Myslinski happy to be a Hawkeye
With the weight of his college decision off his shoulders, offensive lineman Michael Myslinski is excited about the future and happy to be a Hawkeye. We caught up with the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Myslinski to talk in-depth about his commitment to Iowa, what led him to pick the Hawkeyes, and much more.
Q: As you mentioned in your announcement, this was a tough decision for you. Can you kind of walk us through some of the factors that led you to pick Iowa?
MYSLINSKI: Iowa was one of my top schools for a long time. The relationships that I have with Coach Polasek, Coach Foster, and Coach Ferentz was a big deal to me. They stayed true to me the entire time as I talked to them throughout the process. They do a great job with their offensive line, which was huge for me as well, and to learn under Tyler Linderbaum and their offensive line the next couple of years is a great opportunity.
Q: When did you actually give Iowa the news and what was their reaction?
MYSLINSKI: I told them on Friday and they were really happy and excited as was I because I knew I was ready. It was a great feeling and now I'm just ready to get to work.
Q: You mentioned Tyler Linderbaum. Did you get a chance to talk with him during the recruiting process?
MYSLINSKI: Yeah, I've talked to him a couple times. I just asked him for his thoughts on Coach Polasek and the coaching staff and what Iowa City is like. He's grown up there and I'm from Florida, so he definitely knows the area a lot better than I do. That was a big deal for me to kind of get a feel for it because I can't go visit. He was really great about that and our relationship will definitely grow in the future. He's a great guy.
Q: Did you get to know some of Iowa's other recruits as well?
MYSLINSKI: Yes, I've talked to a lot of the recruits. Connor Colby was a big one. We've really got a great relationship and the entire offensive line class really with Gennings Dunker, Beau Stephens, and David Davidkov, and also Cooper DeJean, the safety. A lot of them reached out and I talked to them, so I have a good relationship with a lot of the commits and we're just going to continue to build on that until we get to campus.
Q: Going back to your season, you had to deal with an injury this past fall, but how did you feel like your senior year went?
MYSLINSKI: Yeah, I had a high ankle sprain and missed about four games, but I thought I played pretty well. I thought I started off pretty well and kept improving week by week, but then had a little setback. I've been pretty lucky that I've been healthy my entire high school career, but my season got cut short a little bit. I thought I improved a lot and did a lot of good things, but I've got a lot to improve on and I'm excited to work on that. That's why I think Iowa is going to be a great place for me to go and develop.
Q: Have you been playing both guard and center in high school?
MYSLINSKI: Yeah, both guard and center. They want me at center at Iowa. I've kind of rotated in high school, but I practice at center a lot.
Q: What is it that kind of draws you to playing center?
MYSLINSKI: It's the quarterback of the offensive line. It's a big responsibility and I like the challenge that it brings. I like touching the ball every play and it's a really fun position, anchoring the offensive line, and having a bunch of great teammates around you really helps and makes it fun.
Q: What is your schedule like from here on out until you get to Iowa?
MYSLINSKI: My dad (former NFL offensive lineman and strength coach Tom Myslinski) is basically my strength coach. He worked for the Jags for a long time and now he's training me every day. We work out in our garage most days, just getting ready for this summer.
Q: What are the things you want to improve on before you get to Iowa?
MYSLINSKI: I'm really focusing on turning into a pure center. It was great playing guard, but I know they want me at center so I'm really working on blocking back with the snap and everything I need to do, just snapping the ball a lot, and working on the fundamentals. Everything that I do, my dad and Coach Polasek teach it the same way, so I know when I go there I'll be ready and it's going to take it up to the next notch of course.
Q: As someone who seems like a pretty no-nonsense type of person, what is the feeling like now after making your announcement and having signing day just around the corner?
MYSLINSKI: Yeah, I try to be pretty quiet about things. That's not me being rude. I just really have a lot of respect for the coaches that recruited me. It was a big honor and being the son of a coach, I know what they go through. But to have my decision out of the way and for me to feel really comfortable with it, I'm really excited about it. I know there's a lot of work that comes with it and I'm excited for that. It's going to be a great change, going out to Iowa with a whole new scenery and a new perspective on things, and I'm excited for the next chapter.
A three-star prospect, Myslinski chose Iowa over scholarship offers from Texas, Michigan State, Florida State, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia Tech, Missouri, Arkansas, Duke, Wake Forest, Illinois, Louisville, South Florida, Tulane, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Connecticut, Akron, Bowling Green, UAB, East Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Florida International, Old Dominion, and East Tennessee State.
Overall, the Florida native is commitment No. 18 for the Hawkeyes in the Class of 2021.
See highlights from Myslinski's senior year at Bishop Kenny High School in the video below.