Neither P.J. Fleck nor his bold ideas are going anywhere. With a recent contract extension that keeps him in the Twin Cities until 2030, the head coach of Minnesota isn’t showing any signs of backing down. Fleck has quietly established one of the Big Ten’s most reliable programs since taking over in 2017, with 58 victories, 5 winning seasons, and a perfect 6-0 bowl record. Last year? Their fourth consecutive bowl triumph, a 24-10 victory against Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Deion Sanders is one college football coach who has never shied away from making headlines. Furthermore, P.J. Fleck has been paying attention, even though he hasn’t been one to chase the spotlight. P. J. Fleck simply took a signature move from Deion’s playbook without uttering a word. It’s the kind of move that defies convention and pushes the boundaries of the norm.
In a recent post on IG by 247sports, gopherfootball, and cbssportscfb, Fleck was quoted as saying about Koi Perich, “This isn’t just a gadget thing. We want him to be an athlete on this football team and make plays on every side of the ball, plus the return game.” Does that sound familiar? Yes, Deion has essentially been promoting that mindset since his first day at Colorado. He was looking for game-changers who could do everything, not just athletes. Fleck may not have mentioned Deion by name, but it’s obvious where he was inspired from.
The numbers support P. J. Fleck’s confidence, so it’s not just coach talk. As a freshman, Koi Perich played in all 13 games, recorded 46 tackles, five interceptions, and more than 500 return yards from kickoffs and punts. He became the only freshman in FBS since 1976 to record 100+ punt return yards, 100+ kick return yards, and five picks in a single season after returning 20 punts for 188 yards and 16 kickoffs for 314 yards. That’s not normal. “We think Koi can…There aren’t a lot of people who can do that and do it successfully,” Fleck said. Thanks to Travis Hunter’s work under Deion Sanders, the blueprint is already available. It’s not about copying, though, for Perich.
Koi Perich will be everywhere on the field this season. The big question is how much run he will get on offense, but he will continue to handle return duties and anchor the defense at safety. Since Minnesota has weapons, it all depends on how much he can manage. Greg Harbaugh Jr., the offensive coordinator, stated, “He can do a lot of things. Why would I not want the ball in his hands?”He has already demonstrated his abilities. Even though it’s not quite Travis Hunter level, Perich seems to be moving in that direction.
Koi Perich’s do-it-all weapon is ready.
The game has been changed by Travis Hunter. He has dominated rather than merely experimented on both sides. Hunter not only kept up with Deion Sanders’ nearly 700 defensive and 672 offensive snaps, but he also made history. When the Heisman voters took notice, we found ourselves discussing both the best receiver and the best corner in one body. “It’s not like it hasn’t been done, but he’s done it at a whole other level in college,” Deion remarked. People begin to question whether history will repeat itself when they see someone like Koi Perich.
Fans are already running with it, so it’s not just coaches who are saying it. It was expressed in one comment under the Gophers’ post, “Damn, I was told we were never going to see a two-way player again. Guess we’re gonna give this guy the Heisman too?” I suppose we’ll also give this guy the Heisman? One fan joked, “Lock up the Heisman,” while another said, “Uploading Heisman hype.” He just needs to play the most snaps. In addition to demonstrating promise, Perich is following a blueprint that has already been shown to be Heisman-worthy.
Of course, no one is crowning him yet. However, it says something when a player begins to receive that type of discussion at such an early age. Deion demonstrated Hunter’s potential to the collegiate football community. Fans are already eagerly awaiting Perich’s next move as P.J. Fleck and the Gophers attempt to implement their version of the playbook.
The post P.J. Fleck Makes His Intentions Very Clear After Stealing Deion Sanders’ Playbook With Unthinkable Minnesota Stunt appeared first on EssentiallySports.