Gopher Football
The 2008 graduate currently works as the running backs coach for Texas A&M-Commerce University, but more recently, he was able to begin networking skills at the NCAA Future Coaches Academy in Orlando, Fla.
The Future Coaches Academy, the first of four programs in the NCAA’s Coaching Academy series, targets individuals who have recently completed their collegiate eligibility and have a desire to enter the college football coaching profession.
“It was a great program and a wonderful experience,” Valentine said. “They had a lot of really good coaches up there and we got a chance to pick their brain and see how they blazed their trail to get to where they are.”
Valentine was a workhorse during his time with the Gophers, playing in 48 games and scoring a total of 11 touchdowns. The mentality that he gained during his time in Minnesota continues to resonate as he continues down the college football coaching path.
“I played under both coach Mason and coach Brewster, and they both told me that I had a future in coaching,” Valentine said. “It’s that Midwest deal, and I think that I’ve parlayed a lot of what I learned at Minnesota into things that I try use while I’m coaching.”
Participating in the mentoring side of the Future Coaches Academy was Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill. Valentine got a chance speak with Kill both before and during the academy and comes away with nothing but positive impressions of the new Gophers head coach.
“Coach Kill just struck me as the type of guy that’s going to do good things up there,” Valentine said. “He is going to have the U on the right path sooner rather than later.”