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Gophers star freshman Koi Perich got a snap on offense against Maryland

Could Perich start to be involved on both sides of the ball for the Gophers?
Will Ragatz|
Oct 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Koi Perich (3) warms up before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Oct 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Koi Perich (3) warms up before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Huntington Bank Stadium. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Golden Gophers

Star freshman safety Koi Perich snagged his Big Ten-leading fifth interception of the season during the Gophers' blowout win over Maryland on Saturday, but perhaps the most intriguing part of his afternoon is that he played a snap on the other side of the ball.

Perich lined up in the backfield when Minnesota was on offense late in the first quarter, as 247 Sports' Ryan Burns noted.

It'll be interesting to see if this was just a one-time wrinkle or if Perich starts to get involved in a handful of plays offensively over the final four games of the regular season for the Gophers.

As a high school star in Esko, MN, Perich played running back and wide receiver in addition to safety, linebacker, and kick returner. He scored 27 total touchdowns as a senior, 18 of which came on offense.

At just 18 years old, Perich might be the best athlete on the Gophers' roster. His combination of agility and quickness at 6'1", 200 pounds is one of the things that has made him so good at safety in his first season of college football. It could also make him dangerous if he gets a handful of reps on offense, perhaps in packages where he has a good chance to have the ball in his hands.

The most notable two-way player in the country is Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter.

Perich's fifth INT on Saturday is already tied for fourth in a single season in Minnesota history. He's tied for second in the country in that stat, despite not playing a major role on defense until Week 6 against USC. Four of his interceptions have come in the Gophers' last three games, including game-sealing picks against USC and UCLA.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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