J.C. Hassenauer has an offer from Minnesota and Vanderbilt.
East Ridge standout junior center J.C. Hassenauer received a scholarship offer from Minnesota and attended several practices and the Spring Game. Gopher Hole caught up Hassenauer Monday evening to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment right now?
J.C. Hassenauer: I have two offers right now, the University of Minnesota and Vanderbilt.
Gopher Hole: When did you pick up the Vandy offer?
J.C. Hassenauer: About three weeks ago.
Gopher Hole: You attended the Gopher spring game. What were your impressions of the game?
J.C. Hassenauer: The spring game was awesome. I had a lot of fun. I went with my friends (teammates) George Behrs and Seth Green. I know that they had a good time, too. It was just fun to see the coaches again and the team and they looked really great
Gopher Hole: I have seen you at a couple of the practices and the Spring game and it seems like Minnesota seems to be the favorite. Is that an accurate assessment?
J.C. Hassenauer: Yes. Minnesota is definitely on the top. I don’t really have a favorite school, though, but Minnesota is definitely at the top right now and I like Minnesota a lot. I love the staff. The staff is great and the facilities there are really nice and I really like the school.
Gopher Hole: Have you even ever thought about just committing and getting it over with or do you want to take your time?
J.C. Hassenauer: I’m not really sure. I don’t really have a set date in mind, so I am not too sure.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about going to some camps this summer?
J.C. Hassenauer: That is definitely something that me and my family are thinking about, but we don’t have anything set yet in stone.
Gopher Hole: Do you have any that you definitely think that you are going to try to go to?
J.C. Hassenauer: No, not for sure yet. Nothing is set in stone yet.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to play for the homestate school?
J.C. Hassenauer: It would be awesome to play for them. They are a great school to go to and I love the coaching staff and stuff. They are definitely on the top right now. They are on my top right now. It would be cool.
Gopher Hole: How important is it to play in front of your family friends? Is that something that you definitely want to do?
J.C. Hassenauer: That would be really cool. No matter what my family and friends will watch. I know that, but it would be nice.
Gopher Hole: Have you gotten to know some of the other offensive lineman that they are recruiting?
J.C. Hassenauer: Yes. I know (Chanhassen lineman) Frank Ragnow. Me and him have been to a couple of camps together. He is really a great guy. He is pretty cool. Kirk Barron from Indiana. He is a really nice guy as well.
Gopher Hole: Have you ever talked about trying to play at the same school? Have you talked about that ever?
J.C. Hassenauer: No. Not really. We are just kind of friends and we leave the recruiting out of it.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been really working on to improve yourself as a player?
J.C. Hassenauer: I just try to work on my team skills. Try to get my team together and do some leadership stuff. Just try to work on my fundamentals and keep practicing. Keep grinding at it. Not stopping.
Gopher Hole: You had a good season last year, finishing 5-4 and you have a lot of the key players back like yourself, your tight end (Behrs) and quarterback (Green). What are the expectations for East Ridge this upcoming season?
J.C. Hassenauer: We are definitely going to be a lot better and we are going to succeed. We are going to be a lot better. We have a lot of returnees on each side of the ball. It should be fun and I am looking forward to it.
Gopher Hole: You had a good season, but didn’t get as far as you would have liked to. Is that a motivating factor to get even farther this season?
J.C. Hassenauer: Oh, for sure. That is a big motivation factor for us. I definitely thought that we could have gotten a lot further last year and I know that this year, we will. It should be a great and fun season.
Gopher Hole: What do you see as your strengths as a football player?
J.C. Hassenauer: I am a great leader. I am a hard worker and I play hard ever play.
Gopher Hole: Are colleges looking at you strictly as a center?
J.C. Hassenauer: I am mostly being looked at to play center.
Gopher Hole: How long have you played the center position?
J.C. Hassenauer: I’ve played it forever. Since I can remember. As long as I have been playing tackle football.
Gopher Hole: When was that?
J.C. Hassenauer: Second grade. Whenever, the earliest that you could play football.
Gopher Hole: Is it second nature in a way because you know exactly what you are supposed to do on every play?
J.C. Hassenauer: Oh, yes for sure. I grew up in California and football there was crazy and we were always playing football. Then I moved here and it wasn’t that big of a change at all. Me and my friends have always been playing
Gopher Hole: When did you move to Minnesota?
J.C. Hassenauer: Second grade. When I was eight years old.