WOZNIAK FINDS PEACE THROUGH FAMILY
Nov. 7, 2017
Gophers Host Nebraska on November 11 // Daily Email!
Nate Wozniak takes pride in being all business in the hours leading up to kickoff.
He hops on the bus, puts on his headphones and blasts hard rock or heavy metal music. The senior locks into focus but does let his game face break into a wide smile for one brief moment before each game. After all, even at 6-foot-10, and 280 pounds, Wozniak can’t pass up a hug from mom.
“My mom and my aunt have been able to come to every single game this year,” Wozniak said. “I know that is something they wanted to make an effort to do for my senior year. It really means a lot to always have people there for me. They have been such a huge support system ever since I started playing football.”
The senior has been through ups and downs in his time at Minnesota but none of that matters knowing he has an ever-faithful support system.
“It really just means the world to me that I always have people in my corner no matter what I do,” Wozniak explained. “No matter how good my game is or how bad my game is there is always going to be people there to talk to me about it.”
Wozniak has the support of his teammates as well. Nobody on the offensive side of the ball has played (37) or started (30) in as many games as the Indiana native. With that experience Wozniak had to learn to be more vocal and step up as a leader this season.
“I definitely think I have,” Wozniak said. “I think I have even made more of a stride in this past year. Coach Fleck has been very demanding of me since day one.”
One of the other top veterans on the team is fellow senior tight end Brandon Lingen. Wozniak is proud to have grown as a Gopher with Lingen. He believes they have left an impact on the tight end position like the veteran tight ends did when he first stepped foot onto the Minnesota campus.
“They kind of showed us the ropes and I think we took after them,” Wozniak said.
Wozniak has also been a leader in the classroom, as he has already earned a degree in agricultural and food business.
“One of the main reasons I came here was for the academics,” Wozniak said. “When I was getting recruited I was always told one of the main goals was to get a degree. I wanted to be able to do that and do that as fast as possible.”
Now there is just one thing left for Wozniak to accomplish. The big man has been close but has not found the end zone in his career.
“It would be huge if I was able to and I would love it and I think my teammates would to knowing how close I have been,” Wozniak said. “Really it’s not a huge focus of mine. I am about the team first. I want to do whatever will help the team win. If I get an opportunity to score and I can help the team by doing so, then I would love that.”
http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/110717aae.html
Nov. 7, 2017
Gophers Host Nebraska on November 11 // Daily Email!
Nate Wozniak takes pride in being all business in the hours leading up to kickoff.
He hops on the bus, puts on his headphones and blasts hard rock or heavy metal music. The senior locks into focus but does let his game face break into a wide smile for one brief moment before each game. After all, even at 6-foot-10, and 280 pounds, Wozniak can’t pass up a hug from mom.
“My mom and my aunt have been able to come to every single game this year,” Wozniak said. “I know that is something they wanted to make an effort to do for my senior year. It really means a lot to always have people there for me. They have been such a huge support system ever since I started playing football.”
The senior has been through ups and downs in his time at Minnesota but none of that matters knowing he has an ever-faithful support system.
“It really just means the world to me that I always have people in my corner no matter what I do,” Wozniak explained. “No matter how good my game is or how bad my game is there is always going to be people there to talk to me about it.”
Wozniak has the support of his teammates as well. Nobody on the offensive side of the ball has played (37) or started (30) in as many games as the Indiana native. With that experience Wozniak had to learn to be more vocal and step up as a leader this season.
“I definitely think I have,” Wozniak said. “I think I have even made more of a stride in this past year. Coach Fleck has been very demanding of me since day one.”
One of the other top veterans on the team is fellow senior tight end Brandon Lingen. Wozniak is proud to have grown as a Gopher with Lingen. He believes they have left an impact on the tight end position like the veteran tight ends did when he first stepped foot onto the Minnesota campus.
“They kind of showed us the ropes and I think we took after them,” Wozniak said.
Wozniak has also been a leader in the classroom, as he has already earned a degree in agricultural and food business.
“One of the main reasons I came here was for the academics,” Wozniak said. “When I was getting recruited I was always told one of the main goals was to get a degree. I wanted to be able to do that and do that as fast as possible.”
Now there is just one thing left for Wozniak to accomplish. The big man has been close but has not found the end zone in his career.
“It would be huge if I was able to and I would love it and I think my teammates would to knowing how close I have been,” Wozniak said. “Really it’s not a huge focus of mine. I am about the team first. I want to do whatever will help the team win. If I get an opportunity to score and I can help the team by doing so, then I would love that.”
http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/110717aae.html
