Koi Perich Commits to Gophers!!!!!!!!!

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I’m willing to bet that making the relatively insignificant trek to a small city like Duluth can be a bit of an overwhelming experience for small town guys like Koi. We really can’t discount that staying close to home and going to school in Minneapolis is likely a massive undertaking for these outstate kids. And the prospect of going to school on one of the coasts? Forget about it. I’d actually be surprised if small town Koi has ever been on an airplane before.
 

Good Lord, people are actually thinking he's some small town hick who's going to be overwhelmed by the big city! From the Strib:


"We've always had a lot of good [athletes], but I've always been one of the better ones," he said.

He's not satisfied with the status quo. He and his father, George, a physical education teacher at Esko, have developed a workout routine. "I worked out all summer; I run four times a week and I lift four times a week," Perich said. "It's all about speed. Speed is the most important thing."

He wields his speed on offense but especially loves defense.

"I'm always looking to make the play," he said. "I'm pretty fearless. I'll do whatever I need to do. If the time comes when I get a kill shot, I'll take it."

This is Perich's time to revel in the attention. He's a fine basketball player (with videos of alley-oop dunks and three-point shots to prove it) and is one of the state's top track and field athletes, but football is his sport. When he's not playing it, he's watching it. His dream is to play in the NFL, a primary reason he committed to Minnesota.

"I want to be an NFL player," he said. "The last three safeties they've had have made it to the NFL. I fit the program, and I execute."

For now, Perich is focused on getting Esko to U.S. Bank Stadium and winning a state championship. He's confident the team can do it; that's him using what he considers his best asset.

"It's the number one thing in my eyes: confidence," he said. "I always believe I'm going to make the play."
 

Kid will go where he goes. I hope he stays here, but no hard feelings if he leaves. Big picture, it's important to keep your best in state guys. You can excel and go pro playing anywhere if you have that level talent. The rest is legacy. I can guarantee you Koi Perich doesn't need 100k to keep his family above water. Any cash he gets is icing on the cake of a free ride.
 



PeoplesFront said:
I’m willing to bet that making the relatively insignificant trek to a small city like Duluth can be a bit of an overwhelming experience for small town guys like Koi. We really can’t discount that staying close to home and going to school in Minneapolis is likely a massive undertaking for these outstate kids. And the prospect of going to school on one of the coasts? Forget about it. I’d actually be surprised if small town Koi has ever been on an airplane before.
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I'd love to take that bet! I live in Duluth and I would bet my life that he's not "overwhelmed" when he comes to Duluth. This is such a preposterous statement it's not even funny. You act like he's in one classroom with all the kids k-12th grade like back in the prairie days! You do understand that people who live north of Minneapolis don't actually have to go outside to the use an outhouse right? We do have running water and electricity. I mean I'm just shocked he's not playing football at Vermillion Community College up in Ely because ya know, he lives so far up in the hicks and has no idea what the rest of the scary world might be like. I'm sorry, what year is this? Do you think when he sees a person of color he is going to walk up to them and see if the color rubs off? Never been on an airplane before? My God man, you really gotta venture out and see more of the world if you think people are that sheltered just because they don't grow up in some huge city. Give me a break. I hate these messages boards when people attack other people and I apologize for that, but that statement and opinion just really blew my mind.

With all that said, I absolutely hope he sticks with his commitment. The Gophers offered a preferred walkon to another player Esko player yesterday and I could be wrong, but I think it's the kids first year playing football (or at least in the past 3/4 years) and who knows, maybe that helps him stay. Maybe he wants to play in front of his family and friends and thinks the quickest way to playing time is staying home. But we all know like much in life, money talks unfortunately and all we can do is hope USC or anyone else doesn't offer him so much he can't say no.
 








GopherfanUpNorth said:
I'd love to take that bet! I live in Duluth and I would bet my life that he's not "overwhelmed" when he comes to Duluth. This is such a preposterous statement it's not even funny. You act like he's in one classroom with all the kids k-12th grade like back in the prairie days! You do understand that people who live north of Minneapolis don't actually have to go outside to the use an outhouse right? We do have running water and electricity. I mean I'm just shocked he's not playing football at Vermillion Community College up in Ely because ya know, he lives so far up in the hicks and has no idea what the rest of the scary world might be like. I'm sorry, what year is this? Do you think when he sees a person of color he is going to walk up to them and see if the color rubs off? Never been on an airplane before? My God man, you really gotta venture out and see more of the world if you think people are that sheltered just because they don't grow up in some huge city. Give me a break. I hate these messages boards when people attack other people and I apologize for that, but that statement and opinion just really blew my mind.

With all that said, I absolutely hope he sticks with his commitment. The Gophers offered a preferred walkon to another player Esko player yesterday and I could be wrong, but I think it's the kids first year playing football (or at least in the past 3/4 years) and who knows, maybe that helps him stay. Maybe he wants to play in front of his family and friends and thinks the quickest way to playing time is staying home. But we all know like much in life, money talks unfortunately and all we can do is hope USC or anyone else doesn't offer him so much he can't say no.
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It’s perfectly reasonable to think a kid from rural MN or even the cities might not find it a good fit in LA. Of course every kid is different. It works the other way around too, urban kids to rural colleges. I’ve seen it happen with friends.
 

Do you suppose the Michigan coaches found Esko? I didn‘t see them but I bet they were there but of course the game was at Hibbing. This week toughest game of the year with Hermantown (assuming the aren’t playing hockey).
 



btowngopher said:
It’s perfectly reasonable to think a kid from rural MN or even the cities might not find it a good fit in LA. Of course every kid is different. It works the other way around too, urban kids to rural colleges. I’ve seen it happen with friends.
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Yeah, a few are over doing it with the small town stereotype but it definitely isn't a stretch to think a small town Minnesota kid might not be drawn to a place thousands of miles away in a heavily populated area.
 


Hates Monikers said:
I'm not sure about this. I have no data to back this up, but I feel like we get a higher percentage of kids from outstate Minnesota that we want than those in the metro area. And I think it's because many outstate kids can come to the Twin Cities and feel like they're getting away from home and going to the big city. Those in the metro don't feel like they're getting away. Just a feeling.

Are the lights brighter in LA? Most definitely. But I don't think a kid from Esko needs to go to LA to feel like they're hitting it big. Of course, this doesn't factor in money, playing for championships, etc.
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I flew into LA the other week for the first time… Definitely not for me… the miles and miles of suburban/urban sprawl, smog that makes it so you can’t see the sun… not at all what I like.
 

PoockItInfor6 said:
I flew into LA the other week for the first time… Definitely not for me… the miles and miles of suburban/urban sprawl, smog that makes it so you can’t see the sun… not at all what I like.
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I get worried when the "Koi Perich Commit to the Gophers!!!!!!!!" thread perks up. We need him.

If you have been there in the seventies and recently, the Los Angeles basin has changed dramatically. You can understand the out-migration from CA in general.

Maybe PJ Fleck can recruit the greater LA basin effectively. "Come and play in a great metropolitan area without the choking traffic."
 

PeoplesFront said:
I’m willing to bet that making the relatively insignificant trek to a small city like Duluth can be a bit of an overwhelming experience for small town guys like Koi. We really can’t discount that staying close to home and going to school in Minneapolis is likely a massive undertaking for these outstate kids. And the prospect of going to school on one of the coasts? Forget about it. I’d actually be surprised if small town Koi has ever been on an airplane before.
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In you honor @PeoplesFront
 

Perich had two pick 6’s in the first half of last nights game against Hermantown with PJ in attendance. Local photographer caught a shot of PJ smiling from ear to ear on the sidelines with Koi looking at him as he ran by
 

SC (or any other majors) coaches been up to Esko to see a game? Obviously it depends on having a BYE week.
 



I guess unless you pay for it, and then maybe still not, it's impossible to know if these offers are even commitable or if he's just been telling them "I'm not interested at this time".

I still don't get the whole uncommitable offer racket.
 

HS kids who are D1 quality athletes travel all over the place for camps and showcases. Basketball players go to h*ll and back for AAU tournaments. Hockey travels everywhere. Likewise for top-end baseball players.

so going to "the big city" is not going to faze today's HS athletes.

Beyond that, It would be wonderful if all MN kids grew up dreaming of playing for the Gophers. But that just isn't the case anymore. the best HS kids know they can go anywhere to play. for most kids, there is no special emotional bond for the home-state school.

with the internet and streaming, Mom and Dad can watch the kid play no matter where he goes.

so it's up to the coaches to sell kids on the benefits of choosing the home-state school. "Go to MN and play in the "Baseball Stadium Bowl" vs go to Helmet School, play for a conference Title and a National Playoff opportunity. it's a tough sell.

and - I don't want to go on another NIL tangent, but we all know that it's a factor.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
HS kids who are D1 quality athletes travel all over the place for camps and showcases. Basketball players go to h*ll and back for AAU tournaments. Hockey travels everywhere. Likewise for top-end baseball players.

so going to "the big city" is not going to faze today's HS athletes.

Beyond that, It would be wonderful if all MN kids grew up dreaming of playing for the Gophers. But that just isn't the case anymore. the best HS kids know they can go anywhere to play. for most kids, there is no special emotional bond for the home-state school.

with the internet and streaming, Mom and Dad can watch the kid play no matter where he goes.

so it's up to the coaches to sell kids on the benefits of choosing the home-state school. "Go to MN and play in the "Baseball Stadium Bowl" vs go to Helmet School, play for a conference Title and a National Playoff opportunity. it's a tough sell.

and - I don't want to go on another NIL tangent, but we all know that it's a factor.
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Don’t go wobbly on us, Shorty. Time to straighten up and stand tall. And maybe we could even listen to what the kid said when he explained that a big part of his decision to commit to Minnesota was our recent record for sending safeties to the NFL.
 



Koi, my man, let me ask you a question. Can FSU or USC get you Floyd and Paul Bunyan's Axe? No? Well, then I think the decision is made for you.
Wait, national title conversation on a yearly basis? As long as you decide to stay at Minnesota before going pro.
 



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