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Fleck Announces Hiring of Collins, Harbaugh

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University of Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck announced today the hiring of assistant coaches Danny Collins and Greg Harbaugh. Collins will coach the safeties, while Harbaugh will coach the tight ends. Both Collins and Harbaugh have extensive history with Fleck, both at Minnesota and at Western Michigan. Both hires are pending completion of successful background checks.

Collins has been on the Minnesota staff since 2017 and has served in multiple roles with the Gophers, most recently as a Senior Defensive Analyst.

His input and expertise helped Minnesota's defense post historic numbers in 2021. The Gophers ranked third in the nation in total defense at 278.8 yards per game (best since 1966, 225.1 yards per game), tied for sixth in the NCAA in scoring defense at 17.31 points per game (best since 1977, 15.5 points per game) and ranked eighth in the nation in rushing defense at 97.5 yards per game (best since 1962, 52.2 rushing yards per game).

Collins was in quality control in his first season in Minnesota in 2017, as he worked with the defensive coaching staff. In 2018, he transitioned to a graduate assistant position for the season and was then named interim defensive backs coach for Minnesota's 34-10 win against Georgia Tech in the Quick Lane Bowl. With Collins coaching the secondary, Minnesota held Georgia Tech to just 77 passing yards and 283 total yards.

Collins moved back to quality control in 2019 and again worked on the defensive side of the ball. He was thrust into on-field coaching duties again at the Outback Bowl and was the interim defensive line coach. Minnesota thwarted Auburn's potent rushing attack and limited the Tigers to a season-low 56 rushing yards on 26 carries. The Gophers notched two sacks in the 31-24 win and both came from the Collins-led defensive line.

Collins came to Minnesota from Western Michigan where he was a defensive graduate assistant from 2015-17.

Collins, who graduated with a degree in general studies from Western Michigan in 2014, worked with the Bronco football department in various roles since 2012. Collins had also worked with the defense in quality control at Western Michigan and was also a student-assistant linebacker coach and a student-assistant quarterback coach.

Harbaugh (pronounced HAR-bow) returns to Minnesota for a third stint with the Gophers, as he previously served in a quality control role twice on Fleck's Minnesota staff (2017 and 2019).

Harbaugh most recently was the receivers coach at Western Michigan for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. With the Broncos, he mentored receivers D'Wayne Eskridge, Skyy Moore, Corey Crooms and Jaylen Hall.

In 2020, Eskridge was a first team All-MAC selection at receiver, in addition to winning MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. He led the nation with 210.0 all-purpose yards per game, while 130.7 of those were receiving yards, a total which led the MAC and ranked fourth in FBS. He recently completed his rookie season with the NFL's Seattle Seahawks.

Moore ended the 2021 season with 95 receptions for 1,292 yards and nine touchdowns en route to being named All-MAC First Team. He ranked eighth in the nation in receiving yards per game (107.7) and placed 14th in the nation in receiving yards (1,292).

Crooms had 44 receptions for 768 yards and six touchdowns in 2021, while Hall made 46 catches for 752 yards and three scores.

In 2019, Harbaugh helped guide the Gophers to an Outback Bowl championship with a 31-24 victory against No. 9 Auburn. Minnesota finished the season with an 11-2 record and was one of three schools (joining Alabama and LSU) to feature two 1,000-yard receivers (Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson) and one 1,000-yard running back (Rodney Smith).

In 2018, Harbaugh coached receivers at Chattanooga. Under his tutelage, the team posted increases of 13 total receptions, 627 total receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns and 57.0 average receiving yards per game. Harbaugh coached Bryce Nunnelly to first team All-Southern Conference honors after finishing second in the league and seventh in the nation with 112.5 receiving yards per game.

Prior to his first stint at Minnesota in 2017, Harbaugh was at Western Michigan in 2015 and 2016 as a graduate assistant with Fleck. The Broncos won the Mid-American Conference championship and earned a berth in the 2016 Cotton Bowl and Western Michigan won the 2015 Bahamas Bowl.

Before his time at Western Michigan, Harbaugh held many roles at Marietta College for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He was the recruiting coordinator, academic coordinator, video coordinator and passing game coordinator. He also spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons as an assistant coach at Methodist University.

Harbaugh began his coaching career at North Carolina Wesleyan College in 2009-10, coaching receivers and running backs. The Battling Bishops won conference championships both years and earned an appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2009.

Harbaugh earned his bachelor's degree in sport management from Averett University in 2009 and his master's degree in sport management from Western Michigan in 2016.

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