Gophers football to pay new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman $850,000

Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck on Friday announced two promotions on his coaching staff, while salary figures for new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman were released in Board of Regents documents.

Fleck promoted defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III to assistant head coach and named Eric Koehler, who was a senior offensive analyst, as tight ends coach.

DeLattiboudere, who’ll continue to coach Minnesota’s defensive line, has been a fast-rising star in the assistant coaching ranks since playing defensive end for the Gophers from 2015-19. He returned to Minnesota in January of 2023 and quickly made an impact, helping increase the Gophers’ sack total from 19 in 2022 to 26 last season. The defensive line was responsible for much of that improvement, going from 10.5 to 19 sacks. Gophers defensive linemen also forced six fumbles (recovering three), broke up seven passes and intercepted one pass.

Koehler replaces Andrew Sowder, whose role decreased during the 2023 season. Koehler joined the Gophers in 2023 after nine years on the offensive staff at Miami (Ohio), spending seven years as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before adding assistant head coach duties in his final two seasons with the RedHawks. He also coached at Illinois State, Grand Valley State and Wartburg.

Hetherman, a former Rutgers linebackers coach who replaces Joe Rossi as defensive coordinator, will have a two-year contract with annual compensation of $850,000 — with $345,000 as base salary and $505,000 as supplemental income. Minnesota will pay Rutgers a $160,000 buyout that Hetherman owed.

Hetherman’s contract is pending Board of Regents approval, with the board set to meet next Thursday and Friday.

Fleck also announced the addition of Bill Legg, former associate head coach at Marshall, as offensive analyst and Brett Holinka, former defensive backs coach at St. Thomas, as defensive analyst.

Former Gophers linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin will work as nickels coach/assistant linebackers coach; Malik Hollings as assistant defensive line coach; Isaiah Walker as assistant wide receivers coach; and James Bain as assistant offensive line coach.