PJ Fleck reiterates Koi Perich will play all 3 phases: ‘All he does is dominate’

PJ Fleck knows Minnesota has a serious weapon in Koi Perich, the freshman All-American safety for the Golden Gophers. Now, the program is trying to fully unlock what Perich can do with the ball in his hands.

As a true freshman, Perich led the Big Ten with 5 interceptions and appeared in all 13 games. He also had 46 tackles, 3 pass breakups and a forced fumble from his safety position, but Perich also saw time with the ball in his hands.

Perich was the top punt returner for the Golden Gophers, averaging 9.8 yards per punt return and 19.6 yards per kick return. He’ll return to that role this fall, and he’s also going to get a larger role on offense, according to PJ Fleck.

Fleck already confirmed that fact during the spring, and he mentioned it again at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday:

“All he does is dominate,” said Fleck.

Fleck also spoke about Perich as a “throwback” style of player who always thinks about ball. Perich was also hailed as a Minnesota recruiting success story after joining the program as the top-rated in-state player in the 2024 recruiting class.

With Travis Hunter capturing the 2024 Heisman Trophy as a dynamic 2-way star, the allure of more and more players trying to become a full-time 2-way contributor appears to be growing. It’s a tall ask for Perich, but he will get his chance to show what he can do this fall.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.