Better Know A Badger: Titus Toler
Wisconsin's 2019 signing class will be moving up to Madison in June, so BadgerBlitz.com reached out to the newest members of the UW roster to get their thoughts as they prepare to start their college careers.
Titus Toler, a three-star safety from Bellflower, Calif., spoke with BadgerBlitz.com over the weekend about how the Badgers ended up getting his commitment after he originally committed to Colorado.
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It's been a long wait, but now that you're so close to getting on campus with the Badgers are you excited to start your college career?
Titus Toler: I’m real excited. I’ve been counting down the days. I’m starting to realize that I’ll be out on my own and away from family but I think it will be good, though. I just can’t wait to get up and be around the team and the coaches and start fresh and start a new career.
I know you were a late addition to Wisconsin's recruiting class after you were committed to Colorado for a little while, but what was it in the end that made you feel like Wisconsin was the right place for you?
Titus Toler: Just realizing how genuine the coaches are and how they genuinely want me to succeed and become better as a person and as a player on the football field. Just seeing Coach (Paul) Chryst, Coach (Jim) Leonhard, Coach (Bobby) April and rest of the staff. They’re genuine guys and I can tell they care about me and about my future.
When did the Badgers first get on to your radar? Were you talking to them throughout the process or did they come in after your de-commitment?
Titus Toler: They were always talking to me, and when I committed to Colorado they respected my decision. But I would still get texts here and there and back and forth before Signing Day. And when I de-committed from Colorado they were the first ones to call me and say, “Hey, can we get you to come up here for a trip?” It’s just the relationship they kept with me during the process. They kind of won me over just with the relationship.
That must be a difficult line to walk - wanting to congratulate you on your decision but also wanting to keep letting you know they were interested. How did they manage to balance that?
Titus Toler: Like I said, they respected my decision but they kept the relationship as if I hadn’t committed. They said that Colorado was a great school but I would always get texts about, “Hey, how is it going? How is the family?” We would just chat back and forth as if I never committed.
Other than your relationship with the coaching staff, what was it about Wisconsin that made you feel like that was going to be your new college home?
Titus Toler: Well No. 1, comparing Colorado and Wisconsin, Wisconsin does have a better academic record. They have a great business program and I want to major in business, so that was a contributing factor. And then just Wisconsin’s college town - I don’t think it gets any better than that.
Do you have any personal goals for yourself for your first year with the team? If things break your way what would you like to accomplish in year one?
Titus Toler: First year of school-wise, I want to start of well and get As and Bs, for sure. No Cs or anything like that. But football-wise it would be great to start as a freshman - get some playing time. Be a freshman All-American, that kind of thing. That’s what I’m shooting for.
What gets you out of bed in the morning to go and grind away at improving your game? Football demands so much of the players - what keeps you coming back?
Titus Toler: For me it’s pretty personal. Growing up nobody has ever believed in me. I’ve always been talked about and saying I wasn’t good or this or that. I haven’t been seen as a ball player. I got a little bit of respect my senior year, but I never got like first-team whatever or all of that good stuff. I never got my credit when credit was due, so I need to get up in the morning and go prove myself.
How have you handled people doubting you earlier in your career? Is that something you just get used to if it keeps happening?
Titus Toler: I just use it as fuel to my fire. I wake up every morning and just get the work in.
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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.