Ready to report: Michael Myslinski
After switching his commitment from Texas to Iowa late in the recruiting process, offensive lineman Michael Myslinski is excited to begin his college career with the Hawkeyes as he gets ready to make the move to Iowa City next month. We caught up with the 6-foot-3, 285-pound Jacksonville native this week to discuss his upcoming freshman year, getting the chance to learn from Tyler Linderbaum, and much more.
Q: Are you done with your senior year at this point or still have a little bit left?
MYSLINSKI: I have one more final to take and then I have graduation next Saturday, so I’m almost done.
Q: What’s the feeling been like this spring as you wrap everything up and get ready for the next chapter?
MYSLINSKI: It’s going to be tough leaving my family and being so far from home, but I’m really excited to experience something new and go to a great school. I’m excited to meet Joey Labas, who I’m rooming with, and all of the other players especially the offensive linemen. I’ve been training really hard with my dad and just ready to get going up there. It’s kind of a surreal feeling that I’m getting ready to play college football, but it’s really exciting.
Q: What have you been focusing on with your training this spring?
MYSLINSKI: I’ve been really focusing on just being a center. I played some center in high school, but I played guard as well, so I’ve been focusing on trying to be a true center and worked a lot a lot on outside zone plays with the snap and just gotten even more comfortable playing center. Then with the strength part, just lifting and getting stronger every day. I’ve got a weight room in our garage, so I’m always in there working with my dad.
Q: When do you make the move up to Iowa City?
MYSLINSKI: I believe we leave on June 11 or 12.
Q: How did you end up rooming with Joey, pairing up the center and the quarterback right away?
MYSLINSKI: Well, there are five offensive linemen in the class, so I knew someone was going to be the odd man out. Plus Joey is from Ohio and a lot of the guys in our class are from Iowa or around that area, so I figured since we’re both from farther away and he’s a quarterback and I’m a center it might be a good combo. Then right before I was going to reach out to him, he actually texted me and asked if I was looking for a roommate so it just worked out. Ever since then, we’ve been talking and he seems like a really good guy, so it will be really cool to have a quarterback-center combo. It worked out perfectly.
Q: Along with him, who else in your recruiting class do you stay in the touch with the most?
MYSLINSKI: Well, Connor Colby was one of the first people to ever reach out to me when I was getting recruited. When I visited Iowa last summer, we met up just to hang out and he kind of took me around the area. So I’ve talked to him a lot and Cooper DeJean I’ve talked to a lot. Then Zach Twedt, he’s probably the most vocal out of the whole group. He seems to talk to everyone and brings a lot of life to the group, so he’s been awesome. Otherwise, I’ve had talks with a lot of the other guys, but just on social media or Snapchat, so I know we’re all looking forward to finally meeting each other.
Q: Yeah, it’s been such a weird year for your recruiting class. How nice will it be to finally sit down and meet those guys in person?
MYSLINSKI: It will be so nice and will kind of take a weight off my shoulders. It was definitely a different year, just not having an official visit or anything. I’m excited to meet Coach Ferentz because I’ve never met him in person yet either. I’ve never been inside the stadium or the facilities, so it will be really cool to finally get up there. I’m really excited for it.
Q: With Tyler Linderbaum coming back this year, what is that opportunity like for you to learn behind one of the top centers in the country?
MYSLINSKI: Yeah, that was a big part of my decision to go there is to learn from him. I think if he’s not the best, he’s one of the best centers in the country, so to go learn from him and all of the other great offensive linemen that are there is a really good opportunity. Iowa is known for their offensive linemen every single year and that was a big part of my decision. I’m excited to go learn under him and we’ve talked a little bit here and there, but to finally meet him in person will be really cool.
Q: This off-season, Coach Polasek moved on to Wyoming and Coach Barnett comes in as Iowa’s new offensive line coach. What have you heard from him so far and what was your first impression?
MYSLINSKI: My first impression of Coach Barnett is he seems like an awesome guy and a really good family guy. My talks with him have been really good and the guys that enrolled early said they love him too. It will be really cool to finally get up there and get to know him and get thing rolling this summer.
Q: What are you coming in and height and weight wise your freshman year?
MYSLINSKI: I’m 6-2.5 and probably 285 pounds right now.
Q: Have you found out what number you are wearing in college?
MYSLINSKI: No sir. I have no idea.
Q: Any preference?
MYSLINSKI: No, just a spot on the team is good with me. I’ll take any number. I’m pretty chill. I’ve been #55 throughout my career, but I think I looked and there was already a #55 on the roster but that’s okay. I’m going somewhere new, so a new number is cool with me.
Q: When you look back at your recruiting, it was quite a journey with committing to Texas first and then switching to Iowa later on. What do you remember about it that kind of led you to sign with Iowa in the end?
MYSLINSKI: First, I remember getting a call from Coach Polasek in December after my junior season. He asked me what I was going to do when they offer and I said I was going to commit because at the time I didn’t really have many offers and just felt at home immediately and then Coach Foster came to see me right after that too. Since then, I always felt attached to Iowa and always remembered that and the feeling never really went away even when I was going to Texas, so that’s how I knew I was ready when I was going to make the change. That’s still how I feel about it now, so that’s why I’m excited to get to Iowa.
A three-star prospect, Myslinski committed to Iowa on January 23, 2021, choosing the Hawkeyes 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.
See highlights from Myslinski's high school career at Bishop Kenny in the video below.