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'TRAITOR': Ex-Gopher doesn't hold back after Koi Perich portal news

Coney Durr made his thoughts quite clear on Koi Perich's decision to hit the transfer portal.
Will Ragatz|
Coney Durr and Koi Perich may both soon be former Gophers defensive backs.
Coney Durr and Koi Perich may both soon be former Gophers defensive backs. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-W, Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Golden Gophers

Significant news broke on Thursday night that standout Gophers safety Koi Perich is entering the transfer portal after two seasons with Minnesota. The door isn't fully closed on a return to his home state team, but the Esko, MN native more than likely will wind up playing for a program of greater national prominence in 2026.

With Perich being perhaps the biggest name on the Gophers' roster due to his incredible true freshman season in 2024, this news has generated plenty of reaction. One person who didn't hold back in making his thoughts known is former Minnesota defensive back Coney Durr (2016-21), who is an active voice on social media.

Durr's initial reaction to the report from ESPN's Pete Thamel was just one word: Traitor.

He doubled down in a quote tweet of Thamel's follow-up to the initial report, which said that Perich hasn't ruled out a return to Minnesota. "Nah don't come back!" Durr wrote in all caps.

And Durr wasn't done. His next tweet expressed disappointment in Perich leaving after emerging as a fan favorite and role model in his home state. He was the rare star Minnesota recruit who chose to stay home despite offers from huge programs, but it appears to have only lasted two seasons.

"You know how many kids in Minnesota looked up to that kid?" Durr wrote. "How many #3 Jerseys I seen this past season. We’ve lost the plot man."

Perich burst onto the scene with an outstanding freshman year in which he led the Big Ten with five interceptions despite not being a full-time player until midseason. That was always going to be tough to replicate, but his sophomore season was a bit of a letdown even in that context. Perich had a pick-six against Purdue, a few tackles for loss, and a couple big kick returns. He also mixed in on offense for a handful of plays. But he struggled quite a bit with missed tackles and coverage angles in his primary role at safety.

Durr also noted that in the current landscape of college football, this news means the Gophers can allocate the money they would've paid Perich elsewhere — perhaps on finding another standout wide receiver for Drake Lindsey.

On Friday morning, Durr summed up his overall thoughts by saying he believes in the Minnesota program and the players who want to be Gophers.

P.J. Fleck and the Gophers have work to do to add to a secondary that's losing Perich and cornerback Za'Quan Bryan to the portal. But with pass rushers Anthony Smith and Karter Menz returning, as well as players like Kerry Brown and John Nestor in the secondary, the Gophers' 2026 defense might still have a high ceiling after a few portal additions and some leaps from young players.

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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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