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Q&A: Josh Aune on Committing to U: "I wanted to be a Gopher. It's a dream come true."
GopherHole Q&A: Josh Aune on Committing to U: "I wanted to be a Gopher. It's a dream come true."
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/803102?referrer_id=
Josh Aune, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive back/linebacker from St. Paul (MN) Highland Park, committed to Minnesota Friday.
Aune helped lead the Scots to a 6-4 record this past season, losing to Fridley 49-40 in the second round of the Class 4, Section 4 playoffs.
Aune received his first BCS scholarship offer from Minnesota this past weekend. He had previously received FCS offers from North Dakota State, South Dakota State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, South Dakota and Montana State.
Gopher Hole: You committed to Minnesota last Friday. What was the main reason that you decided Minnesota was where you wanted to be?
Josh Aune: It has kind of been a dream of mine since I was a really young kid. My dad went to the University of Minnesota. My cousin played at the University of Minnesota as a basketball player, so I just wanted to be; I wanted to be a Gopher. It has always been a dream of mine. It's a dream come true, I guess you could say.
Gopher Hole: I know that you just committed, but do you feel a bit of a weight has been lifted off your shoulder already?
Josh Aune: A little bit, yes. I'm not going to a lot of camps in June, so it has kind of opened up my schedule a little bit, which is nice. It kind of takes a weight off my shoulders, but it also puts some weight on too, because I want to continue to work hard and improve and be the best teammate that I can be this summer and this fall for my senior football season, too.
Gopher Hole: Had you planned on making your college choice this early in the process?
Josh Aune: I had planned on committing anytime the Gophers really offered me. It just happened that it was this early, but it is nice to be able to say that's where I am going right now. It just kind of played out that way.
Gopher Hole: What that kind of the main thing that once you got that offer that was what you decided to do?
Josh Aune: Yes. That was what I wanted to do. I want to be a Gopher. It feels great, for sure.
Gopher Hole: Were you surprised at all when you got the word about the offer or did you think it might be coming?
Josh Aune: I thought that I had a pretty good camp performance. I did my best. I put it all out on the field and when they asked me to stay after the camp, I knew it was a good thing. I didn't exactly know that is was an offer. I didn't know exactly what to expect, so I just tried to stay calm and take in the moment and breathe, I guess, but when I got the offer, it was really exciting. It was a great experience.
Gopher Hole: How would you describe yourself as a football player?
Josh Aune: I would say that I am a very passionate football player. Positionally, I see myself, always on defense as either a linebacker or safety. I would say that I am passionate for the game. I always track down the ball. I like to hit people hard and when it comes to being a leader, I feel that I have fairly good leadership qualities. I don't mean to like brag or say anything arrogant, but I feel that I do have fairly good leadership qualities on the field.
Gopher Hole: What has the reaction been among your family and friends since your commitment?
Josh Aune: My family is incredibly proud. I got to see a few extended family members and they were ecstatic. They were so happy for me. My immediate family, they were really happy for me. My dad, mom, brother and sister are so proud. They knew that this is what I wanted and they are really happy that I got the opportunity to play for the hometown. Friends, I got a lot of texts from a lot of people congratulating me and to see some of friends this week, has been really nice. They are so supportive and so excited about me going to the University of the Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: You were at the camps this past weekend. What all did you get a chance to see and do when you were here this past weekend?
Josh Aune: I live right next to the stadium, so I had kind of been there. I had been in it a couple of times. I had been shown around the campus, academically in the past on unofficial visits, so it was just really focusing in on the camp that day. The camp was great. I learned a ton. The coaching was awesome. I just really tried to embody "The Row The Boat" culture, while I was at the camp and what the coaches were asking me to do and what the coaches were talking about.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota was your first Division I offer, but I know that you had a lot of other offers from FCS schools like North Dakota State, South Dakota State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, South Dakota and Montana State. Had you had a chance to visit many campuses so far?
Josh Aune: Not particularly. I had only visited, out of my offers before the Gophers, I only visited South Dakota State, unofficially and other than that, I was planning before I committed to the University of Minnesota to visit other schools, but now, I'm not, so the only two I visited really are the U of M and South Dakota State.
Gopher Hole: What other Division I schools were you hearing from?
Josh Aune: Iowa. A little bit from Michigan State. Air Force. A lot of Division I Ivy League schools. Dartmouth, Columbia, Harvard and Brown. Those are some of the schools that were talking to me the most.
Gopher Hole: With your commitment, are you still going to be attending any football camps this summer or are you going to shut that down since you know where you are going to play?
Josh Aune: I think that I am going to shut it down. I don't really plan on decommitting or anything like that. I went to camp. I did my job and I got what I wanted and now I am sticking with it. I don't see any reason for me to continue to go to camps and show myself when I have achieved my goal.
Gopher Hole: Highland Park had 6-4 record this past season. What are the expectations for the upcoming year?
Josh Aune: The expectations for this upcoming year are big. We got moved up to 5A, which is a big deal for us. If we want to be the best, we have to play the best. We are really excited about that. We got our conference switched up, so there are better teams in the conference, so we are expecting a big year this year and a lot of guys to step up also because we lost a lot of seniors last year. We are expecting a big year, especially on the defense. We have a lot of returning guys on the defense.
Gopher Hole: To be honest, you have had a couple of good years, but Highland Park is not known as a great football school. What would it mean to you to have success this year, especially since it is your senior year?
Josh Aune: It would be incredibly meaningful to have a big senior year this year. People say the Highland Park is not really a football school and this and that. A big part of our team's culture is we want to take that next step. We want to be considered just not middle of the pack. We want to make it to state. We want to do big things. Beat good teams and that is what we are going for this year. We are really excited and ready to get out there and get working.
Gopher Hole: I think that one of your strengths is that you are a versatile player, not only for football, but you also play other sports. How much do you think that you are helped by the fact that you do play other sports besides just football?
Josh Aune: A lot of things really help when I play other sports. The ability to be coached by other people has really helped out, especially through baseball and basketball. It has really helped because it has not only helped develop my physical abilities, but also develop mental game a lot more being coached by multiple people. Physically, it keeps me in shape, for sure. It is kind of tough throughout the year being in different weight training regiments and this and that. I am excited to get to a point where I only have one weight training thing. It is kind of hard to manage time. It has really taught me good time management throughout the year. Playing basketball is a big winter thing and a big time consumer and I play track and baseball in the spring, so I don't have a lot of time when it comes to spring sports, it helps really learn to manage my time well with my academics, my social life and my family life. It all plays in. It is all very helpful.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that you are going to try to do all four next year as a senior or have you thought that far yet?
Josh Aune: It has been a very big conversation between me and my family. I want to enjoy my senior year and that is also a big part of it. I want to focus on football right now. When we get to basketball season, we'll have that conversation with my parents, but basketball, I'm not sure. I really couldn't tell you right now. I am going to try and weigh my options here and there and see what the best option is for me, for sure.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you have a lot of ties to the University of Minnesota. What is it going to mean your first game as a freshman to walk onto the field in front of 50,000 fans?
Josh Aune: Oh, that is going to be a very, very big day for me. It is going to mean so much. Like I've said before, I have dreamed about being a Gopher and finally to be able to walk out onto the field and be a part of this team. Be a part of the culture. Represent something bigger than myself. It is something that I have believed in for a very long time. That is a really big deal to me, for sure.
Gopher Hole: Have you gotten to know any of the other Minnesota commits very well from the 2018 Class yet?
Josh Aune: I have talked a little bit with a couple of them. I have gotten added to a group chat with a couple of them. They DM'd me on Twitter. Guys like Brevyn (Spann-Ford) and Benny Sapp. They have said that they are excited about being my teammate. Super excited about being their teammate. It is incredibly welcoming. Incredibly great guys and I am super excited to get working with them in about a year.
Gopher Hole: Brevyn committed this weekend. Did you know him at all or know much about him?
Josh Aune: I knew a lot about him. We went down to Chicago (combine) together for the Nike opening regional. We had talked here and there. We had been on visits to Minnesota together. We didn't know each other well, but I was incredibly ecstatic when I heard that he committed. I literally watched into TCF Stadium and I was really excited and I checked Twitter and saw that Brevyn had committed right before me. We DM'd each other on Twitter and said how excited we were to play together and it was a lot of fun going up against him at camp, too. He is a great competitor. He is a great athlete. He'll be a lot of fun, for sure.
Gopher Hole: You mentioned that Chicago camp. I think that you were #8 in that group. Is that something that helped you hear from more schools and even the Gophers after doing so well down there? Do you think that you made your mark a little bit more at the camp?
Josh Aune: I think that definitely opened up some people's eyes a little bit more. I was already hearing from some schools already before I went to that camp, but when people saw that I took eighth in the camp and they saw my score, I think it was 160.34, they were really impressed. It was good to have that official recognition for my combine statistics and the way I play. It was good. I guess some things changed after I went there. Some schools started talking to me.
Gopher Hole: I know that we talked about your versatility. I know that they are looking at you a little bit as defensive back and linebacker. What are they saying to you about position in college?
Josh Aune: Position in college, well, I was told it is kind of dependent on how I develop physically. If I put on 15, 20 pounds, I guess I'll be the size that is right for a Big Ten linebacker almost and if I grow an inch or two, maybe I'll play linebacker. If I don't develop like that physically and I stay this size, I'll probably play defensive back, probably strong safety somewhere. Other than that, it is not a huge deal to me where I play. I just want to contribute to the team. That is a big thing to me.
Gopher Hole: What are you at right now?
Josh Aune: About 6-1, 6-2, 200 pounds. I'm a little down. I was 205 before baseball season and track season, but I have been running around a lot. I haven't got to the weight room as much as I want to this spring, so I am looking forward to the summer and getting back to a heavier weight.
Gopher Hole: You were hearing from the Gophers and the old staff. What has been different or how has it changed with the new staff since they arrive in January?
Josh Aune: Well, with the new staff, there is a huge focus on changing the culture and that is the "Row the Boat" culture. That is a huge part of their recruiting process, I feel like and I completely believe in it. I have witnessed it and I am so excited to be a part of it. The energy that they bring to every day is so real and I feel that every time I go to the University of Minnesota and that is what kind of sets them apart right now and makes them so desirable to me.
Gopher Hole: Who was the main coach recruiting you for the Gophers?
Josh Aune: The one that contacted me first was Matt Simon, Coach Simon. He invited me to Junior Day. He has been talking to me for awhile. He is the guy who recruits Minnesota, but I have also been talking to Coach Mo here and there. P.J. Fleck, obviously, but Matt Simon is the guy who reached out to me first.
Gopher Hole: I don't know how much you know about him, but Matt is Minnesota guy, originally.
Josh Aune: Yes, from Farmington.
Gopher Hole: What has your relationship been like with him?
Josh Aune: He is a great guy. He has been really supportive of me throughout my other sports this year. He likes baseball, so we talked about that. He is just a great guy. I enjoy talking to him. I am excited to have him as a coach.
Gopher Hole: How about Coach Fleck? To be honest, I know that a lot of Gopher fans don't know that much about him because he hasn't coached a game yet, but everyone can tell about the excitement level with him being there and being so excited about the program. What has he been like?
Josh Aune: He has been a wonderful guy. It is hard to explain, but he has been such a standup guy. He has been so full of energy and he is so excited about Minnesota. He is so focused on changing the culture and building a great program. It is really incredible the type of guy that he is and the type of coach he is. To see him at the spring game and the way he coaches is really exciting to see and I am so excited to have him as a coach. He is a great guy.
GopherHole Q&A: Josh Aune on Committing to U: "I wanted to be a Gopher. It's a dream come true."
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/803102?referrer_id=
Josh Aune, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive back/linebacker from St. Paul (MN) Highland Park, committed to Minnesota Friday.
Aune helped lead the Scots to a 6-4 record this past season, losing to Fridley 49-40 in the second round of the Class 4, Section 4 playoffs.
Aune received his first BCS scholarship offer from Minnesota this past weekend. He had previously received FCS offers from North Dakota State, South Dakota State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, South Dakota and Montana State.
Gopher Hole: You committed to Minnesota last Friday. What was the main reason that you decided Minnesota was where you wanted to be?
Josh Aune: It has kind of been a dream of mine since I was a really young kid. My dad went to the University of Minnesota. My cousin played at the University of Minnesota as a basketball player, so I just wanted to be; I wanted to be a Gopher. It has always been a dream of mine. It's a dream come true, I guess you could say.
Gopher Hole: I know that you just committed, but do you feel a bit of a weight has been lifted off your shoulder already?
Josh Aune: A little bit, yes. I'm not going to a lot of camps in June, so it has kind of opened up my schedule a little bit, which is nice. It kind of takes a weight off my shoulders, but it also puts some weight on too, because I want to continue to work hard and improve and be the best teammate that I can be this summer and this fall for my senior football season, too.
Gopher Hole: Had you planned on making your college choice this early in the process?
Josh Aune: I had planned on committing anytime the Gophers really offered me. It just happened that it was this early, but it is nice to be able to say that's where I am going right now. It just kind of played out that way.
Gopher Hole: What that kind of the main thing that once you got that offer that was what you decided to do?
Josh Aune: Yes. That was what I wanted to do. I want to be a Gopher. It feels great, for sure.
Gopher Hole: Were you surprised at all when you got the word about the offer or did you think it might be coming?
Josh Aune: I thought that I had a pretty good camp performance. I did my best. I put it all out on the field and when they asked me to stay after the camp, I knew it was a good thing. I didn't exactly know that is was an offer. I didn't know exactly what to expect, so I just tried to stay calm and take in the moment and breathe, I guess, but when I got the offer, it was really exciting. It was a great experience.
Gopher Hole: How would you describe yourself as a football player?
Josh Aune: I would say that I am a very passionate football player. Positionally, I see myself, always on defense as either a linebacker or safety. I would say that I am passionate for the game. I always track down the ball. I like to hit people hard and when it comes to being a leader, I feel that I have fairly good leadership qualities. I don't mean to like brag or say anything arrogant, but I feel that I do have fairly good leadership qualities on the field.
Gopher Hole: What has the reaction been among your family and friends since your commitment?
Josh Aune: My family is incredibly proud. I got to see a few extended family members and they were ecstatic. They were so happy for me. My immediate family, they were really happy for me. My dad, mom, brother and sister are so proud. They knew that this is what I wanted and they are really happy that I got the opportunity to play for the hometown. Friends, I got a lot of texts from a lot of people congratulating me and to see some of friends this week, has been really nice. They are so supportive and so excited about me going to the University of the Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: You were at the camps this past weekend. What all did you get a chance to see and do when you were here this past weekend?
Josh Aune: I live right next to the stadium, so I had kind of been there. I had been in it a couple of times. I had been shown around the campus, academically in the past on unofficial visits, so it was just really focusing in on the camp that day. The camp was great. I learned a ton. The coaching was awesome. I just really tried to embody "The Row The Boat" culture, while I was at the camp and what the coaches were asking me to do and what the coaches were talking about.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota was your first Division I offer, but I know that you had a lot of other offers from FCS schools like North Dakota State, South Dakota State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, South Dakota and Montana State. Had you had a chance to visit many campuses so far?
Josh Aune: Not particularly. I had only visited, out of my offers before the Gophers, I only visited South Dakota State, unofficially and other than that, I was planning before I committed to the University of Minnesota to visit other schools, but now, I'm not, so the only two I visited really are the U of M and South Dakota State.
Gopher Hole: What other Division I schools were you hearing from?
Josh Aune: Iowa. A little bit from Michigan State. Air Force. A lot of Division I Ivy League schools. Dartmouth, Columbia, Harvard and Brown. Those are some of the schools that were talking to me the most.
Gopher Hole: With your commitment, are you still going to be attending any football camps this summer or are you going to shut that down since you know where you are going to play?
Josh Aune: I think that I am going to shut it down. I don't really plan on decommitting or anything like that. I went to camp. I did my job and I got what I wanted and now I am sticking with it. I don't see any reason for me to continue to go to camps and show myself when I have achieved my goal.
Gopher Hole: Highland Park had 6-4 record this past season. What are the expectations for the upcoming year?
Josh Aune: The expectations for this upcoming year are big. We got moved up to 5A, which is a big deal for us. If we want to be the best, we have to play the best. We are really excited about that. We got our conference switched up, so there are better teams in the conference, so we are expecting a big year this year and a lot of guys to step up also because we lost a lot of seniors last year. We are expecting a big year, especially on the defense. We have a lot of returning guys on the defense.
Gopher Hole: To be honest, you have had a couple of good years, but Highland Park is not known as a great football school. What would it mean to you to have success this year, especially since it is your senior year?
Josh Aune: It would be incredibly meaningful to have a big senior year this year. People say the Highland Park is not really a football school and this and that. A big part of our team's culture is we want to take that next step. We want to be considered just not middle of the pack. We want to make it to state. We want to do big things. Beat good teams and that is what we are going for this year. We are really excited and ready to get out there and get working.
Gopher Hole: I think that one of your strengths is that you are a versatile player, not only for football, but you also play other sports. How much do you think that you are helped by the fact that you do play other sports besides just football?
Josh Aune: A lot of things really help when I play other sports. The ability to be coached by other people has really helped out, especially through baseball and basketball. It has really helped because it has not only helped develop my physical abilities, but also develop mental game a lot more being coached by multiple people. Physically, it keeps me in shape, for sure. It is kind of tough throughout the year being in different weight training regiments and this and that. I am excited to get to a point where I only have one weight training thing. It is kind of hard to manage time. It has really taught me good time management throughout the year. Playing basketball is a big winter thing and a big time consumer and I play track and baseball in the spring, so I don't have a lot of time when it comes to spring sports, it helps really learn to manage my time well with my academics, my social life and my family life. It all plays in. It is all very helpful.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that you are going to try to do all four next year as a senior or have you thought that far yet?
Josh Aune: It has been a very big conversation between me and my family. I want to enjoy my senior year and that is also a big part of it. I want to focus on football right now. When we get to basketball season, we'll have that conversation with my parents, but basketball, I'm not sure. I really couldn't tell you right now. I am going to try and weigh my options here and there and see what the best option is for me, for sure.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you have a lot of ties to the University of Minnesota. What is it going to mean your first game as a freshman to walk onto the field in front of 50,000 fans?
Josh Aune: Oh, that is going to be a very, very big day for me. It is going to mean so much. Like I've said before, I have dreamed about being a Gopher and finally to be able to walk out onto the field and be a part of this team. Be a part of the culture. Represent something bigger than myself. It is something that I have believed in for a very long time. That is a really big deal to me, for sure.
Gopher Hole: Have you gotten to know any of the other Minnesota commits very well from the 2018 Class yet?
Josh Aune: I have talked a little bit with a couple of them. I have gotten added to a group chat with a couple of them. They DM'd me on Twitter. Guys like Brevyn (Spann-Ford) and Benny Sapp. They have said that they are excited about being my teammate. Super excited about being their teammate. It is incredibly welcoming. Incredibly great guys and I am super excited to get working with them in about a year.
Gopher Hole: Brevyn committed this weekend. Did you know him at all or know much about him?
Josh Aune: I knew a lot about him. We went down to Chicago (combine) together for the Nike opening regional. We had talked here and there. We had been on visits to Minnesota together. We didn't know each other well, but I was incredibly ecstatic when I heard that he committed. I literally watched into TCF Stadium and I was really excited and I checked Twitter and saw that Brevyn had committed right before me. We DM'd each other on Twitter and said how excited we were to play together and it was a lot of fun going up against him at camp, too. He is a great competitor. He is a great athlete. He'll be a lot of fun, for sure.
Gopher Hole: You mentioned that Chicago camp. I think that you were #8 in that group. Is that something that helped you hear from more schools and even the Gophers after doing so well down there? Do you think that you made your mark a little bit more at the camp?
Josh Aune: I think that definitely opened up some people's eyes a little bit more. I was already hearing from some schools already before I went to that camp, but when people saw that I took eighth in the camp and they saw my score, I think it was 160.34, they were really impressed. It was good to have that official recognition for my combine statistics and the way I play. It was good. I guess some things changed after I went there. Some schools started talking to me.
Gopher Hole: I know that we talked about your versatility. I know that they are looking at you a little bit as defensive back and linebacker. What are they saying to you about position in college?
Josh Aune: Position in college, well, I was told it is kind of dependent on how I develop physically. If I put on 15, 20 pounds, I guess I'll be the size that is right for a Big Ten linebacker almost and if I grow an inch or two, maybe I'll play linebacker. If I don't develop like that physically and I stay this size, I'll probably play defensive back, probably strong safety somewhere. Other than that, it is not a huge deal to me where I play. I just want to contribute to the team. That is a big thing to me.
Gopher Hole: What are you at right now?
Josh Aune: About 6-1, 6-2, 200 pounds. I'm a little down. I was 205 before baseball season and track season, but I have been running around a lot. I haven't got to the weight room as much as I want to this spring, so I am looking forward to the summer and getting back to a heavier weight.
Gopher Hole: You were hearing from the Gophers and the old staff. What has been different or how has it changed with the new staff since they arrive in January?
Josh Aune: Well, with the new staff, there is a huge focus on changing the culture and that is the "Row the Boat" culture. That is a huge part of their recruiting process, I feel like and I completely believe in it. I have witnessed it and I am so excited to be a part of it. The energy that they bring to every day is so real and I feel that every time I go to the University of Minnesota and that is what kind of sets them apart right now and makes them so desirable to me.
Gopher Hole: Who was the main coach recruiting you for the Gophers?
Josh Aune: The one that contacted me first was Matt Simon, Coach Simon. He invited me to Junior Day. He has been talking to me for awhile. He is the guy who recruits Minnesota, but I have also been talking to Coach Mo here and there. P.J. Fleck, obviously, but Matt Simon is the guy who reached out to me first.
Gopher Hole: I don't know how much you know about him, but Matt is Minnesota guy, originally.
Josh Aune: Yes, from Farmington.
Gopher Hole: What has your relationship been like with him?
Josh Aune: He is a great guy. He has been really supportive of me throughout my other sports this year. He likes baseball, so we talked about that. He is just a great guy. I enjoy talking to him. I am excited to have him as a coach.
Gopher Hole: How about Coach Fleck? To be honest, I know that a lot of Gopher fans don't know that much about him because he hasn't coached a game yet, but everyone can tell about the excitement level with him being there and being so excited about the program. What has he been like?
Josh Aune: He has been a wonderful guy. It is hard to explain, but he has been such a standup guy. He has been so full of energy and he is so excited about Minnesota. He is so focused on changing the culture and building a great program. It is really incredible the type of guy that he is and the type of coach he is. To see him at the spring game and the way he coaches is really exciting to see and I am so excited to have him as a coach. He is a great guy.