the Big Ten when it comes to roster spending. The Gophers don’t have the same financial resources as the top schools in the conference. Fleck faces a lot of challenges that other programs in the conference do not, including playing in a pro sports market, which makes Minnesota an objectively difficult job.
“I don’t think people appreciate what he has done here, and how hard it is to compete in this league. Do we want to win championships? Yes, we do. That’s the guy that’s going to get us there,” Coyle continued.
Fleck has a 66-44 overall record at Minnesota, which includes a 39-40 mark in conference play. He has raised the standard of modern Gophers football, and he will look to set a new one this season. It all starts Thursday night when they host Eastern Illinois.
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Sep 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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