1-on-1 with Gophers AD Mark Coyle: NIL, Football season review, basketball progress, and more

Interview: Gophers AD Mark Coyle Jan. 2024

Gophers athletics director Mark Coyle sat down recently with our Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson to cover a wide range of topics.

***Click the video box above to watch the feature package, plus the interview following in its entirety***

Coyle was hired by the Gophers May 2016 and is currently the 5th-longest tenured AD in the Big Ten. When Ohio State’s Gene Smith retires in July, he’ll move up, and the three then in front of him have him beat by just months. In other words, a) AD turnover is happening more and more in the Big Ten, and b) at 55-years-old, it’s looking like this will be Coyle’s last job.

Coyle and Wolfson reviewed the 6-7 football season, the promising conference start for the men’s hoops team, the successful first year for new women’s hoops coach Dawn Plitzuweit, and lots more.

Coyle was a contacted a few months ago by a search firm on USC’s behalf. But talks didn’t progress. He’s been contact other times over the years too. But Coyle very much enjoys working for the University of Minnesota and this has turned into home for him and his family.