Gophers' P.J. Fleck announces rash of new hires, promotions
Two former Gophers football players will have new roles with the program in 2024.
Gophers coach P.J. Fleck announced a rash of new promotions and additions to his coaching and support staff on Friday, including promoting former Gophers defensive lineman Winston DeLattiboudere III from defensive line coach to assistant head coach and promoting former linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin from a defensive analyst role to the team's nickel/assistant linebackers coach.
DeLattiboudere, who played for Minnesota from 2015-19, will continue to lead the defensive line in his new role. The Gophers’ defensive line made a big jump in its pass rush from his first year on staff in 2022 to his second in 2023. The line racked up 20 sacks in 2023 compared to 9.5 the year previous. It also forced six fumbles, recovered three, knocked down seven passes and even recorded an interception last season.
Sori-Marin played for the U from 2018-22 and spent his first season on the Minnesota coaching staff as a defensive analyst last season. Fleck hired Brett Holinka, who was the cornerbacks coach at St. Thomas last season, to fill the vacant defensive analyst role. He also hired Bill Legg, who was most recently the offensive line and associate head coach at Marshall, as an offensive analyst.
Malik Hollings, who served as a defensive graduate assistant ahead of the 2023 season, was promoted to assistant defensive line coach. Isaiah Walker, who was the team’s offensive graduate assistant ahead of the 2023 season, meanwhile, was promoted to assistant wide receivers coach. James Bain, who served as an offensive and special teams graduate assistant for the past three seasons at UTEP, was hired as an assistant offensive line coach.
Additional promotions and hires include Emily Litwin, who was promoted from chief administrative officer/family liaison to the assistant director of football operations/family relations, Dane Kuhn, who was hired as football creative director, Nick Lee, who was promoted to coordinator of recruiting operations after serving two seasons as a recruiting assistant, and Lauren Garlow, who was hired as an assistant director of on-campus recruiting after working as a recruiting assistant at Miami-Ohio.
Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck looks on before the game against Illinois at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Nov. 4, 2023.
Matt Krohn / USA TODAY Sports
