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Gophers offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr., five other assistants on expiring contracts
Defensive coordinator Joe Rossi among four under contract through the 2022 season
Andy GrederNovember 18, 2021 at 10:58 a.m.
Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck answers questions at a press conference after his team played Nebraska at an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Six assistant coaches in the Gophers football program have contracts expiring after this season. The other four have deals through next season, according to a records request the university fulfilled for the Pioneer Press.
The Minnesota coaches with deals set to expire in January: offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Sanford; assistant head coach/running backs coach Kenni Burns; co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Matt Simon; special teams coordinator/rush ends coach Rob Wenger; tight ends coach Clay Patterson; and cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes.
Those with agreements through next season and set to expire in January 2023 are defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Joe Rossi, run game coordinator/offensive line coach Brian Callahan, co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Joe Harsimiak and defensive line coach Chad Wilt.
When head coach P.J. Fleck signed an amended seven-year contract in early November, it came with an additional $350,000 for assistant coaches. Fleck said how that fund will be distributed will be determined at the end of the year.
“Every year is completely different in where you want to put those funds depending on who stays, who you hire, who gets a job that they’ve been dreaming about getting,” Fleck said Monday. “I want all my (assistants) to be head coaches one day. Just because I signed a seven-year contract — I want to make this a destination place — it doesn’t mean every one of my assistant coaches are going to want to make it their destination because they all want to be head coaches, they all want to be coordinators and I understand that.”
“Of course you want to retain as many as you possibly can,” he added. “Keep coaches who want to be coordinators, who are your coordinators, as best you can. Then be able to spread (the fund) as much as you possibly can around.”
BROYLES NOMINEE
Rossi was nominated this week for the Broyles Award given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach. Rossi’s defense ranks among the top 26 programs in points, total yards, rushing yards and passing yards allowed this season.“I don’t think there is a coach that cares more, that is more detailed, more passionate than coach Rossi,” linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin said. “I came in the locker room after practice (on Tuesday) and I saw Gopher Instagram posted it and the first thing I did was text him. He responded, ‘Back to work on Indiana.’ That is just the type of person coach Rossi is. He doesn’t want to take any honor.”
OLSON RECORD
Gophers guard Conner Olson is expected to break the Big Ten record for career starts on Saturday when the Gophers play Indiana in a 2:40 p.m. kickoff in Bloomington, Ind. Olson has 55 starts, tied with Ohio State offensive lineman Billy Price (2014-17).“He’s playing really, really, really good football,” Sanford said. “That’s the neatest thing about it. Sometimes those types of records — that guy might be just held up by duct tape and Elmer’s glue at this point. He’s not. He’s playing awesome football.”
GOPHERS IN THE NFL
Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr.had season-highs of 11 tackles and two tackles for lost yards against Washington Sunday, and Tyler Johnson had three receptions for 17 yards. Washington cornerback Ben St-Juste was sidelined by a concussion.Cardinals third-string quarterback Chris Streveler was thrust into action against the Panthers on Sunday with Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy injured. He competed 6 of 9 passes for 36 yards, took two sacks and had two rushes for four yards and a fumble.
Elsewhere: Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman had season highs of six receptions for 80 yards against the Dolphins; Lions kicker Ryan Santoso was active for the first time in six weeks and made 1 of 2 extra points and 1 of 2 field goals; Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell had five tackles and one TFL against the Seahawks; Jaguars linebacker Damien Wilson had four tackles; Chargers special-teams player Kiondre Thomas played seven snaps against the Vikings; Panthers linebacker Kamal Martin was active for the first time in two weeks and played 14 total snaps; Falcons cornerback Chris Williamson was on 53-man roster first for first time in two weeks and played 18 total snaps against the Cowboys.
