Speaking with ESPN’s Maria Taylor for a segment that aired on Saturday’s edition of College GameDay, Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck discussed how his team, ranked No. 21 in the land, navigated this unprecedented offseason.

Beginning his coaching career in 2006 as a graduate assistant with the Ohio State Buckeyes, then-coached by Jim Tressel, Fleck received his first shot at being the head man with the Mid-American Conference’s (MAC) Western Michigan Broncos in 2013.

After a 1-11 debut campaign in Kalamazoo, Fleck’s Broncos won at least eight games in each of the next three seasons, including a 13-1 mark in 2016, which culminated in a trip to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas to battle the Wisconsin Badgers, where they suffered their only loss.

Parlaying this Group of Five success into the Minnesota job, the Golden Gophers have improved their win total each year with Fleck at the helm, posting a 5-7 record in 2017, followed by 7-6 in 2018 and 11-2 a year ago.

Last fall was the program’s first double-digit win season since 2003, and the first time they recorded at least 11 wins since 1904.

Looking to maintain this upward trajectory, Fleck’s team opens their 2020 season at home against another ranked foe, the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.