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Hawkeye running back commit Toren Young had to cut his official visit to Iowa City a little short this weekend, so his family could get back home to be with his older sister, who is about to have a baby. Still, Young says the trip was well worth it as he got to spend some more time on campus with the coaches, players, and other recruits. We caught up with the 5-foot-11, 206-pound Wisconsin native to talk about the visit, getting ready for signing day, his future with the Hawkeyes, and much more.
Q: Can you kind of take us through what all you got to do on your official visit this weekend?
YOUNG: We started off at the facilities and met up with all of the recruits and the coaching staff. Then, we went over to the hotel and when we got to our room there was some candy and Gatorade and a big cookie cake with a big Hawkeye on it. Then, we were picked up by the coaches and they took us to the Iowa River Power Company restaurant where it was like all you can eat steak and dessert and everything. It was really good.
That’s where we met up with your player hosts and I had LeShun Daniels. That was a good opportunity to bond with the current players and the recruits because we all sat at a table together and then the parents and the coaches sat at a table together, so we had a chance to ask the players whatever we wanted. After the dinner, there was a wresting meet you could go to or you could go hang out with the players. Then, the night ended and we went back to our hotel.
In the morning, we woke up and the coaches took us all over to the Marriott for an all you can eat breakfast with omelet stations and waffle makers and fruit, everything you could think of. After that, we had a tour of the academic learning center and talked to some of the academic staff, which was very helpful. Then, we went to the football facility and went on a tour. After that, we had meetings with your position coach and the head coach.
Q: What the situation where you had to leave early on Saturday?
YOUNG: Oh, my sister is having her baby today, so me and my mom had to leave last night because we had to get home before that happened. We wanted to get back home for that.
Q: Going back to your conversations with the coaches, what have they said your role might be in college?
YOUNG: They’ve compared me to LeShun Daniels as a bigger type of back that can get the ball to on third down when you absolutely need three or four yards. Just a big, powerful back. As far as my role coming in, they told me they want me to come in and play, but it depends on how hard I work and how fast I understand the playbook. It honestly just depends on how fast I pick it all up.
Q: With the comparisons to LeShun, was it kind of cool then having him as your host?
YOUNG: Yeah, it was. We were talking and saw some similarities in each other in body type and personality. The coaches are all really high on him They said if there’s anybody you should be following, it’s LeShun because he does everything right and is a great kid.
Q: Coming home today, was this kind of the last step for you in recruiting other than signing day?
YOUNG: Yeah, it’s the last visit before I sign, but I didn’t really look at it as the last step because with or without it, I’d still be happy with Iowa. It was cool because they get to pay for stuff on your official visit, but I’ve visited about ten times now so I’ve been down there a lot and feel like it’s home now. I’m comfortable with it and excited to go there.
Q: What do you have planned for signing day?
YOUNG: At my high school, we’re going to have a nice signing day event where everybody can come and we’ll have a highlight video and I’ll talk a little bit before we do the signing.
Q: Looking back at your season, you seemed to put up big numbers every week and doubled your rushing total (2,569) from the year before (1,223). What made the difference this year and what is it like now just looking back on the run you had?
YOUNG: It was really fun. This was our first year switching to the I-formation from the Wing-T and I’m more of an I-Back, so I was a lot more comfortable in this offense and that really built my confidence as the season went on because going into the year I didn’t know what to expect. Sometimes you hear about guys having a senior slump where they get offers and get too complacent or want to save themselves for college, but that’s not me. I wanted to compete and help my team win a championship. In that first game, we played Mount Horeb, and I think I had over 200 yards. I had never rushed for that many in my life, so I thought I was dreaming that game. My confidence really built off that came and it was a lot of fun.
Q: So you had never rushed for 200 yards before and you end up averaging like 250 a game for the season? What will you remember most about this past year?
YOUNG: I’m just really proud of my team. We had a bunch of young guys and didn’t really get the respect we deserved in the pre-season polls. We had a lot of good seniors leave the year before, so people questioned us and didn’t think we’d be able to compete. Our guys just ignored the noise and came out and fought week in and week out. We had two tough losses, but we were still able to win our seventh straight conference championship and carry on the tradition. I’m just so proud of the guys because every week someone else would step up and we’d find a way to get the win.
Q: Towards the end of the season, it seemed like Wisconsin and some other schools were starting to show some interest. Did that ever get very serious?
YOUNG: I don’t think it got too serious. I know Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator came to one of our games towards the end of the season, but I didn’t even know about it until afterwards. It was weird because I was hearing from a whole bunch of people that Wisconsin was interested and was going to offer, but I didn’t hear one thing from their coaches. Never once did they really reach out to me, but even if they did, no disrespect to Wisconsin because that’s my home state and it’s a great program over there, but I’m a Hawkeye. I just feel more comfortable there and feel like I fit in better at Iowa anyway.
Q: That has to motivate you a little bit though right?
YOUNG: Oh yeah. I mean that’s going to be the game circled on the schedule for me every year. I can’t wait to come back and play at Camp Randall in front of family, friends, teachers, and everybody and hopefully get some W’s.
Q: You committed about a year ago, right away when Iowa offered. What was it then or maybe more so now that makes it feel like home to you?
YOUNG: First and foremost, how genuine the coaches are. The staff is full of great guys. They have different personalities, but they all have the same goal and really come together to create a family atmosphere. I know they never told me one thing that wasn’t true or didn’t happen. I know a lot of schools that might say this or that, but won’t follow up on what they’re saying. You’ve got to know who you can trust in recruiting because anyone can say what they want, but they don’t always necessarily mean it. I never got that vibe from the coaching staff at Iowa. I knew right away they were genuine. They just told me to be patient and good things will happen.
I can still remember the day a year ago when Coach Wallace told me to call him up and when I did, he offered me a scholarship and right I was crying and it was just a great day. I knew right then that was my place. That’s how I’ve always been. I always told myself that if I find the right place, I don’t need 20 offers. I just need that one place that’s home and that was Iowa.
A three-star prospect, running back Toren Young finished the season with 304 carries for 2,569 yards and 28 touchdowns for Monona Grove (9-2) during the 2015 season.
See highlights from Young's senior season in the video below.
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Hawkeye running back commit Toren Young had to cut his official visit to Iowa City a little short this weekend, so his family could get back home to be with his older sister, who is about to have a baby. Still, Young says the trip was well worth it as he got to spend some more time on campus with the coaches, players, and other recruits. We caught up with the 5-foot-11, 206-pound Wisconsin native to talk about the visit, getting ready for signing day, his future with the Hawkeyes, and much more.
Q: Can you kind of take us through what all you got to do on your official visit this weekend?
YOUNG: We started off at the facilities and met up with all of the recruits and the coaching staff. Then, we went over to the hotel and when we got to our room there was some candy and Gatorade and a big cookie cake with a big Hawkeye on it. Then, we were picked up by the coaches and they took us to the Iowa River Power Company restaurant where it was like all you can eat steak and dessert and everything. It was really good.
That’s where we met up with your player hosts and I had LeShun Daniels. That was a good opportunity to bond with the current players and the recruits because we all sat at a table together and then the parents and the coaches sat at a table together, so we had a chance to ask the players whatever we wanted. After the dinner, there was a wresting meet you could go to or you could go hang out with the players. Then, the night ended and we went back to our hotel.
In the morning, we woke up and the coaches took us all over to the Marriott for an all you can eat breakfast with omelet stations and waffle makers and fruit, everything you could think of. After that, we had a tour of the academic learning center and talked to some of the academic staff, which was very helpful. Then, we went to the football facility and went on a tour. After that, we had meetings with your position coach and the head coach.
Q: What the situation where you had to leave early on Saturday?
YOUNG: Oh, my sister is having her baby today, so me and my mom had to leave last night because we had to get home before that happened. We wanted to get back home for that.
Q: Going back to your conversations with the coaches, what have they said your role might be in college?
YOUNG: They’ve compared me to LeShun Daniels as a bigger type of back that can get the ball to on third down when you absolutely need three or four yards. Just a big, powerful back. As far as my role coming in, they told me they want me to come in and play, but it depends on how hard I work and how fast I understand the playbook. It honestly just depends on how fast I pick it all up.
Q: With the comparisons to LeShun, was it kind of cool then having him as your host?
YOUNG: Yeah, it was. We were talking and saw some similarities in each other in body type and personality. The coaches are all really high on him They said if there’s anybody you should be following, it’s LeShun because he does everything right and is a great kid.
Q: Coming home today, was this kind of the last step for you in recruiting other than signing day?
YOUNG: Yeah, it’s the last visit before I sign, but I didn’t really look at it as the last step because with or without it, I’d still be happy with Iowa. It was cool because they get to pay for stuff on your official visit, but I’ve visited about ten times now so I’ve been down there a lot and feel like it’s home now. I’m comfortable with it and excited to go there.
Q: What do you have planned for signing day?
YOUNG: At my high school, we’re going to have a nice signing day event where everybody can come and we’ll have a highlight video and I’ll talk a little bit before we do the signing.
Q: Looking back at your season, you seemed to put up big numbers every week and doubled your rushing total (2,569) from the year before (1,223). What made the difference this year and what is it like now just looking back on the run you had?
YOUNG: It was really fun. This was our first year switching to the I-formation from the Wing-T and I’m more of an I-Back, so I was a lot more comfortable in this offense and that really built my confidence as the season went on because going into the year I didn’t know what to expect. Sometimes you hear about guys having a senior slump where they get offers and get too complacent or want to save themselves for college, but that’s not me. I wanted to compete and help my team win a championship. In that first game, we played Mount Horeb, and I think I had over 200 yards. I had never rushed for that many in my life, so I thought I was dreaming that game. My confidence really built off that came and it was a lot of fun.
Q: So you had never rushed for 200 yards before and you end up averaging like 250 a game for the season? What will you remember most about this past year?
YOUNG: I’m just really proud of my team. We had a bunch of young guys and didn’t really get the respect we deserved in the pre-season polls. We had a lot of good seniors leave the year before, so people questioned us and didn’t think we’d be able to compete. Our guys just ignored the noise and came out and fought week in and week out. We had two tough losses, but we were still able to win our seventh straight conference championship and carry on the tradition. I’m just so proud of the guys because every week someone else would step up and we’d find a way to get the win.
Q: Towards the end of the season, it seemed like Wisconsin and some other schools were starting to show some interest. Did that ever get very serious?
YOUNG: I don’t think it got too serious. I know Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator came to one of our games towards the end of the season, but I didn’t even know about it until afterwards. It was weird because I was hearing from a whole bunch of people that Wisconsin was interested and was going to offer, but I didn’t hear one thing from their coaches. Never once did they really reach out to me, but even if they did, no disrespect to Wisconsin because that’s my home state and it’s a great program over there, but I’m a Hawkeye. I just feel more comfortable there and feel like I fit in better at Iowa anyway.
Q: That has to motivate you a little bit though right?
YOUNG: Oh yeah. I mean that’s going to be the game circled on the schedule for me every year. I can’t wait to come back and play at Camp Randall in front of family, friends, teachers, and everybody and hopefully get some W’s.
Q: You committed about a year ago, right away when Iowa offered. What was it then or maybe more so now that makes it feel like home to you?
YOUNG: First and foremost, how genuine the coaches are. The staff is full of great guys. They have different personalities, but they all have the same goal and really come together to create a family atmosphere. I know they never told me one thing that wasn’t true or didn’t happen. I know a lot of schools that might say this or that, but won’t follow up on what they’re saying. You’ve got to know who you can trust in recruiting because anyone can say what they want, but they don’t always necessarily mean it. I never got that vibe from the coaching staff at Iowa. I knew right away they were genuine. They just told me to be patient and good things will happen.
I can still remember the day a year ago when Coach Wallace told me to call him up and when I did, he offered me a scholarship and right I was crying and it was just a great day. I knew right then that was my place. That’s how I’ve always been. I always told myself that if I find the right place, I don’t need 20 offers. I just need that one place that’s home and that was Iowa.
A three-star prospect, running back Toren Young finished the season with 304 carries for 2,569 yards and 28 touchdowns for Monona Grove (9-2) during the 2015 season.
See highlights from Young's senior season in the video below.
