Gophers safety Koi Perich earns Big Ten preseason honors

LAS VEGAS – The accolades keep coming for Gophers safety Koi Perich, who on Tuesday was one of 15 players to receive Big Ten preseason honors during the conference’s football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Perich, a sophomore from Esko, Minn., led the Big Ten with five interceptions in 2024, along with collecting 46 tackles and 2½ tackles for loss. He also excelled on special teams, returning 20 punts for 188 yards and 16 kickoffs for 314 yards. Perich is the only FBS freshman since 1976 to record more than 100 punt return yards, 100 kick return yards and five interceptions in a season. An All-Big Ten first-team honoree last year, Perich was also named an All-American by the Sporting News.

The Big Ten preseason honorees were selected by a media panel. Joining Perich on the team are Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer and linebacker Gabe Jacas; Indiana defensive lineman Mikail Kamara and defensive back D’Angelo Ponds; Iowa offensive tackle Gennings Dunker and center Logan Jones; Oregon linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei and defensive back Dillon Thieneman; Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and linebacker Sonny Styles, and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and running back Nicholas Singleton.

Big Ten football media days feature six teams appearing each day, and the Gophers take their turn Wednesday. Coach P.J. Fleck kicks off the day’s action at 1:30 p.m. (Central time) with his news conference, then will have his group interview session from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Players representing the Gophers are Perich, junior defensive end Anthony Smith and junior running back Darius Taylor. Fleck also brought redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey to Las Vegas for interviews and appearances.

Among the players who represented their schools during Tuesday’s opening session of Big Ten media days was Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who started 17 games during three seasons with the Gophers before transferring to the New Jersey school after the 2023 regular season.

Kaliakmanis, a senior with the Scarlet Knights, won a spirited battle for the starting job in 2024 spring practice and started all 13 games as Rutgers went 7-6 last year. He completed 213 of 395 passes (53.9%) for 2,696 yards and 18 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

“When he came here, he was a little out of kilter from what had occurred at the back end of his time at Minnesota,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “He had to hit a little bit of a reset, and he did that. The thing that impressed me most is he came in and was in the middle of an intense quarterback competition, and rather than try to campaign for it, all he did was put his head down and work.”

“It was extremely difficult because you were at a place for three years, and then you leave,” said Kaliakmanis, who reunited with former Gophers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca at Rutgers. “It’s going to be hard, but I found a new home. I’m really happy with the home I’m at now.”

Kaliakmanis led the Scarlet Knights to a 26-19 victory over the Gophers last November, passing for three TDs. He will make his return to Minnesota on Sept. 27 but doesn’t have the game circled on his calendar.