Long Q&A: Tyler Hartmann Chooses Living a Dream Over Other Scholarship Offers

[GopherHole Staff]

Tyler Hartmann Chooses Living a Dream Over Other Scholarship Offers
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/131613?referrer_id=331171

Tyler Hartmann, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive lineman from Andover, will follow in the footsteps of his parents and play sports at Minnesota. He decided to pass on other scholarship opportunities to become a preferred walk-on for the Golden Gophers. Hartmann recently talked to GopherHole.com about his decision to join the football team.


Hartmann had 61 tackles (21 for loss) and 5.5 sacks as a junior as the Huskies finished 8-3, losing to Blaine in the Section 7AAAAA finals. He had 12 tackles in his first two games, but suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury against Anoka. The Huskies finished just 1-8 this season without one of their captains.

Gopher Hole: What made you decide that you wanted to be a preferred walk-on at Minnesota?

Tyler Hartmann: Getting my injury to my ACL, I thought that it ruined my chances to playing there. My parents both played there and it has been a dream of mine to play there. I just wanted to take any opportunity. It is a school I love. I love the state. It is where I was born. It is who I want to play for. I’ve always dreamt of playing there.

Gopher Hole: I know that you led the state in sacks as a junior and were a 2011 KARE-11 Sports Preseason All-Metro Team. I know that it had to be disappointing to suffer the season-ending injury so early in the season and not be able to have the big senior year that you were hoping to have.

Tyler Hartmann: Yes. It is tough, but when you get hurt, you have to keep your head up and just look at it like everything happens for a reason. I just feel that if I had put my head down, I could have easily just quit and I wouldn’t have this opportunity. I just take each day as an opportunity to get stronger and better. That is the way that I look at it.

Gopher Hole: I think that South Dakota State had offered you a scholarship before the start of the season, right?

Tyler Hartmann: Yes, right after the camp they kind of instantly offered me.

Gopher Hole: What other schools were you hearing from this season?

Tyler Hartmann: I was talking to Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, UND and South Dakota State with the camps and all that this summer. I was actually really close to committing to UMD a couple of weeks ago. I had an official visit, but I got a close last weekend from Coach Reeves at Minnesota and I decided that I was going to take the preferred walk-on opportunity instantly. He offered it to me and I took it.

Gopher Hole: Did you go to their camp last summer and go to many college games this year at the “U?”

Tyler Hartmann: I went to their lineman camp and I always went to the “Friday Nights Lights” camp. I only went to the North Dakota State one, where they unfortunately lost.

Gopher Hole: What other camps did you attend besides Minnesota’s?

Tyler Hartmann: I went to the South Dakota State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa and Iowa State camps.

Gopher Hole: Have you visited the Minnesota campus yet?

Tyler Hartmann: I have a good idea of the school. I’ve been there. I’ve been on campus and got a chance to see everything. This Saturday (yesterday), I am going to meet with the coaches and tour everything and polish up everything and check everything out.

Gopher Hole: What have they told you about the expectations for you as a preferred walk-on?

Tyler Hartmann: They said that the only difference between a preferred walk-on and a scholarship player, is obviously the scholarship. They treat everyone the same way. Coach Kill himself was a walk-on and the coaches were saying that they were D2 and D3 football players who have had to work their way up. They said that if you work hard, you’ll have a chance to play.

Gopher Hole: I know that the Gophers, like any other team, have some former preferred walk-ons who have worked their way up to become starters. Did they bring names of current players who have done that?

Tyler Hartmann: I don’t think that they have necessarily brought them up, but they talked about players that they had at Northern Illinois. A couple of years ago, I think that it is ironic, I was at the Gophers-Northern Illinois game. That was the first Gopher game I ever went to and Coach Kill was coaching Northern Illinois and they beat the Gophers. They told me that their running back was a walk-on and their D-linemen. They said they playing in their bowl game, 11 of their 22 starters were walk-ons. It was pretty inspiring.

Gopher Hole: I know that last year, you played basketball, but you are not this season because of your injury. Is that tough to have to miss that as well?

Tyler Hartmann: Yes. I was unable to play. I was looking forward to it, actually, because we have had some of our better basketball players move away, whether it be Kansas or Wisconsin. I was the post option. We have players who can play, but they are not really true post guys. They have one win. They have some young kids. They have a freshman starting and they have a bright future.

Gopher Hole: It still has to be tough because going into your senior year, you were hoping to have a good year playing football-wise and then playing basketball. It has to be tough to not be able to do some of those things that you were hoping to do.

Tyler Hartmann: Yes. It is disappointing, but there is nothing you can do. You have to keep your head up. I have another career in football and I have to pursue that. It is my main sport and what I am concerned with.

Gopher Hole: What position are they looking at you playing at Minnesota?

Tyler Hartmann: Defensive line, as of now. That is just the plan. I talked to the D-line coach and he feels like after watching me at the camp that I can play D-line.

Gopher Hole: Tackle or end? Or do you have a preference?

Tyler Hartmann: It doesn’t really matter. He said that that it is just the line in general. It depends on what happens. How much bigger I get and how that works out.

Gopher Hole: Your dad, Brian, played baseball at the “U,” right?

Tyler Hartmann: Yes, under coach Anderson. He was a catcher.

Gopher Hole: Your mom also participated in sports at Minnesota, too, correct?

Tyler Hartmann: Yes. She (Eileen Schaller) ran cross country.

Gopher Hole: Have you gone to a lot of things at Minnesota because of them?

Tyler Hartmann: I have been to some baseball games. I haven’t been to as many football games as I would like to, but I have had my fair share (oif Minnesota events).

Gopher Hole: Your parents had to be pretty proud of you following in their footsteps going to the same school that they went to. What was their reaction when you told them that you want to go to Minnesota?

Tyler Hartmann: Obviosuly, as a preferred walk-on, I am passing up scholarships that I had and money, but I just have to realize that money is not that important to me. I want to play where I want to play. This is my dream and I just want to live it and they are totally supportive of me. They are loving it. My mom really wanted me to get over there and that was kind of her dream. They are just really happy for me.

Gopher Hole: That probably made it a little bit easier when you told them that they are going to have to pay a little more for your schooling.

Tyler Hartmann: Yes, exactly.

Gopher Hole: I caught you coming back from working out. What things have you been working on to get ready for football at the University of Minnesota?

Tyler Hartmann: Obviously, I am continuously rehabbing and getting my knee strong. It is a little ahead of schedule right now. It is doing great. Getting my strength up and getting my weight up. Agility drills and all that stuff. Anything I can do to get better.

Gopher Hole: When are you expecting to get back on the field 100%?

Tyler Hartmann: The doctors said six month before I could start full contact and I am a little over four months now. I have the entire summer to rock and roll.

Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about what you are going to major in at college?

Tyler Hartmann: I want to major in biology and go pre-med. That has always been an aspiration of mine.

Gopher Hole: What is your GPA?

Tyler Hartmann: 3.7 or 3.8.

Gopher Hole: Was it tough to tell some of those other schools that you were going to Minnesota?

Tyler Hartmann: Yes. I was talking to the UMD coaches before I knew about the Gophers and I basically implied that I was going there. I kind of dragged it out and told them that I need another week here. The UMD coaches are a bunch of good guys and I would love to play for them, but unfortunately, that is not the right school for me. It was tough calling them and telling them the news.

 

[Stan]

Great interview Chris. Coming off an injury like Hartmann and the staff still sticking with him is what a great walk-on program is all about. This kid grew up dreaming about playing for the U and now has the opportunity to do that. I hope this kid cracks the line up and earns a scholarship in his career.

 

[nc2mn]

If coach Kill had 11 walkons out of 22 starters doesn't that mean he wasn't recruiting very well? I mean a few is one thing, but HALF?

 

[we will win this week?]

If coach Kill had 11 walkons out of 22 starters doesn't that mean he wasn't recruiting very well? I mean a few is one thing, but HALF?

Looking at last season, I think Coach Kill is more interested in effort and heart than pure skill. He had Michael Carter on the bench while playing a walkon

 

[RodentRampage]

If coach Kill had 11 walkons out of 22 starters doesn't that mean he wasn't recruiting very well? I mean a few is one thing, but HALF?

If he had offered scholarships to those 11 walk ons who were starting, would that mean he recruited well? Recruiting is both getting people to accept scholarship and getting people to walk on. If he is getting good players to walk on when they could have gotten a scholarship offer elsewhere, that looks like good recruiting to me.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

If coach Kill had 11 walkons out of 22 starters doesn't that mean he wasn't recruiting very well? I mean a few is one thing, but HALF?

I think that makes Kill a better recruiting...he was able to recruit 11 starters to play without a scholarship and take his team to a bowl game! Kill and his staff can coach, recruit and most of all...develop character in young men...works for me!

 

[TrapperDoo]

I have seen this kid and know a bit about him. In the North Metro he was a real beast his Junior year. If he hits the weight room hard he will be a good player. Quickness will be something to focus on, but that can come from the weight room.

 

[The Goofy Gopher]

Sounds like a good kid. I'm sure this kind of story is similar for lots of walk-ons (passing up on other lower-division scholarships to play at a BCS school), but it always makes me root harder for a kid who has such a passion for the Gophers. I wish him the best in his pursuits on and off the field

 

[50PoundHead]

If coach Kill had 11 walkons out of 22 starters doesn't that mean he wasn't recruiting very well? I mean a few is one thing, but HALF?

I think it would mean he is good at recognizing "playable" talent. I view walk-ons as somewhat akin to those with academic challenges that head to an FCS school. You don't readily know if they can play (or in the FCS case, remain eligible), but if you can get a few into roles where they can consistently contribute (and in some cases, start), you've done well.

 

[matt]

Recruiting is both getting people to accept scholarship and getting people to walk on.

This.

 

[gopherdiehard]

im always happy to see a kid who is proud of where he comes from,, i don't care if hes a walk on or a top 100 player im proud from where i come form its nice to see other kids are too

 

[GophersInIowa]

If coach Kill had 11 walkons out of 22 starters doesn't that mean he wasn't recruiting very well? I mean a few is one thing, but HALF?

If they were going 2-10 every season then yes. But that wasn't the case.

 

[vames]

Great article indeed on Tyler. He will be an interesting player to watch in 2-3 years down the road after being in the system a couple of years. Has great genetics going for him!

 

[jovs]

Most kids don't have the luxury of bypassing a scholership and walking on instead. Great that he has the flexibility to attend the school of his choice, one thing that is for sure, this is where he wants to be.

 

[WHB Brewer]

If coach Kill had 11 walkons out of 22 starters doesn't that mean he wasn't recruiting very well? I mean a few is one thing, but HALF?

I think it is a smart philosophy.

Look at it from the perspective of a numbers game. You are never going to have 100% of your "scholarship" recruits turn out as starters. Getting guys to walk on to the program, provides the coach with a greater number of players at the start. Once the inevitable attrition begins (injuries, academic casualties, non-qualifiers, transfers, etc), you still have a pool of talent available among the remaining scholarship players and the walk-ons who are working hard and earned a scholarship.

Take this example. On an average year, we hand out around 20-22 scholarships and get 6-10 guys to walk on to the program. We have around 30 players who enter the program each year. Assume 15-20% don't pan out for whatever reason (down 6 guys). We still have 24-26 players from each class. Figuring a 4.5yr rotation of the roster (eligibility + 50% redshirted), you can have a roster of 100+, with only 85 scholarships committed.

Add in the bonus that you got guys with a 1yr tryout period to demonstrate ability, commitment and academic status, without having to commit anything to the player other than an opportunity. Smart way to manage the roster.

 

[nc2mn]

I think it is a smart philosophy.

Look at it from the perspective of a numbers game. You are never going to have 100% of your "scholarship" recruits turn out as starters. Getting guys to walk on to the program, provides the coach with a greater number of players at the start. Once the inevitable attrition begins (injuries, academic casualties, non-qualifiers, transfers, etc), you still have a pool of talent available among the remaining scholarship players and the walk-ons who are working hard and earned a scholarship.

Take this example. On an average year, we hand out around 20-22 scholarships and get 6-10 guys to walk on to the program. We have around 30 players who enter the program each year. Assume 15-20% don't pan out for whatever reason (down 6 guys). We still have 24-26 players from each class. Figuring a 4.5yr rotation of the roster (eligibility + 50% redshirted), you can have a roster of 100+, with only 85 scholarships committed.

Add in the bonus that you got guys with a 1yr tryout period to demonstrate ability, commitment and academic status, without having to commit anything to the player other than an opportunity. Smart way to manage the roster.

I follow you, and mostly agree. However, it is hard to see the 30% or so of the incoming recruits taking over 50% of the starting spots, from athletes who are theoretically good enough to earn scholarships over the walkons, who were not. But if it works for Kill, that'll be great and I can accept that it may very well do so.