P.J. Fleck: Niko Medved is a ‘grand slam’ for Gophers AD Mark Coyle
P.J. Fleck calls Niko Medved hire 'a grand slam'
Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck talked about Niko Medved being hired as Minnesota's men's basketball coach after spring practice on Tuesday, one which Medved attended as a fan.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team held its third practice of spring football on Tuesday at Athletes Village, the first in pads and the first of two that are open to fans.
P.J. Fleck had one very interested spectator taking in the afternoon: Gophers’ basketball coach Niko Medved. Fleck and most of his coaching staff were at Medved’s introductory news conference earlier in the day. The Gophers’ football coach invited Medved to practice, and he briefly spoke to the team.
Mark Coyle hired Medved to replace Ben Johnson after 148 wins and three NCAA Tournament appearances at Colorado State.
"I’m a huge fan of him. You watch the way his teams play, they have incredible how, they play incredibly hard. What a game that was, probably one of the best games of the tournament with Maryland and Colorado State," Fleck said. "I think Mark Coyle hit a grand slam right there, what an unbelievable human being. I thought he hit a home run at his press conference."
Logan Loya and Disneyland?
What they're saying:
The Gophers have many new faces at wide receiver. One of them is UCLA transfer Logan Loya, who had 109 catches for 1,134 yards and 12 touchdowns in 47 games for the Bruins. One of his best games last year was against the Gophers.
Fleck was surprised to learn that the California native had never been to Disneyland.
"First of all he’s from California and has never been to Disneyland. We gotta get Logan to Disneyland somehow everybody, NIL, whatever it is," Fleck said. "Somebody throw out a few bones, get the guy over to Disneyland. My goodness, we did a team meeting and I called on him, I figured he’d know about Disneyland in California and he says, ‘Coach, I’ve never been there.’"
QB battle
What we know:
There will be a quarterback competition to determine the 2025 starter, and it’s largely between sophomore Drake Lindsey and Georgia Tech transfer Zach Pyron. Both are getting significant reps in practice, but Fleck didn’t have a ton to add after just three days, and one in pads.
Lindsey played in three games as a freshman, but spent most of 2024 attached to Max Brosmer’s hip.
Fleck says he’ll know more Saturday, when the team has a scrimmage, and they get actual plays to run.