Red Raiders Visiting With 2-Way Former Freshman All-American
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The transfer portal window is the perfect time for teams to add experienced playmakers who can have an immediate impact on a new program. Whether players are looking for a new scheme or a different culture, sometimes a change in scenery unlocks the most in a player.
One athlete looking for a new home is Koi Perich, a former four-star safety who spent the last two seasons with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He entered the transfer portal following the 2025 season, and it is unclear where his next destination will be.
However, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are bringing Perich in for a visit, according to Ben Golan of On3. The former No. 1 recruit in Minnesota is reportedly set to travel to Lubbock, Texas, on Jan. 7. While the Lone Star State is a long way from home in Esko, Minn., Tech's recent defensive reputation could be enticing for the star safety.
Perich's sophomore season was not as electric as his standout freshman campaign. Despite starting just three games on defense, he recorded five interceptions (most in the Big 10), 46 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, three passes defensed, and one forced fumble in 2024. He also returned 20 punts and 16 kickoffs, gaining 565 all-purpose yards.
For his performance, Perich was named to the All-Big Ten First Team as a defensive back by both the coaches and media. As well, he was named an All-American by Sporting News and a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.
In 2025, Perich took another step forward by experimenting as a two-way player, mostly at the beginning of the season during non-conference competition. While he only played 20 offensive snaps over five games, he had 12 touches for 98 yards — seven receptions for 89 yards and five rushes for nine.
On defense, though, he posted career-high marks of 82 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. He recorded just one pick, though he took it back for a touchdown. Perich also continued to find success as a return specialist, taking back 19 kickoffs for 499 yards (13th in FBS) and 18 punts for 118. This resulted in a career-high 742 all-purpose yards.
Koi Perich are you kidding?! 🤯 @GopherFootball
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 12, 2025
📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/whABrTdOpv
Perich has commonly been linked to Ohio State, a program that was heavily involved in his recruitment out of high school in 2023. Texas Tech was not involved in the process, but defensively, it could be a good fit for the multi-talented safety.
With Cole Wisniewski graduating, Tech could be looking for an experienced athlete to take his place. Perich can play both over the top as a free safety and in the box, making him a versatile option for Texas Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood. He could give the Red Raiders the ability to play in pseudo-nickel when he plays low or rotate to free safety when Tech's linebacker trio is on the field.
However, he could have some redundancy with safety Brenden Jordan and linebacker John Curry. Jordan wears the green dot for Tech, making him a key defensive player. He primarily lined up at free safety in 2025 (66.3% of defensive snaps). However, he also has experience as the Red Raiders' nickel/slot corner and in the box.
Curry, meanwhile, plays the STAR position on defense — a hybrid role that combines elements of safety and linebacker. He primarily lined up as the team's nickel (51.8%), though he also lined up as a traditional linebacker.
With Jordan and Curry bringing positional versatility and Ben Roberts and Austin Romaine holding things down in the middle of the defense, Perich could have a hard time finding his ideal role. However, with his athleticism and flexibility, he could likely excel if Wood has a plan in place for him.
Perich's role at Texas Tech is not clear, and there has been little information reported about the teams he is interested in or plans to visit. With Texas Tech's defense — which was one of the best in college football in 2025 — Perich could bounce back from his down season.
He proved during his freshman season to have the ball skills to create turnovers, a staple of Wood's defensive history. However, his PFF coverage grade dropped from an 88.6 as a freshman to a 55.8 as a sophomore. Similarly, his run defense and tackling grades fell from 82.1 to 63.1 and from 76.9 to 48.6, respectively.
His missed tackle rate also jumped from 10% to 22.4% as a sophomore. The Red Raiders were one of the best tackling teams in the country, and Perich would need to correct that if he was interested in Texas Tech.
Fans will await news of Perich's visit with the Red Raiders in anticipation, as Texas Tech aims to bring the former top recruit back to his All-American glory.
Editor's note: On3 and CBS released updated reports on Jan. 7 that Perich's visit would be on Jan. 8.
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-43389ae7766a84cbb8a6c33939d17968.jpeg "Jordan Epp")
Jordan Epp is a journalist who graduated from Texas A&M in 2022 and is passionate about telling stories, sharing news, and finding ways to entertain people through the medium of sports. He has formerly worked as a writer and editor at The Battalion and The Eagle, covering football in College Station, Texas, and served as the managing editor for PFSN.
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