https://www.hornsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/raulerson_bevoball-300×198.jpg Celina’s Jake Raulerson, photo courtesy Jake Raulerson
Welcome to this week’s edition of “Ten Questions with Coach B.” This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with an outstanding young man out of Celina, Texas, 2013 University of Texas commit Jake Raulerson. Jake is currently a junior at Celina (TX) High School and plays on the offensive line and defensive line.
Without further adieu…
QUESTION 1.
Coach B.:Â
You committed to Texas early. Why did you choose The University of Texas?
Raulerson:Â
I chose Texas because it’s a great place to be. Austin is a great city, the coaches are great and the football is outstanding. I think the program as a whole is on the rise and they are going to do great things in the future. I want to be a part of that. So I felt that Texas was right and it’s close to home so you can’t beat it.
QUESTION 2.
Coach B.:Â
You always hear about the family atmosphere that Mack Brown has established during his tenure at Texas. During your visits to Texas, did you get a sense of that atmosphere and did it play a role in your decision?
Raulerson:Â
Definitely. As soon as you hit the door, there are people there to greet you. The coaches bring their wives and you get a chance to meet and speak with them as well. It felt very much like a family environment and the coaches feel like they are part of your family. They want to get to know you, they ask you how you’re doing and the players feel like your brothers. It’s a remarkable atmosphere down there.
QUESTION 3.
Coach B.:Â
You’re listed as an Offensive Lineman commit. Is that a final destination spot for you or has the Texas coaching staff told you they might look at you for other positions?
Raulerson:Â
They are trying me out where ever I fit and they are going to start me out at Defensive End and see how I do and see how big I get. I am excited to see what Coach Wylie can do to me.
QUESTION 4.
Coach B.:
 In preparation for your arrival at Texas, what parts of your game are you working on?
Raulerson:Â
I am working on having quicker feet and getting quicker off the edge on defense while preparing for my senior year to see what I can do during my last year in high school. Then I will head down to Austin and see what I can shake-up there.
QUESTION 5.
Coach B.:Â
You are listed at 6’5″ 250lbs. Where are you at in your off-season program with regards to your weight?
Raulerson:
 I lost some weight after my surgery, but I am back at 250lbs and things are going very well this off-season.
QUESTION 6.
Coach B.:Â
Do you expect to come in and fight for a starting spot immediately?
Raulerson:Â
I don’t expect that. I mean, if there is any spot they are expecting me to fight for immediately it would be deep snapper. I have been deep snapping since I was 4 years old and I can fight for that one. Great teams are going to have great players and I will fight for a starting position, but I am not going to expect one immediately. I am going to have to work my way up there.
QUESTION 7.
Coach B.:Â
Do you plan to visit any other schools or is Texas it for you?
Raulerson:Â
No sir, Texas is it for me. Coach Brown doesn’t appreciate it (taking other visits after committing) and I made the decision to go to Texas which means I am not going to back out on that.
QUESTION 8.
Coach B.:Â
How excited are you to play in the Manny Diaz style of defense?
Raulerson:Â
I am very excited. He does some crazy things on defense and he told me he could use me on some crazy stunts so I am pretty excited about that.
QUESTION 9.
Coach B.:Â
You come from playing in one the top football programs in the State of Texas in Celina High School. What is that like for you?
Raulerson:Â
It’s so awesome. It’s a great program that is always competing for a state title and it’s awesome to win as many games as we do. So many schools are fighting to go 5-5 every year but if we don’t go 10-0 during the regular season, then we are disappointed. That’s how big Celina football is. A lot of teams are happy with making the playoffs. Here it’s expected that we make the playoffs every year and if you don’t win a state title then you didn’t achieve the goal. It’s an expectation here. Another cool thing about playing for Celina, I got the chance to take part in the Boys of Fall documentary my freshman year. That was a lot of fun. My brother was also a part of it and he was the linebacker in the Fill the Hole drill. So that was a lot of fun.
QUESTION 10.
Coach B.:
 As you are closing out your high school playing career and starting that transition to play for one of the nation’s top college football programs, has it sunk in yet that you will be a University of Texas football player?
Raulerson:Â
I don’t think that will really completely sink in until I get to Austin. I am very honored and very blessed to have the opportunity to play football for the University of Texas. I can’t wait and it will be a lot of fun. I expect to do a lot of great things down there.
I appreciate Jake taking the time to sit down with me for the interview, which gave me the opportunity to get to know him better. We have talked on a couple of different occasions and I can tell you that Jake is as real as it gets. I am very impressed with this young man as a person and as an athlete. He makes his family and Celina High School extremely proud… just as he will The University of Texas.
See you next week.
Hook’em!!!
