PJ Fleck struck gold in last year’s recruiting class when Minnesota true freshman safety Koi Perich quickly became a household name among college football’s rising stars. Even with how dominant he’s been on defense, Fleck and his staff have bigger plans — ones that stretch across both sides of the ball. 

That’s right. Minnesota wants to turn Perich into a do-it-all weapon.

“When we talked about that earlier in the winter, people were like, ‘Yeah, it’s probably gimmicky — just a bunch of screens, handoffs, reverses,’” Fleck said. “But we’ve been doing a lot of things with him since January. We said, ‘If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do this. You’re going to be a wide receiver, a Wildcat quarterback, and a safety.’”

This wasn’t something we saw from the Gophers last season — not just with Perich, but with anyone in the program. He put together quite the freshman campaign, arguably establishing himself as one of the best players in the Big Ten.

In fact, he was one of the best safeties in the country.

Perich recorded 48 total tackles, five interceptions, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble on defense, while also fielding both punts and kicks for the Gophers. He showcased his versatility as a true freshman — and now, the coaching staff feels even more confident expanding his role further.

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He isn’t just a gadget — he’s becoming the Gophers’ ultimate chess piece, much like what we’ve seen Deion Sanders do with two-way star Travis Hunter at Colorado in recent years.

His football IQ, natural instincts, and athleticism make him a threat wherever he lines up, and the coaching staff is leaning into that more than ever. Whether it’s tracking down passes in the secondary or lining up in the slot on third down, Fleck wants defenses guessing.

If the program is going to take a step forward this season, it’ll be with Perich leading the way — on offense, defense, and everywhere in between.

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