Gophers starter Andries pushes through the transitions from Marshall to Minneapolis

On the surface, Blaise Andries looks like what you would expect of an offensive lineman at a Big Ten school. At 6 feet, 5 inches tall, he’s been asked more than once how the weather is up there. Everyday objects such as coffee cups appear noticeably smaller in his hands and his shoulders might rival those of Paul Bunyan.

Many people may be in awe of his size, but there’s nothing remotely intimidating about the University of Minnesota student athlete from Marshall, Minn. If you’ve never had someone thank you five separate times for a cup of coffee, buy one for Andries. He’s as thoughtfully soft spoken as they come, even if his voice is deep in tone.

Andries is the starting right guard for the Golden Gophers. In 2017, he was ranked as the No. 1 high school football recruit in the state. Because his hometown isn’t near a major airport, recruiting coaches made the two-to-three-hour drive to Marshall after flying into Sioux Falls, S.D. or Minneapolis, some from East or West Coast schools. The Twin Cities campus drew him because it is close to home. He briefly considered attending Michigan State University, but the distance was just too much to overcome, he said.

There were arguably better football schools on the table, but Andries said he refused to sacrifice his education for football. The University promised no compromises. He also liked the metaphor of the “four candles” that the Gopher coaches refer to: one candle each for academics, athletics, social life and spiritual life. The idea, Andries said, is for every player to keep those candles burning in balance.

But when Blaise arrived at the University in the fall of 2017, he didn’t expect the pressures of that transition from small town to big city. He redshirted the fall of 2017, a time he described as “tough” but “bearable.” However, when he stepped out on the field as a player that spring, the pressure nearly pushed him to quit football altogether.

He walked into coach P.J. Fleck’s office and said: “I need to take a break.”

Pressures at the start

In high school, all of Andries’ candles burned vibrantly and equally. He thrived in Marshall. Before arriving in Minneapolis, he estimated he earned 30 college credits. His accomplishments on the football field yielded many scholarship offers. Every Sunday he could be found in church with his family. His social circle was filled with family and friends – people he credited with positively and heavily influencing who he is today.

But at the University of Minnesota, he stood on a field of 105 players from far-reaching corners of high school football. Although his mother visited often because of her job, living so far from his family took a toll. The increased rigors and heavy course load of Big Ten academics were tough. He didn’t have as much time to attend church. He was deprived of sleep and overwhelmed. Andries’ candles were burning out of unison.

He also felt the unexpected burden of representing his town.

When Andries returns home, he said it’s not unusual for him to be recognized in public. He recently when out for breakfast in Marshall with a friend – another football player from Marshall attending South Dakota State University. A stranger approached them and called them by their last names simply because they were college football players from the area. People from home tell him they watch his every play. When they do, he said, he chuckles and facetiously responds: “Probably wasn’t that pretty if you were watching me every play.”  

But while he had pride in his voice when talking about his hometown, Andries said he doesn’t want to be responsible for letting  Marshall down or giving the town a bad reputation. The thought of that, he said, influences his decisions on and off the field.

“Whether I like it or not, I’m representing the people of that town, and everything that I do is put on a spotlight because of where I am and who I’m surrounded by,” Andries said. “If I mess up, up here, then it’s going to put a bad rep on people from Marshall. Like, a recruit might not get recruited because of how I acted.”

Breaking through

Andries made it through the pressure of his first year, and he credited Fleck with helping him through that rough transition. Like any good coach and father figure, Fleck has an open-door policy with all his players. When Andries thought about quitting, Fleck encouraged the offensive lineman to take that break he asked for, to take time to himself, think through his decision and see a sports psychologist. That respite allowed him to re-establish his commitment, he said.

“Once I was able to get my head back on straight, I was ready to put myself back into it… [Fleck] was very supportive of me in letting me have that break whereas other coaches around the country, I doubt they would let that happen.”

Since then, he has delved into his major, math-actuarial science. He said he has come to understand that struggling through a two-hour math problem or enduring a tough practice – all part of the work, mental anguish and emotional stress that goes into being a student athlete – is worth the opportunity.

As for what the post-college world holds, Andries said he’s not sure. Traditionally, college players who are recruited by prestigious football schools, as Andries was, have a decent chance of making it to the NFL. But as a sophomore with only one year of NCAA football, he’s unsure if he’ll even have the chance. So he doesn’t dwell on it right now.

“I think that’s more of a game-time decision,” he said. “I don’t think about it a whole lot cause then you get caught up in the future, two, three years now. Thinking about the future – it’s not really gonna help you right now.”

Turning to the city

Coming off a season in which he started every game, and in which the Gophers won a bowl game, Andries said he’s now comfortable with his life in Minneapolis. Last summer, he and a few Gopher players attended the Ultimate Training Camp at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, a one-week, Christian camp for collegiate athletes designed to strengthen their faith and improve themselves as athletes. During winter break, he returned home to Marshall. When he did, he realized he missed his life in the city.

“I was missing my roommates up here and missing kinda the culture up here. Also, there’s only so many things you can do in Marshall,” Andries said.

Whether he’s playing football in Minneapolis or raising a family in the suburbs, as he hopes to one day, Marshall will always be a significant piece in Andries’ puzzle. Many people identify with their hometown. But for Andries, it goes much deeper than that.

“I was raised the golden boy of Marshall, Minn., and I did my best to fit that role.”