Wisconsin's 2020 signing class will be joining the team full-time in June, so BadgerBlitz.com will be checking in with the team's incoming freshmen as they make the jump from being high school prospects to a Wisconsin student-athlete.
Aaron Witt, a three-star outside linebacker prospect from Winona High in Winona, Minn., was the 13th commit for the Badgers in the cycle, flipping his commitment from Iowa. He spoke with BadgerBlitz.com about how he's feeling now that his career with the Badgers is right around the corner. Our questions and his answers are included below.
Miss an interview? Catch up here:
OL Trey Wedig / OL Ben Barten / OL Tanor Bortolini / ILB Malik Reed / TE Cam Large / DB Max Lofy / WR Isaac Smith / OLB Kaden Johnson / RB Jalen Berger
You had a long recruiting process that included a lot of visits and a lot of schools. What was it like for you to officially wrap up your recruitment and send in your letter of intent in December? Have things calmed down a bit for you since then?
Witt: It’s kind of been crazy since this corona stuff. Everything has kind of stayed the same (since March), just doing the same stuff.
You went through a lot of different ups and downs with your recruitment, having committed and de-committed from both Minnesota and Iowa. Did you enjoy the recruiting process and what did you learn about yourself as you evaluated your choices?
Witt: I definitely had to get used to it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of it. I learned a lot because (recruiting) started early for me in my sophomore year. I definitely matured throughout it and saw where I wanted to go, academically and what things I value in a team, in a town and where I wanted to live for four or five years, where I wanted to jump start my life, actually.
When did Wisconsin become a school you really started to pay attention to? Was it when you were an uncommitted prospect or was it during one of your previous commitments?
Witt: When I grew up, I grew up a fan of Wisconsin. They were always the school I really wanted to go to, but they really didn’t recruit me hard until I committed to Iowa. Once they offered me, they really stuck out. That’s when they really topped out to me when they offered me.
Did you de-commit from Iowa because of Wisconsin or because of a disconnect with the Hawkeyes?
Witt: There was no disconnect between me and Iowa. I liked Iowa a lot. I like their program. They’re a hard-nosed football team, but Wisconsin was the place I always wanted to go. That’s why I flipped to Wisconsin.
Some kids grow up wanting to play for a certain school only to have that opinion change once they get a closer look at the school. What was it about Wisconsin that helped them stand out from the crowd? What was it that made you want to be a Badger?
Witt: I flipped before I even took a real visit to Wisconsin. It was just a dream. I didn’t want to look back 30 years from now and realize I didn’t chase my dreams. I didn’t want to regret it, so I just went with my gut, chased my dreams and went to Wisconsin.
(When I visited), the coaches are all business. They are real welcoming, genuine people but they are about ball. That’s what stood out to me. There’s no fluff when it comes to Wisconsin. It’s straight-up tell you how it is. That was the most assuring thing for me.
What are you trying to do to stay active during quarantine over these past few weeks? Have you been able to stay active or was it difficult?
Witt: It wasn’t difficult for me at all. This quarantine gave me more time on my hands to study the playbook, study film, workout. I have a rack in my basement so, when everything was shut down and I couldn’t get to a gym, I could lift twice a day still. I never really lost an edge; it just gave me an advantage, I think.
Wisconsin is playing on starting you at outside linebacker. Considering you haven’t played a lot of that position, how tough of a transition do you think they will be and what has you excited about that role?
Witt: The legacy of Wisconsin outside linebackers is like a pipeline (to the NFL). I hope through hard work I can be the next guy who can carry on that legacy. We play a 4-3 in high school. I was always a down lineman, so I never got to play outside linebacker. I think the transition will be smooth.
What do you think you'll take away from playing high school football? Is there a game you'll remember or a lesson you learned that will stick with you?
Witt: I came in high school not one of the better players in my class. Through hard work, I saw myself pass up others. Continuing that hard work because I saw what it did in high school and hard work translates everywhere. Hopefully it will translate at Wisconsin.
In a year from now what would you like to look back on and say you accomplished during your first year with the team? Do you have any goals like that?
Witt: I just want to get better. I just want to make as much progress as I possibly can each year so when my time is done at Wisconsin, I can reflect and be like, “I became the best football player I could possibly be at the University of Wisconsin.”
