Warren currently has a standing offer as a preferred walk-on with the Gophers.
Michael Warren, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior offensive/defensive lineman from Providence Academy, was just one of two juniors named to the second team Associated Press All-State last year. GopherHole.com caught up with Warren to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Warren helped lead the Lions to a 10-3 mark as they lost to eventual state champion St. Croix Lutheran 58-29 in the Class AAA semifinals. They finished in a three-way tie in the Tri-Metro West Conference.
GopherHole.com caught up with Warren to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: How is the season going so far?
Michael Warren: So far, we are 1-1. Our first week, we played St. Croix Lutheran, the state champs. It was a tough game, but last night, we won. We played St. Agnes and won 28-14, so it was a good game.
Gopher Hole: How about the expectations for this season. You made it to state last year, but I’m sure that you want to do even better this season.
Michael Warren: We expect to go to the Dome again, but it will definitely be a challenge. We have a lot of underclassmen and freshman and sophomore who are definitely rising to the challenge, but are still very young and still trying to learn the position and playing at a varsity level, so it will be a challenge, but we can do it.
Gopher Hole: Is that a motivating factor having come so close last year to get back to the Dome?
Michael Warren: Definitely. It is all in our locker room. It’s everything. It’s on everyone’s mind. We had such a great feel and feeling going to the Dome, but we crashed and burned when we actually lost. Just like every other team out there, we don’t want to have that losing feeling. We want to win it all.
Gopher Hole: What college camps did you get a chance to attend this summer?
Michael Warren: I went to Minnesota a couple of time, like four times. I went to Iowa, Iowa State, Wisconsin and Northwestern for the Chicagoland Showcase. Quite a few schools.
Gopher Hole: What offers do you have right now?
Michael Warren: Right now, it is still the same. I have North Dakota, South Dakota State, Gardner Webb, Southwest Louisiana and I have preferred walk-on at Minnesota and Iowa. I have talking to Cornell quite a bit lately. I am starting the application process as a student-athlete and as well Dartmouth.
Gopher Hole: Would that be appealing to you to be a preferred walk-on at Minnesota? I know that they have had a lot of kids who started as preferred walk-ons who have earned scholarships and became starters.
Michael Warren: Definitely. I was told that I would be a preferred walk-on at the last camp that I went to in July, but I talked to Coach Glascock about what it is to be a preferred walk-on and he said that it is basically the same thing as a scholarship player except for paying for the academics. The fact that you are treated like a scholarship player and that is basically the same aspects, that does really appeal to me.
Gopher Hole: Have they talked to about if you do what you need to that you could be a scholarship player?
Michael Warren: They said that if you put in the work that you can earn your scholarship and maybe a starting spot. It is basically just the first year or maybe the first semester of not being a scholarship kid and then earning it is what every kid wants.
Gopher Hole: Does that push you even harder to show that you deserve that scholarship?
Michael Warren: Exactly. I am working hard to earn that scholarship. They said preferred walk-on, but I want that scholarship. Offseason workouts, two-a-days, football game. I am just pushing myself as hard as I can to show them that I am a scholarship player.
Gopher Hole: What things are you working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Michael Warren: Definitely, my speed and footwork. Playing both sides of the ball in high school, offense and defense, is different aspects, especially on offense with the pass blocking. You have to have quick feet. That is one thing that I have definitely been working on.
Gopher Hole: Your name was on the Kare-11 and Star Tribune preseason All-Metro teams. That has to make you feel very proud?
Michael Warren: Yes. That does make me feel proud, but at the same time, I feel that I am very humble. They are pretty good accolades, but I just try to put them behind me and just play the game of football.
Gopher Hole: You want to be on those All-Metro lists at the end of the season, so that has to motivate you.
Michael Warren: Definitely, to be All-State. I got All-State second team last year. That was a great honor for me, but as a senior, I would love to be on it again, but hopefully the first team.
Gopher Hole: Have you made any other plans to go to any college games or official visits yet?
Michael Warren: Official visits, I have not made any official plans, but I am going to go to the Iowa game on the 15th and probably a couple of more Minnesota games and Holy Cross and a Cornell games. Those are the official plans.