Former Gophers safety Koi Perich will transfer to Oregon...

“I haven’t done anything yet,” Perich told the Minnesota Star Tribune last June. “I have a lot more to do. I just have that mindset every day.” Perich endured a tough start to the 2025 season, particularly in a 27-14 loss at California in which he muffed a fourth-quarter punt that the Golden Bears converted into a touchdown. But his play improved late in the season, and he finished third on the team with 82 tackles. His interception return for a touchdown with 7:40 left in the fourth quarter provided the winning points in the Gophers’ 27-20 victory over Purdue. Still, his Pro Football Focus grade for the season was 62.4. A grade of 60 is considered average by PFF. As the 2025 season approached, Perich showed signs that he was thinking ahead in his career. When asked during the team’s photo day if playing for the Gophers was a dream of his growing up, he looked ahead to the NFL. “No, I didn’t watch college football,” he said. “My dream was to play for the Vikings. I would just skip through college if I could and just go straight to the Vikings, but you’ve got to do your three years [in college football], and I’m willing to do that.” Perich played with the Gophers in their 20-17 overtime victory over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl in Phoenix on Dec. 26, 2025 — even seeing substantial time on offense — but did not commit to staying with the team for 2026. The transfer portal window opened Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 16. In Oregon and Texas Tech, Perich visited successful programs with deep pockets. At Oregon, Nike co-founder Phil Knight has donated more than $1 billion to the university, with a substantial portion going to athletics facilities. He remains active in NIL donations.