EXCLUSIVE: Spartan Nation Caught Up With Former MSU Star TE Brian Linthicum
Spartan Nation Caught Up With Former MSU Star TE Brian Linthicum
Q: Brian, what are you up to these days?
A: Actually, I’m in Chicago right now doing a little rehab. I tore my knee up with the Jets, wasn’t really ugly but I did injure my knee. Had surgery with the Jets last July, needed another surgery, moved to Chicago, had surgery with Brian Cole who’s with the Chicago Bulls. He did a cartilage repair and I’m on a 9-12 month recovery process. So best case scenario, I get back in time for camp this year. I’ll have an opportunity to make a team in August, September. Worst case scenario, I’ve started working for a start-up tech company. We’re moving headquarters to Vegas in the next two weeks. It’s a very exciting entrepreneurial endeavor and something I encourage all athletes to do. I’ve never seen this side of it but it’s a fun space and I’m excited to be involved in that as well as go through the rehab process.
Q: How is recruiting different? Are you getting different action from difference Conferences that are recruiting you?
A: It’s definitely a little bit different depending on where you’re at. It’s so great being back in the south. I love this weather, love the trees, and the green and obviously the golf. But yeah, I’d say it’s a little bit different. Being recruited to come down to Clemson… Not taking anything away from Midwest football and the Big 10, it’s just a little bit different. They’re a little more aggressive, I guess I would say. In the Midwest, especially with Coach D, it’s more of a family feel and that’s what I loved about it. At the end of the day are the coaches and the people involved gonna care about you long term? With Coach D I can definitely say that’s a yes. I didn’t necessarily feel that was the case at Clemson.
Q: How well did Coach D, Coach Treadwell, etc. prepare you to be a professional tight end?
A: Beyond what I could have imagined. That’s probably the reason why I made the move. Because I wanted to not only prepare myself to potentially play at that next level, but to prepare myself for the real world. The combination of Coach Dantonio, even Mark Hollis, Treadwell, Roushar…Roushar played a large part as well my senior year….just a combination of those guys, refining my game. I was primarily a receiving tight end and Roushar forced me to be the blocking tight end that I needed to be at the next level. So the combination of all those guys helped me to be the player that I was last year.
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