P. J. Fleck

Phillip John Fleck (born November 29, 1980) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. He is the former head coach of the Western Michigan Broncos football team. Fleck played as a wide receiver for Northern Illinois University from 1999 to 2003 and with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL) from 2004 to 2005.

Prep

Fleck started his playing career at Kaneland High School located in Maple Park, Illinois where he helped the Knights win back to back, undefeated state championships in 1997 and 1998. He set a state record with 95 catches for 1,548 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior. For his career, Fleck caught 199 passes for 3,121 yards and 34 scores with at least one catch in 40 straight games. Fleck also lettered in varsity track and basketball.

College

Upon graduation, Fleck attended Northern Illinois University where he played wide receiver under head coach Joe Novak. As a senior, he led the Huskies with 77 catches for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns, a reception total that still ranks second on the school's single-season list. Fleck still owns the school record for career punt returns (87), is second in punt return yards (716), ranks third in career catches (179) and is fourth in receiving yards (2,162). He was a second team Academic All-American as a senior and was twice voted team captain by his Huskie teammates.

Pro

Fleck was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers following the 2004 NFL Draft. 49ers head coach Dennis Erickson labeled Fleck a "frickin' warrior" during the first days of rookie training camp. Fleck spent a majority of the 2004 season on the 49ers practice squad before being promoted to the 53 man roster and appearing in the 49ers final game of the season. Playing special teams, he registered a tackle and returned one punt for ten yards Fleck spent the 2005 season on injured reserve after suffering a significant shoulder injury during the preseason. On June 12, 2006, Fleck was released by the 49ers. The day he was released, 49ers head coach Mike Nolan offered Fleck a spot on his coaching staff as assistant wide receivers coach, stating "If that's something he wants to do, I think he'd be very good at it."

Fleck attempted to continue his playing career after his release from the 49ers, and had a tryout with his hometown Chicago Bears on June 20. However, he failed his physical due to his previous injuries and was unable to sign. Fleck stated that after the failed physical, he knew it was time to begin a career in coaching.

Fleck began his coaching career in 2006 as an offensive graduate assistant at Ohio State University at the invitation of head coach Jim Tressel. He worked directly with the Buckeyes tight ends and assisted with the special teams. Northern Illinois running back coach Thomas Hammock and defensive ends coach Mike Sabock, a lifelong friend and collegiate teammate of Tressel, helped Fleck land the Ohio State job. Fleck spent one year with the Buckeyes, who were ranked #1 in the country most of the season. The team earned the 2006 Big Ten Championship and appeared in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, where they lost to Florida and finished the season ranked #2 in the nation.

In 2007, Fleck was hired by Northern Illinois head coach Joe Novak as wide receivers coach, replacing Carnelius Cruz. Novak had stated several years prior that he hoped to one day hire Fleck as a coach. Following Novak's retirement in 2008, Fleck was one of two NIU assistants to be retained by incoming head coach Jerry Kill, and also added the title of recruiting coordinator.

In 2010, Fleck was hired by Rutgers University as the wide receivers coach under head coach Greg Schiano.

On February 2, 2012, he was hired as the offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois University. Coach Dave Doeren said the following about Fleck's hiring, "We spoke at length about why this is the right place for him. It was very evident to me that he bleeds NIU, and he would have tremendous pride and passion working not just for me, but for the university to help continue what we started last year, and really what he started here as a player. His recruiting abilities and passing game expertise, working alongside Coach Carey as our run game coordinator, will be a great combination for our offense." Just one day later, on February 3, 2012, Fleck abruptly resigned the Northern Illinois position to accept a position as wide receivers coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. The move reunited him with Schiano, who had recently left Rutgers for the Buccaneers head coaching job.

During his time with the Buccaneers, Fleck was known to wear cleats during practice, often running routes and simulating defenses with the receivers.

Western Michigan

On December 17, 2012, Western Michigan University announced the hiring of Fleck as the new head coach, making him the youngest head coach and the first head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of college football to have been born in the 1980s. Fleck signed a five-year contract worth $392,000 per season that includes an assistant coaches salary pool of $825,000. The previous head coach, Bill Cubit, earned $375,000 per year with an assistants salary pool of $723,000. With the increased budget, Fleck intends to hire a dedicated recruiting coordinator – a first for the WMU football program. Other candidates expressing interest in the job included Syracuse defensive coordinator (and later head coach) Scott Shafer, and Kent State offensive coordinator Brian Rock, both former WMU assistants. WMU had also been in contact with Indiana State head coach Trent Miles, North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl, and Illinois State head coach Brock Spack, all of whom declined interest or withdrew from consideration

One of Fleck's first actions as head coach was to rescind scholarship offers to incoming players who had verbally committed to Western Michigan. The withdraws occurred weeks before the national signing day, and left players unable to arrange other Division I scholarships as slots were already filled at other schools. "I know if it was me, I would be ticked," Fleck said of the players who had scholarship offers pulled. "I also know if it was me, I would have showed up in the office of the head football coach, telling him I was dying to still be here." Fleck started his position during a dead period when recruits are not allowed to have face-to-face contact with coaches.

Fleck made sports headlines after his hire with his charisma and attempts to energize to the WMU program, including dancing (The Harlem Shake), posting YouTube videos, adding an in-stadium DJ for games, and establishing a program-wide mantra of "rowing the boat". Fleck participated in a polar bear plunge held at Goldsworth Pond on the Western Michigan campus. The event raised funds for the Michigan Special Olympics, and led Holly Anderson of Sports Illustrated to proclaim Fleck as "the best new hire" for 2013, if only for generating interest in the program.

2013 season

Fleck's first season as Broncos head coach resulted in a final record of 1–11 (1–7 Mid-American Conference (MAC)). It was the program's worst season since 2004, when the Broncos went 1–10 (0–7 MAC). Injuries, youth and inexperience, discipline, and execution led to poor play. Low-lights included a home loss to Nicholls State, a blowout loss to Iowa, and a homecoming loss to Buffalo. The team improved their play late in the season, with a road win against UMass, and close home losses to in-state rivals Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan.

Despite the on-field difficulties in 2013, Fleck and his staff succeeded off the field by signing a highly ranked recruiting class. Observers noted that it was possibly the best recruiting class in WMU history, and the best in the MAC since 2000. Rivals.com had the WMU class ranked highest among "mid-major" programs for 2014, with 247Sports.com ranking the class 36th-best nationally for 2015.

2014 season

By 2015, Fleck was one of seven FBS head coaches with NFL playing experience: Jim Harbaugh, Steve Spurrier, Jeff Brohm, Joey Jones, Kliff Kingsbury, and Kyle Whittingham.

On November 20, 2014, Fleck was among 20 semi-finalists for the Maxwell Coach of the Year award.

After finishing the 2014 regular season with a 8–4 record, Fleck was named the 2014 MAC Coach of the Year. The seven game improvement in wins from the previous season was the best in WMU and MAC history. WMU rewarded Fleck by extending his contract through the 2020 season. In addition to his base salary of $392,500, Fleck earned an additional $61,000 in bonuses by hitting contract incentives ($25,000 for a bowl game appearance, $15,000 for MAC Coach of the Year, $12,000 for eight wins, and $9,000 for player all-conference honors). Fleck's new contract paid him $800,000 per year, plus incentives, making Fleck the MAC’s highest-paid coach, nearly 45 percent higher than second place Frank Solich ($554,500).

WMU lost 38–24 in the 2014 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against the Air Force Falcons of the Mountain West Conference.

2015 season

Fleck and WMU had the highest-rated recruiting class in the MAC for the third consecutive year.

To open the season, WMU lost to No. 5 Michigan State 37–24 at home in Waldo Stadium. The matchup marked the first time that WMU had hosted a Big Ten Conference opponent since 2007 (Indiana). The following week, they lost to Georgia Southern 43–17. In week 3 they beat Murray State at home 52–20. In week 4 they lost at No. 1 Ohio State by a score of 38–12.

In week 4, Western retained the Victory Cannon by defeating rival Central Michigan by a score of 41–39. In week 8, Western retained the Michigan MAC Trophy by defeating Eastern Michigan by a score of 58–28.

On November 27, 2015, the Broncos beat No. 24-ranked Toledo 35–30 on the road at the Glass Bowl for the program's first ever win over a ranked opponent. Western was previously 0–32 against top-25 teams.

WMU finished the 2015 regular season with a record of 7–5 (6–2 MAC). 7 of the 12 opponents ultimately appeared in a bowl game. The 7–5 record earned WMU a bowl berth for the second straight year – the first time in program history that the team made bowl appearances in consecutive seasons. On December 24, 2015, the Broncos defeated the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the Bahamas Bowl by a score of 45–31. The bowl win was the first in program history – WMU was previously 0–6 in postseason bowl games.

2016 season

Fleck and WMU had the highest-rated recruiting class in the MAC for the fourth consecutive year.

To open the season WMU beat Northwestern 22–21 in a road game at Ryan Field. The following week they beat North Carolina Central 70–21 in Kalamazoo. In week three WMU beat Illinois 34–10 on the road at Memorial Stadium. This was the first time in program history to beat 2 Big Ten teams in the same season.

In week 4 WMU avenged a loss to Georgia Southern from last season, winning 49–31. In week five, Western retained the Victory Cannon by defeating rival Central Michigan by a score of 49–10. This marks WMUs third consecutive win in the series and 5 of the last 6. Following this game WMU was ranked 25 in the coaches poll - the first time WMU appeared in the top 25 of a major poll. In the sixth week, WMU improved to 6–0 with a win against his alma mater Northern Illinois. Following the win, WMU as ranked #24 in the AP Top 25 poll, the first time in Western's history that they've received a place in the top 25 of both major polls.

WMU was able to complete their undefeated regular season at 12-0 with a win at home against Toledo, 55-35 on Friday, November 25. It was the first undefeated regular season for WMU since 1941, when the team went 8-0. Fleck was named MAC Coach of the Year following the season.

On December 2, 2016 WMU defeated Ohio in the 20th MAC Football Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. It was the first conference championship for WMU since 1988. WMU completed the 2016 regular season ranked #12 in the AP poll, #14 in the coaches poll, and #15 in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Fleck and the Broncos lost to the Wisconsin in the 2017 Cotton Bowl Classic by a final score of 24-16.

On December 6, 2016, Fleck was announced as one of five finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award alongside Colorado's Mike MacIntyre, Washington's Chris Petersen, Alabama's Nick Saban and Penn State's James Franklin.

Fleck has been rumored to be considered for several head coaching vacancies across the country, most notably Purdue and Cincinnati, and some other rumors have arisen around other programs with potential coaches on the hot seat, such as Notre Dame and Tennessee. He has denied talking to other programs, and has stated that his focus will remain solely with WMU until at least the conclusion of the MAC Championship on December 2.

Minnesota

On January 6, 2017 Fleck accepted the position of head football coach at the University of Minnesota.

Fleck is a 2004 graduate of Northern Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. Fleck has five children, stepson Gavin Jackson, son Carter Joseph (C. J.), son, Colt, daughter, Paisley Jane (P.J.) and daughter Harper. Colt died shortly after birth because of a heart condition. Paisley was born on December 17, 2012, the same day Fleck was announced as the new coach at Western Michigan University. He divorced in 2015. He married Heather Jackson on Feb. 11, 2016. Fleck is an avid runner and completed his first marathon in April 2009.

Fleck annually hosts the P. J. Fleck "Live Your Dream" Football Camp that benefits the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation (Friends of Carra), Alopecia Foundation (Locks of Love), Coach Kill's Cancer Fund, and the P. J. Fleck Scholarship Fund. Past camp instructors have included Fleck's former teammates and friends Ken Dorsey and Justin McCareins.

In 2014, Fleck was inducted into the Hall of Fame of his high school, Kaneland High School in Maple Park, Illinois.

Fleck credits Jim Tressel, Greg Schiano, and Jerry Kill–among others–with helping advance his coaching career.

Through 2016 season

Notable head coaches under whom Fleck has served:

• Jim Tressel: Ohio State (2006)
• Jerry Kill: Northern Illinois (2007–2009)
• Greg Schiano: Rutgers (2010–2011), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012)