Mahtomedi native Nick Monroe returns home as Gophers assistant football coach
The Gophers football program will bring Nick Monroe home.
Minnesota is expected to hire Monroe as its next cornerbacks coach and co-defensive coordinator, sources confirmed to the Pioneer Press on Thursday.
Monroe, a Mahtomedi native and St. Cloud State alum, was Syracuse’s interim defensive coordinator for the Gophers’ 28-20 victory over the Orange in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 29. Before that, Monroe was Syracuse’s defensive passing-game coordinator/safeties coach. He has been a member of the Orange staff since 2016.
Monroe’s father, Marty, was a graduate assistant under former Gophers head coach Jim Wacker in 1994-95.
“When I was in junior high getting into high school, I used to hang out around the Gibson-Nagurski complex and watch (Gophers) practices and watch spring practices,” Monroe said during the Pinstripe Bowl news conference Dec. 22. “It was a really cool deal for me as a young kid.”
Monroe, who said he has a lot of family in Minnesota, has been regarded as one of the Orange’s top assistants and best recruiters. Syracuse runs a 3-3-5 defense, a front Minnesota will incorporate next season.
Monroe and U defensive coordinator Joe Rossi both have ties to Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.
The Gophers are also in line to hire Nic McKissic-Luke as its next running back coach, sources said. McKissic-Luke, a tailback at Alabama in 2002-03, has held multiple roles at Northern Illinois since 2020, including running back coach, run-game coordinator and special-teams coordinator.
With McKissic-Luke coaching tailbacks in 2021, Northern Illinois had the fourth-best rushing offense nation at 241 yards per game.
Minnesota had four assistant coach opening this offseason and has now filled all of them, with Kent State offensive coordinator Andrew Sowder coming in as tight ends coach and former U player and Akron assistant Winston DeLattiboudere to be the new defensive line coach.
Related Articles
College Sports | Gophers to hire Andrew Sowder as tight ends coach
College Sports | Gophers’ Ben Johnson, P.J. Fleck comb other Big Ten coaches’ interviews for insights
College Sports | Gophers to promote Matt Simon and Greg Harbaugh to co-offensive coordinators
College Sports | Gophers’ 2017 recruiting class turned program into consistent winner
College Sports | Gophers football has not had a representative in All-American Bowl since 2016; now they have two
