Tim Gordon, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound defensive back from St. Paul (MN) Cretin Derham Hall, figures to be one of the state’s top defenders this upcoming season.
Tim Gordon, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound defensive back from St. Paul (MN) Cretin Derham Hall, figures to be one of the state’s top defenders this upcoming season. Gordon helped lead the Raiders to a 6-3 mark last season. He had five interceptions and 18 pass breakups as a junior
Gopher Hole caught up with Gordon Sunday after the Minnesota football camp to learn the more about his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You went to Iowa State’s last week and the Minnesota camp today. What are your plans for the rest of the summer?
Tim Gordon: Right now, I am still figuring everything out. Next week, I’ll be at Sound Mind Sound Body (in Southfield, Michigan) with a couple of other guys from Unsigned Preps, my school, so we are going to go down there. It is a showcase, so there will bring a lot of D1 coaches around. The Gophers will be out there. It is just a way to perform with the top talent across the nation. I’ll be doing that and then a couple of 7-on-7’s and then I am still figuring out what schools I want to go to.
Gopher Hole: Do you feel that you gain a lot from these camps, things that you can incorporate to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Tim Gordon: Definitely. Definitely. I pretty much worked all winter. I went to camps all winter, all spring, just to prep for this. To prep for this season. I feel that every single time I go to one, I get a lot better. I learn a lot from the coaches. I learn different ways to play my position. I gain more confidence and that is pretty much what you have to do if you want to get that scholarship.
Gopher Hole: I think you have three offers right now, right?
Tim Gordon: Yes. I have Colgate University, South Dakota State and North Dakota.
Gopher Hole: What other schools are you hearing from besides those three?
Tim Gordon: Everything is preliminary. I am hearing from many different schools. I am hearing from a lot of BCS schools. Boston College, Pitt, NIU. Iowa State, Madison. You name it. I am pretty much just talking to them. It depends. An offer can come at anytime.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many college games last year?
Tim Gordon: I definitely went to Notre Dame for a couple. I went to a lot here. It is just always good to be on campus and meet the coaches and talk to some of the players and see how they like it. It is always a good experience.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Tim Gordon: Everything is preliminary right now still. I am hearing that if I do what I am supposed to do, come out and I compete, that an offer can come at any time.
Gopher Hole: What do you see as your strengths as a defensive back?
Tim Gordon: Definitely, my athleticism, but now I am incorporating more technique into my skill set because I have always played off straight athleticism, so now that I am focusing on my technique, I can definitely just come and make that play. Now what it is, I have gone all summer, all spring working on my technique. The athleticism is there. I just have to finish. I have finish every play.
Gopher Hole: What things are you trying to work on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Tim Gordon: Pretty much, my confidence. Knowledge of the game. I feel that my skill set is there. I am still going to tweek every technique thing that I am going to have to do. That is pretty much the main focus, technique still. You can never not work on your technique.
Gopher Hole: You had a good season at Cretin last year, but compared to the school’s standards, it wasn’t as good as you would have liked. What are the expectations for this season and is that a motivating factor for you to have an even better year this season?
Tim Gordon: Definitely. Definitely. Going into the summer, I still want to handle my recruiting, but the main concern is my team and going to state. Me and the other captains are focusing in doing what you have to do to get to state. Doing what we have to do to put Cretin back on that surface of winning like we used to be.
Gopher Hole: Did you run track or play any sports in the spring?
Tim Gordon: No. I just worked on technique and got better as a D-back.
Gopher Hole: Do you play any other sports anymore or are you just football-only?
Tim Gordon: Just football.
Gopher Hole: What sports did you used to play?
Tim Gordon: I played basketball. I tried out this year for basketball. I played varsity. I kind of gave that up. I didn’t have passion for it, so why do it, if I don’t have passion for it.
Gopher Hole: Do you come from an athletic family?
Tim Gordon: I have a cousin who plays wide receiver for North Dakota. He went to Osseo High School, Jameer Jackson (he was a first team Freshman All-American). A lot of my family members are decently athletic.