Gophers football head coach P.J. Fleck named Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 09: Head coach P.J. Fleck of the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the second quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at TCFBank Stadium on November 9, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - It has been a historic week for the Golden Gopher football team. They beat fourth-ranked Penn State, to improve to 9-0 for the first time since 1904, they are ranked seventh, their highest ranking since 1962, both quarterback Tanner Morgan and defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. won Big Ten Player of the Week honors, and now P.J. Fleck has joined the parade.
Tuesday Fleck won The Dodd Trophy Coach of the year Award, which is given to a coach who lead his team to significant victory that week.
“Minnesota proved to the nation that the Golden Gophers are legitimate contenders in the Big Ten and that they belong in the conversation for the College Football Playoff,” Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation said in a statement. “This was a program-defining win. The way coach Fleck has invested in his players and his program’s culture reminds us of coach Dodd.”
The Gophers’ 31-26 win over the Nittany Lions was the program’s first home-win over a top five team since 1977.
P.J. Fleck will address the media today at 1:15 p.m. FOX 9 will stream the press conference at fox9.com/live.