Q: What prompted you to take a day off from school to visit Nebraska?
AT: I had just been communicating with Coach Cavanaugh a few weeks in advance. Our spring breaks really didn’t overlap. I was actually gone over my spring break so that wouldn’t have worked for me. I really just wanted to get over to Lincoln and check it out, meet the coaches and get in front of them so they could put a face to the film and really get to know me a little more.
Q: Did Nebraska reach out to you about visiting?
AT: They contacted me through my high school coach and just said they liked what they had seen on film and wanted to get to know me better. They wanted me to get [to Lincoln] and meet me in person. Just in my conversations with Coach Cavanaugh, I know they know who I am and they’ve told me that. I’m just going through their process and the way they recruit but all positives from their end.
Q: What did you think of Cavanaugh?
AT: I love Coach Cavanaugh. The time I got to spend with him, he seems like a really genuine dude and a guy that really cares about his program. I really enjoyed every minute I got to spend with him.
Q: What did you see on your tour?
AT: We got to see pretty much everything. If it touches the football program, we got to see it today.
Q: Any favorite moments from the day?
AT: My favorite part was definitely just being able to meet the coaches for the first time and tell them what I’m about and obviously start building the relationships with Coach Cavanaugh and the rest of the staff. That was probably the biggest part of the day in my opinion because for me it’s all about relationships and the people.
Q: How important are the relationships to you?
AT: It’s a major factor for me to have a good relationship with my position coach, but also the strength and conditioning staff, the academic staff and everybody that touches the program. There are other things that weigh into it. Facilities are a big thing for some people and the quality of football. A place like Nebraska, it’s all there so it becomes all about the people for me and I loved every minute I got with all the coaches and I felt like it went really well.
Q: You’re not far from the University of Iowa. Does that mean you’re a Hawkeye fan?
AT: Growing up I was but as I’ve grown up and started to explore my football opportunities, I would no longer consider myself a Hawkeye fan at this point.
Q: Do you have a timeline in mind for making your decision?
AT: I obviously have a lot of great opportunities right now, especially with an Ivy League opportunity and an Air Force/military opportunity, so I don’t really have a timetable at this point. For me, it’s really about getting out to these places, seeing these coaches, seeing practice, meeting the team and really just going off the feeling I get and the fit I see at the different places. To me it’s my needs and wants but pushes me to play at a high level is what I’m going to use to make my decision.
Q: And what did you think of Nebraska’s practice?
AT: I was, quite frankly, blown away by the whole day. I didn’t really see anything I didn’t like. I enjoyed it all. Practice for me is one of the most important parts and I really like to visit on days when I can see practice because it gives me a better feeling about how the team works. That’s a big thing; the chemistry and seeing Coach Cavanaugh get out there and do his thing. I liked the way they practice. Today was a little more of a low-key day for them because they weren’t in full pads but the competitive environment and the want to get better was there. I really enjoyed it.
Q: What would you like Husker fans to know about you?
AT: I would say I’m a blue-collar kid. I’m a kid that likes to work hard. I pride myself on that. And I’m a kid that wants to be excellent in all that I do, whether that’s academics, football or serving the community. I like to compete. I’m a competitive guy. Going through this process, I’ve been told I can’t do a lot of things or that I’m not a lot of things and therefore I can’t do things. I have a chip on my shoulder to prove people wrong. I like to win so if I had to tell fans one thing about me, it would be that they can expect my best effort in every aspect of being a Husker.
Erin is the Deputy Editor and Digital Marketing Strategist for Hail Varsity. She has covered Nebraska athletics since 2012, which has included stops at Bleacher Report, Cox Media Group’s Land of 10, and even Hail Varsity (previously from 2012-2017). She has also been featured on the Big Ten Network, NET’s Big Red Wrap-Up, and a varsity of radio shows nationwide. When not covering the Huskers, Erin is probably at Chipotle.
