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Q&A: Nick Connelly on Committing to Gophers: "Now the dream is finally coming true."
Q&A: Nick Connelly on Committing to Gophers: "Now the dream is finally coming true."
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/398493?referrer_id=331171
Nick Connelly, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound junior defensive tackle/offensive tackle from Red Wing (MN) High, committed to Minnesota Tuesday. He had received a scholarship offer from Minnesota last Wednesday.
Connelly, who is rated as a three-star recruit by Scout, averaged 10 tackles and four solo tackles per game this past season. Connelly attended the Minnesota Gopher home games versus Western Illinois, Iowa, Penn State and Nebraska and Nebraska's home game versus Michigan State.
Connelly talked to Gopher Hole about his commitment to Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: How does it feel to be a future Minnesota Gopher?
Nick Connelly: It feels amazing. Growing up, my dad has always been a Gopher fan. He has always had season tickets and stuff and bringing me to games. I've got to watch them play and I have always looked up to the team. It has always been a dream to play for the Gophers someday, so now the dream is finally coming true.
Gopher Hole: When we talked last week, you had gotten the offer, but were thinking about going down to Iowa the next day. You cancelled that visit. Did you have it set in your mind that you were going to commit the next time you went up to Minnesota?
Nick Connelly: Yes. I was planning on going to Iowa on Thursday and Illinois on Friday and I cancelled both of them. Minnesota was the offer that I was waiting for and I want to play for the home state, so I figured that there was no point in going down to Iowa or Illinois because even if they did offer, I would commit to the Gophers, so I cancelled those and now I am a Gopher.
Gopher Hole: So it wasn't a big secret that you were going to commit?
Nick Connelly: No, not really (laughing).
Gopher Hole: Did most of your friends and family already know? Had you talked to them already?
Nick Connelly: Yes. Most of my close friends and my family already knew.
Gopher Hole: What has their reaction been?
Nick Connelly: They are all pretty excited for me, especially my mom. My mom was really happy that I was staying close and what-not. They are all really excited for me. I have the chance to go up there and represent Minnesota and the state. Represent Red Wing.
Gopher Hole: Red Wing played Chaska last year, right?
Nick Connelly: Yes, we did.
Gopher Hole: Do you know fellow Gopher commit Bronson Dovich of Chaska at all?
Nick Connelly: I have talked to him a couple of times.
Gopher Hole: Have you talked to him since you committed or heard from him since then?
Nick Connelly: Just over Twitter a little bit. We just talked a little bit and said congratulations and that it is a great place to be.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go up against him in your game versus Chaska?
Nick Connelly: No, I didn't. I actually didn't play defense against Chaska, so I didn't get chance.
Gopher Hole: Now that you are done with this, how much do you think that is going to help you focus on your season and you don't have to worry about recruiting anymore?
Nick Connelly: It is great. It is like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I have the school where I want to go. I have got the full ride offer and now I am committed, so now everything is somewhat of a done deal, so I can just focus on my senior year and just focus on having fun and getting as good as I can before I become a Gopher next June. I am just looking forward to my senior year, working hard and I am just going to have a blast.
Gopher Hole: What has been the reaction of your Red Wing head coach Ricky Foggie, a former Gopher quarterback? I know that he has talked to you in the past about Minnesota. What was his reaction when you told him that you were coming to Minnesota?
Nick Connelly: I actually haven't told him yet. He has had the flu for the last week and a half, so I haven't seen him at all. I haven't talked to him in person
Gopher Hole: What do you think his reaction will be then?
Nick Connelly: I think that he will be ecstatic. He has always told me "You better go to Minnesota and not Iowa, Illinois or Wisconsin. It better be Minnesota. You have got to take after your coach here and represent Red Wing." I think that he will be crazy about it. I think that he will be really happy about it.
Gopher Hole: Have you got a chance to know many of the other players that the Gophers are recruiting besides yourself?
Nick Connelly: No, I have a little bit on recruiting visits, but I have never gotten to know them at all.
Gopher Hole: Is there a kid that you have played against or meet that you would love to see join you at Minnesota next year?
Nick Connelly: Not necessarily. I am fairly good friends with Dillon Holtan, down in Stewartville. He is getting some looks from some smaller Division I schools. It would be cool, because I have gotten to know him at some of the camps. There is a defensive lineman (Jamahl Johnson) from Prior Lake, who is a year younger than me. I can't remember his name, but I have gotten to know him through some camps. It would be cool if those two could eventually.
Gopher Hole: What are your plans in the next month or two? I know that they have a big event next month. Are you planning on any other trips?
Nick Connelly: I might come up for a couple of unofficial visits. I think that they have a barbeque in July, so I'll be up for that. I might come up and watch a couple of practices when they started that. Just play it by ear.
Gopher Hole: Is it nice to know that you don't have to go through all that camp stuff the rest of the year?
Nick Connelly: Yes. It was a good process and it was fun process, but I am happy that it is over now and I have gotten to where I want to be and I am happy.
Q&A: Nick Connelly on Committing to Gophers: "Now the dream is finally coming true."
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/398493?referrer_id=331171
Nick Connelly, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound junior defensive tackle/offensive tackle from Red Wing (MN) High, committed to Minnesota Tuesday. He had received a scholarship offer from Minnesota last Wednesday.
Connelly, who is rated as a three-star recruit by Scout, averaged 10 tackles and four solo tackles per game this past season. Connelly attended the Minnesota Gopher home games versus Western Illinois, Iowa, Penn State and Nebraska and Nebraska's home game versus Michigan State.
Connelly talked to Gopher Hole about his commitment to Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: How does it feel to be a future Minnesota Gopher?
Nick Connelly: It feels amazing. Growing up, my dad has always been a Gopher fan. He has always had season tickets and stuff and bringing me to games. I've got to watch them play and I have always looked up to the team. It has always been a dream to play for the Gophers someday, so now the dream is finally coming true.
Gopher Hole: When we talked last week, you had gotten the offer, but were thinking about going down to Iowa the next day. You cancelled that visit. Did you have it set in your mind that you were going to commit the next time you went up to Minnesota?
Nick Connelly: Yes. I was planning on going to Iowa on Thursday and Illinois on Friday and I cancelled both of them. Minnesota was the offer that I was waiting for and I want to play for the home state, so I figured that there was no point in going down to Iowa or Illinois because even if they did offer, I would commit to the Gophers, so I cancelled those and now I am a Gopher.
Gopher Hole: So it wasn't a big secret that you were going to commit?
Nick Connelly: No, not really (laughing).
Gopher Hole: Did most of your friends and family already know? Had you talked to them already?
Nick Connelly: Yes. Most of my close friends and my family already knew.
Gopher Hole: What has their reaction been?
Nick Connelly: They are all pretty excited for me, especially my mom. My mom was really happy that I was staying close and what-not. They are all really excited for me. I have the chance to go up there and represent Minnesota and the state. Represent Red Wing.
Gopher Hole: Red Wing played Chaska last year, right?
Nick Connelly: Yes, we did.
Gopher Hole: Do you know fellow Gopher commit Bronson Dovich of Chaska at all?
Nick Connelly: I have talked to him a couple of times.
Gopher Hole: Have you talked to him since you committed or heard from him since then?
Nick Connelly: Just over Twitter a little bit. We just talked a little bit and said congratulations and that it is a great place to be.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go up against him in your game versus Chaska?
Nick Connelly: No, I didn't. I actually didn't play defense against Chaska, so I didn't get chance.
Gopher Hole: Now that you are done with this, how much do you think that is going to help you focus on your season and you don't have to worry about recruiting anymore?
Nick Connelly: It is great. It is like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I have the school where I want to go. I have got the full ride offer and now I am committed, so now everything is somewhat of a done deal, so I can just focus on my senior year and just focus on having fun and getting as good as I can before I become a Gopher next June. I am just looking forward to my senior year, working hard and I am just going to have a blast.
Gopher Hole: What has been the reaction of your Red Wing head coach Ricky Foggie, a former Gopher quarterback? I know that he has talked to you in the past about Minnesota. What was his reaction when you told him that you were coming to Minnesota?
Nick Connelly: I actually haven't told him yet. He has had the flu for the last week and a half, so I haven't seen him at all. I haven't talked to him in person
Gopher Hole: What do you think his reaction will be then?
Nick Connelly: I think that he will be ecstatic. He has always told me "You better go to Minnesota and not Iowa, Illinois or Wisconsin. It better be Minnesota. You have got to take after your coach here and represent Red Wing." I think that he will be crazy about it. I think that he will be really happy about it.
Gopher Hole: Have you got a chance to know many of the other players that the Gophers are recruiting besides yourself?
Nick Connelly: No, I have a little bit on recruiting visits, but I have never gotten to know them at all.
Gopher Hole: Is there a kid that you have played against or meet that you would love to see join you at Minnesota next year?
Nick Connelly: Not necessarily. I am fairly good friends with Dillon Holtan, down in Stewartville. He is getting some looks from some smaller Division I schools. It would be cool, because I have gotten to know him at some of the camps. There is a defensive lineman (Jamahl Johnson) from Prior Lake, who is a year younger than me. I can't remember his name, but I have gotten to know him through some camps. It would be cool if those two could eventually.
Gopher Hole: What are your plans in the next month or two? I know that they have a big event next month. Are you planning on any other trips?
Nick Connelly: I might come up for a couple of unofficial visits. I think that they have a barbeque in July, so I'll be up for that. I might come up and watch a couple of practices when they started that. Just play it by ear.
Gopher Hole: Is it nice to know that you don't have to go through all that camp stuff the rest of the year?
Nick Connelly: Yes. It was a good process and it was fun process, but I am happy that it is over now and I have gotten to where I want to be and I am happy.
