Alex Hart, a 6-foot-2 senior fullback/linebacker from Prior Lake, is one of the top players in Minnesota’s class of 2015. He is the younger brother of current Gopher redshirt freshman Nick.
Hart comes from an athletic family. His great uncle, Chuck Swanum, played football at Minnesota and his mother and father were former Golden Gopher athletes. Gopher Hole caught up with Hart to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Hart is also a standout wrestler who won the 220-pound state wrestling title in March and finished third at 195 pounds as a sophomore.
Gopher Hole: I heard that Toledo had offered you last week. Is that correct?
Alex Hart: Yes, they did. Last Thursday.
Gopher Hole: You are up to nine offers, then?
Alex Hart: Yes, I think so.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to go to many college football games this year?
Alex Hart: This summer, I went to a few camps. I went to a camp out at Michigan State. I did one there and one in Detroit, Sound Mind, Sound Body. I did a camp at the University of Minnesota and then at the end of the summer, I went to a camp at Stanford and I went to Wyoming about a month ago just for an unofficial and watch a game and get a little tour. That is about it.
Gopher Hole: Have you set up any official visits yet?
Alex Hart: No. I’ll probably end up doing that when the football season is over.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to go to any Gophers games this year yet?
Alex Hart: Yes. I have been to two so far. It is easy to get down there and stuff like that
Gopher Hole: Which Gopher games were you at?
Alex Hart: I went to San Jose State on Saturday and the Middle Tennessee game.
Gopher Hole: How is your brother doing so far?
Alex Hart: He is doing good. I think that he is third string for tight end. He is out on kick returns and maybe he’ll make the traveling team for one of these new few weeks, but we’ll see what happens. He is doing great. He loves it.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Alex Hart: I keep in touch with them every couple of weeks, but they are just kind of focusing on their season and they will let me know after the season goes where I am at and stuff, but they always keep in touch.
Gopher Hole: They obviously haven’t offered you a scholarship yet and you have some good opportunities at other places. Would you be open to a walk-on opportunity at Minnesota or would you look more at a scholarship some place?
Alex Hart: I would definitely consider it. I would like to have my school paid for. That would be a lot nicer, but my heart is with the Gophers. We’ll just see what happens.
Gopher Hole: Are you doing much to get ready for the wrestling season or are you just so focused on football right now?
Alex Hart: Right now, it is obviously football, but once wrestling season comes, I’ll be ready to wrestle and try to get another state title. I am getting excited for that.
Gopher Hole: Do you do much during the summer wrestling-wise?
Alex Hart: Not too much. We do summer practices with the team a couple of days a week, but otherwise not too much.
Gopher Hole: You have offers from Cornell, Illinois State, New Mexico, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Toledo and Wyoming. What others schools are you hearing besides those?
Alex Hart: Mostly, I have been in contact with North Dakota State and Wyoming. I have been in a little bit of contact with Rutgers and Stanford and Michigan State, occasionally, but mostly those schools.
Gopher Hole: You have some good offers. What do you think that you need to show to get a Power Five conference offer?
Alex Hart: I think just keep playing hard. Keep playing fast. Make good plays out in space. Try to be as much of a “beast.”
Gopher Hole: When you finally do decide on as school, what are going to be the main factors that are going to make you pick School A over School B or C?
Alex Hart: I would say the coaches. Having a good relationship with the coaches. The players. Academics, of course. Just somewhere where I can see myself being and I can see myself playing football and going to school there.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe have the opportunity to play with your brother?
Alex Hart: It would be incredible. It would be super fun. He just told to focus on the high school season, because it is the best season of your life and just focus on the stuff after the season.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, he is happy with where he is, but to be honest, you have quite a few more offers and interest than he had, so at least you know that even if Minnesota doesn’t work out, you had lots of opportunities at least.
Alex Hart: For sure.
Gopher Hole: I know that I have asked you this before, but are you sold on just football in college? You are definitely not going to wrestle.
Alex Hart: Yes. Definitely not going to wrestle. I am going to play football.
Gopher Hole: Do you talk to (former Prior Lake) teammate Blake Weber much?
Alex Hart: I do occasionally. I heard that he is playing some offense and some defense and he is doing good there (at Rochester CC)
Gopher Hole: Do you know what his plans are?
Alex Hart: He is trying to walk-on at the U of M, I think after a semester or two.