Esko's Koi Perich, the top recruit in Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck's 2024 class, has been so spectacular in his career that scoring three touchdowns in his team's season opener last week seemed like a typical Perich performance to his coach.
Perich had two rushing touchdowns and a 40-yard punt return for a TD in Esko's 63-6 win at Duluth East last Thursday. His second game is Friday vs. Proctor at home.
"It's funny because you kind of just expect that from him," Esko coach Scott Arntson told the Star Tribune this week. "You expect him to do those types of things because we've now seen it for three years. He is who he is. He's a pretty dynamic football player."
The 6-1, 195-pound four-star safety and running back is ranked the No. 1 player in Minnesota's 2024 class by 247Sports.com, ranked just ahead of Rogers defensive end Wyatt Gilmore, who will play for Oklahoma.
Fleck landed seven of the top nine seniors in Minnesota this year. But the Gophers beat out several Big Ten schools for Perich, who also had scholarship offers from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.
Last season, Perich recorded 75 tackles, three interceptions and recovered four fumbles for Esko. He also displayed his versatility with nearly 1,200 yards rushing and receiving combined. His 25 total touchdowns included five return TDs on punts and kickoffs.
The future Gopher can make an impact anywhere on the field, but Perich is known for delivering some menacing tackles.
"Defensively, he really doesn't come off the field," Arntson said. "He's very physical and he's very smart. He's bringing everything he has when he comes to hit you. He just explodes into people. Even when it doesn't seem like he's hitting you very hard people tend to go flying."
