by Bill Seals
Already having one Power-5 offer from an in-state school, a rising junior offensive lineman from Virginia was looking forward to checking out the other high-level program on his offer list.
Daleville Lord Botetourt standout Jesse Hanson said he was intrigued by what the Cyclones have to offer both on and off the gridiron.
“When we first got there, we went and saw an academic presentation,” said Hanson. “It was nice seeing the school part of it. Then we went over and met the coaches. We met Coach (Tom) Manning and (Taylor) Mouser and they took us on a tour around campus. They showed us the hot spots around town. Coach (Alex) Golesh was around us, too. After that, they took us on a tour of the facilities. The next day, I had team camp and after that we got to talk to Coach (Matt) Campbell for a while.”
In addition to this being an unofficial visit for Hanson, he also took part in a team camp the ISU program hosted over the weekend.
“The coaches were impressed and I got a lot out of it,” said the 6-foot-4, 290-pound Hanson. “I got a lot of one-on-one coaching from Coach Manning. There are a lot of big boys out in Iowa.”
Prior to embarking on the 15-hour return trip to his home in Virginia, Hanson and his father met with Campbell.
“He talked about me being a great fit with the way I play and my attitude,” Hanson said. “We talked about why they wanted me there and just the different reasons for me to come to Iowa State. He told us how Iowa State really has an opportunity to turn things around and start winning. He talked about the fan base at Iowa State being unbelievable and they sell out games all the time without having winning records. He said they’re going to turn the program around and start winning.
“A big part of the meeting was getting to know each other. I’m still trying to see where my options are at this point. I’m not ready to make any decisions yet. Iowa State certainly let me know they were a true option and a place I could see myself going.”
Reflecting on his time in Ames, Hanson said he was blown away by what he saw of the P5 program in the Midwest.
“Iowa State is a school that’s 15 hours away, so going there was more trying to see what was out there,” he said. “I didn’t expect to come away liking Iowa State as much as I do now. It really was a big game-changer for me. I saw somewhere I could really enjoy. It was really nice. I didn’t expect the facilities and to like the people as much as I did. It was a pleasant surprise.”
Already having one Power-5 offer from an in-state school, a rising junior offensive lineman from Virginia was looking forward to checking out the other high-level program on his offer list.
Daleville Lord Botetourt standout Jesse Hanson said he was intrigued by what the Cyclones have to offer both on and off the gridiron.
“When we first got there, we went and saw an academic presentation,” said Hanson. “It was nice seeing the school part of it. Then we went over and met the coaches. We met Coach (Tom) Manning and (Taylor) Mouser and they took us on a tour around campus. They showed us the hot spots around town. Coach (Alex) Golesh was around us, too. After that, they took us on a tour of the facilities. The next day, I had team camp and after that we got to talk to Coach (Matt) Campbell for a while.”
In addition to this being an unofficial visit for Hanson, he also took part in a team camp the ISU program hosted over the weekend.
“The coaches were impressed and I got a lot out of it,” said the 6-foot-4, 290-pound Hanson. “I got a lot of one-on-one coaching from Coach Manning. There are a lot of big boys out in Iowa.”
Prior to embarking on the 15-hour return trip to his home in Virginia, Hanson and his father met with Campbell.
“He talked about me being a great fit with the way I play and my attitude,” Hanson said. “We talked about why they wanted me there and just the different reasons for me to come to Iowa State. He told us how Iowa State really has an opportunity to turn things around and start winning. He talked about the fan base at Iowa State being unbelievable and they sell out games all the time without having winning records. He said they’re going to turn the program around and start winning.
“A big part of the meeting was getting to know each other. I’m still trying to see where my options are at this point. I’m not ready to make any decisions yet. Iowa State certainly let me know they were a true option and a place I could see myself going.”
Reflecting on his time in Ames, Hanson said he was blown away by what he saw of the P5 program in the Midwest.
“Iowa State is a school that’s 15 hours away, so going there was more trying to see what was out there,” he said. “I didn’t expect to come away liking Iowa State as much as I do now. It really was a big game-changer for me. I saw somewhere I could really enjoy. It was really nice. I didn’t expect the facilities and to like the people as much as I did. It was a pleasant surprise.”
