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University of Minnesota Athletics
Turning The Page; Gopher Offensive Lineman Jeremiah Carter
10/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Everyone experiences this. Jeremiah Carter can relate. He is playing for a school that he didn't expect, has hobbies he didn't enjoy, and is seeing his father in a light that he didn't before. It's funny how those things happen.
Jeremiah Carter started out playing basketball and baseball. Football was not on his sports roster. That was not all his decision, though. Growing up in Pennsylvania, kids were not allowed to play football until the age of 12. Carter honed his athletic skills in the first two sports until the fateful day when the park's football season began and he was finally old enough to play. Carter's dad, Carlyle, remembers his son coming home with a smile on his face after the first day of football practice and making the rather bold pronouncement of "I've waited all my life for this day." Pretty insightful for a seventh grader.
After that first contact with football, Jeremiah was hooked. When the family moved to Minnesota between his eighth and ninth grade years, he looked to continue to build his skills at the high school level. He attended St. Paul Central, which might be a good school, but did not have a top-notch football program, to put it lightly. For a big kid in high school, the most logical place for Carter to play was on the line. But it was difficult for him to learn the position since his high school hadn't hired a line coach yet during his high school career.
Because of his lack of training for playing offensive guard or tackle, Jeremiah was pretty much a blank slate when he graduated in 1998. He got offers from Division II and III schools, but could not see playing a full college career, or at least attempting to, at a university that was not Division I. He wanted all the challenge and glory of the highest collegiate level. As a kid in Pennsylvania, he dreamed of donning the Blue and White of the Nittany Lions. However, he knew that walking onto a Division I program was going to be hard enough, much less onto a program that was so large and not even local. Jeremiah shifted his attention from Penn State to the University of Minnesota, with the modest goal of just being invited back after the first day.
"I wanted to give it a shot," Jeremiah said. "It was between this and Division II or III football, and I knew that no matter how well I did in Division II or III, it wasn't Division I. It wouldn't be the same. I was going to come in and give myself a couple of years and if I wasn't doing anything, at least I gave it a shot."
Carlyle remembers the thoughts Jeremiah had about trying to walk on, and also recalls what advice he gave to his son during that time. "I knew he had the heart and determination, plus the Carter stubbornness," Carlyle said. "I told him to put in 100 percent. Each step up the ladder, fewer people make it. It's a fight up hill all along. You don't want to look back and say 'if only.' No regrets. Every action has a consequence - he's heard me say that all the time since he was little. But really, it is up to you and you have to accept that."
The younger Carter listened to the words of wisdom from the elder with open ears, but, as with many parent-child relationships, the communication between father and son was not always so positive. During Jeremiah's youth, his dad was often coach of the teams he played on, which led to some conflict. "We had a rough go as a coach and athlete," Carlyle remembers. "It was a different perspective between coach and some other athlete. In other coach and athlete relationships, you know the effort it takes to get the best results. But when you live together, you know when they're not doing it. The father/son relationship was more important than coach/athlete, so I decided to no longer coach."
Jeremiah also remembered the days when father and son didn't get along so well. "He was always my coach, whether I was playing baseball or basketball. We fought a little bit, but he has always supported me. He showed me how to play and play hard. Just leave it all out there on the field, that's what he told me."
Although the father and son may have had a difficult go at it when Jeremiah was younger, over the past years, Carlyle can only sit back and admire the man his son has turned into. "I am most proud of the person he has become," Carlyle boasts. "We sat down for dinner before the [2002] season, and I was sitting there in awe of what he was saying. The kid I knew was making profound statements of a mature adult. He's a good person. That is all a parent can ask for."
Jeremiah reached his goal of playing Division I football. Yes, he was invited back after that first day freshman year. The staff even asked him to start 10 games during his junior year in 2001, and he has continued to start every game in 2002. With so much of his life focused on the field and his athletic performances, there are times when he wants to step away from it all.
With practice schedules, games, homework and classes, spans of time to get away are rare, if non-existent. So, a few years ago, Jeremiah picked up a hobby that would overjoy grade school teachers throughout the nation. He uses reading as a way to escape from everyday stresses, but it was not always like that.
"As a kid, all I did was go outside and play, play sports. I never read. I hated reading. And now, all I do is go outside and play sports, so it's kind of reverse," Jeremiah remarked. "When I come home I read something, sit down and relax. When you read, it's different from movies. It's different from everything. You get your mind off everything, get involved in a book. It's great."
While he may not have a lot of time to get away from the daily stresses of class and football, Jeremiah wouldn't want things any other way. He has played hard and worked hard the last five years and all the pieces are coming together. He made the Dean's list last spring. He earned his first letter last season. His blocking has helped Minnesota rush for over 200 yards in five of six games this season, including a season-high 302 yards against Illinois. His protection has allowed only eight sacks against quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq, compared to the 18 sacks the Golden Gopher defense has accumulated this season.
Jeremiah has overcome the remote possibility of walking on to a Big Ten team, the stress of playing collegiate football, recovering from season-ending knee surgery and the time constraints of being a scholar-athlete. He has changed his perspectives on many things, getting him to a place he only imagined he would be. And now he is in his last year, he has already earned his degree and is looking back on everything he has battled to stand at the top.
"My dad stressed perseverance the most. I remember when I had a knee injury sophomore year, I was not so sure about myself staying here. I remember him sending me an e-mail that basically had the numbers of how many people actually get to play Division I football and how few people actually get to play. That e-mail still hangs on my wall today. Every time I'm down on football a little bit, I can look at that and just remember this is an amazing opportunity."
Jeremiah has reason to be amazed at his opportunity, but his family also has a reason to be amazed by Jeremiah. His father called the journey unbelievable, and certainly Jeremiah feels the same way. It's funny how things didn't work out exactly as he had planned, but looking back, he can't imagine them any other way.
Written by Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius It's funny how things change. Interests, goals, relationships - they all have a way of turning in directions you never would have thought possible at one time or another. Priorities shift, life throws you a curve, or something comes out of nowhere and before long, you're in a place you never thought you would ever find yourself.
Everyone experiences this. Jeremiah Carter can relate. He is playing for a school that he didn't expect, has hobbies he didn't enjoy, and is seeing his father in a light that he didn't before. It's funny how those things happen.
Jeremiah Carter started out playing basketball and baseball. Football was not on his sports roster. That was not all his decision, though. Growing up in Pennsylvania, kids were not allowed to play football until the age of 12. Carter honed his athletic skills in the first two sports until the fateful day when the park's football season began and he was finally old enough to play. Carter's dad, Carlyle, remembers his son coming home with a smile on his face after the first day of football practice and making the rather bold pronouncement of "I've waited all my life for this day." Pretty insightful for a seventh grader.
After that first contact with football, Jeremiah was hooked. When the family moved to Minnesota between his eighth and ninth grade years, he looked to continue to build his skills at the high school level. He attended St. Paul Central, which might be a good school, but did not have a top-notch football program, to put it lightly. For a big kid in high school, the most logical place for Carter to play was on the line. But it was difficult for him to learn the position since his high school hadn't hired a line coach yet during his high school career.
Because of his lack of training for playing offensive guard or tackle, Jeremiah was pretty much a blank slate when he graduated in 1998. He got offers from Division II and III schools, but could not see playing a full college career, or at least attempting to, at a university that was not Division I. He wanted all the challenge and glory of the highest collegiate level. As a kid in Pennsylvania, he dreamed of donning the Blue and White of the Nittany Lions. However, he knew that walking onto a Division I program was going to be hard enough, much less onto a program that was so large and not even local. Jeremiah shifted his attention from Penn State to the University of Minnesota, with the modest goal of just being invited back after the first day.
"I wanted to give it a shot," Jeremiah said. "It was between this and Division II or III football, and I knew that no matter how well I did in Division II or III, it wasn't Division I. It wouldn't be the same. I was going to come in and give myself a couple of years and if I wasn't doing anything, at least I gave it a shot."
Carlyle remembers the thoughts Jeremiah had about trying to walk on, and also recalls what advice he gave to his son during that time. "I knew he had the heart and determination, plus the Carter stubbornness," Carlyle said. "I told him to put in 100 percent. Each step up the ladder, fewer people make it. It's a fight up hill all along. You don't want to look back and say 'if only.' No regrets. Every action has a consequence - he's heard me say that all the time since he was little. But really, it is up to you and you have to accept that."
The younger Carter listened to the words of wisdom from the elder with open ears, but, as with many parent-child relationships, the communication between father and son was not always so positive. During Jeremiah's youth, his dad was often coach of the teams he played on, which led to some conflict. "We had a rough go as a coach and athlete," Carlyle remembers. "It was a different perspective between coach and some other athlete. In other coach and athlete relationships, you know the effort it takes to get the best results. But when you live together, you know when they're not doing it. The father/son relationship was more important than coach/athlete, so I decided to no longer coach."
Jeremiah also remembered the days when father and son didn't get along so well. "He was always my coach, whether I was playing baseball or basketball. We fought a little bit, but he has always supported me. He showed me how to play and play hard. Just leave it all out there on the field, that's what he told me."
Although the father and son may have had a difficult go at it when Jeremiah was younger, over the past years, Carlyle can only sit back and admire the man his son has turned into. "I am most proud of the person he has become," Carlyle boasts. "We sat down for dinner before the [2002] season, and I was sitting there in awe of what he was saying. The kid I knew was making profound statements of a mature adult. He's a good person. That is all a parent can ask for."
Jeremiah reached his goal of playing Division I football. Yes, he was invited back after that first day freshman year. The staff even asked him to start 10 games during his junior year in 2001, and he has continued to start every game in 2002. With so much of his life focused on the field and his athletic performances, there are times when he wants to step away from it all.
With practice schedules, games, homework and classes, spans of time to get away are rare, if non-existent. So, a few years ago, Jeremiah picked up a hobby that would overjoy grade school teachers throughout the nation. He uses reading as a way to escape from everyday stresses, but it was not always like that.
"As a kid, all I did was go outside and play, play sports. I never read. I hated reading. And now, all I do is go outside and play sports, so it's kind of reverse," Jeremiah remarked. "When I come home I read something, sit down and relax. When you read, it's different from movies. It's different from everything. You get your mind off everything, get involved in a book. It's great."
While he may not have a lot of time to get away from the daily stresses of class and football, Jeremiah wouldn't want things any other way. He has played hard and worked hard the last five years and all the pieces are coming together. He made the Dean's list last spring. He earned his first letter last season. His blocking has helped Minnesota rush for over 200 yards in five of six games this season, including a season-high 302 yards against Illinois. His protection has allowed only eight sacks against quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq, compared to the 18 sacks the Golden Gopher defense has accumulated this season.
Jeremiah has overcome the remote possibility of walking on to a Big Ten team, the stress of playing collegiate football, recovering from season-ending knee surgery and the time constraints of being a scholar-athlete. He has changed his perspectives on many things, getting him to a place he only imagined he would be. And now he is in his last year, he has already earned his degree and is looking back on everything he has battled to stand at the top.
"My dad stressed perseverance the most. I remember when I had a knee injury sophomore year, I was not so sure about myself staying here. I remember him sending me an e-mail that basically had the numbers of how many people actually get to play Division I football and how few people actually get to play. That e-mail still hangs on my wall today. Every time I'm down on football a little bit, I can look at that and just remember this is an amazing opportunity."
Jeremiah has reason to be amazed at his opportunity, but his family also has a reason to be amazed by Jeremiah. His father called the journey unbelievable, and certainly Jeremiah feels the same way. It's funny how things didn't work out exactly as he had planned, but looking back, he can't imagine them any other way.
Written by Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius
