GopherIllustrated reached out to Minnesota defensive tackle commit Lemani Fehoko's high school head coach at Junipero Serra in Patrick Walsh to learn more about what the Gophers are getting.
GopherIllustrated: What can you tell me about Lemani as a player and as a person off the field?
Patrick Walsh: "Lemani is a relentless competitor on the field and a tenacious player. He is one of my son's best friends so I have seen him grow up off the field. He is respectful, calm and gracious around my house. Lemani is a 'family first' type of person like all Polynesian families. The family atmosphere that Coach Fleck has brought to Minnesota was the main draw for Lemani to join the Gopher family."
GopherIllustrated: How involved were you in his recruiting process, and how have you seen him develop since he entered the program?
Patrick Walsh: "From the minute Lemani walked on campus, we knew we had a special player. He is a fast twitch athlete - to see a man of this size move the way he does is something special. I was not that involved in the process, only giving A+ character references to anyone that would listen. His tape and his effort in games speak for themselves. Easiest 'sales' job of all time!"
GopherIllustrated: What are his strengths as a player that will allow him to excel at the next level, and what does he need to work on before becoming a Big Ten defensive tackle?
Patrick Walsh: "I nicknamed Lemani "Super Bowl" Lemani. Why? Because as a freshman I quickly realized that EVERY single rep in EVERY drill Lemani was going full speed as if he was prepping for the Super Bowl that week. I hate doing comparisons to Hall of Famers, BUT, Lemani is on the Aaron Donald scale - undersized yes, powerful and ferocious, quick and agile - also a yes.
He needs to continue to develop core strength while keeping his quickness in tact. Once he gets into a year round college program with training table and full weight room access, I can see Lemani jumping higher and higher into that Aaron Donald type world."
GopherIllustrated: What do you think Minnesota fans can expect from Lemani over the next five years?
Patrick Walsh: "Lemani is a four year varsity starter. He will be in the game on offense and defense in every single important down for us this year. He is one of four captains and leads with his effort and heart. Gopher Fans will LOVE watching him practice and play. His relentless pursuit of greatness for himself, his family and the Padres is admirable. His super power is his effort - in my 26 years at Serra there are only a few players that I could even compare to him when it comes to effort. Lemani is real and Minnesota Fans are going to love him disrupting offenses in the Big Ten!"
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