NEW Q&A: Andre McDonald Talks About UCLA Visit, Gophers and Vandy

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Andre McDonald Talks About UCLA Visit, Gophers and Vandy
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/130428?referrer_id=331171

Andre McDonald, a 6-foot-3 senior wide receiver from Hopkins, is visiting UCLA this weekend. The wideout recently visited Minnesota, a school who he had committed to in February and is also considering Vanderbilt, a school that he also committed to in September.

GopherHole.com caught up with McDonald for a Q&A after Hopkins’ basketball win over Milwaukee Riverside in the East Metro Showcase to learn the latest on his recruitment.

McDonald caught 60 passes for 1,251 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior. He finished his career with 138 grabs for 2,699 yards and 39 touchdowns.

McDonald grabbed 64 passes for 1144 yards (17.9 yards per reception) with 19 touchdowns as a junior.

McDonald was named Associated Press All-State first team the past two years. He was a two-time All-Lake Conference and All-Metro selection.

Hopkins head coach John DenHartog feels that McDonald is one of the best players in Royal’s history.

“Andre’s skill set is something that doesn’t come along very often in high school football,” said DenHartog. “He has the unique ability to be big, fast and very quick. Andre is a great competitor who refuses to be tackled and believes he is going to score every time he touches the ball. Andre is also a great leader. He leads the team with his outstanding work ethic and competitive spirit. When teams take the field to play Hopkins that had to gear their game plan to take into account his unique abilities,”

McDonald committed to Minnesota in February, but decided to re-open recruitment. He committed to Vanderbilt after visiting the campus in early September. McDonald decided to make further college visits after Chris Beatty, the Vanderbilt wide receivers coach, took a job at Illinois.

He played Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl, a first year event for many of the top high school gridiron standouts and will also appear in the International Bowl.

Gopher Hole: You go to UCLA today, right?

Andre McDonald: I go in a couple of hours.

Gopher Hole: What are you hoping to learn from the visit?

Andre McDonald: More about the school. See the environment on campus and see what kind of relationships I can establish.

Gopher Hole: Are you going to announce on the 1st?

Andre McDonald: I’m not sure. Whenever I feel ready.

Gopher Hole: Did you hurt your shoulder in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl?

Andre McDonald: Yes, I hurt my shoulder a little bit. It is sore, but it is nothing that I can’t fight through.

Gopher Hole: Pretty impressive wins in basketball the past two days. You have to be pretty pleased with how well you are playing.

Andre McDonald: We are playing great. It is fun. We are all having fun playing together. It is just fun playing with the guys.

Gopher Hole: What has been the best part of the recruiting process?

Andre McDonald: Probably, just having the people there like my family to help me through it.

Gopher Hole: What about the least favorite thing?

Andre McDonald: All the phone calls. From other people. Coaches. All the time. I don’t get a break.

Gopher Hole: Will you be glad when you finally make your decision and can go back to just being a kid?

Andre McDonald: Oh, yeah.

Gopher Hole: I know that Minnesota had coach Jim Zebrowski and Brian Anderson were at your basketball game Friday? Did you get a chance to talk to them?

Andre McDonald: We are all communicating. There is no decisions being made anytime soon.

Gopher Hole: What do you like about Vanderbilt the most?

Andre McDonald: Education. The town. It is a small school. I like the small school.

Gopher Hole: What about Minnesota?

Andre McDonald: The coaches. They are my favorite and being home. Having my family and my friends around

Gopher Hole: What do you like about UCLA?

Andre McDonald: California (laughing). It is nice. I know a couple of the guys through recruiting, a couple of the players that are going there. They are nice guys. The coaches that I have been communicating with a nice to talk to and are easy to relate to. The experience that they have with the NFL coaches. They have all played in the league or been NFL coaches. I like that knowledge that they have of football.

Gopher Hole: I know that you were very close to the Vanderbilt wide receiver coach who left to go to Illinois. Is that the relationship you focus on with the wide receivers coaches of schools since you’ll be working with them?

Andre McDonald: I would like to think that the best relationship that I should have is with my receiver coach.
 

Who knows. Toss up.

Andre already has a billion "experts" in his ear telling him what's best for him. Take your time, Andre...good luck to you wherever you end up.
 

Yeah, who knows. He sure said a lot of good things about UCLA, but he also said our coaching staff was his favorite. I think it's going to be a toss up between UCLA and Minnesota.

Also, glad he mentioned one of the reasons he liked Vandy was for the education. Just like all Minnesotan recruits, keep your head on straight and I'll root for you no matter where you go, kid.
 

Vandy: Good school, small school, Nashville is cool.

UCLA: It's in LA and the coaches have NFL experience.

Minnesota: Likes the coaching staff and his family and friends would get to see him play.

I think it's between us and UCLA. He'd be Vandy bound if the receivers coach hadn't left. If Andre choses us, it's almost certain he'll have the same head coach and position coach. He doesn't have that guarantee with either Vandy or UCLA. Where UCLA will really falls short is with facilities. They have nothing. I heard they practice on half a field. Another advantage we have is we'll be competitive sooner than UCLA and can remain competitive unlike Vandy. I like our chances. We better hope Andre likes winning more than beaches.
 

I think we have less than 50% chance. I would love to see him as a Gopher, and wish him the best wherever he goes, but I do't get the sense he really wants to be a Gopher. The U was his safe choice before, - stay near friends and family, stay at home, some familiarity both with School and the area. He's just seems like one of those kids with the itch to go somewhere else. The Vandy coach leaves, and suddenly he opens up to UCLA (new staff with many unknowns), but like Andre said "it's California!" IMO he just seems to want to find something that will fit outside of MN. MN could be his safe choice again, but he would probably feel like he settled to do so. Ultimately, we need guys who want to be Gophers.
 


gopherfield said:
I think we have less than 50% chance. I would love to see him as a Gopher, and wish him the best wherever he goes, but I do't get the sense he really wants to be a Gopher. The U was his safe choice before, - stay near friends and family, stay at home, some familiarity both with School and the area. He's just seems like one of those kids with the itch to go somewhere else. The Vandy coach leaves, and suddenly he opens up to UCLA (new staff with many unknowns), but like Andre said "it's California!" IMO he just seems to want to find something that will fit outside of MN. MN could be his safe choice again, but he would probably feel like he settled to do so. Ultimately, we need guys who want to be Gophers.
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Well, 3 finalists means we definitely have less than 50% chance. 1/3 is a 33.3% chance. So ya, less than 50%.
 

This kid is still all over the map (literally and figuratively). Couldn't get more different schools than Vanderbilt and UCLA...location, environment, football history, campus, education quality, conference affiliation...you name it...nothing about these two schools is similar.
 

Seems like a good kid and I will never understand the venom aimed at him when he changed his mind on his early commitment to us. This is a huge decision for him and I hope he balances everything and makes the choice that fits best for him. I sincerely hope that the U is, after he considers everything, the best place for him to play, but if he doesn't, I wish him the best of luck elsewhere.
 

zambam said:
Well, 3 finalists means we definitely have less than 50% chance. 1/3 is a 33.3% chance. So ya, less than 50%.
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I disagree. I say it is 50% chance, exactly. Either he will be a Gopher, or he won't be a Gopher. :)
 



GopherinPhilly said:
This kid is still all over the map (literally and figuratively). Couldn't get more different schools than Vanderbilt and UCLA...location, environment, football history, campus, education quality, conference affiliation...you name it...nothing about these two schools is similar.
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UCLA has a tremendous academic reputation.
 

Gopherprof said:
UCLA has a tremendous academic reputation.
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Exactly. Vanderbilt is a quasi-Ivy, but UCLA is right there with Virginia, Michigan, and Cal as one of the best public schools in the country. The U is a good school, but if a recruit's primary concern is academic prestige, we can't compete with either of those schools.
 

Vandy is unique like NW and Rice but the U of M is right up there with UCLA and other excellent schools.
 

Let's be honest here, listening to what he values and likes in universities, Vandy is probably best for him. I still am really hoping he comes here, but in terms of him making the right life decision, I will respect his decision to go elsewhere.
 



MNGoldenGophers1 said:
Vandy is unique like NW and Rice but the U of M is right up there with UCLA and other excellent schools.
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Both UCLA and Vandy are always ranked in the top 20 for academics in any poll you look at, while Minnesota is always in the 50-65 range. We've gone downhill a lot over the past few decades.
 

Why would you interview him before the UCLA visit? Seems like a nothing interview without that event.
 

I think he is doing the spiel Henderson , Floyd, Ashley, did in regards to the U. It will be UCLA or Vandy. Actually, nothing against Andre, but I'm higher on Miller. If we get Miller and Gregory I'll be satisfied.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
I think he is doing the spiel Henderson , Floyd, Ashley, did in regards to the U. It will be UCLA or Vandy. Actually, nothing against Andre, but I'm higher on Miller. If we get Miller and Gregory I'll be satisfied.
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The Floyd and Henderson "spiels" were completely different. We never had an even remote chance of getting Floyd, we were in the mix for Henderson. The Henderson situation was more like the Beau Allen or Will Johnson situation.
 


GopherinPhilly said:
This kid is still all over the map (literally and figuratively). Couldn't get more different schools than Vanderbilt and UCLA...location, environment, football history, campus, education quality, conference affiliation...you name it...nothing about these two schools is similar.
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I don't think the kid is actually choosing a school, but more specifically a football program. If football was not in the equation would be be looking at these schools? Obviously I don't know for sure, but I am guessing he chooses the football program he feels most comfortable with.

And I dare to say that it is the same for most Division 1 recruits.

Football Program>School
 

It would seem Andre is either a prima donna demanding the spotlight, or a young man who cannot keep a comittment. If he is truely that good a reciever, where are Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, Georgia, USC, TOSU in his recruitment. Its down to Vandy, UCLA, and the Home Team? If he wants an education in California it is Stanford or Cal. Down south its Vandy or Rice. In the Midwest Northwestern or Notre Dame. Which is Andre education or Competition, or two more weeks in the spotlight?
 

husker70 said:
If he wants an education in California it is Stanford or Cal.
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Someone already mentioned it above, but UCLA is one of the best public institutions in the country. There are a million ways to rank universities, but the U.S. News and World Report has them at #25 in the list of top national universities for 2012. USC, UCSD, UC-Davis, etc. are also very highly regarded. There are plenty of places in California where you can get an excellent education.
 

husker70 said:
It would seem Andre is either a prima donna demanding the spotlight, or a young man who cannot keep a committment. If he is truely that good a reciever, where are Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, Georgia, USC, TOSU in his recruitment. Its down to Vandy, UCLA, and the Home Team? If he wants an education in California it is Stanford or Cal. Down south its Vandy or Rice. In the Midwest Northwestern or Notre Dame. Which is Andre education or Competition, or two more weeks in the spotlight?
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Huh? I can never understand the perspective some take about 18-year-old kids trying to make a big decision. This is the biggest decision he has had to make in his entire life and it may turn out to be the most important he'll ever make. Given that, he has every right to change his mind as often as he'd like.
 

husker70 said:
If he is truely that good a reciever, where are Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, Georgia, USC, TOSU in his recruitment.
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Assuming that this is supposed to be a question, he does have an offer from Ohio St. That was his initial excuse for his decommitment from the Gophers, in fact.

As far as Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, etc. - players from Minnesota, especially skill players, do not get offers from southern schools as a general rule. Texas and Alabama in particular are very provincial in their recruiting. It takes a pretty special non-Texas player to get an offer from Texas, and it takes a pretty special player from outside of the AL/GA/FL area for Alabama to offer. A middling 3-star WR does not fit those criteria. Further, I would be very surprised to hear of any Minnesota player who has ever gotten an offer from either Texas or Alabama, let alone a middling 3-star WR.
 

Forget Andre. If he can't make up his mind by now, we don't want him.
 

When have any of the schools you've listed above, other than Ohio St., ever recruited a Minnesota kid? They all have plenty of talented players in their own regions. And besides, Ohio St. did offer him.
 


dpodoll68 said:
Assuming that this is supposed to be a question, he does have an offer from Ohio St. That was his initial excuse for his decommitment from the Gophers, in fact.

As far as Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, etc. - players from Minnesota, especially skill players, do not get offers from southern schools as a general rule. Texas and Alabama in particular are very provincial in their recruiting. It takes a pretty special non-Texas player to get an offer from Texas, and it takes a pretty special player from outside of the AL/GA/FL area for Alabama to offer. A middling 3-star WR does not fit those criteria. Further, I would be very surprised to hear of any Minnesota player who has ever gotten an offer from either Texas or Alabama, let alone a middling 3-star WR.
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Just to reiterate, in the past four years, Texas has signed 87 players, 81 of which were from Texas.
 


HouseOfHagen said:
Forget Andre. If he can't make up his mind by now, we don't want him.
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We want him - you don't have a clue.
 

Wah wah wah an 18 year old can't decide where to school, he's so mean wah wah wah I don't want him here anymore wah wah wah

^That's what I hear when I read posts about not wanting Andre cause he can't decide where to go to school.
 

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