Recruiting Report: George Sandven (Edina-2021)
When I attended and covered the cold early October 6A matchup of former “Lake Conference” rivals Edina and Eden Prairie this past fall – a game that became a historic win for the Hornets as they had not beaten EP since 2013 – a few things stood…
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Continue ReadingWhen I attended and covered the cold early October 6A matchup of former “Lake Conference” rivals Edina and Eden Prairie this past fall – a game that became a historic win for the Hornets as they had not beaten EP since 2013 – a few things stood out to me. 1) It was way too cold for the 4th of October and I was underdressed. 2) EP has some big ol’ kids on their O and D lines. 3) Jonathan Bunce is one of the more fun RBs I’ve gotten to see run the rock. And 4) Why have I not heard of this 6’4, 210 lb. gun-slinger for Edina throwing rockets to these wideouts? All important observations, but #4 had me particularly intrigued and I was disappointed in myself for not having heard of this prototypical pocket-passer for the Hornets. Unfortunately it seems that some college coaches may be overlooking #11 George Sandven as well. Despite heading into his senior season on the heels of a 1,400 yard, 12 TD to 4 INT junior year in a run-first Edina offense, Sandven’s recruitment has been a little underwhelming, and he deserves some more exposure as he heads into his final ride playing one of the toughest schedules in Class 6A big-school MN football. Check out what the Edina native has to say about his career as a Hornet so far, playing with some of the illustrious Edina studs before him, some teams he’s interested in playing for in college, and more. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Junior Year
Sandven.
NFN: Hello and thank you for your time, George! Please start by telling us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? When did you start playing football and what do you love about it? Please also provide your measurables and stats from last year!
Sandven: “I was born and raised in Edina, I have played football since I could walk. I love playing football because of all of the friendships that I have made over the years. I think that football is the most important team game and everyone is needed to win. Im 6’4, 205, and run a 4.9 40. I bench 185, squat 270, deadlift 330. I had 13 TD passes, 4 int and threw for 1400 yards.”
NFN: Now get into a little bit about your sophomore season in 2018, as well as Edina’s? What were some highlights and lowlights? What did you learn from it? And how was your season personally?
Sandven: “In the summer going into my sophomore season, I broke my wrist which caused me to miss 4 weeks of the season. The first time I got into a varsity game was against Eden Prairie. I was very nervous for that game. I had a fumbled snap and threw an INT. I think that was the best thing that happened to me that entire year because I had experienced the worst that could’ve happened and it prepared me for my junior season.”
NFN: What were your expectations for yourself and the team this season in 2019? How had you guys built on last year? What kind of things did you work on to better your game football wise in the offseason? And what do you like about the Edina program?
Sandven: “Going into the 2019 season, our expectations were high as they should be. We wanted to win out our section and make it to the bank. Even though we had lost some big time players, we filled those spots with really good players that could hold their own and contribute to the team in a big way. In the offseason, I would work with my QB to get stronger and to get accustomed to different coverages that I would see on the field. I would work out 4-5 times a week to make sure that I could make any type of throw on the field. Also, I would like to go to the field with my receivers so we can get on the same page and develop a stronger chemistry. One reason that I love the Edina program is that the coaches care about you becoming a better person and to prepare you for the real world to make you successful. Another reason that I like the Edina program is that the culture is very welcoming to all players so they can perform at their highest. “
NFN: How was/is it playing with studs like Swinney, Carrol, Cavanaugh, and Malim? What was the craziest play/thing you’ve seen them do on the football field? What was throwing to Hamza like?
Sandven: “When you were watching Carrol and Cavanaugh, you would never want to take your eyes off of the field because you knew that something exciting was about to happen. Quinn would always be throwing kids on the ground with ease and when Matt was at running back, it seemed like every other play he had a break out run. Playing with swinney makes my life a hole lot easier because I know that he is not going to let anyone through on his side. Malim was the best reciever that I could have asked for. He was open on every route and was very explosive off the line. All I had to do was throw it up to him and I knew that he was going to come down with it. In the offseason, we develop a strong chemistry by going to the field to work on routes and timing which was a key factor on our connections throughout the year.”
NFN: Tell me about your first eight regular season games in 2019? Who’d you play? How’d they go? What were some big games and some of the best games for you? You guys had some big wins against Centennial, EP, and Shakopee, what were some of the biggest reasons for your guys winning those games? And what can you guys do to get those tough wins against teams like Wayzata and STMA next season?
Sandven: “We went 4-4 in the regular season. We played Centennial, Wayzata, Maple Grove, Prior Lake, STMA, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, and Shokopee. Wayzata was definitely the hardest game of your season. They were very tough on the line which stopped the momentum of our offense. Our best win of the year was against EP because it had been forever since we beat them. It was a great team win and we were very proud of each other. My best game was against STMA. I had 250 yards passing and 2 TDs. The offense moved the ball up the field all night and was very fun to be a part of. I think the big games that you mentioned above, he was just confident and collective in the important parts of the game which led us to a win. One thing that we can do to help us win in those tough losses like Wayzata and STMA is to keep each other accountable throughout the week and into the game. We know leading into the week that we are playing a very good football team and we need to have minimal mistakes in order to win. Another thing that is going to help us win those games is the preparation. The effort that you put into your preparation is going to show on the field and we need everyone to be working very hard to get prepared for a big game.”
NFN: Also, who are your favorite teams to play against and why? What’s a big rivalry game and how’d the rivalry begin? Any good competition you’ve gone up against that stands out?
Sandven: “I always like to play EP because from a personal perspective, the year before I got my first varsity experience against them and it didn’t go well at all. So this was one game that I could prove to myself and my teammates that I am not going to let that failure happen again. Even though we didn’t throw it a whole lot against them, we made it count which helped us towards that victory. In the previous years when we played EP, they never threw the ball and it was good to see our coach have trust in me and our offense to let us sling the rock on them.I think that our rivalry team is Minnetonka. In the past it seemed like every year the score would rotate which created a very competitive game that was very fun to play in.”
NFN: Now talk about sections as well. What were those crazy Eastview and Centennial games like? How was your performance and what were some key plays and moments? And how can you guys build on that experience for next year’s playoffs?
Sandven: “During Eastview we had a bad first half. At half time our coach told us what we needed to hear that got us ready for the second half. I had 2 TD passes but had lots of help from our running backs. It was a good game to get over so we could get ready for the next game against centennial. Centennial was a tough game. We didn’t complete many passes that game. I had 1 TD pass. Our running back Jonathan Bunce had a huge game for us. It was a very nerve racking game since it went into overtime. They had scored first and he had answered that. We decided to go for 2 but we were 6 inches short of moving on. One thing that we can take away from these experiences and put them towards this year is that everyplay matters whether it is a big gain or not. Each play could get you that much closer to having an easier field goal kick or to an easier touchdown pass. Another thing is that you need to make sure that everyone cares as much as the seniors because some of them may not ever play football again and you don’t want their last game to be tears of sadness but tears of joy.”
Sandven.NFN: You guys are bringing back an experienced team with a great junior class next season, what are expectations for the team going into the 2020 season and how are you guys planning on making the jump to a state championship contender?
Sandven: “Our expectations are the same as last year and will always remain the same which is to win the State tournament. Since we got a new coach this year, one thing that we are doing to get to the next level is change our offense. I think that this can put us to a very high level with the weapons we have on the offense side of the ball.”
NFN: Now we’ll talk about recruiting. What are some college teams you’re interested in and/or in contact with? What are you hearing about in regards to your skill and what schools like you and your playing style? What else can you say about your recruiting process and what you are looking for in a college?
Sandven: “The schools that I would like to play for would be Kansas State, Wyoming, Iowa, and Minnesota. I have been in contact with Sioux Falls and Minnesota Moorhead. Iowa state and Minnesota State Mankato have asked me to go to a camp. I think that I am very capable of playing at those D1 schools due to my pro style and I think that schools are changing to more of a pass first run second type of game now. The hardest part of the recruiting process for me was trying to get the coaches to get my film once I sent it out to them. When I look at colleges, I look for a good education, if it’s good for me football wise and personally, and if I will be able to play within the first 2 years.”
NFN: What else can you say about your recruiting process and what you are looking for in a college? What do you think you can add to a college program and what do you do well as a football player?
Sandven: “One thing that I can add to a program is that I make my teammates around me better. I always push myself and teammates through practice because the harder you work in the practices, it will make the game that much easier. Another thing that I add to a program is leadership. I am a leader that will always bring you up no matter what happened on the play before or in practice. I think that people play the best when they are calm and collective so they can focus on the task in front of them.”
Stay tuned with Northstar Football News for any new and important information regarding Sandven and his Hornet teammates! This won’t be the last you hear from them.