University of Minnesota Athletics
O'Brien Gave Big Ten Keynote Speech One Year Ago
7/19/2020 11:17:00 AM | Football
Minnesota holder inspired college football with his words and play
One year ago today, University of Minnesota holder Casey O'Brien gave a moving and poignant keynote speech at the annual Big Ten Football Kickoff Luncheon in Chicago.Â
Each year, a student-athlete gives a speech on behalf of all Big Ten football students. O'Brien, who is a multiple-time cancer survivor, was selected by the conference to give the speech and the then 20-year-old spoke about being thankful for his teammates, coaches, the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and his family.Â
His emotional speech stirred college football on a national level and O'Brien's story was quickly told by numerous national outlets, including ESPN College GameDay.Â
O'Brien's goal of playing in a Big Ten game came to fruition last season when he held on three point-after attempts in a win at Rutgers. He made his home debut a week later in a victory against Maryland. In total, he held six times last season as he earned his first varsity letter.Â
His story resonated with fans across the country and he embraced his newfound position to be a role model for children fighting the same fight. Prior to Minnesota's game at Iowa last season, O'Brien visited with a young fan at the team hotel on Friday night. The young boy had also beaten cancer as a child and had watched O'Brien's Big Ten speech with his father, his eyes welling up when he heard O'Brien's message.Â
O'Brien is a regular at the children's hospital on campus visiting kids and wears wristbands from young cancer patients – some of whom are no longer with us – to help carry on their fight. He was awarded the Disney Spirit Award last December as college football's most inspirational individual.Â
O'Brien, who was first diagnosed with cancer at 13 and has battled it in college as well, is also one of Minnesota's most accomplished students in the classroom. He is a Finance manager in the prestigious Carlson School of Management and was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 academic years. That means, while playing Big Ten football and defeating cancer, he also earned a minimum of a 3.70 GPA. He is the only member of the team to earn the distinction each of the last two years.Â
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Each year, a student-athlete gives a speech on behalf of all Big Ten football students. O'Brien, who is a multiple-time cancer survivor, was selected by the conference to give the speech and the then 20-year-old spoke about being thankful for his teammates, coaches, the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and his family.Â
His emotional speech stirred college football on a national level and O'Brien's story was quickly told by numerous national outlets, including ESPN College GameDay.Â
O'Brien's goal of playing in a Big Ten game came to fruition last season when he held on three point-after attempts in a win at Rutgers. He made his home debut a week later in a victory against Maryland. In total, he held six times last season as he earned his first varsity letter.Â
His story resonated with fans across the country and he embraced his newfound position to be a role model for children fighting the same fight. Prior to Minnesota's game at Iowa last season, O'Brien visited with a young fan at the team hotel on Friday night. The young boy had also beaten cancer as a child and had watched O'Brien's Big Ten speech with his father, his eyes welling up when he heard O'Brien's message.Â
O'Brien is a regular at the children's hospital on campus visiting kids and wears wristbands from young cancer patients – some of whom are no longer with us – to help carry on their fight. He was awarded the Disney Spirit Award last December as college football's most inspirational individual.Â
O'Brien, who was first diagnosed with cancer at 13 and has battled it in college as well, is also one of Minnesota's most accomplished students in the classroom. He is a Finance manager in the prestigious Carlson School of Management and was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 academic years. That means, while playing Big Ten football and defeating cancer, he also earned a minimum of a 3.70 GPA. He is the only member of the team to earn the distinction each of the last two years.Â
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