Boettger recruits on visit

Once a prospect commits to a school, many times they become the best recruiters of other players. Ike Boettger has embraced that role since his commitment to the Hawkeyes this summer. The Cedar Falls prep has been working on one particular prospect in the Class of 2014 that happens to be his high school teammate. He talks about his visit this weekend to Iowa City and his recruiting efforts.

Q: Talk about your visit on Sunday to Iowa City?

BOETTGER: It was a barbeque. I didn't get there until later because I was just getting back from a trip to New York. It was a good time and I got to meet a bunch of the guys.

Q: Was it cool to meet a lot of other guys who have already committed?

BOETTGER: The best part was meeting some of those guys and start to develop a bond with a lot of them.

Q: Did you sit down with any of the coaches and what did they talk with you about?

BOETTGER: I didn't really sit down with any of them because I got there late. I really didn't need to talk with them again because I just had my unofficial visit with them a few weeks ago. I did talk to all of them during the barbeque, but that was about it.

Q: I saw a picture on Twitter of you with your high school teammate, Ross Pierschbacher. You got to spend a little time with him in Iowa City.

BOETTGER: Yeah, Ross and I are good friends. We hang out a lot already and it was fun being down there with him. He doesn't know where he's going yet, but hopefully he will go to Iowa. I really have no idea what his decision will be, but I hope he does because we are really good friends.

Q: Are you quietly pushing him towards Iowa?

BOETTGER: Of course I want him to go to Iowa, but I will be happy for him wherever he goes. He could go a lot of places and I want him to go wherever he feels is best for him.

Q: Did you get a chance to talk with your old high school teammate, Barkley Hill? If not, have you talked to him at all this summer since he arrived in Iowa City?

BOETTGER: I have seen him four or five times this summer either in Cedar Falls or other places. I saw him when I was in Iowa City as well when I made my unofficial visit. We hung out a lot together last year.

Q: Did he talk to you about his experience this summer in Iowa City and if going there right away has helped him?

BOETTGER: Yeah, he said it has really helped him spending the summer there, so that's what I am planning on doing. I know he said he liked it a lot working out with the team this summer.

Q: Is it kind of cool to think that you and Barkley, who went to high school together, will go to college together and perhaps even more than that from your team?

BOETTGER: It will be awesome. I can't wait for it to happen. Barkley and Ross played together for two years and I played with both of them for one year and I'll play with Ross this year. It would be cool for all of us to play together in college, if Ross decides to join us.

Q: Your recruitment in terms of picking up the offer and accepting it. How quickly has it sunk in that you will be a Hawkeye starting next year?

BOETTGER: It has just started to sink it. Honestly, it took a while because it was so quick. I just felt I really didn't need to wait because Iowa was the really the only school I wanted to go to. As a kid growing up, I wanted to be a Hawkeye and they use the tight ends so well, so it's a great fit. I really don't think there's a better place in the country than Iowa for a tight end.

Q: The use of the tight end and also being close to home were obviously big selling points for you when it came to committing to Iowa.

BOETTGER: Definitely. I feel really comfortable with the commitment and no regrets at all.

Q: Besides working on Ross, did you work on any of the other uncommitted prospects that were there?

BOETTGER: Yeah, for sure. There weren't a lot of uncommitted guys that were there, but we were definitely working on them. I don't know about what their decisions will be, but we let them know we wanted them to join us in Iowa City.

Q: You have a high school season coming up very soon. Talk about your plans this year and when do you get started with practice?

BOETTGER: We have a camp starting tomorrow that is a three day camp at night. Then we get a few days off and practice starts next Monday. I am really looking forward to it. We have some testing this week, along with the camp.

Q: Are the plans still to play quarterback this season or will you move to tight end?

BOETTGER: I would say I will do both, but I don't know for sure. We are going to see how camp goes. I put in a lot of time with the quarterbacks before I committed to Iowa.