Top ten offseason update - Rocori's Andrew Trout

It was not the season Rocori's big man [player_tooltip player_id='591732' first='Andrew' last='Trout'] had in mind. With a foot injury right before the season opener, Trout had to figure out a new way to contribute to his team and keep himself ready to go once he got back.   "I broke my fifth metatarsal in my left foot during fall camp," Trout said. "The doctors did a bone graft; they chiseled away a bunch of bone from where it broke, took bone marrow from my heal and injected it to where the break was and put a screw through the bone to hold it together."   The surgery and recovery kept him out almost the entire season. Trout made the best of the situation.   "Being on the sidelines, watching the game from a different point of view, and coaching up the guy behind me was a big thing," Trout said. "My high school coach and I talked about that. I felt I did a pretty decent job of that. It helped me resilience-wise, being able to get through an injury and coming back to play the best ball I could after going through that situation that I went through."   "When I was healthy," Trout continued, "the coaches said I was going to be a full-time left offensive tackle, but then I was going to work my way into more and more defense playing a three-technique or maybe a nose. By the end of the year, I was going to be playing both ways full-time. That is the plan for my senior season."   The junior thinks his biggest strengths are his bend, flexibility, and ability to finish defenders. He knows he needs to improve in these areas.   "I am looking to improve on my quickness and quick twitch. I am working on more open space blocking – downfield blocking, blocking on screens."   That improvement started shortly after the football season.   "I worked out this winter," Trout told prepredzonemn.com. "I did a bunch of offensive line stuff, lifting, agility, just getting bigger, faster and stronger. I was working on getting more explosive in the weight room and doing speed work through our football program."   The 6'7", 300-pound athlete is a two-sport athlete.   "In the spring, I throw the shot put and the discus. I started throwing my freshmen year. My coach told me it helps with football. I was willing to do whatever it took, so I joined up and still throw now."   Trout didn't expect to get the type of recruiting interest he did.   "I had no idea I was going to get the recruiting attention I got. I had North Dakota State and North Dakota in mind; I had no idea I was going to get all the offers I got."   His second offer was from Minnesota.   "The recruiting process was pretty easy. I had Minnesota in mind going into it. Once they offered me, I knew that was where I would go, but I got a bunch of offers after that. I basically told them I would look at your school, but in the back of my mind, I knew I was going to go to Minnesota. Two weeks after they offered, I committed."   Trout – who loves hunting and being in the outdoors - liked his long-term prognosis with the Gophers.   "I liked the development part of the program. Coach Callie (Offensive line coach Brian Callahan) takes guys and develops them from the ground up. A lot of schools just look at talent in high school. Callie looks specifically for guys he can develop and turn into NFL prospects. I felt they were second to none when it came to that. Obviously, I love the coaching staff and the strength program."   Obviously, the Minnesota staff liked what they saw, too.   "They love my size. I am just over 6'7". I have 35-inch arms. My length is huge, my bend, my ability to get out into space. Those were all things they said they liked about me."   Trout committed to the Gophers almost a year ago.   "I knew I wanted to be there. There was no reason to wait; my decision was made. It is the best decision I have ever made – committing early. I have been able to go down there and workout with the guys and learn the playbook a little bit."

It was not the season Rocori's big man Andrew Trout Andrew Trout 6'6" | 270 lbs | OL Rocori | 2026 State MN had in mind. With a foot injury right before the season opener, Trout had to figure out a new way to contribute to his team and keep himself ready to go once he got back.