Jacob Herbers turned down a D1 scholarship offer to walk-on at Minnesota.
Jacob Herbers, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior punter from Battle Creek (MI) Hopkins, recently committed to Minnesota as a preferred walk-on, passing on a MAC scholarship offer. Herbers helped lead the Spartans to a 9-2 mark this past season.
Gopher Hole caught up with Herbers to learn the latest on his decision.
Gopher Hole: You committed to Minnesota as preferred walk-on recently. What was the reason that you decided that Minnesota was where you wanted to be?
Jacob Herbers: I had Buffalo and some other offers, but I have always had the dream to play Big Ten football. I also wanted the Big Ten experience and the academics at Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: I think that you had a scholarship offer from Buffalo. I think that was a full scholarship, right?
Jacob Herbers: Yes.
Gopher Hole: How hard was that to turn that down to be a walk-on?
Jacob Herbers: Yes, It was really difficult, but I was able to pick up some good academic scholarships from the University, so it is helping me out a little, so it wasn’t as difficult.
Gopher Hole: That helped make it a little easier to explain you are walking-on to your parents?
Jacob Herbers: Exactly.
Gopher Hole: I think that I read that you have an above 4.0 GPA. What is your GPA?
Jacob Herbers: 4.2.
Gopher Hole: Any non-A’s ever?
Jacob Herbers: I got an A- last semester in English. It is my worst subject.
Gopher Hole: I think you had a 31 on your ACT. Have you thought much about a possible college major?
Jacob Herbers: Engineering.
Gopher Hole: They have a former preferred walk-on who was one of the better punters in the Big Ten this year in Peter Mortell. Did you get a chance to meet him or talk to him?
Jacob Herbers: He was my host on my official visit, so I got to spend some time with him and go out to dinner a couple of times. It was good to get to know him.
Gopher Hole: What did he tell you about his own personal experience as a preferred walk-n?
Jacob Herbers: We didn’t really talk about that much. He has been in the same situation that I was. He had an offer from Central Michigan, but decided to go to Minnesota and take his chance there. He understands where I am and he really wants to work with me and get me to the next level as well. We have a little bit of camaraderie since he has been through the same kind of situation and the same ordeal. He wants me to succeed.
Gopher Hole: It is a pretty good situation for you because he is going to be a senior and most of the time you would redshirt anyway, so you would have a chance to maybe step in the following year?
Jacob Herbers: Yes, exactly.
Gopher Hole: Is that what the Gopher coaches have told you. Have they talked to you much about their expectations are for you?
Jacob Herbers: Yes. They always have three. They are always three-deep in the depth chart, kicking, punting and snapping, so with Christian Eldred leaving, they wanted to bring on another walk-on to add depth for next year. I am sure that they will bring another for next year as well. It is a great opportunity. There is Logan McElfresh (a Brainerd freshman who redshirted this season) who is there. I’ll be competing with him. I think it is a good opportunity once Pete leaves with an open spot, an open scholarship to whoever competes and wins the job, is going to get it.
Gopher Hole: What do you see as your strengths as a punter?
Jacob Herbers: I am pretty technically sound. I wasn’t that way about a year ago, but I have been working at it. Another thing is that I have been playing soccer during football season and baseball as well, so just to focus on one sport and hit the weight room hard and working with Pete and just focusing on punting, I think is a strength for me because I have a lot to improve and I don’t think that I have reached my potential yet.
Gopher Hole: How did the Gophers first find out about you?
Jacob Herbers: I think it was from Kohl’s kicking. Coach (Jay) Nunez was looking for someone as a preferred walk-on and he talked to Jamie Kohl and Jamie gave him my name. I appreciate Jamie for that. Nunez reached out to me probably last April or May, so it has been almost a year that I have been in contact with him and building that relationship and that has been really good.
Gopher Hole: The Kohl’s kicking camps are located in Wisconsin, which is near Minnesota and many of the Gophers kickers have had a relationship with Kohl’s camp. Do you think that also helps as well?
Jacob Herbers: Yes. Coach Radtke and Coach Kohl are good about coming up in the season on off weeks and working with the guys. I know that he works with Coach Radtke who works with Coach Kohl, so it is good to have those relationships if you need some help on some things.
Gopher Hole: Being a multi-sport athlete, do you think that it helps you be well-rounded, so that you didn’t burned-out on just punting since you played soccer and baseball?
Jacob Herbers: Yes. I guess it would help getting your mind off kicking and punting. It is such a mental sport that you need to take a break sometimes and focus on something else and go back into. I have played other sports. I was a goalie in soccer and first baseman in baseball, so that really helped me out in my catching abilities for punting, so it all helps out being a multi-sport athlete.
Gopher Hole: Do you ever think that people don’t appreciate punters as much as they should? People might say that you are not a “true football player,” but to me punting can be the difference between a win and a loss. If you have a good punter who can bury you inside the ten-yard line or twenty-yard line, that can make a big difference in a game.
Jacob Herbers: Yes. Every position you can say something like that. If a lineman doesn’t block. If a quarterback doesn’t make a good pass. Everyone on the field is there to make plays. Punters, they get a bad rap sometimes because they are not the stars on the field or making plays, but they are definitely important. You watch field position, the hidden yardage that everyone doesn’t always see and if you beat the other punter out and you are helping your team get that extra ten or twenty yards of field position¸ that could make a difference in the ball game
Gopher Hole: What has been the reaction of your family and friends since you made the decision?
Jacob Herbers: They are really excited. All of my friends are saying “He is going to Minnesota and we want to get a fan bus.” They are going to buy a bus and refurbish it and try to come to a bunch of games, so that will be fun.