Isaiah Friese

NEW ULM — Two weeks ago, New Ulm High School’s Isaiah Friese, a senior to be for the Eagles, attended the University of Minnesota Football camp where he talked with University of North Dakota football coaches.

“I got to talk to the coaches a little bit,” he said. “We had been in contact since the last football season and through the winter and they wanted to see me at the Gopher camp. I performed well at the camp — they talked to me afterwards and offered me a scholarship. Last Thursday I went up to their camp — I met with all of their coaches and I committed. It was awesome.”

Friese, who is 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, said that one big reason he signed with the Fighting Hawks was because he really loved the coaching staff and the program.

“You can tell that all of the current players are bought in,” Friese said. “Coach [Eric] Schmidt — the head coach and coach [Trevor] Olson — the offensive line coach are not only looking to develop me as a football player but also as a man overall. I loved all of the community service projects that they do and the bond that they have on their team.”

He said that he wants to get bigger than his current 265 pounds.

“With their nutrition and weight training plan in college, they will bulk me up to 300 pounds.”

Eagles head football coach Derek Lieser said that Friese is a player who has really came into his own.

“As a freshman he played linebacker and tight end for us,” Lieser said. “But he really embraced being asked to be switched to an offensive and defensive lineman just because of his size. He loves everything that goes into the game of football — watching films, offseason weight room work. He is definitely one of the overall best players that I have had the opportunity to coach in 10-plus years.

“He has gotten bigger, faster and stronger. He went out for wrestling instead of basketball because he wanted to better himself for football. He will really have improved himself for his senior year in high school.”

Lieser said he sees Friese making the most of his big opportunity in college.

“When a DI college puts you on a scholarship they are really committing time and resources and a lot into you not only as a student but also as an athlete as well,” he said. “Isaiah will embrace that. You are a football player year round. He is a coach’s dream.”

Friese said he loves the game of football.

“I have a passion for the game,” he said.

And that will spur him on into college football.

“I want to really inspire the younger generation — we do not have a ton of DI athletes coming out of New Ulm,” he said. “But I hope the younger kids can see that I did it and so they are inspired to work hard, have good values, a great work ethic and hopefully become better than me someday and be better for our program as well. And I want to be an All-State offensive lineman.”

Lieser said that Friese can be a role model for younger kids.

“He can be a player who younger players can look up to down the road and say that I want to be like number 51– Isaiah Friese.”

Friese said that younger players should not let anyone affect their dreams.

“You can do anything you put your mind to and when you have people who doubt you it is easy to get discouraged, but keep pushing forward and bet on yourself.”