Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
9 4 A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M The big news at Minnesota this offsea- son has been the contract amendment that coach P.J. Fleck signed in March. The new deal didn't extend Fleck's pact beyond its previous expiration date in 2029, but it added $5.7 million in reten- tion bonuses, increased the buyout if he were to leave for another job in coaching or broadcasting and raised the salaries of his assistant coaches. Minnesota had previously ranked at or near the bottom of the Big Ten in staff payroll. Fleck had reportedly been under con- sideration for UCLA's head coaching va- cancy, and his new pact can be viewed as an acknowledgement that he's gotten the program closer to its ceiling than nearly all of his recent predecessors. His 50 vic- tories rank fifth in school history, and his .595 winning percentage ranks third among those who have coached at least 45 games at Minnesota. That said, the Gophers are coming off their first losing season since 2020, and if they're going to reverse course this fall, they will need a better performance from the offense. Minnesota ranked 108th na- tionally in scoring last year, averaging just 20.9 points per game. The Gophers' biggest liability was their 123rd-ranked passing game. Looking to boost their productivity in that area, they signed New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer, last year's FCS passing leader with 3,464 yards and 29 touchdowns. Going from the Coastal Athletic Asso- ciation to the Big Ten will be a big jump, but Brosmer will have at least one proven target at his disposal, with senior wideout Daniel Jackson having totaled 831 yards and 8 touchdowns on 59 catches last sea- son. Also, the Gophers have welcomed Georgia transfer Tyler Williams, a con- sensus four-star prospect in the class of 2023 who redshirted in what would turn out to be his only season with the Bull- dogs. The running game should be a strength, with Darius Taylor looking to build on a freshman season in which he rushed for 831 yards and 8 touchdowns even though he missed seven games with an injury. Four starters return on the offensive line, including second-team All-Big Ten left tackle Aireontae Ersery. Defensively, Minnesota returns three first-teamers on the line, and the one newcomer to the starting lineup — ju- nior edge rusher Jah Joyner — may be the most impactful player in the group. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Joyner was a reserve last year but still earned an honorable mention All-Big Ten nod after leading the team with 7.5 sacks. The Gophers will also benefit from the return of redshirt senior linebacker Cody Lindberg, an honorable mention All- Big Ten pick in 2022 before missing nine games with an injury last fall. The secondary will certainly miss safety Tyler Nubin, a second-round draftee of the New York Giants after making 5 in- terceptions last season, but it does return two starters. One of the Gophers' other primary as- sets this year is their kicker, senior Dragan Kesich. He was named Big Ten Kicker of the Year last season after hitting 23 of 27 field goal attempts and earning touch- backs on 53 of 62 kickoffs (85.5 percent). Minnesota would no doubt prefer more PATs and fewer field goals this fall, but with a range exceeding 50 yards, Kesich gives the Gophers a chance to generate points whenever they get close. — Matt Herb N O V . 2 3 | T I M E T B A | T V T B A | H U N T I N G T O N B A N K S T A D I U M | M I N N E A P O L I S GAME 11 MINNESOTA QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Penn State leads 10-6 Last Meeting: Sean Clifford threw for 295 yards and 4 touchdowns in Penn State's 45-17 victory over the visiting Gophers on Oct. 22, 2022 Head Coach: P.J. Fleck (50-34 in seven seasons at Minnesota; career coaching record: 80-56) 2023 Record: 6-7, 3-6 Big Ten Returning Starters: 16 (5 offense, 9 defense, 2 specialists) RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: RB Darius Taylor (799 yards, 5 TD) Passing: None Receiving: WR Daniel Jackson (831 yards, 8 TD) Tackles: NB Jack Henderson (59) Sacks: DE Jah Joyner (7.5) Interceptions: NB Jack Henderson (2) 2024 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2023 Result Aug. 29 North Carolina L, 31-13 Sept. 7 Rhode Island W, 31-9 Sept. 14 Nevada — Sept. 21 Iowa W, 12-10 Sept. 28 at Michigan L, 52-10 Oct. 5 USC — Oct. 12 at UCLA — Oct. 26 Maryland — Nov. 2 at Illinois L, 27-26 Nov. 9 at Rutgers — Nov. 23 Penn State — Nov. 30 at Wisconsin L, 28-14 BEST-CASE SCENARIO A strong running game and solid defense might take some of the pressure off new quarterback Max Brosmer, giving the Gophers a chance to improve on last year's 6-7 finish. WORST-CASE SCENARIO A schedule that features North Carolina, Iowa, Michigan and USC in the first six weeks could prove too much for a team whose quar- terback is new to the Power Four level, forc- ing Minnesota to scramble in November for enough wins to gain bowl eligibility. Darius Taylor rushed for 831 yards and 8 touchdowns as a freshman despite playing in only six games. PHOTO BY BRAD REMPEL/MINNESOTA ATHLETICS