Under the Helmet: Blake Cashman
FOOTBALL | 11/8/2018 2:42:00 PM
Blake Cashman didn't waste any time making an impact in the Maroon and Gold when he made a special teams tackle in his first ever collegiate game. The former walk-on made a living on special teams early in his career and is now a defensive standout leading the team in tackles as a senior.
But if you ask Cashman, his career has been more about the journey than the results. He walked on with the Gophers out of Eden Prairie High School after not receiving a single Division I offer. Four years later and Cashman is a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is an award given to the most outstanding player in the nation who is a former walk-on. For the senior linebacker, who was the 2016 Holiday Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player, the award would be icing on the cake for an excellent career in the Maroon and Gold.
"It's been very exciting," said Cashman. "I've never regretted my decision. I came in with a lot of confidence knowing that one day I would be able to play and put on that Gopher uniform and perform in TCF Bank Stadium. Coming in as a walk-on is a different journey. You have to bust your butt and stand out to make yourself known because those scholarship players are going to get the opportunity first. You really have to come in with the mindset that you're going to play and you're going to do your thing. Anything short of that and you're just going to sell yourself short."
More than just an outstanding and skilled player, Cashman has grown to a leader on the defense, leading both by example and with a strong voice.
"I think leadership is something that everyone grows into," said Cashman. "I learned a lot from the guys ahead of me. They set the tone of what a leader should be like. But, I'm still learning. Everyone, every day, especially in the Row the Boat culture, you're always getting pushed, you never stop learning. I just want to be able to pass on what I've learned and get these young guys going and hopefully be that voice on the defense that guys look up to and follow."
Cashman sees leadership, especially when it's player-led, as something that grows a program from the inside, and something that allows for a culture of brotherhood and family, more than just a bunch of friends getting together to play football.
"Player leadership definitely makes it more of a family and brotherhood because sometimes friends can be passive-aggressive, where they don't want to get on a bad side of somebody because they want to stay friends," said Cashman. "But when you get after a teammate, you hold them accountable, that's what love is, that's what family is, that's what brings us all together. It's important to have. Sometimes guys have to step out of their comfort zone a little bit to push other people on the team, but it's for the best, and it's going to help in the long run."
Cashman feels humbled and satisfied by his decision to stay close to home at the University of Minnesota. Going to a premiere Big Ten program has given him no regrets in his decision to walk-on four years ago.
"There are stories like mine everywhere and it's very humbling," said Cashman. "But, there's a lot of self-satisfaction, and you get a lot of pride because I'm proud of the work I've put in and I've never looked back. I've never regretted anything about how I've performed or how much work I've put in. At the end of the day, I'm satisfied with where I'm at."
As a Minnesota native, Cashman relishes the opportunity he was given, and the opportunity he earned, to be able to play at Minnesota. The experience for him has been unbeatable being able to play his home games at TCF Bank Stadium, and something he never looks back on.
"I tell people this all the time, but I'm so happy I chose Minnesota," said Cashman. "Being local, you get so much support and love from family and friends, but also just people in the community that know you because you're that local product. It's been exciting, I don't think my experience would have been anywhere near the same if I didn't stay in Minnesota."
https://gophersports.com/news/2018/11/8/football-under-the-helmet-blake-cashman.aspx
FOOTBALL | 11/8/2018 2:42:00 PM
Blake Cashman didn't waste any time making an impact in the Maroon and Gold when he made a special teams tackle in his first ever collegiate game. The former walk-on made a living on special teams early in his career and is now a defensive standout leading the team in tackles as a senior.
But if you ask Cashman, his career has been more about the journey than the results. He walked on with the Gophers out of Eden Prairie High School after not receiving a single Division I offer. Four years later and Cashman is a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is an award given to the most outstanding player in the nation who is a former walk-on. For the senior linebacker, who was the 2016 Holiday Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player, the award would be icing on the cake for an excellent career in the Maroon and Gold.
"It's been very exciting," said Cashman. "I've never regretted my decision. I came in with a lot of confidence knowing that one day I would be able to play and put on that Gopher uniform and perform in TCF Bank Stadium. Coming in as a walk-on is a different journey. You have to bust your butt and stand out to make yourself known because those scholarship players are going to get the opportunity first. You really have to come in with the mindset that you're going to play and you're going to do your thing. Anything short of that and you're just going to sell yourself short."
More than just an outstanding and skilled player, Cashman has grown to a leader on the defense, leading both by example and with a strong voice.
"I think leadership is something that everyone grows into," said Cashman. "I learned a lot from the guys ahead of me. They set the tone of what a leader should be like. But, I'm still learning. Everyone, every day, especially in the Row the Boat culture, you're always getting pushed, you never stop learning. I just want to be able to pass on what I've learned and get these young guys going and hopefully be that voice on the defense that guys look up to and follow."
Cashman sees leadership, especially when it's player-led, as something that grows a program from the inside, and something that allows for a culture of brotherhood and family, more than just a bunch of friends getting together to play football.
"Player leadership definitely makes it more of a family and brotherhood because sometimes friends can be passive-aggressive, where they don't want to get on a bad side of somebody because they want to stay friends," said Cashman. "But when you get after a teammate, you hold them accountable, that's what love is, that's what family is, that's what brings us all together. It's important to have. Sometimes guys have to step out of their comfort zone a little bit to push other people on the team, but it's for the best, and it's going to help in the long run."
Cashman feels humbled and satisfied by his decision to stay close to home at the University of Minnesota. Going to a premiere Big Ten program has given him no regrets in his decision to walk-on four years ago.
"There are stories like mine everywhere and it's very humbling," said Cashman. "But, there's a lot of self-satisfaction, and you get a lot of pride because I'm proud of the work I've put in and I've never looked back. I've never regretted anything about how I've performed or how much work I've put in. At the end of the day, I'm satisfied with where I'm at."
As a Minnesota native, Cashman relishes the opportunity he was given, and the opportunity he earned, to be able to play at Minnesota. The experience for him has been unbeatable being able to play his home games at TCF Bank Stadium, and something he never looks back on.
"I tell people this all the time, but I'm so happy I chose Minnesota," said Cashman. "Being local, you get so much support and love from family and friends, but also just people in the community that know you because you're that local product. It's been exciting, I don't think my experience would have been anywhere near the same if I didn't stay in Minnesota."
https://gophersports.com/news/2018/11/8/football-under-the-helmet-blake-cashman.aspx
