Michael Flowers, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound junior defensive tackles from St. Paul Humboldt, is one of the Class of 2013’s top defensive players in the state. Flowers recently attended the Minnesota Junior Day and talked to GopherHole.com about the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: How was the Minnesota Junior Day?
Michael Flowers: Junior Day, it was tremendous. It was my first Junior Day and I’ve never seen a college that presentable and that outgoing and outstanding. The facilities that they have and the great coaches that they have got.
Gopher Hole: Did you know much about the Minnesota before the visit?
Michael Flowers: It was great. I went to the school for my school trip, but never for sports, but I’ll you right now, I like that facility a lot. I was shocked to see the locker room and I was like a little kid in a candy store. The things that they were saying were great. Things you could comprehend and understand. It was like something you had never seen before.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you hearing from right now?
Michael Flowers: There is a bunch right now. As of right now, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, North Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Northwestern and Purdue. They (Purdue) had their Junior Day the same day as the Minnesota one, but I just decided to go to the Minnesota one because it was closer.
Gopher Hole: That has to make you feel very good that you are receiving that much interest.
Michael Flowers: Yes, sir. I am happy, too. It is pretty exciting to hear from those schools.
Gopher Hole: What did the Gophers coaches say to you?
Michael Flowers: I need to keep working hard and I need to work on staying low on defense. I was hoping to be offered. That was what I was shooting for. I really wanted to be offered by them. I want to open up my options. I wouldn’t commit right away. I want to look at schools and get more looks, but the “U” is one of my choices.
Gopher Hole: What do you see as your strengths as a player?
Michael Flowers: My strength is I can make plays. I fire off the ball real good and I know how to avoid double-teams and make plays.
Gopher Hole: What about things you want to work on to improve yourself as a player?
Michael Flowers: As of right now, staying low and getting more leverage. I can tackle real good and I get a lot of good hits, but I want be an even harder hitter and I want to be a even better tackler. I want to get faster. I want to get stronger. I want to get smarter. I am pretty smart, but at the same time, I want to get more intelligent. There are a lot of things that I can improve on. There is never nothing that you can’t improve on.
Gopher Hole: Have you made some plans to attend any other Junior Days in the next couple of weeks?
Michael Flowers: I am going to Iowa State with Keelon Brookins, who just committed to the University of Minnesota. South Dakota just gave me one to go to on April 21st and I am looking for transportation to go there. I am also starting to hear from some other schools.
Gopher Hole: Do you know Keelon very well?
Michael Flowers: Yes, I do. We’ve been friends since like sixth or seventh grade.
Gopher Hole: Has he talked to you since he committed about trying to maybe get you to go there?
Michael Flowers: We just talked today. He was saying that I should just commit and we should just go there to play. I was like, I would consider that, but at the same time, I want to explore more. I was hoping to receive an offer from them.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about going to some camps this summer?
Michael Flowers: Yes, I am looking forward to going to the Minnesota one. The Wisconsin one, hopefully and some other ones. It is just the ride and paying for it. Paying for it is not that much of an issue. I can find someone to help me pay for it, but getting a ride there too, you just have to ask around. That is all I have ever wanted to do. They (Minnesota) have some great facilities and hosted me and welcomed me a lot. They showed people respect. That was what I liked. I like when I go to a school and they are not just “You are this and you are that.” There are a lot of things I need to work on and then go to the next person. A coach pulled me to the side and told me what I needed to fix and told me what he liked and I went off that. Now, I know what I need to work on to make it to the next level and I am willing to work for it to go to the next level.
Gopher Hole: You are playing basketball right now. Do you think that helps you with football in of footwork?
Michael Flowers: Yes, sir. It does. It helps me a lot because now I have my step back and my footwork back. I just want to get to 260 or at least back to 250. I want to cut all that. I want to lose some more weight, so I am going to run track. I have been doing track since I was a freshman. Shot put and discus and I am going to run in practice with the runners to lose weight
Gopher Hole: Do you also think that throwing the shot put and discus helps you with foot work and strength training?
Michael Flowers: Yes, sir. Most of the time that I am there, I am going to be in the weight room. That’s all. Weight room, weight room, weight room. That is what you have to do, if you want to get to the next level. A lot of people are telling me that and showing me that. That is what I believe. If you don’t lift weights, you are not going to be able to play at the next level.
Gopher Hole: Do you come from an athletic family?
Michael Flowers: Yes, I do.
Gopher Hole: Any of them play at the collegiate level?
Michael Flowers: No. None of them played at a college level. Some played at high school, but that is it. I will be the first one to play Division I ball, if everything works out.
Gopher Hole: That has to make you feel very proud.
Michael Flowers: Yes and my parents are pretty proud. I am on the B honor roll. I am happy for myself and I am going to keep pushing for myself until I make it.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about a possible college major?
Michael Flowers: Business economics or maybe be a sports writer. I want to an assistant of a CEO, so business-economics. I would like to make it to the NFL. I would love to do that, but if that doesn’t work out, that is my fall back.