How did last year go for you?rnI think last year was kind of a breakout year. I had twenty-five plus touchdowns on the year. Individually, it went about as well as I could have hoped. As a team, we could have been better.

Where did you line up last year?rnI just tried to go where the coaches thought they could get the most out of me. I played outside linebacker on defense.

What are your strengths?rnI play outside linebacker. If we are getting gashed, I will switch sides, but I try to play on the strong side. My dad is our defensive coordinator. He emphasized good hand technique – always inside and make sure you always have your leverage. Most likely, I am playing against a bigger guy than me. Make sure I use my hands, get the first shot to the chest, and be fast. That is how I would outmaneuver the big guys. On offense, I am pretty fast, so they would try to get me on the outside so I could make explosive plays. I only got the ball about sixty times last year, so I think my role on offense will increase. I am hoping to be the kicker next year too.

Talk to me about your winter and spring.rnI play basketball. We had a pretty good year. We won 25 games and lost in our section final. I put up something like 25 (points), 8 (rebounds), and 4 (assists) a game. In track, I probably would have won State in all four of my events – I was ranked number one in the state – but I got injured in the second meet. I do the 100, 200, long jump, and triple jump. I pulled my hamstring and am still recovering from that now.

How has the rehab been going?rnI have never had a soft tissue injury before – trying to recover has been a battle. I thought I was better two weeks ago, and I tweaked it again. I think it will be fine, but it will just take some time.

What football skills will you focus on once you recover from your injury?rnI am going to work on my coverage skills. My brother plays for Minnesota State-Mankato. He is a wide receiver, so once I get back, he and I will be on the field every other day. I will be covering him so we can both work on our skills.

Talk to me about the transition from linebacker to defensive back.rnAfter my sophomore year, I started going to all the Big Ten camps and felt like the best place for my body would be safety, so I made the switch. I have been working on my backpedal and those techniques because I think the biggest difference between linebacker and safety is going to be my feet. Instead of going forward, I have to get used to going backward.

How has the recruiting process gone for you?rnI enjoyed it. It got overwhelming sometimes – these coaches would call every other day. It was a lot of stress. I wanted it to be over, and I thought Minnesota was the best place.

Why did you commit (in April) so soon?rnI went to pretty much everywhere in the Big Ten except for Ohio State and the schools on the East Coast. I marked down everywhere in my head where I could see myself going, and I took those visits again. Ultimately, they couldn’t compete, with Minnesota being my home state. I think we have one of the best (recruiting) classes in Minnesota history.

Were you seriously considering anyone else?rnEven a week before committing, I thought I was going to go to Michigan, Wisconsin, or Washington. All those schools were above Minnesota before I went back to visit Minnesota. All the schools showed plenty of interest, but I could see myself playing at Minnesota faster. Playing for my home state and the people I met there helped me make my decision.

What are the Gophers’ coaches saying about your first year?rnI think I can come in and compete. There is one guy in my spot that is going to be there. I will work as hard as I can to have the best opportunity possible.

Representing Esko and the Great Up North, 2024 Minnesota commit Koi Perich is a special athlete and once again had a special showing vs. then #4 ranked Pequot Lakes as he went off to the tune of 3 total TDs plus a forced fumble that he scooped and ran back for a TD himself, as well as 10 carries for 139 yards, 8 tackles, a sack, and a PBU. Esko won bug 60-0.

Over 1,600 total yards and 25 touchdowns, 75 tackles, three interceptions, and four fumble recoveries

Perich is a long, impressive-looking athlete. As a defensive back, he made one of the best interceptions I have seen on film in a long time. Think the catch Odell Beckham Jr is known for but translate that to defense. He plays running back and receiver on offense, where he can highlight his great speed, but what separates him – figuratively and literally – is his ability to find another gear that most guys don’t have. That extra gear allows him to break away from defensive backs but also makes him a dangerous return man. It also allows him to close quickly on receivers and on running backs when supporting the running game. Despite his long frame, Perich delivers a punch when he hits people – supporting the run or lining up in the box coming off the edge.

The top newcomer of the 2024 class was broken down in detail for yesterday’s PRzMN Top-10 feature, so if you want more info on Esko’s superstar junior Koi Perich make sure you check out the article here. To keep it short, Perich is a fantastic athlete with outstanding production and big play ability on offense, defense, and special teams. Burst, top-end speed, and elusiveness with the ball in his hands made for a fun-to-watch junior tape oozing with P5 potential. According to 247Sports, Wisconsin is the favorite to land his talents as of right now, but with no definitive answer from Perich himself this recruitment is still very much alive. He visited Iowa on the 7th, and Illinois offered on February 28th, joining Vandy, Washington, Kansas, Northwestern, Wisco, Iowa, Nebraska’s old staff, and the home state Gophers. Make sure you check out his film if you haven’t already –> Junior Tape

A list of Minnesota’s well rounded athletes without Koi Perich Koi Perich 6'2" | 200 lbs | ATH Esko | 2024 State MN wouldn’t be much of a list at all. This guy seems to line up everywhere on the field, and is a major contributor in all facets of the game. His 1,600 all purpose yards and 26 total touchdowns should speak for themselves, but Perich’s athleticism is too elite to not bring up. His burst gets him six to seven yards up the field before he’s even touched, which allows him to make skill moves at full speed against defenders who were already outmatched. Once at top speed, he lopes across the field with long strides that are deceptively fast. On defense, Perich forced seven turnovers, including one of the best interceptions I’ve ever seen on film. The play in question saw him snatching an errant throw with one hand over his shoulder, a circus catch that would be nearly impossible to make at any level, much less high school. For opposing coaches, this is the type of athlete you squib kick too, run away from, and formulate your game plan around.

Outstate Minnesota has produced yet another superstar in the high school ranks in Esko High School’s Koi Perich. Coming in at #3 overall, Perich is newer to the recruiting scene in comparisons to our #1 and #2 overall prospects but has made up for lost time and is tied for the second-most P5 offers in Minnesota with nine overall from four of the P5 conferences since Minnesota first offered up in October. He’s also the owner of some excellent athletic numbers at 6’1, 185 lbs., including a 38-inch vert and 10’4″ broad jump, and he was extremely productive in Esko’s 2022 state quarterfinal campaign, posting 60 carries for 813 yards and 11 TDs, 17 receptions for 353 yards and 9 TDs, and 75 tackles, 3 INTs, 4 FFs, and 2 sacks. The standout junior also returned 6 kickoffs for 225 yards and 2 TDs and added 16 punt returns for 226 yards and 3 TDs. That three-phase versatility is another testament to his overall athleticism, and with so many good things going for the projected DB you can see why he’s a P5 recruit before you even turn on the tape. However, the tape is also great, as he opens things up with a beautiful one-handed INT snag and continues to keep your attention when explosive plays on offense, defense, and special teams. The speed is noticeable and impressive, and in addition you can see Perich’s burst and ability to get to that top speed rapidly as well as cut and change direction while maintaining that momentum. He torched defenses and coverage teams all year long with the ball in his hand, and on defense he used that speed to patrol a ton of ground in the defensive secondary and make plays all over field. If I had to pick one word, I’d go with “dominant.” Welcome to the Top-3, Koi!