JUCO LB Cody Poock said his Gophers visit was more than he expected.
Cody Poock, a 6-3, 230 pound freshman linebacker from Iowa Western Community College, visited Minnesota last weekend for the Gopher game versus Wisconsin. Poock, who is from Spirit Lake, Iowa, was a full qualifier out of high school and could enroll in January.
He has helped lead the NJCAA #3 Reivers to a 10-1 mark. The 2012 NJCAA champions will face #5 Butler Community College in the Graphic Edge Bowl at the UNI Dome December 8th.
He is visiting TCU this weekend and has offers from Illinois, Georgia State, New Mexico, North Dakota State and Old Dominion.
Gopher Hole caught up with Poock to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: How was the visit to Minnesota?
Cody Poock: I liked it. It was sweet. It was fun. The game atmosphere was killer.
Gopher Hole: Was it kind of what you expected? Or was it more than you expected?
Cody Poock: Probably a little more than I expected.
Gopher Hole: When did they offer you a scholarship?
Cody Poock: Saturday night after we ate. I went to Coach Kill’s house and that was when they offered.
Gopher Hole: You had told me that you had a feeling that they were going to offer. Were you surprised or caught off guard at all or did you think that it was going to happen?
Cody Poock: No. I kind of knew that it was going to happen, especially when they invited me to Coach Kill’s house.
Gopher Hole: What was your overall feeling of the visit?
Cody Poock: I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the team meeting, the team dinner and stuff like that. The linebacker meeting. They have a good group of guys there. Seems like somewhere I would like to play.
Gopher Hole: What all did you get a chance to see and do?
Cody Poock: We went to the Mall of America. We went to Fogo De Chao. Saw all the facilities.
Gopher Hole: When I talked to you before your visit you said that you were going to go to TCU this upcoming weekend. Is that still going to happen?
Cody Poock: Yes. I am still going there.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about any other visits. I know that you had told me previously that you might visit Iowa State. Do you have anything planned for that?
Cody Poock: It is still iffy right now. December 13th is when I have something set up, but I don’t know yet.
Gopher Hole: You have a big game coming up. Is it hard to do everything you want and get ready for the game and be recruited or is it just something that you know that you have to get done?
Cody Poock: It is something that I know that I have to get done. We have to get this win and go out on top and lead the sophomore out on top. Recruiting is going to come fast and it is going to leave fast. That is just how I am taking it. Answering phone calls and stuff like that.
Gopher Hole: Have you heard from any other schools besides Minnesota, TCU and Iowa State lately or is it down to those three schools?
Cody Poock: Yes. Iowa is still left around, but those are the three right now and Illinois
Gopher Hole: Are you thinking about visiting Iowa or Illinois?
Cody Poock: I don’t know. It all depends on what they have to say.
Gopher Hole: What are you hoping to learn about TCU on your visit this weekend?
Cody Poock: Just the facilities and the game atmosphere. Kind of like Minnesota and just what kind of players they have down there.
Gopher Hole: New commit Julien Kafo told me that he hung out with you a lot during your visit and said that he enjoyed getting to know you. Did you think that he would commit to Minnesota and what was your interaction with him and the other guys?
Cody Poock: Me and Julien probably hung out the most out of me and the other recruits. We got to know each other pretty well. When we told me that he was probably going to be committing one of the nights and he asked “what do you think about doing it” and he said that he was going to work on me.
Gopher Hole: Have you talked to him at all since then?
Cody Poock: No, not yet.
Gopher Hole: So you knew that it was probably going to happen for him, right?
Cody Poock: Yes. He seemed like he really liked it there a lot. He is a good kid.
Gopher Hole: Who was your host?
Cody Poock: Chris Streveler, the quarterback.
Gopher Hole: You mentioned that you hung out with Julien, but did you get to know any of the other recruits and talk to them much?
Cody Poock: Yes. I talked to Christian Russell about the Georgia Military game and what he had going on and their team. I kind of hung out with him, too. Khari (Blasingame), the defensive back. I got along with him pretty well.
Gopher Hole: I had told you that you should talk to Christian Russell, (a linebacker from East Mississippi) about playing Georgia Military for the national title, since you played them in the regular season as an icebreaker.
Cody Poock: That was the first thing he said was “How good is Georgia Military,” and I gave him a little insight.
Gopher Hole: So if they beat them, you are going to want a little bit of the credit, right?
Cody Poock: (Laughing) Yes. Maybe.