Gophers defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman leaving for Miami – Twin Cities

Three makes a trend, especially in clockwork over three straight years.

With Gophers defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman accepting the same role at Miami (Fla.) on Saturday, the Minnesota football program has now lost three coordinators in lateral job moves to three different schools over the past three years.

After leading a Top 10 defense in the nation in 2024, Minnesota rewarded Hetherman with a contract extension and pay raise in December, from $850,000 to $1 million per year for both 2025 and 2026. But it’s not considered to be enough to compete with what the Hurricanes are believed to have offered Hetherman.

Miami will also need to pay $600,000 buyout to Minnesota to bring Hetherman aboard, per his new contract terms.

Minnesota previously had offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca go to Rutgers in 2022 and defensive coordinator Joe Rossi leave for Michigan State in 2023. With Hetherman, all three will have earned significant pay raises in their new jobs.

USA Today reported this fall that Minnesota had the lowest assistant coach salary pool in the Big Ten. With approval from the Board of Regents, the University of Minnesota’s relative lack of spending compared to conference peers has resulted in a stream of coordinators leaving the U in recent years.

After Rossi, Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck went to Rutgers for its linebacker coach, Hetherman, a year ago. The Gophers gave Hetherman a raise after Rutgers and other programs wanted to lure him away after the 2024 regular season.

Minnesota tried to safeguard against Hetherman being plucked away with $200,00 retention bonus triggering on Feb. 1 in 2025 and 2026, but that wasn’t enough to keep him in Dinkytown.

Ultimately, Gophers athletics director Mark Coyle spoke too soon at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

“We felt it was important to keep that staff continuity and keep that continuity with P.J.,” Coyle told KFXN-FM. “So, just really grateful for Corey and his family committed to us and being a part of this family.”

With more change on staff, Fleck is expected this time to stay within his existing staff for the new DC. Two leading candidates are safeties coach Danny Collins and cornerbacks coach Nick Monroe. It could be a co-coordinator title, with one calling plays next fall. After Rossi left a year ago, Collins was the interim defensive coordinator for the Quick Lane Bowl win in December 2023. An internal hire might also come for the linebackers coach, which was part of Hetherman’s duties.

Last season, the U’s defense was ninth in the nation in points per game (16.9) and 12th in the country yards per play (4.7).