The 2016 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played home games at TCF Bank Stadium. They were a member of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 9–4, 5–4 in conference play to finish in fourth place in the West Division. They were invited to the Holiday Bowl where they defeated Washington State.
The Golden Gophers were led by Tracy Claeys in his first and only season as head coach. Claeys was fired by the university on January 3 after he publicy backed a player-led boycott of the Holiday Bowl, following the suspension of ten players that were accused of sexual assault.
Schedule Minnesota faced all six West Division opponents: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin. The Gophers also faced East Division opponents Maryland, Penn State, and Rutgers. Minnesota played three non-conference games: Oregon State of the Pac-12 Conference, Indiana State of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, and Colorado State of the Mountain West Conference. Minnesota had one bye week during the season between their games against Indiana State and Colorado State.
Game summaries
Oregon State
Indiana State
Colorado State
At Penn State
Iowa
At Maryland
Rutgers
At Illinois
Purdue
At #21 Nebraska
Northwestern
At #6 Wisconsin
Washington State–Holiday Bowl
Personnel Coaching staff Name Position Alma mater Joined Staff Tracy Claeys Head coach Kansas State (1994) 2010 Brian Anderson Wide receivers coach Illinois (1994) 2010 Jay Johnson Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach Northern Iowa (1993) 2015 Bart Miller Offensive line coach New Mexico (2007) 2015 Jeff Phelps Defensive line coach Ball State (1997) 2010 Pat Poore Running backs coach / co-special team coordinator Fort Hays State (1984) 2010 Rob Reeves H-backs coach / tight ends coach Saginaw Valley State (1996) 2010 Jay Sawvel Defensive coordinator Mount Union (1993) 2010 Mike Sherels Linebackers coach Minnesota (2007) 2013 Dan O'Brien Assistant Defensive Backs / co-special team coordinator / assistant head coach St. Thomas (1987) 2010 Eric Klein Strength and conditioning Carleton College (1993) 2010
Roster
Awards and honors Weekly Awards Emmit Carpenter Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week October 3, 2016 Rodney Smith Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week October 24, 2016 Emmit CarpenterBig Ten Special Teams Player of the WeekNovember 7, 2016 Blake Cashman Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week November 21, 2016
Players drafted into the NFL
7 222 Jalen Myrick CB Jacksonville Jaguars
References