Kegel is all smiles after the Gophers scholarship offer.
Matt Kegel, a 6-foot5, 295-pound junior offensive tackle from Chaska (MN) High, helped lead the Hawks to an 11-1 mark last season. Kegel is considered one of the state’s top linemen in the Class of 2016 and has already received a Minnesota offer.
Gopher Hole.com caught up with Kegel to learn the latest on his early recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment right now? What schools are you hearing from right now?
Matt Kegel: Well, I’ve got the offer from the “U.” They sent me 13 letters today with a big picture of me in my Chaska stuff and then with the “U.” I have gotten a couple of letters from Nebraska asking me to come down to watch a game or two. Northwestern is saying that they want me to watch a game. Arkansas asked me to come and watch a game. Oregon sent me a couple of letters and some posters. I am at the early stage of recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What did it mean to get that first offer?
Matt Kegel: It was so exciting. That whole day, I just couldn’t stop smiling. Even now when I am thinking about it, I am still smiling. I can not complain what so ever about what is going on in my life. I am blessed to have the opportunities to be in my life. I came home from football practice and I got 20-some letters from all different big programs and I walked in and I was just overwhelmed with happiness. This is a dream come true. I wanted this since I was one years old. It is a long and fun and stressful process.
Gopher Hole: What camps did you get a chance to go to this summer?
Matt Kegel: I went to the Oklahoma State camp. I heard from Oklahoma State today. I got a couple of letters from them asking me to come down and watch a game. I went to the Oklahoma State camp and I also attended two camps at the “U.” The big-man camp and the Junior Elite camp, where I got the offer.
Gopher Hole: The Gophers already have a commitment from one of your teammates, senior Bronson Dovich. What does he tell you about the “U?”
Matt Kegel: He is doing what coach Kill has told him to do; you know get on me and recruit me as much as possible. Bronson is someone that I have looked up to. The first day, my freshman year, I came home and told my mom that there was this kid, my size and he is good and he is going to push me to get better. I never would have expected us both would be this position together and it is pretty cool to see a friend and a teammate that I can look up to. It is cool that I get the chance to do that and not a lot of people do.
Gopher Hole: Do you like the recruitment process so far? I know that it is still pretty early being only a junior, but do you like it so far?
Matt Kegel: Oh, yes. Like I said when I walked in the door with 20-odd letters sitting on my counter from who knows what schools. It was the second day that they were allowed to contact me and I was like “this is amazing.”I am really enjoying it.
Gopher Hole: If I had told you a year or two ago that you would be getting 20 letters in a day, what would you have thought?
Matt Kegel: I wouldn’t have believed it to be honest. Last year, my confidence wasn’t at the height that it should have been. That was one thing that changed between this year and last year is how confident I am in my play.
Gopher Hole: You had a great season last year, making it to the state semifinals before losing in a heartbreaker by one point to Brainerd. Is that a motivating factor for you guys to get even farther this season?
Matt Kegel: Yes. It is kind of one of those things that you look at, but you don’t want to get too caught on. We have had countless speakers and people talking to us. It is like what can we do. We have a second chance. For me, I have another chance, too to take full advantage. We haven’t earned anything yet. We are 1 and 1. We are .500. We made it to the semifinals last year, but this is a different team this year and we don’t want to be too over-confident.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe play for the home state school?
Matt Kegel: It would be pretty cool to think about it. They are definitely one of the top schools on my list right now. Being so close to home is kind of frightening, but it is good, too.