Koi Perich | Esko

How did last year go for you?rnI think last year was kind of a breakout year. I had twenty-five plus touchdowns on the year. Individually, it went about as well as I could have hoped. As a team, we could have been better.

Where did you line up last year?rnI just tried to go where the coaches thought they could get the most out of me. I played outside linebacker on defense.

What are your strengths?rnI play outside linebacker. If we are getting gashed, I will switch sides, but I try to play on the strong side. My dad is our defensive coordinator. He emphasized good hand technique – always inside and make sure you always have your leverage. Most likely, I am playing against a bigger guy than me. Make sure I use my hands, get the first shot to the chest, and be fast. That is how I would outmaneuver the big guys. On offense, I am pretty fast, so they would try to get me on the outside so I could make explosive plays. I only got the ball about sixty times last year, so I think my role on offense will increase. I am hoping to be the kicker next year too.

Talk to me about your winter and spring.rnI play basketball. We had a pretty good year. We won 25 games and lost in our section final. I put up something like 25 (points), 8 (rebounds), and 4 (assists) a game. In track, I probably would have won State in all four of my events – I was ranked number one in the state – but I got injured in the second meet. I do the 100, 200, long jump, and triple jump. I pulled my hamstring and am still recovering from that now.

How has the rehab been going?rnI have never had a soft tissue injury before – trying to recover has been a battle. I thought I was better two weeks ago, and I tweaked it again. I think it will be fine, but it will just take some time.

What football skills will you focus on once you recover from your injury?rnI am going to work on my coverage skills. My brother plays for Minnesota State-Mankato. He is a wide receiver, so once I get back, he and I will be on the field every other day. I will be covering him so we can both work on our skills.

Talk to me about the transition from linebacker to defensive back.rnAfter my sophomore year, I started going to all the Big Ten camps and felt like the best place for my body would be safety, so I made the switch. I have been working on my backpedal and those techniques because I think the biggest difference between linebacker and safety is going to be my feet. Instead of going forward, I have to get used to going backward.

How has the recruiting process gone for you?rnI enjoyed it. It got overwhelming sometimes – these coaches would call every other day. It was a lot of stress. I wanted it to be over, and I thought Minnesota was the best place.

Why did you commit (in April) so soon?rnI went to pretty much everywhere in the Big Ten except for Ohio State and the schools on the East Coast. I marked down everywhere in my head where I could see myself going, and I took those visits again. Ultimately, they couldn’t compete, with Minnesota being my home state. I think we have one of the best (recruiting) classes in Minnesota history.

Were you seriously considering anyone else?rnEven a week before committing, I thought I was going to go to Michigan, Wisconsin, or Washington. All those schools were above Minnesota before I went back to visit Minnesota. All the schools showed plenty of interest, but I could see myself playing at Minnesota faster. Playing for my home state and the people I met there helped me make my decision.

What are the Gophers’ coaches saying about your first year?rnI think I can come in and compete. There is one guy in my spot that is going to be there. I will work as hard as I can to have the best opportunity possible.