PJ Fleck Expects Most Gophers Starters to Stay; His Players Seem Less Sure

On Friday afternoon down in Phoenix, AZ, PJ Fleck will attempt to protect his undefeated postseason record (6-0) as Minnesota Gophers head football coach, in the 2025 Rate Bowl against the New Mexico Lobos.

Unlike other teams around the country, it appears the Golden Gophers will have most of their starters available tomorrow afternoon. That’s no surprise, given how serious Fleck takes each bowl game Minnesota plays in.

It also helps when players are receiving NIL money to do so, like some Gophers are — just the latest way PJ and those inside his program have progressively used somewhat limited NIL funds to make the football team better.

PJ Fleck confident the MN Gophers will retain most starters

Looking beyond the Rate Bowl, to the 2026 season, and the Minnesota Gophers head football coach remains confident that, yet again, he and his staff will be able to keep most of their top talent in Dinkytown and out of the transfer portal.

“Our retention rate has been incredible. We feel great about re-signing the majority of our players, especially the majority of our starters, which is really, really critical for the 2026 season.”

PJ Fleck via the Star Tribune

We already know the most important player on roster — redshirt freshman starting quarterback Drake Lindsey — is returning for the 2026 season. He was the most essential domino that needed to fall.

Besides him, other key pieces to both sides of Minnesota’s puzzle are sticking around — including John Nestor, Kerry Brown, Nathan Roy and Greg Johnson.

All four players will be paid as part of the aforementioned Dinkytown Athletes + Cub Foods NIL promotion.

Locked in for the @RateBowl and committed to returning for the 2026 season 〽️

Gopher @RateBowl content is presented by @CubFoods pic.twitter.com/RbOTmx662G

— DinkytownAthletes (@DTAthletes) December 23, 2025

Drake Lindsey is the key

Greg Johnson is from Prior Lake, MN and says he has not thought about leaving. Other Gophers who will stay, according to the starting guard, will do so because of Drake Lindsey.

“Being from Minnesota, I personally didn’t have any thoughts of going elsewhere. I think Drake really set the tone for the team. This is Drake’s team. He’s our leader and it’s easy to come back and want to play for a guy like that.”

Greg Johnson – via Pioneer Press

Of course, the decision isn’t that easy for everyone. Some of the Gophers’ best players — all of which are down in Arizona and expected to play on Friday — have not made their future plans public.

We are yet to hear from the likes of S Koi Perich (SO), DL Anthony Smith (JR) or RB Darius Taylor (JR). Smith leads the Minnesota Gophers in sacks by a WIDE margin, with 10.5 (32 tackles).

#Minnesota DE Anthony Smith not only has an NFL frame at 6'6 285, but has produced. He's totaled 16 pressures and 6 sacks in 4 games.

Here’s was this week's Shrine Bowl DPOTW, and is a high-level three-down, athletic edge with the closing speed to finish off plays and the… https://t.co/H6Y4uAfegc pic.twitter.com/d8NSzeXjo3

— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) October 4, 2025

Darius Taylor has again dealt with injuries throughout the season, but he finished as Minnesota’s leading rusher with 554 yards and 3 touchdowns on 119 carries (4.7 YPC).

Some Minnesota Gophers unsure of their future

Both upperclassmen — who are paid more than just about anyone else on the team — spoke with reporters this week in Arizona, at MN Gophers practice, where they were not on the same page as their head coach, choosing instead to plead the fifth on their future plans.

Smith: “I’m just focused on this. I really haven’t thought about it at all…I just want to send the seniors out on a good note.”

Anthony Smith on his future with Gophers (Star Tribune)

Taylor: “I really haven’t thought about that stuff… I’m just worried about the game. I will figure all that out after the game.”

Darius Taylor on his future with Gophers (Pioneer Press)

It’s difficult to believe that these kids aren’t actually thinking about their futures, especially given how much is riding on their decisions.

Of course, it’s always possible both Taylor and Smith do have a better handle on their futures than what they are letting on. want to do, and they just aren’t telling reporters about it.

Either way, we’ll find out soon enough because we are talking about the most expensive players on the Minnesota Gopher football roster. Fleck will want to quickly reallocate those dollars, if guys like Smith and Taylor are leaving.