Matt Culhane, a 6-foot-8, 320-pound senior offensive tackle from Rushford-Peterson (MN) High, would love to be a Gopher. The question is whether he will wind up on the football or track and field teams.
Culhane, who is one of the state’s top three-sport athletes, attended the Minnesota-Michigan game as a visitor for the track and field game and he attended the Gopher football camp this past summer.
Culhane led Rushford-Peterson to a 6-4 record on the gridiron this season, losing to Goodhue 21-20 in the second round of the Class A, Section I playoffs.
Culhane helped pace the Trojans to a 32-1 in basketball as they won the Class A title, defeating Marantha Christian 51-44 in the championship game March 14th.
Culhane is also a standout in track and field.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Culhane to learn more about his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your football recruitment right now? What schools are you hearing from?
Matt Culhane: I am thinking here (Minnesota) or Southwest Minnesota State is where I am thinking or Rochester Community Technical College.
Gopher Hole: You were at Minnesota for a track visit since you throw the shot and discus. Are you looking at any other colleges for track and field?
Matt Culhane: No. I am mostly just looking here. This is where I want to go.
Gopher Hole: Have you been hearing form the Gophers for a while in track as well?
Matt Culhane: Yes, ever since state track last year, they have been talking to me a lot and wanting me to come here
Gopher Hole: What did you place last year?
Matt Culhane: I got second last year in the discus.
Gopher Hole: How did you do in the shot?
Matt Culhane: I went to sections and got third and missed going to state by one. I switched techniques halfway through the year, so it was kind of off.
Gopher Hole: Did the kid who won state, was he a senior last year?
Matt Culhane: No. He was a freshman.
Gopher Hole: So, you have to compete with him again this year, right?
Matt Culhane: He PR’d (personal record) by quite a bit, if I remember right, up at state. He PR’d by like nine feet, if I I remember right.
Gopher Hole: You are a rarity in high school sports in that you are a three-sport athlete. Do you think that it helps you in that you don’t get bored with just one sport?
Matt Culhane: I think so. I think it helps because I stay in shape all through the year. I’m not just taking winter, spring or summer off or just to lift. I have running that I have to do, so I stay in better shape.
Gopher Hole: Do you also think it helps that you haven’t peaked in one sport, so that if you decide on track or decide on football that you might have more upside than a kid who is football-only or track-only? Do you think that is a good thing in a way?
Matt Culhane: I think it is a good thing, because I have more things to think about. I don’t have to focus on just football or focus on track or basketball.
Gopher Hole: What are the main things that you are looking for out of a college?
Matt Culhane: I don’t really know. This has been my dream since I was a little kid, just to go to the U of M. If track allows me to do that or football blesses me to do that, I’ll do that.
Gopher Hole: I know that you were at the Gopher football camp this summer. What other camps did you get a chance to attend?
Matt Culhane: I went to North Dakota State and Winona State as well.
Gopher Hole: You play both sides of the field at Rushford-Peterson. What position are college looking at you, more offense or defense?
Matt Culhane: I think that most colleges are looking at me for offensive line, but Winona State wants me to play there for defensive line.
Gopher Hole: Unfortunately, with track being a year-round sport, it would be nearly impossible to do both, right?
Matt Culhane: At Division I, it is. If I went to Southwest Minnesota, I could do both, maybe, but if I went here (Minnesota), it would be one sport, for sure.
Gopher Hole: When are you even planning on making a decision? Would you even wait until the track season?
Matt Culhane: I have to sign my letter of intent by somewhere in February, I think, so I have got until then to decide, but I have no idea. It is hard to decide.
Gopher Hole: For the football side, are the Gophers looking at you as a walk-on? Have you talked to them much about what they would look at you as?
Matt Culhane: I haven’t been talking to them lately. They have been really busy with all the stuff about Jerry Kill retirement. They have been kind of busy, so I am thinking that after this season, they’ll come talk to me a little more.
Gopher Hole: Was the Michigan game, the first game that you have been able to attend?
Matt Culhane: Yes. This was my first Gopher game.
Gopher Hole: Ever?
Matt Culhane: Yes.
Gopher Hole: What did you think?
Matt Culhane: I love it. The atmosphere is great. Everyone is pumped up. Great game to come watch. Big Ten.
Gopher Hole: You are done with football and getting into basketball mode. Obviously, you had a great year last season. What are the expectations for you this year?
Matt Culhane: I am expecting for us to go to state. If we win, that is a whole other story, but I really think that we have a very good chance at going to state again this year. We have enough talent to do it.
Gopher Hole: What was the experience like getting to state last year?
Matt Culhane: It was unreal. Walking out to the floor at the Barn and Target Center, is nothing like you would ever imagine. It is something that I will never forget.
Gopher Hole: Do you have most of your starters back for basketball or did lose a lot of guys?
Matt Culhane: No. We lost all five of our starters and two or three off the bench, I think. I think that we lost eight or nine seniors.
Gopher Hole: You are going to be kind of a young team then. Are you going to be asked to be a little bit more of a leader this season?
Matt Culhane: Yes. I think that I will be asked to lead the team a little more because I was the only junior last year who had a lot of playing time, other than Caleb Thompson, but I think that me and Noah Carlson will be the leaders on the team.
Gopher Hole: Is that something you kind of like, being a leader? Was that the role on the football team this year with you being a senior?
Matt Culhane: Yes, I was a captain on the team this year and everyone kind of looked to me for advice.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to you to have the opportunity to play football or participate in track at Minnesota?
Matt Culhane: It would mean a lot for not only me, but my family, to have someone come to a university of this caliber and it would mean a lot to the community to have someone come to a huge university like this.
Gopher Hole: Rushford-Peterson has had a lot of success at their level, but to be honest, I don’t think that they have had that many D1 kids or ever had one. What would that mean to be a Division I athlete from Rushford-Peterson?
Matt Culhane: It would be a huge deal, Everyone always asks me “How many offers do you have” and I’m like “I don’t have any offers, but I am getting looked at Division I.” That is a big deal around where I am.