Ben Lauer, a 6-foot-7, 255-pound senior tackle from Wayzata, went to Minnesota on an official visit this weekend.
Ben Lauer, a 6-foot-7, 255-pound senior tackle from Wayzata, went to Minnesota on an official visit this weekend. He helped lead the Trojans to the Prep Bowl, where they lost to Eden Prairie 13-3. He was named to the KARE-11 Sports and StarTribune All-Metro teams and the Associated Press All-State squad. GopherHole.com caught up with Lauer after the visit to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Lauer, who was a key blocker for Trojans running backs Antonio Ford and Erik Rotti, has a 3.75 GPA and a 30 ACT score and hopes to be an engineering major.
GopherHole.com caught up with Lauer after the visit to learn the latest on his recruitment.
GH: How was the visit this weekend?
Ben Lauer: It went well. I had a lot of fun. It was a good time. I liked hanging out with all the coaches and everything. Friday night, we went to dinner at Fogo De Chao with all the coaches and the host players. Saturday, we toured a couple of academic buildings and meet with academic advisors and we toured all the football facilities. My dad was with me on Saturday.
GH: What did they say to you?
Ben Lauer: They said that they really want me there. They are trying to figure out how they are spacing the scholarships, since they only have a few left and they have got a lot of holes of fill. He (Coach Kill) is going to come over to the high school after the dead period in a few weeks and he is going to come after that and talk about that and figure out what we are going to do.
GH: One possibility would be that you would grayshirt (enroll in a college in January). Is that something that they have talked to you about?
Ben Lauer: Yes, he brought that up a little bit and that is a possibility. Either that or they will offer right away, I’m not really sure yet.
GH: Do you have any other visits planned in the near future?
Ben Lauer: I think the middle of January, I will visit North Dakota State and North Dakota. Probably on the same weekend.
GH: Who else are you hearing from besides those three schools?
Ben Lauer: Northern Illinois is another one and a little bit from Georgetown.
GH: Have any of those other schools offered you?
Ben Lauer: UND and NDSU offered. Northern Illinois said that if Minnesota doesn’t offer, they will, but they don’t want to really want to just offer because they know that I probably would not go there, if Minnesota offered, too.
GH: If Minnesota were to offer, is that probably where you would end up?
Ben Lauer: I probably would end up there.
GH: Would you stay at tackle, if you went to Minnesota?
Ben Lauer: He said that he was looking into that. Probably tackle, but he was going to watch some film again and see if I can play guard. We’ll see what happens.
GH: Have you ever played anything besides tackle?
Ben Lauer: No, but I would be willing to move wherever they need me to. It’s no big deal to me.
GH: Obviously, if you are more versatile and can play more positions, the better the odds of playing soon, right?
Ben Lauer: Yes, exactly.
GH: What things have you really been working on now that the season is done to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Ben Lauer: I basically try to get in weight room. I just need to stronger.
GH: Is it hard when many of your friends know where they are going to college and you are still up in the air? I’m sure a lot of people are always asking you where you are going to school.
Ben Lauer: Not really. I know that I will have a decision made and be going to college in the fall, so it is not a big deal that I don’t know right at this moment.