The 5’10” 270 lbs soon-to-be senior had a solid day at the UWEC Big Man Camp. Rich caught my eyes with how well he could get depth vs speed rushers. Any time he had someone attacking the edge Rich was able to cut them off, stand them up, and essentially end the rep there. That athleticism also helped him out while redirecting to mirror counter moves from pass rushers. His future home will be on the interior if I had to guess, and his lateral agility will shine in there. Keep an eye on this kid.

I’m very confident that Rich will have his chance to play at the next level. While he might not have elite size at 6′ 250 lbs it is hard to overlook his film. Rich is a high effort player, especially in the run game. He battles with leverage and a leg drive that never quits and it generates movement in the trenches consistently. The junior is also aggressive with his attack and has a strong tendency of putting his opponent on the ground by the end of the play. Rich is a quick athlete out of his stance and also flashes quick hands that are able to land inside the chest of opponents where he can control them. I like the way Kothbauer plays in the trenches and deserves looks from the elite collection of D3 talent in WI.