Taking him fishing was a brilliant idea. I grew up slightly further south, but also grew up fishing on the Missouri River. I honestly don't know a soul, male or female, who lives in Chamberlain who doesn't fish, and almost all hunt, so I assumed that Hutmacher does, too. The ice just broke up on the Missouri, and the water level has been high and hard to fish, so taking him out bass fishing before he could go fishing back home is like a gift to an outdoorsman. I'd heard that Frost and company like to fish, so if they know how to handle a rod & reel, it's yet another level of connection that people who don't hunt or fish won't understand.
When I was looking for graduate programs - my criteria were a little different than most
. My first choice was Oregon, followed by Wisconsin at Madison. The reason? Yep, fishing possibilities. I ended up at ASU because they were the only school offering grad assistantships (employment) along with admission...so I followed the dollar instead of the fishing.
That was almost 40 years ago. Knowing what I know, I'd do it differently today.
I got to see Tuioti teaching a seminar on D-lineman drills, and he was impressive. It wasn't just that he was knowledgeable and intense, but it's clear that his players already love him. Damian Jackson and Ben Stille were there to help him demonstrate the drills, and even though he's only had a handful of practices with them, he would just tell them the name of the drill, explain (to the coaches) why they do it, and they would then execute it perfectly without being reminded of anything. It was impressive. It wasn't just 1 or 2 drills either. He used about an hour and a half and took them through a full circuit of drills, including the use of a new sled (with new techniques) that they had never used before as it had come in on Friday. The Davis twins were at the track meet next door, but they came over just to hang out and listen in. These guys seem to really click with one another, even though their backgrounds are incredibly diverse. I saw a bunch of huge alpha males who each would like to be the toughest, yet loves spending time with the others. I suspect that Hutmacher would feel drawn to that, too. There was nothing fake or brash about anyone, coach or players, yet they were so getting after it in practice that a couple of fights broke out, mainly between D-line and O-line. Again, Hutmacher would like that.
I'll be shocked if Hutmacher doesn't commit to Nebraska. I'd also be shocked if he doesn't try to parlay his trip to Madison into going fishing for a musky because we don't have those on the Missouri River (that I know of, anyway). I wonder what Eugene, Oregon, has to offer him? He doesn't seem like a fly rod and trout kind of guy.