Notable SEC School Interested in Gopher Football Coach?

The Minnesota Gophers pulled off a big win against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday night. It’s fair to wonder whether Huskers head coach Matt Rhule and his team may have been affected by the rumors earlier in the week linking him to the recently vacant Penn State head coaching job.

Maybe the Nittany Lions could turn their focus to someone like Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck. But that is unlikely for a variety of reasons. It wasn’t long ago, however, that Fleck was nearly lured to UCLA, and throughout his Dinkytown tenure, PJ has been involved in all sorts of national coaching rumors.

That’s why, with what’s expected to be one of the craziest coaching carousel offseasons in college football history just a couple of months away, Minnesota fans should brace for a winter/spring full of rumors about PJ Fleck leaving. And if he does stay, a raise/extension.

Arkansas poking around MN Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck

But this first one is pretty early haymaker. According to On3 college football insider Pete Nakos, the Arkansas Razorbacks may have some interest in the Gophers head coach. And if you want Fleck to stay at the U of M, there could be surface reasons to be concerned.

Currently, Bobby Petrino is acting as Arkansas’ interim head coach. Nakos writes, however, that Fleck is “one sitting Power Four head coach to know”, as the Razorbacks get more serious about finding Sam Pittman’s replacement, after canning him on September 28.

One sitting Power Four head coach to know in this search is Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck. The former Western Michigan head coach is 63-41 in nine seasons with the Golden Gophers, winning five bowl games. His name was previously tied to the past UCLA coaching search.

Pete Nakos – On3

Minnesota obviously has recruits from all over the country, so Fleck is well-traveled. That said, Arkansas is the home of current redshirt freshman gem quarterback Drake Lindsey, who has thrown for 1,437 yards, 10 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions through 7 starts this season.

Drake Lindsey makes Razorbacks threat that much more interesting

Minnesota’s blossoming QB1 grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where not only did he rep Razorback attire throughout his childhood and dream nightly about someday wearing an Arkansaw uniform… but most of Drake’s entire family are U of A alumni too.

If Fleck becomes a serious candidate at Arkansas, part of his plan would undoubtedly involve bringing Linsey along with him. So not only would the Minnesota Gophers lose the best coach they’ve had since the 50s, but they’d lose the best QB talent they’ve rostered in three decades too.

ABSOLUTE DOT FROM DRAKE TO JALEN! @jalen3smith

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/HsdiwkviKW

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 27, 2025

For now, Minnesota will need to keep the focus on going 1-0 in the Iowa season, as PJ Fleck would say. The Gopher football team is 8.5 point underdogs against the Hawkeyes on Saturday. Similarly to the Nebraska game, this is one that Fleck needs to win if he wants to take the program to new heights.

Prior to taking the Minnesota Gophers job, Fleck finished with a 13-1 season for Western Michigan that culminated in a Cotton Bowl appearance. Minnesota won 11 games in 2019, under PJ, and bested Auburn in the Outback Bowl.

The 2025 Gophers are currently 5-2, heading to Iowa City and a Kinnick Stadium that has not been very friendly during PJ Fleck’s nine-year tenure in Dinkytown.