Gophers announce four players will join P.J. Fleck at annual Big Ten Media Days

Minnesota will have a young group of players representing the school at this year's event.

Jul 25, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Gophers announced on Monday that Darius Taylor, Koi Perich, Anthony Smith and Drake Lindsey will all join P.J. Fleck at Big Ten Media Days next month in Las Vegas.

See You in Vegas 🗣️🏈 #RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers

HC - @Coach_Fleck
RB - @Dariustay1or
DB - @koiperich3
DL - @AgentAnt0
QB - @Drakelindsey5

DETAILS: https://t.co/OH2oH37iCf pic.twitter.com/HN7f7bU4bb

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) June 30, 2025

This year's event will take place July 22-24 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fleck and the players will speak with the media on Wednesday, July 23.

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The Gophers' youth will be on display with a junior, sophomore, redshirt junior and redshirt freshman representing the team. Minnesota chose seniors Max Brosmer and Cody Lindenberg to represent the team last year alongside Taylor, so this year will have a different vibe.

It's naive to take too much away from who a program invites to a media event, but it's clear Minnesota views Perich and Lindsey as leaders of this team despite playing only one season of college football.

Taylor led the team in with more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage last year as a sophomore, Smith broke out for a team-high six sacks as a redshirt sophomore, Perich announced himself to the college football world with a breakout true freshmen season and Lindsey projects as the team's fourth new starting quarterback in the last four years in 2025.