Four-star offensive tackle Colin McGovern from New Lenox (Ill.) has over a dozen offers and has been very busy lately visiting schools and 
taking in offers. Colin has offers from the likes of Alabama, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. He recently participated in Tennessee’s junior day only days before he visited Vanderbilt. Here is an update on McGovern’s recruitment as of now:
- Colin has a Michigan visit planned for March, and even though the Wolverines are full at the offensive line position he stills plans on attending just in case some thing happens. McGovern and Coach Funk keep in contact on a regular basis and have developed a very strong relationship. “Coach Funk informed me that even if I wanted to commit, they wouldn’t allow me too because they’re full at the OL position,” McGovern said. “They’re still interested in me quite a bit, but they’re focusing on other positions right now so I’d have to wait.” Even though McGovern can’t commit right now, he is still excited to visit Ann Arbor to see what Michigan has to offer. “I just want to visit and see what Michigan has to offer. I know that they have a great football program and a lot of history behind it, as well as a great education,” McGovern said.
- McGovern’s first visit was to Ohio State (barf) and he had a “crazy experience” there. “The whole game time atmosphere and the game itself were exhilarating,” he said. Second, he visited West Virginia. “West Virginia had a different feel to it, but it was still a great experience,” he said. After those two visits, McGovern then visited Northwestern and said “It was cool to see the coaches and players in action during practice, and Coach Fitzgerald and Coach Cushing were both very welcoming and easy to talk to.” Lastly, he visited Illinois a few weeks ago and was able to see their facilities up close, which were “some of the nicest equipment and facilities that I had ever seen.”
- I asked McGovern to give me a little bit of a breakdown on what he thought were his biggest strengths and weaknesses. He said: “My biggest strength would probably be my ability to stay low through out my block considering my size. My speed and athleticism are also big strengths in my game. A weakness that I’m currently working on is my explosiveness coming off the ball.”
- Many top recruits face constant attention throughout the recruiting process and the attention that these young men receive can be a little stressful sometimes. Is Colin bothered by the attention? “I mean, it gets a little stressful here and there, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” Colin has a few things that he is looking for in a university, which will ultimately play huge factors in his decision. “To me, education comes first. Then I’d say the prestige of the football program will be huge. If i had a third factor, I’d probably say the conference the schools is in. Also, early playing time would be another key factor.”
- Have you ever wondered what goes on in an offensive tackle’s head during a game? How about a toe-to-toe battle in the trenches? Luckily, Colin agreed to give us a little breakdown of what goes through his mind when he’s on the gridiron. “I try to keep my head clear during a game, but being that we run a run first offense, and that I’m the strong-side tackle, I’m always thinking about being precise. I try hard not to make any mistakes either. You have to have the right mentality to just go out there and have the intensity to rip the other guys head off.”
- Does Colin like Blondes or Brunettes better? “I’d say that I like brunettes better. No real reason, just a personal preference (laughs).”
After next weekend’s trip to Michigan, McGovern will visit Notre Dame on March 24, Northwestern on April 6, Wisconsin on April 14 and Ohio State on the 24. McGovern also said he will try to make it out to Iowa during the Spring if his schedule clears up.
