Road less traveled leads Gophers defensive coordinator Danny Collins to his dream job

Danny Collins had the start of his football coaching career all planned out. In 2014, he graduated from Western Michigan and figured he’d land a graduate assistant job under coach P.J. Fleck.

One problem: “Wasn’t my time to be a GA yet,” Collins said.

Undaunted, Collins adjusted his plan and decided to join Fleck’s staff as a volunteer, a role that offered no paycheck. He needed a place to live and secured permission to shack up in a storage closet in the football facility. He slapped down an air mattress, found room for his clothes and immersed himself in football.

“I just said, ‘You know what? This was going to be an opportunity for me,’ ” Collins said. “I’m always going to be the last one to leave and the first one here. Simple as that.”

To make ends meet, Collins worked the midnight to 4 a.m. shift loading trucks for FedEx.

A decade later, the “Rudy”-like story continues. Collins, 33, is still coaching with Fleck and beginning the latest stop on his journey. He’ll coach his first game as the Gophers defensive coordinator in the season opener against Buffalo on Thursday night at Huntington Bank Stadium. He replaces Corey Hetherman, who left for Miami (Fla.) in January shortly after accepting a contract extension with Minnesota.

Collins will try to put his stamp on a defense that’s mainly been a strength for the Gophers since Fleck fired Robb Smith during the 2018 season and replaced him with Joe Rossi. Under Rossi, Minnesota’s defense made a drastic turnaround to help secure a bowl bid in 2018. The Gophers followed with an 11-2 record in 2019 and had defenses that ranked in the top 10 nationally in fewest points allowed in 2021 and ’22. After Rossi left for Michigan State following the 2023 season, Hetherman guided the Gophers to the No. 9 spot in scoring defense last year.

“When he got the safety job, it was a no-brainer to hire him because he was ready,” Fleck said. “He knew the defense better than anybody else. … He coached in multiple bowl games when other coaches had left, coached every position on defense."

Fleck considered promoting Collins to defensive coordinator when Rossi left in 2023 but opted to go with Hetherman, who was Rutgers’ linebacker coach. Given a second chance to promote Collins, Fleck did so in January.

Collins has developed a HAVOC acronym for how he wants his defense to play. He wants a high level of “How” as in the team’s intensity. The Gophers are instructed to “Attack” and bring “Violence” to the field, play together as “One” and “Compete” at the highest level.

“Do that all the time,” senior defensive lineman Jalen Logan-Redding said. “We’ve done it all the way through training camp, and we’re going to continue to do it during the season.”

Collins has a core of solid players returning on defense, but he also faces challenges in replacing returning starters and replenishing depth. Minnesota’s defensive line, led by end Anthony Smith and veteran tackles Deven Eastern and Logan-Redding, could be dominant – if the coaching staff trusts the depth behind the trio. Perich and Kerry Brown lead one of the best safety groups in the nation, but both cornerback spots and nickelback will feature new starters.

“We’re in the Big Ten. It’s about running the ball, and it’s about stopping the run,” he said. “[Defensive end] Jaxon Howard has taken that physicality to the next level. I’m really excited about him. I’m really excited about Karter Menz being able to rush the passer again.”

Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. has coached with a different defensive coordinator in each of his three years in Minnesota. He’s impressed with Collins’ ability to apply a variety of concepts and make them work.

“You have to prepare each day for what the defense could bring you,” Harbaugh said. “Danny has an attacking style defense, and he has done a very good job of taking what he’s learned throughout the years. … One thing he’s done really well: He might make a mistake in one practice, but we’re gonna get something totally different and something that’s gonna attack us or make us better as an offense."

Fleck’s trust in Collins goes back to those early days at Western Michigan when a recent graduate built his coaching chops while living in a storage closet.