It’s no secret that I’ve lamented Minnesota Football’s special teams for years under PJ Fleck. This is part of why their former special teams coordinator, Rob Wenger, was never available to the media year after year.
But 2023 was a year of change for them in the kicking game as first-year starter Dragan Kesich was sensational from game one en route to winning Big Ten Kicker of the Year. Plus, Minnesota’s punt game finished fifth in the Big Ten in net punt. After the Quick Lane Bowl, it was announced that Wenger was moving on from college football and now is out of the profession after a decade plus with Fleck. In his place is veteran Bob Ligashesky calling the shots.
So, for the first time in a handful of years, the media got to chat with the Gophers special teams coordinator, which brought us back to 2012 Tampa Bay, where the two first met.
“I just remember just high energy and passion, like he is now,” Ligashesky explained about what he remembers about PJ Fleck over a decade ago. “Attention to detail, competitive, and we worked together on special teams where he was with the return. So it’s really the same things that you see now.”
PJ Fleck has always been a coach who loves to play the field position game, and that’s also important to Ligashesky.
“The purpose of special teams is field position. That’s where it starts for us,” Ligashesky detailed. “You just look at the statistics and we do that in the first meeting every year. We have a chart, and I’m sure every special teams coach in America does, but the closer you are to the goal line, the percentage of your scoring goes up.”
Minnesota’s kick return game was brutal last fall. That’s no secret, as their offense lost 71 yards of field position when their primary returner fielded the kick in 12 regular season games, compared to just fair-catching everything. So I asked Ligashesky, how do you turn that unit around?
“We’ll work on what we do. We’ll put it together in the spring, and work on it in the fall. And we’ll see what goes from there.”
Historically, Ligashesky’s return units have been far more aggressive in fielding punts and kicks than Minnesota has been in recent years. For example, this past year at Syracuse where Ligashesky was the coordinator, the Orange returned 26 punts and signaled for 21 punt fair catches. In comparison, the Gophers returned eight punts and called for 33 fair catches.
And then you look at kick returns. Syracuse only fair caught two kickoff returns in all of 2023, whereas Minnesota fair caught 14 kickoffs. Very, very different styles. So when pressed on whether he’s bringing that new brand of returns to Minnesota, Ligashesky deferred to the head coach.
“I’m going to do what the head coach does,” Ligashesky answered when asked how he could convince Fleck to open things up in the return game. “We’ll look at it as we proceed through the spring. Q (Quentin Redding) has done a great job, and we’re gonna apply some competition to that spot. We’ll see. We’ll evaluate it after the spring and see how we can attack it.”
Minnesota last had a kick return touchdown in 2017, and a punt return touchdown since 2018. So what makes a good return man?
“First thing is catch the ball and then it’s decision making,” Ligashesky said. “And then after that, create on your own. Make the first guy miss and then create on your own.”
The Gophers also only returned six punts in the 2023 regular season last fall, which was tied for last in the Big Ten. Ligashesky notes that they were efficient on those.
“On those returns, they averaged 13 yards per return. So when they did return it, it was productive. But again, it’ll be something that we work on based on our return scheme and pressure scheme.”
Dragan Kesich and Minnesota’s kickoff team led the Big Ten in touchback percentage last fall, as over 85% of their kickoffs resulted in a touchback. When asked if Ligashesky would continue with that strategy in 2024, the long-time coach again deferred to his head coach.
“My philosophy is the same as Coach Fleck right now. We’ll be doing the same philosophy that Coach Fleck has.”
Quentin Redding served as Minnesota’s primary returner for the bulk of 2023, and Ligashesky hopes to develop him more and get more competition there.
“Lke I said before, Q has done a great job in the past. We’ll provide some candidates to create some competition, and we’ll compete to see who can help us. For me, it’s a clean slate. I’m trying to look at everybody I can and see what they can contribute or provide to our special teams. We’ll find a way to get them into a situation where they can help us.”
This will be Ligashesky’s 40th year coaching football at either the collegiate or NFL level, and that’s something he doesn’t take for granted.
“I just want to be among the best that there is. I want to be part of it. And the other thing is I love being around these kids. They keep making me young,” Ligashesky regaled. “I don’t feel like it’s 40 years. I love coming to work. I love being around these guys. If you ask me about Mark (Crawford) and Dragan (Kesich), it’s about being around those guys. I love dealing with these kids and there’s nothing better in the world when you’re able to give these guys something and see them light right up. When they get it and have success. I mean, that’s really the essence and the passion of what we do. There’s nothing like it.”
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