P.J. Fleck, who took Western Michigan from a one-win season in 2013 to a one-loss year in 2016, became head football coach at the University of Minnesota on Friday morning.
University of Minnesota Athletics Director Mark Coyle fired Tracy Claeys on Tuesday and moved quickly to put in place a five-year deal with Fleck. A source said Fleck will earn about $3.5 million per year.
A news conference to introduce Fleck will be at 3 p.m. at TCF Bank Stadium.
“P.J. is a proven winner and a strong leader. He’s built a unique, positive culture that gets the best out of his students on the field and in the classroom,” Coyle said in a statement Friday. “His infectious energy and passion make him a terrific coach and dynamic recruiter. I am excited he will be leading the Gophers for years to come.”
Fleck added, “It’s an honor to coach at Minnesota and be a part of the Big Ten Conference. I want to thank (University) President Eric Kaler and athletic director Mark Coyle and the Board of Regents for this opportunity. I also want to thank Western Michigan, my players and the great fans and city of Kalamazoo for a wonderful four years.
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“I look forward to meeting my new players and getting to know them as quickly as possible,” Fleck continued. “I am excited to put together a staff and turn my efforts to recruiting, but also want Gopher fans to know that my wife, Heather, and I and our four children will be visible in the community and we are eager to connect with them. I am ready to go. Ski-U-Mah!”
Fleck earned $820,000 in his final year at Western Michigan. Claeys was making $1.4 million last season, which was lowest in the 14-program Big Ten. Fleck’s new salary will place him sixth in the conference behind some of its most successful coaches - Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh ($9 million), Ohio State’s Urban Meyer ($6 million), Penn State’s James Franklin ($4.5 million), Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz ($4.5M) and Michigan’s State’s Mike Dantonio ($4.3 million).
Philip John Fleck, 37, became the Western Michigan coach before the 2013 season. The Broncos went 1-11 in his first season but improved to consecutive 8-5 records in 2014 and ’15 and then went 13-1 in 2016. Western Michigan was undefeated and won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) title before losing 24-16 to Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2.
Fleck played wide receiver at Northern Illinois from 1999-2003 and was named first team all-MAC during his senior season in 2003. He was on the roster of the San Francisco 49ers for two seasons after signing as a free agent and returned one punt for 10 yards in his only game in 2004.
Fleck returned to Northern Illinois as a wide receivers coach from 2007-09, with former Gophers coach Jerry Kill coming to NIU in 2008 and leaving for Minnesota after the 2010 season. Fleck coached with many members of the Gophers staff who were let go along with Claeys on Tuesday.
Fleck was receivers coach at Rutgers in 2010-11 and followed then-Scarlet Knights coach Greg Schiano to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for one season in 2012 before moving to Western Michigan.
