Purdue’s Barry Odom Praises PJ Fleck’s Track Record at Minnesota
Purdue head coach Barry Odom had high praise for Minnesota’s PJ Fleck and the steady success he’s built with the Golden Gophers over the years.
While Odom didn’t use the word “culture” — a term often associated with Fleck’s leadership — he clearly acknowledged the strength and stability of the Minnesota program under Fleck’s guidance.
In his first eight seasons, Fleck has led Minnesota to a 61–41 record, including a flawless 6–0 record in bowl games and four seasons with at least eight wins. Odom spoke with admiration about those accomplishments during his weekly press conference.
“Coach Fleck has done a tremendous job in shaping the identity of Minnesota football,” Odom said. “They’ve done an outstanding job on the recruiting front. When I look across their roster, they’re solid from top to bottom with talent at every position.”
“He’s built a consistent program, which is no easy feat in today’s college football landscape. I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s achieved.”
Gophers and Boilermakers Enter Week 6 with Something to Prove
Minnesota currently sits at 3–2 after a win over Rutgers in its Big Ten opener but is coming off a tough 42–3 loss to top-ranked Ohio State. They also dropped a non-conference game to Cal earlier in the season.
Purdue, meanwhile, is trying to stop a three-game skid, with losses to USC, Notre Dame, and Illinois. The Boilermakers are still searching for their first Big Ten win of the 2025 season — and their first conference victory since defeating Indiana to close out 2023.
Odom, who’s in his first year as Purdue’s head coach, knows that beating a team coached by Fleck won’t be easy.
“One thing that’s always stood out to me about his teams is how hard they play,” Odom said. “That’s been true even before I joined this conference.”
Recent History Favors Purdue
Saturday’s game will mark Odom’s first head-to-head matchup with Fleck, but Purdue has had the upper hand in recent years. The Boilermakers have won the last two meetings, defeating Minnesota 20–10 in 2022 in Minneapolis and winning 49–30 at home in 2023. The two teams didn’t play each other in 2024.
Fleck, however, holds a slight 4–3 edge in the overall series since taking over at Minnesota.
While Odom has shown plenty of respect for Fleck’s accomplishments, his focus this weekend will be on notching his first Big Ten win and leveling the series against the Gophers under Fleck’s leadership.
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