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Q&A: Eric Amoako Talks About How Gophers Recruitment Began on Twitter and Excitement
Q&A: Eric Amoako Talks About How Gophers Recruitment Began on Twitter and Excitement to Play for Coach Sawvel
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/660559?referrer_id=388419
Eric Amoako, a 5-foot-11, 195 defensive back recently announced he was going to transfer to Minnesota as a graduate transfer meaning that he will be eligible to play the 2016 season.
Out of high school, Amoako signed with Oregon with twin brother, Stephen, after attending Arlington (TX) Martin. Amoako redshirted as a freshman and transferred after seeing limited playing time with the Ducks the following year. He transferred to Houston Baptist to be closer to home, where he played the last two seasons. His brother Stephen transferred from Oregon after three years to Illinois State.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Amoako to learn the latest on his decision to transfer to Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: You recently committed to Minnesota. What was the main reason that you picked the Gophers?
Eric Amoako: The main reason, I would say for one, I think that the coaches really wanted me more than the other coaches. I just felt that after going up there and seeing the city and sitting down and talking to Coach Sawvel about the defense and the way that he was explaining it, I could just tell that he is a really good teacher and I really like what he is doing defensively over there, so I just felt that was something that I would definitely be interested in being a part of.
Gopher Hole: How did the Gophers find out about you?
Eric Amoako: So, for one, I knew that they recruited me and my brother (Stephen) out of high school, so Coach Poore is the recruiter in my area, so I guess that I already had somewhat of a relationship with him, but really I just got in contact with them via Twitter. I hit up Coach Sherels, their linebacker coach. Twitter was a pretty big recruiting tool for me. I would follow coaches and if they followed me back, I'd hit them with their DM instantly. Coach Sherels, he followed me back. I'd DM him and he said that they were interested. It took them a little while to get back to me, but Coach Sawvel hit me up and just told me, pretty much, if I would be interested in a scholarship for me.
Gopher Hole: What other schools were you looking at besides Minnesota when it came down to making your choice?
Eric Amoako: When it came down to my decision, it came down to Tulsa, Louisiana-Monroe and Texas Tech.
Gopher Hole: Had those other schools offered you a scholarship?
Eric Amoako: Yes, sir. Initially, I was really just open and willing to just walk-on at any school that would give me an opportunity. To start my process, I was talking to U of H (Houston) for a minute. I was going to their spring practices and then I decided I didn't like how things were going over there and I moved on the Texas State. From Texas State, I started talking to Texas Tech. Initially, they wanted me to walk-on there. I went up there for a visit and a couple days later, U of L-M and Minnesota both offered me scholarships on the same day. I am from Texas, personally, playing in the Big 12, playing against schools that I grew up watching. That was something that I was definitely interested in, so I was going to try to use those two scholarships. I had money on the table, so it only made sense for Texas Tech to offer me a scholarship. They just didn't have anything available initially. Even though Minnesota did offer me and I know that U of L-M was definitely in consideration, but I just wanted to play against the best competition, so it was probably going to between Tech and Minnesota. Tulsa came on a little late. I was strongly considering, even though Minnesota offered me, still walking-on at Texas Tech, but after considering and talking to my family, I figure I wanted to at least go and give Minnesota a shot and check it out. Tech told me that I was going to have to pay for summer classes and then they would put me on scholarship in the fall, but I just wasn't comfortable with that. I have been playing college football for four, going on five years and from my experience, putting your faith in coaches isn't necessarily good business, in my opinion. I just didn't feel comfortable going out there with the assumption that they are going to put me on scholarship in the fall, because that is me putting my faith into these coaches, assuming that they are going to be men of their word and "show me the money" or whatever when fall camp started. I didn't feel that was a situation that I would be comfortable in and after visiting Minnesota and seeing what they are doing with the facility and I watched a lot of their games on YouTube and they have had some good defense, traditionally. I have been at HB for two years and we have been getting murdered. I have always been fairly successful on the football field. I've always been a part of good teams, but HB was the first time I've ever not necessarily had success on the team level and that was something that was definitely important to me, so I would rather go and be part of a stingy defense than be a part of a defense that is not known to stop people. I just thought that Minnesota was just going to be a better option for me. After leaving Oregon, going to play at the highest level again, playing against the best competition is what I wanted. I definitely want to go to D1-A as opposed to going down to D1-AA. I picked up some D1-AA offers, even in this process, but that is not what I decided to transfer for, so I knew that I was going to D1, one-way or another.
Gopher Hole: You obviously played two years at Oregon, which is a very high level program with great facilities before you transferred to a lower school. What will it mean to you to be back at that D1 level?
Eric Amoako: Oh, man. It really means a lot to me. I know that coming out of high school, walking into Oregon, you get around all those jerseys, all the cleats, all the gear, all that stuff and then you go to HBU. At Oregon, we had three or four helmet choices. At HBU, we had one helmet choice, the basic old school shud. I had worn that shud before. I wore that shud before when I was at Oregon, but it feels a lot bigger wearing the shud, whenever you choose to wear it, not when you know that it is your only option, so it is good to be back with a major program with good facilities, nutrition program, good strength training. I am definitely looking forward to that.
Gopher Hole: I don't know how much you know about Minnesota, but one of their strengths was having a very good defensive backfield. Have you talked to the coaches much about how you fit into what their scheme has been like the last couple of years?
Eric Amoako: Yes, definitely. I know that Coach Sawvel has sent quite a few DBs into the league the last couple years and I know that he likes to run a lot of multiple defensive back sets. I know that he was the former defensive backs coach and now is the defensive coordinator and I know that typically guys that DB coach who become defensive coordinators actually build their defenses around defensive backs, so that definitely stood out to me. In regards to the way that they want to use me, they know that I play both corner and safety, so they definitely recognize that. I have some pretty good cover ability, so they really want me to be, almost in a sense, a "cover specialist." I know that they want to put themselves in situations where they can press their corners and if they have the ability to, have their safeties play number two, so they can keep the box intact. I know that Coach Sawvel, in talking to me, feels that I can potentially provide that ability.
Gopher Hole: I don't know how much you know about their losses in terms of graduation. They lost Eric Murray, who was a fourth round pick, Antonio Johnson and Briean Boddy-Calhoun. Do you feel that you are going into a situation where if you do the right things this summer, that you can compete for playing time as a senior?
Eric Amoako: I definitely would. I wouldn't walk into a situation where I didn't think I had a chance to play and I know that even in making my final decision before I closed my other doors, I talked to Coach Sawvel and just asked him to be honest with me if he felt that I actually was going to have the opportunity to start. I asked him "I understand that you wouldn't bring me in here and give me a scholarship if you didn't expect to me to play, but if I prove to be the best player, are you going to invest in me and let me have that starting opportunity and he told me "Yes," straight up that if I come in and do the right things and I prove to be a starting caliber player that he will put me in that position. I trust him in that and also I know, I'm a fifth year guy, I don't feel that they would invest money in me if they didn't feel that I could contribute to the team in some way, so I am pretty confident that if I do the right things, play to the best of my abilities and shake out to be one of the top two guys, that I will be in that starting lineup, so I just want that opportunity.
Gopher Hole: You mentioned that you had the ability to play both safety and cornerback. Have they talked to you about where you are probably going to start out at least or haven't they brought that up to you yet?
Eric Amoako: They have. I'll be playing safety and they are going to work me into some nickel stuff as well.
Gopher Hole: What schools did you end up visiting? I know that you visited Minnesota, but what other schools did you end up visiting?
Eric Amoako: U of H. I was going to their spring practices. They are right down the street from my school, like 15, 20 minutes. I got down to Lubbock (home of Texas Tech). I visited Tulsa when I was in high school, but like I told you, they came on kind of late. They wanted me to go out on an official visit. Their DB coach was DB coach at HBU my first year there and me and him had a really good relationship and he was probably one of my favorite coaches that I have ever had, but I told him that they were coming on a little late and the recruiting process was getting a little stressful, winding down, so I told them that I really appreciated the offer, but I can't have another option at this point, because I was down to my final two or three pretty much.
Gopher Hole: Had you ever been to Minnesota before this visit?
Eric Amoako: Actually, I had when I was a kid. My family took a trip to Canada when I was like ten or eleven. A family friend of mine, he had an aunt or uncle who stayed in Minnesota, so I went to visited them, but I wouldn't really call that a visit. I wasn't old enough to take all that in and experience it.
Gopher Hole: What were your impressions of Minnesota during your official visit?
Eric Amoako: I liked it a lot. I liked that it is in a major city. I wasn't picturing the campus actually being in the city for one and it kind of reminds of Oregon in a sense. Houston is a big city, but it is a concrete jungle. Minnesota, while it is a big city, there are still trees out there. The weather seemed really nice. Pretty clean place. I liked that there are rivers and lakes.
Gopher Hole: You already have your undergraduate degree. What is that in?
Eric Amoako: I got a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, so I had a focus in History.
Gopher Hole: What are you going to focus on at Minnesota?
Eric Amoako: I personally want to get into coaching and for the whole admissions process, I am coming in a little late, so I am going to be doing the Youth Development and Leadership masters program there. Those are the first classes that I am going to take over the summer. I am going to try to get into either the Sports Marketing program or Supply Chain Management, one of those two, hopefully. If that doesn't necessarily work out, I have no problem with Youth Development and Leadership. I feel that program could potentially teach me some things about interaction with future athletes. I know that ultimately, one day I want to get into coaching myself, so I would have to GA at one point, so hopefully I am going to be able to finish my Master's at Minnesota or pick up another one somewhere down the line.
Gopher Hole: For fans who haven't seen you play before, what do you see as your strengths as a football player?
Eric Amoako: I would definitely say my coverage ability. At the safety position, I am a really good route reader. I really like to jump and eliminate route combinations. I feel that I have some really good breaks and I feel that I am a pretty tough player as well. I play pretty hard. I always give it my best and definitely a smart player as well. I like to play with my brain a lot.
Q&A: Eric Amoako Talks About How Gophers Recruitment Began on Twitter and Excitement to Play for Coach Sawvel
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/660559?referrer_id=388419
Eric Amoako, a 5-foot-11, 195 defensive back recently announced he was going to transfer to Minnesota as a graduate transfer meaning that he will be eligible to play the 2016 season.
Out of high school, Amoako signed with Oregon with twin brother, Stephen, after attending Arlington (TX) Martin. Amoako redshirted as a freshman and transferred after seeing limited playing time with the Ducks the following year. He transferred to Houston Baptist to be closer to home, where he played the last two seasons. His brother Stephen transferred from Oregon after three years to Illinois State.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Amoako to learn the latest on his decision to transfer to Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: You recently committed to Minnesota. What was the main reason that you picked the Gophers?
Eric Amoako: The main reason, I would say for one, I think that the coaches really wanted me more than the other coaches. I just felt that after going up there and seeing the city and sitting down and talking to Coach Sawvel about the defense and the way that he was explaining it, I could just tell that he is a really good teacher and I really like what he is doing defensively over there, so I just felt that was something that I would definitely be interested in being a part of.
Gopher Hole: How did the Gophers find out about you?
Eric Amoako: So, for one, I knew that they recruited me and my brother (Stephen) out of high school, so Coach Poore is the recruiter in my area, so I guess that I already had somewhat of a relationship with him, but really I just got in contact with them via Twitter. I hit up Coach Sherels, their linebacker coach. Twitter was a pretty big recruiting tool for me. I would follow coaches and if they followed me back, I'd hit them with their DM instantly. Coach Sherels, he followed me back. I'd DM him and he said that they were interested. It took them a little while to get back to me, but Coach Sawvel hit me up and just told me, pretty much, if I would be interested in a scholarship for me.
Gopher Hole: What other schools were you looking at besides Minnesota when it came down to making your choice?
Eric Amoako: When it came down to my decision, it came down to Tulsa, Louisiana-Monroe and Texas Tech.
Gopher Hole: Had those other schools offered you a scholarship?
Eric Amoako: Yes, sir. Initially, I was really just open and willing to just walk-on at any school that would give me an opportunity. To start my process, I was talking to U of H (Houston) for a minute. I was going to their spring practices and then I decided I didn't like how things were going over there and I moved on the Texas State. From Texas State, I started talking to Texas Tech. Initially, they wanted me to walk-on there. I went up there for a visit and a couple days later, U of L-M and Minnesota both offered me scholarships on the same day. I am from Texas, personally, playing in the Big 12, playing against schools that I grew up watching. That was something that I was definitely interested in, so I was going to try to use those two scholarships. I had money on the table, so it only made sense for Texas Tech to offer me a scholarship. They just didn't have anything available initially. Even though Minnesota did offer me and I know that U of L-M was definitely in consideration, but I just wanted to play against the best competition, so it was probably going to between Tech and Minnesota. Tulsa came on a little late. I was strongly considering, even though Minnesota offered me, still walking-on at Texas Tech, but after considering and talking to my family, I figure I wanted to at least go and give Minnesota a shot and check it out. Tech told me that I was going to have to pay for summer classes and then they would put me on scholarship in the fall, but I just wasn't comfortable with that. I have been playing college football for four, going on five years and from my experience, putting your faith in coaches isn't necessarily good business, in my opinion. I just didn't feel comfortable going out there with the assumption that they are going to put me on scholarship in the fall, because that is me putting my faith into these coaches, assuming that they are going to be men of their word and "show me the money" or whatever when fall camp started. I didn't feel that was a situation that I would be comfortable in and after visiting Minnesota and seeing what they are doing with the facility and I watched a lot of their games on YouTube and they have had some good defense, traditionally. I have been at HB for two years and we have been getting murdered. I have always been fairly successful on the football field. I've always been a part of good teams, but HB was the first time I've ever not necessarily had success on the team level and that was something that was definitely important to me, so I would rather go and be part of a stingy defense than be a part of a defense that is not known to stop people. I just thought that Minnesota was just going to be a better option for me. After leaving Oregon, going to play at the highest level again, playing against the best competition is what I wanted. I definitely want to go to D1-A as opposed to going down to D1-AA. I picked up some D1-AA offers, even in this process, but that is not what I decided to transfer for, so I knew that I was going to D1, one-way or another.
Gopher Hole: You obviously played two years at Oregon, which is a very high level program with great facilities before you transferred to a lower school. What will it mean to you to be back at that D1 level?
Eric Amoako: Oh, man. It really means a lot to me. I know that coming out of high school, walking into Oregon, you get around all those jerseys, all the cleats, all the gear, all that stuff and then you go to HBU. At Oregon, we had three or four helmet choices. At HBU, we had one helmet choice, the basic old school shud. I had worn that shud before. I wore that shud before when I was at Oregon, but it feels a lot bigger wearing the shud, whenever you choose to wear it, not when you know that it is your only option, so it is good to be back with a major program with good facilities, nutrition program, good strength training. I am definitely looking forward to that.
Gopher Hole: I don't know how much you know about Minnesota, but one of their strengths was having a very good defensive backfield. Have you talked to the coaches much about how you fit into what their scheme has been like the last couple of years?
Eric Amoako: Yes, definitely. I know that Coach Sawvel has sent quite a few DBs into the league the last couple years and I know that he likes to run a lot of multiple defensive back sets. I know that he was the former defensive backs coach and now is the defensive coordinator and I know that typically guys that DB coach who become defensive coordinators actually build their defenses around defensive backs, so that definitely stood out to me. In regards to the way that they want to use me, they know that I play both corner and safety, so they definitely recognize that. I have some pretty good cover ability, so they really want me to be, almost in a sense, a "cover specialist." I know that they want to put themselves in situations where they can press their corners and if they have the ability to, have their safeties play number two, so they can keep the box intact. I know that Coach Sawvel, in talking to me, feels that I can potentially provide that ability.
Gopher Hole: I don't know how much you know about their losses in terms of graduation. They lost Eric Murray, who was a fourth round pick, Antonio Johnson and Briean Boddy-Calhoun. Do you feel that you are going into a situation where if you do the right things this summer, that you can compete for playing time as a senior?
Eric Amoako: I definitely would. I wouldn't walk into a situation where I didn't think I had a chance to play and I know that even in making my final decision before I closed my other doors, I talked to Coach Sawvel and just asked him to be honest with me if he felt that I actually was going to have the opportunity to start. I asked him "I understand that you wouldn't bring me in here and give me a scholarship if you didn't expect to me to play, but if I prove to be the best player, are you going to invest in me and let me have that starting opportunity and he told me "Yes," straight up that if I come in and do the right things and I prove to be a starting caliber player that he will put me in that position. I trust him in that and also I know, I'm a fifth year guy, I don't feel that they would invest money in me if they didn't feel that I could contribute to the team in some way, so I am pretty confident that if I do the right things, play to the best of my abilities and shake out to be one of the top two guys, that I will be in that starting lineup, so I just want that opportunity.
Gopher Hole: You mentioned that you had the ability to play both safety and cornerback. Have they talked to you about where you are probably going to start out at least or haven't they brought that up to you yet?
Eric Amoako: They have. I'll be playing safety and they are going to work me into some nickel stuff as well.
Gopher Hole: What schools did you end up visiting? I know that you visited Minnesota, but what other schools did you end up visiting?
Eric Amoako: U of H. I was going to their spring practices. They are right down the street from my school, like 15, 20 minutes. I got down to Lubbock (home of Texas Tech). I visited Tulsa when I was in high school, but like I told you, they came on kind of late. They wanted me to go out on an official visit. Their DB coach was DB coach at HBU my first year there and me and him had a really good relationship and he was probably one of my favorite coaches that I have ever had, but I told him that they were coming on a little late and the recruiting process was getting a little stressful, winding down, so I told them that I really appreciated the offer, but I can't have another option at this point, because I was down to my final two or three pretty much.
Gopher Hole: Had you ever been to Minnesota before this visit?
Eric Amoako: Actually, I had when I was a kid. My family took a trip to Canada when I was like ten or eleven. A family friend of mine, he had an aunt or uncle who stayed in Minnesota, so I went to visited them, but I wouldn't really call that a visit. I wasn't old enough to take all that in and experience it.
Gopher Hole: What were your impressions of Minnesota during your official visit?
Eric Amoako: I liked it a lot. I liked that it is in a major city. I wasn't picturing the campus actually being in the city for one and it kind of reminds of Oregon in a sense. Houston is a big city, but it is a concrete jungle. Minnesota, while it is a big city, there are still trees out there. The weather seemed really nice. Pretty clean place. I liked that there are rivers and lakes.
Gopher Hole: You already have your undergraduate degree. What is that in?
Eric Amoako: I got a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, so I had a focus in History.
Gopher Hole: What are you going to focus on at Minnesota?
Eric Amoako: I personally want to get into coaching and for the whole admissions process, I am coming in a little late, so I am going to be doing the Youth Development and Leadership masters program there. Those are the first classes that I am going to take over the summer. I am going to try to get into either the Sports Marketing program or Supply Chain Management, one of those two, hopefully. If that doesn't necessarily work out, I have no problem with Youth Development and Leadership. I feel that program could potentially teach me some things about interaction with future athletes. I know that ultimately, one day I want to get into coaching myself, so I would have to GA at one point, so hopefully I am going to be able to finish my Master's at Minnesota or pick up another one somewhere down the line.
Gopher Hole: For fans who haven't seen you play before, what do you see as your strengths as a football player?
Eric Amoako: I would definitely say my coverage ability. At the safety position, I am a really good route reader. I really like to jump and eliminate route combinations. I feel that I have some really good breaks and I feel that I am a pretty tough player as well. I play pretty hard. I always give it my best and definitely a smart player as well. I like to play with my brain a lot.
