Coughlin is expected to attend the Gophers game on Saturday.
Carter Coughlin, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound linebacker from Eden Prairie, is one of five in-state products from the Class of 2016 to have already received a scholarship from the home state school. Coughlin has helped lead the number one ranked Eagles to undefeated record this season and is expected to attend the Gophers game against Northwestern on Saturday.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Coughlin to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You are off to a great start this season. How pleased are you with how well things are going this season?
Carter Coughlin: Absolutely pleased. Both our offense and defense have really, really stepped up. We have started playing with a lot more intensity. It has shown in the results.
Gopher Hole: You are ranked number one in the state and have won three straight titles. The goal is to win the fourth title. How pleased are you with how well you are playing and what things do you need to continue to improve upon to win that fourth straight title?
Carter Coughlin: I think that the one thing that our team needs to improve on is everyone just lacing up all on defense and just our complete pursuit of every single play, so that nobody takes any plays off, because in the end that can be the difference in whether we win or lose a game and win or lose a state championship.
Gopher Hole: You have had a great start to the season. I was at your game against Osseo earlier this season and you had a big interception. How pleased have you been with your own individual play?
Carter Coughlin: I think that I have been playing really well. I love playing for Eden Prairie as a linebacker because a lot of it gets funneled to the linebacker and it enables me to have the opportunity to make a lot of plays. That has all got to go to our D-Line, because our D-Line has been playing awesome, taking care of the guys up front, which allows us to make some big tackles.
Gopher Hole: How about the recruiting process? I know that it is still early being only a junior,
Carter Coughlin: Some of it gets a little annoying. A little hectic, but it is pretty fun to have all these different schools contacting you.
Gopher Hole: What is your least favorite part of it?
Carter Coughlin: I get a lot of mail that isn’t personal and sometimes I come home from school and I have got like ten things of mail coming up that just talk about past students and GPAs and stuff like that. I wish that wasn’t part of it.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to go to many college games this year?
Carter Coughlin: I have gone to Ohio State, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: Which Gopher game were you at?
Carter Coughlin: San Jose State.
Gopher Hole: You were at the Ohio State game versus Virginia Tech. What was that atmosphere like?
Carter Coughlin: Nuts. That was the first time that they had played with all the stadium stuff. The Ohio State fans are insane.
Gopher Hole: You didn’t camp at Wisconsin, but what was the game visit like?
Carter Coughlin: That was great. They have got a really cool atmosphere. Mad-Town is known for its great atmosphere, so that was really great. Getting to meet the coaches and ultimately getting an offer at the end of it.
Gopher Hole: How about Minnesota? Obviously, you have a lot of family members who have had great success at Minnesota. What have they told you in the past about the University of Minnesota?
Carter Coughlin: My family, with my parents and grandparents and grandfather, would want me to go to Minnesota because they could come to all my games. That would be close to home. My family loves Minnesota. I love Minnesota. Minnesota is definitely going to be a top contender.
Gopher Hole: How tough would it be not go there, because of the relationships that you have?
Carter Coughlin: Honestly, I just want to do what is best for me and so as much as I would want to be with my parents and the rest of my family, that is not going to play a huge part. I want to see what college suits me best.
Gopher Hole: Have you even thought about when you would try to decide on a school. Would you try to decide before your senior year or have you even thought that far about it?
Carter Coughlin: I definitely want to decide before my senior year.
Gopher Hole: When I had talked to you before, you had said that you were most likely not going to go to any college camps next summer. Is that what you are still thinking?
Carter Coughlin: Yes. I am not planning on it.
Gopher Hole: Would you even decide before then?
Carter Coughlin: I think that I will decide before mid-summer. Early summer, I think that I will decide.
Gopher Hole: When you finally decide on a school, what will be the main factors that make you pick School A over School B or C?
Carter Coughlin: Academically. The school needs to have really great academics. I am really interested in studying Business, so it would be great if the school had a good Business school. The whole coaching staff, especially the linebacker coach. Just building a relationship with them over this period of time and getting to know them better. Getting to know how he coaches. What he coaches his players. That is mainly my two things.
Gopher Hole: How many offers are you up to right now?
Carter Coughlin: I have five (Minnesota, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and Iowa).
Gopher Hole: Any other plans to go to games this weekend or the next month or two?
Carter Coughlin: I want to visit Iowa. I want to visit Michigan State. Possibly Northwestern. I don’t have any of those things planned. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get to all those games, but those are what I am thinking right now.
Gopher Hole: Is it hard because you play most Fridays and you usually have a practice Saturday morning? Does that make it stuff to get to some of the things that you would want to get to?
Carter Coughlin: Yes, it is tough.
Gopher Hole: Originally, you talked to Minnesota linebacker coach Pat Miller a lot before he left. Who do you deal with the most recruiting-wise with the Gophers?
Carter Coughlin: I talk to Coach Glasscock, Billy Glascock, who is the recruiting coordinator for the Gophers. I have known him for a while, just coming to the Gopher games. Coach Sherels, the linebacker coach, I have gotten to know really well.
Gopher Hole: What is your relationship with him like?
Carter Coughlin: It is good. I talk to him pretty often. He came up to our last football game, which was really great. He said that I played well and that he would really love to coach me.
Gopher Hole: You also play basketball and I watched Eden Prairie recently and they were missing several players who also play football like yourself. Your goal is to be playing in the Prep Bowl, which means that you are going to miss some basketball games. Does that make it tough?
Carter Coughlin: Basketball is my second option. It doesn’t really affect anything that much that I miss that, because football is my main focus.
Gopher Hole: You lost good basketball players like Andre Wallace, but you are expected to be a very good team. What are the expectations for you guys on the hardwood this season?
Carter Coughlin: A lot of people have said that our talent this year is going to be the best that Eden Prairie has ever had.
Gopher Hole: Are you going to the Gopher game against Northwestern?
Carter Coughlin: I am.