4-man punter competition? Fleck details Gophers' special teams plans

The Gophers will have an open punting competition for the first time since 2020, and they will have a new kicker for the first time since 2023. They made a lot of moves in the transfer portal this offseason, but P.J. Fleck dropped some details of what we could expect for the special teams unit in 2025.

Mark Crawford played 57 games and punted the ball 227 times in a Gophers uniform, and Dragan Kesich made 65-66 extra points and 43-56 field goals, so Minnesota will be losing a lot of production.

"It's going to be really interesting because that really determines whether you lead the conference in fourth-down attempts, or you're kicking some field goals," Fleck said at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday. "Same with the punt category. Are we going for it, or punting more?"

Special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky is entering his second season with the Gophers, and the staff was busy in the transfer portal this offseason. They went out and added Syracuse kicker Brady Denaburg, UCLA punter Brody Richter and Ouachita Baptist, Division-II punter Tom Weston.

Minnesota is also adding incoming freshmen kicker Daniel Jackson and punter Luke Ryerse to the fold to complete a new-look special teams unit. The only returning players are kickers David Kemp and Sam Henson and punter Caleb McGrath. There are four total kickers and four total punters currently on the roster.

"We got four guys I feel really good about at the punt position, that we're going to have an open competition here, in training camp. Somebody will win that in the first few weeks," Fleck said.

Ryerese and McGrath have not attempted a punt at the college level, Weston is making the jump from the D2 level and Richter had a 42.8-yard average last season on 40 punts. Richter's Big Ten experience probably makes him the favorite, but it sounds like everyone has a chance.

The kicking competition sounds like a two-man race between Denaburg and Jackson, who Fleck raved about at Big Ten Media Days. He said one of the two will be Minnesota's starting kicker in 2025.

With the new House v. NCAA settlement now in place, and roster limits of 105 being grandfathered in over time, eight total kickers and punters doesn't seem like the smartest roster-building strategy. Nevertheless, Minnesota will have plenty of special teams options in 2025.