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Top 5 rivalries between college football head coaches

By Michael Hanich

TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 22: Head Coach Jimbo Fisher of the Texas A&M Aggies talks at midfield with Head Coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated the Aggies 45-23. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - SEPTEMBER 22: Head Coach Jimbo Fisher of the Texas A&M Aggies talks at midfield with Head Coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated the Aggies 45-23. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 28: Head coach P. J. Fleck of the Minnesota Golden Gophers prepares to take the field before the start of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Chase Field on December 28, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 28: Head coach P. J. Fleck of the Minnesota Golden Gophers prepares to take the field before the start of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Chase Field on December 28, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

4. P.J. Fleck (Missouri) vs. Jerry Kill (New Mexico State)

Jerry Kill and P.J. Fleck are examples of two coaches who have stellar coaching careers at the MAC to go on to be successful head coaches for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Kill was successful for the Northern Illinois Huskies and then spent four and a half seasons with Minnesota (2011-2015) before he resigned due to serious health problems. After a season and a half of Tracy Claeys, Minnesota hired Western Michigan Broncos head coach P.J. Fleck.

The Golden Gophers community loves both coaches, but they have had a series of feuds against each other. Kill ripped Fleck for wanting to change the football program’s culture and its image with his famous “rowing the boats” motto.

Kill took this matter by Fleck as a personal attack against the program he created. A year and a half after Kill resigned from the program, the Golden Gophers had 10 players suspended under accusations of sexual assault. Coach Claeys defended his players and their first amendment rights and was fired shortly after.

Fleck’s desire to change the program was not in the direction of coach Kill but to the off-the-field issues. That didn’t stop Kill from being disappointed with the University of Minnesota and the football program. He vowed never to step back into the football stadium again. Fleck focuses on his actions and not the potential distractions from coach Kill.

To make things interesting, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, led by P.J. Fleck, will start their 2022 season by hosting the New Mexico State Aggies, led by first-year head coach Jerry Kill.

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