As of today, Minnesota's 2024 recruiting class is ranked 23rd nationally and 7th in the Big Ten, according to Rivals.com

With Pat Fitzgerald's firing on Monday, P.J. Fleck is now the second most tenured head coach in the Big Ten heading into his seventh season with the Gophers.

Kirk Ferentz still holding down the fort at Iowa, heading into his 25th season with the Hawkeyes

Joe Pung, the captain of the 1964 Gophers football team, died on Saturday in Minneapolis. He was 80.

Pung, a three-year letter winner for the Gophers, played in the collegiate all-star Blue-Gray Football Classic following his senior season. The Gophers were 5-4 in 1964. He declined an offer to try out with the Chicago Bears of the NFL.

He earned a master's degree from the University of Minnesota and helped coach the Gophers freshman team for four years. He then taught in the Osseo school district for 30 years.

Pung grew up in St. Martin and attended Paynesville High School.

I might have missed it, but how many jobs has lying kill accepted and resigned from this summer ?

Really like the potential of Carroll, who is also an outstanding wrestler.

The Golden Gophers recently jumped into the mix for Jimmy Sullivan, an intriguing quarterback from Carroll (Ind.) in the class of 2025. Sullivan added an offer from Minnesota to his resume on June 14th.

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The 6-foot-3, 180-pound recruiting target out of Fort Wayne, IN. sat down with The Gopher Report to detail his overall interest in the Gophers' program as well as his plans to stop by Minnesota for a visit.

Sullivan said that it feels great to pick up a Big Ten opportunity from Minnesota as he has been in contact with the Golden Gophers' coaching staff since early May before catching the attention of both head coach P.J. Fleck and co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Greg Harbaugh Jr. at a mega camp. He added that he was offered a week or two later.

"It feels really good," Sullivan said. "I have been in contact with Minnesota since the beginning of May, then went to a mega camp in the middle of June. Coach Harbaugh and Coach Fleck were there and a week or two later is when I got the offer."

Sullivan said that when he was at camp, Coach Harbaugh was coaching him up and showing him different tricks. The rising star out of the Hoosier State added that there's a lot to love about Coach Fleck as he's one of the best in college football, adding that he had a great conversation with him over Facetime and is convinced that Minnesota is a great place to be.

"When I was at camp, Coach Harbaugh was with me the whole time, coaching me up and asking me to show him some different stuff and I can tell he is a very smart guy," Sullivan said. "Obviously, there is a lot to love about Coach Fleck, one of the best in college football. When I had my facetime call, just listening to him talk, seems like a guy I want to play for."

Sullivan said another aspect of his recruitment process with the Golden Gophers that stands out is the fact that Minnesota was the first P5 program to offer him and that will play a big part in his final decision.

"A big thing for me was they were the first P5 to offer," Sullivan said. "That shows they really believed in me and will stand out a lot to me when I'm making my decision."

Sullivan said that he's going to be stopping by for a visit with the Golden Gophers very soon, revealing his plans to be at Minnesota on the last week of July for a camp and visit. He added that he has no other visits scheduled.

In addition to the offer from Minnesota, Sullivan holds opportunities from Akron, Ball State, Central Michigan, Kent State, Miami (OH), Toledo and Western Michigan.

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Another tough in-state blow for Minnesota

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A look right here:

Minnesota junior OF Brett Bateman is having a successful summer in the Cape Cod League so far. In 13 games played, Bateman is hitting .500 in 46 at bats. Among his 23 hits, six have been for doubles and 13 RBI's. He's also drawn three walks, struck out just six times, and stole five bases so far.

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Catches? Yards? Touchdowns?

Go

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For those wondering. Visited Minnesota, Vandy, Missouri, and Rutgers in June

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NASHVILLE - The Golden Gophers men's hockey team saw two players selected during the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft Thursday. Beckett Hendrickson (Round 4, No. 124 - Boston Bruins) and Luke Mittelstadt (Round 7, No. 197 - Montreal Canadiens) were both chosen during the final day of the draft inside Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

With three total picks in 2023, Minnesota increased its all-time leading number of NHL Entry Draft selections by any NCAA men's hockey program up to 239.

Hendrickson played two seasons with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and finished ninth on the team totaling 34 points (13 goals and 21 assists) in 51 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign. Ranked as the No. 67 North American skater in the 2023 Central Scouting final rankings, the Minnetonka, Minn., native won a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship in Switzerland.

The son of former Gopher and current Minnesota Wild assistant coach Darby Hendrickson, he skated in the 2023 BioSteel All-American Game after seeing the ice in 52 games for the USNTDP U17's. Hendrickson spent the 2020-21 season skating for Minnetonka High School and signed his National Letter of Intent back in November.

Mittelstadt burst onto the collegiate scene for the Maroon and Gold in 2022-23 and appeared in 38 of 40 games, missing two due to injury. He became the first Gophers defenseman to reach the 20-point mark as a freshman since Erik Johnson had 24 points in 2006-07 behind a 21-point campaign (five goals and 16 assists). The native of Eden Prairie, Minn., earned a spot on the NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team after recording the first multi-goal performance of his career, scoring twice in a span of 1:49 in the third period against Boston University, including the eventual game winner.

An All-Big Ten Freshman Team selection and a Big Ten First Star of the Week in November, Mittelstadt shined during B1G play, recording 15 points in 22 league games. He finished the season with a plus-22 rating and helped the Gophers to the NCAA's sixth-best goals against average allowing 2.3 goals per game on the way to an NCAA runner-up result and a Big Ten Conference regular season championship.

During the first round Wednesday night, Minnesota's incoming freshman Oliver Moore was selected No. 19 overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Minnesota Draft Notes

*At least one Gopher has been drafted in 48 of the last 49 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974 with 2001 being the only exception. Minnesota's 27-consecutive drafts with a selection between 1974-2000 are tied for an NCAA record.

*Hendrickson is the first Gopher selected by the Bruins since Ryan Lindgren went in the 2016 second round (49th overall) and just the fifth all-time. Mittelstadt joins fellow Minnesota teammate Rhett Pitlick (2019) as a pick of the Canadiens and the 10th-ever selection by Montreal.

*Luke joins his brother, Casey, as draft picks from the Mittelstadt family after the eldest brother was taken No. 8 overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2017.

*Hendrickson and his father, Darby, a fourth-round pick (73rd overall) of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1990 draft, become the seventh father/son duo in program history that were both drafted representing the Maroon and Gold. They join Jimmy/Dave Snuggerud, Jack/Mike Ramsey, Rem and Rhett/Lance Pitlick, Tyler/Marty Nanne, Mike/Mike Reilly and Jake/Grant Bischoff. Additionally, Blake McLaughlin is the stepson of Grant Bischoff.

*Erik Johnson remains the highest draft pick in Minnesota history, going No. 1 overall in 2006.

*Per NCAA rules, the Gopher men's hockey program cannot comment on unsigned prospects.

It's July and the 2023 football seasons is just around the corner. This will be your one-stop shop for all of our preseason stories below...

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Based off this pic, how many minutes per game?