Brison White, a 5-10, 192-pound junior running back/safety from East Ridge (MN) High, is one of the top in-state athletes in the Class of 2016.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with White to learn the latest about his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: Did you have a chance to get to get to many Junior Days this year?
Brison White: I went to the Gophers’ Junior Day. I had planned on going to Iowa State’s Junior Day, but I had a school field trip that I had to go to down in Atlanta. On the 11th of this month, I am going to Northern Iowa’s Junior Day. I know that there was a Junior Day at Iowa, but I had another previous engagement that day, so I wasn’t able to attend that. Otherwise, there are no more after that.
Gopher Hole: Any trips planned in the next month or so?
Brison White: Like I said, the Northern Iowa Junior Day and May 3rd is the Nike Camp. I am going down to Chicago for that again and then nothing between that and the end of May, when it will the Wisconsin camp and the Illinois and Northern Illinois camp.
Gopher Hole: You have been part of the “Bus Tour.” What is that experience been like as you are traveling with other local kids who are also hoping to get football scholarships?
Brison White: It is a one-of-kind experience, I am telling you. Once you get to meet great players from around the same neighborhoods, you get to learn a lot about different people. A lot about how they play the game. They get to learn about how you play the game, so therefore you can move on and inherit their skills or they can inherit your skills. You can better your game that much more to help yourself in the future.
Gopher Hole: Is it nice that you have gotten to know some kids that you might not have known?
Brison White: Oh, yes. Like I said, it is a great experience, getting to know other people. You look at Minnesota and see how many great players we have in Minnesota. People know that it is not really a state for football, but when you really look deep into it, it is really a great state for football.
Gopher Hole: What are some of the college football camps that you plan on attending this summer?
Brison White: We have the Wisconsin camp coming up. Iowa, Northern Iowa, Iowa State. We have Northwestern. Minnesota, of course. Cincinnati and North Dakota State.
Gopher Hole: You recently transferred from Cretin Derham Hall to East Ridge. What prompted the move?
Brison White: Me and my dad have moved out to Newport, which is close to Woodbury, so we just decided to make the switch and thought it would be best for the future.
Gopher Hole: How has the move been so far personally?
Brison White: Personally, it has been a great experience. Like you said, getting to know new people. You get to know new people every day. Getting to know more athletes like Jo Jo Garcia and Dominik London and we also have another transfer from North Carolina, Otumos Payemanu. He is a great person. A great person to talk to. He is actually one of my closest friends that attends East Ridge with me right now. It has been a warm experience that I have received from them.
Gopher Hole: Is it nice that you knew some of the kids from football before? Has that made it easier since switching schools in the middle of the year has to be tough?
Brison White: It has made it so much easier. We already had chemistry, so it allowed me to settle in and get to meet some other people besides the football people that you met. Like I said, it has been huge to transition between schools and feel like it is another home. A home away from home.
Gopher Hole: You played East Ridge last year at St. Thomas. They had a great season as a team last season. Obviously, they lost Seth Green, the quarterback who transferred to Texas and some other seniors. What are the expectations for East Ridge this upcoming season?
Brison White: We have no doubts in our mind that we won’t be able to go back to a championship or be close to it like we were last year. We have Otumos Payemanu, a great quarterback from North Carolina. We have Dominik London, a great running back. We have a couple of upcoming guys and we feel that we can win it all and if we don’t, it will be something that we look back on for a long time and figure out what did we do wrong, but honestly, I just don’t see us not having a great season.
Gopher Hole: You attended the Minnesota Junior Day. What are you hearing from the Gophers? What are they saying to you?
Brison White: The Gophers have told that if I just keeping working and go to the camps, which are coming up, that there is no reason why I shouldn’t get an offer from them. I have to prove myself. Like I said, I have to prove myself to anybody and everybody, but the first person, I have to prove it to is myself. Can I do this? Can I do what they are asking me to do? That is the kind of self evaluation that I am putting myself through right now and if get through with that, I should have a couple of offers and be able to go to college for free.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many camps last year?
Brison White: Yes, I did. Last year, I didn’t go to as many camps, but I did go to a lot of camps. I went to the Rivals camp, Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State and a few more.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to have a chance to have the opportunity to play at the Division I level?
Brison White: It would be a dream come true. Ever since I was running around in diapers, I have always wanted to play Division I football and hopefully, going onto the NFL after that. It would be just something that I couldn’t explain to you in words. Just to play at the Division I level would make me so happy and get me ready to prove myself and get to the next level after the Division I level.
Gopher Hole: How about the possible opportunity to play for the hometown school?
Brison White: I would love to play for the Gophers. They are down the street, ten minutes away from my house, literally. I would love to experience the hometown people saying that they love me and all that stuff. It is always good to have hometown talent and stay at home and play with your friends that you grew up with. It is something that I would look forward to, if I were given the opportunity.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota has gotten four commitments from Minnesota kids in Carter Coughlin, Willie Howard, Thomas Barber and Jo Jo. You have probably gotten to know Jo Jo better now since you have switched schools, but do you those kids and have you talked to them about why they committed to Minnesota?
Brison White: I’ve talked to Jo Jo. I’ve actually known Jo Jo since when we were younger because he used to play for the Westside Boosters when I played for Jimmy Lee Directioners. We have always battled against each other in championship games numerous times, but he is also traveled with us on the buses as well. I asked him about the Gophers and he said “that it is just going to be such a violent team and he couldn’t miss out on it and he feels that they are going to be a successful team” and I am in total agreement with him. He feels that way and he feels that the team is going to be that team, especially with the season that they had last year, they have no place to move, but forward. He feels that it is one team to reckon with and I feel the same way about it, too.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many college football games last year?
Brison White: I went to the Purdue and Wisconsin game. I am getting recruited by Purdue. My recruiter is Marcus Freeman and he is a great person to talk to as well, but I did go to the Purdue and Wisconsin game, but that was it for last year.
Gopher Hole: What do you see as your strengths as a football player?
Brison White: I like that I have a great nose for the ball. I feel that if you put me out there, no matter the situation, I feel that I am always going to get the job done. If I can’t get the job done, that is something that I need to work on and I will continue to work on it until I get it done. I feel that I am very hard hitter and very aggressive. I like to hit hard, just so people know who I am and let them know that they have been hit by me. That is something that I have always pride myself in.
Gopher Hole: You have played both sides of the field in the past. What are you going to be playing this year for East Ridge?
Brison White: I am going to play strong safety and maybe a little bit of running back off the tripe option or read option with Otumos and Dominik.
Gopher Hole: What things are you working on to improve yourself and hopefully be ready for a big senior year?
Brison White: People say that you can never get too fast. I am always working on my speed, my foot work and my agility. Training for the long run instead of the short run. Just getting my ball skills right as far as catching and securing. Learning the defenses and learning the offenses. All that stuff that is going to help me through the season, while in the offseason.
Gopher Hole: Do you watch a lot of football? Are there certain players that you watch?
Brison White: I watch football all the time. If you come over to my house, the only channels we watch is the NFL Network and ESPNU to catch all the football games, pro, college and high school games from around the country.
Gopher Hole: Are there certain players that you focus on when you are watching games, such as players who play your position?
Brison White: One of my favorite players is Landon Collins from Alabama. I have always wanted to play at Alabama. Landon Collins is a great player. I have always wanted to model my game after him, which is why I am changing my number this year from 21, which is Sean Taylor of the Washington Redskins. If you see my history on YouTube, I am always watching some Sean Taylor or some Landon Collins to see what I can take from their game and add it to mine.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you hearing from right now?
Brison White: I hear from Iowa, Iowa State, Purdue, Northern Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State, Utah, USC and a couple of others.
Gopher Hole: What do you think that have to show schools to get that first scholarship offer?
Brison White: I just have to show them that “Hey, I’m the player that you need and I’m the player that is going to get the job done.” I look at it like what is going to different, because I am telling you right now that if I get the opportunity, I am going to show you the difference between this player versus me and I am going to make myself a better player throughout the season and the offseason. I am going to do what it takes to make the program better than it was before.
Gopher Hole: Your brother is pretty involved in the bus tours. Did he played football and have you learned a lot from him?
Brison White: He played football at Cretin in 2001. He went to North Dakota State after that and then he came back to Concordia. Everything that I know since I was younger is what I have gained from my brother. It has been a huge help. Another person who has been a huge help is his co-worker and partner in crime, Leo Jackson. They have always helped me. They help me analyze my film and what I need to work on for next week and what I need to do for right now.