Hartline About To Enter The Spotlight - Free BN Article
Hartline About To Enter The Spotlight
By Bill Greene Ohio High Scout/Contributor
Date: Aug 4, 2004
The early reviews of Canton GlenOak junior quarterback Mike Hartline are glowing. The tall, athletic quarterback with a rocket arm has already received scholarship offers and could very well be one of the top overall quarterback prospects in the country next year, but unlike his brother Brian, he seems to be interested in getting more involved in the recruiting process. Ohio High Scout/Contributor Bill Greene recently caught up with Hartline for a session of Q&A.
Mike, what is your height, weight, and forty time?
"I'm 6' 5" 175 lbs. and I ran a 4.8 forty at the Ohio State camp."
What are goals for this season, both team and personal?
"For our team, my goal is to win our league, and get to the playoffs. Coach Rose has a pyramid of success, we're working on, and those are 2 of our goals. For myself, I'm hoping to throw for 2,500 yards, and improve my TD to INT. ratio."
What do you need to improve on, physically and mentally?
"Physically, I need to get stronger. A couple days ago, Brian and I were working out with Justin Zwick and Dustin Fox, and I could see how strong Justin is. His arm strength was so impressive, as well as his overall physical strength. I'm satisfied with my footwork, but I need to add muscle. Mentally, I'm so much more confident than last year. I'm working on leadership and trying to show the guys that I'm willing to put the time in to learn the QB position."
Who is you idol, and who do you pattern your game after?
"My idol is my brother, Brian. I look up to him so much, because of how hard he works. The QB I admire most was Troy Aikman. I always watched the NFL growing up, and I liked the way he controlled a game. I wear #8 because he did."
Is it a given that you will go to OSU, if offered, to play with your brother, Brian?
"I'm not sure. When Brian used to talk about taking his visits, I would kid him and say if OSU offers, you'll accept on the spot and never take your visits. I think I want to see what other schools are like. I know a lot about OSU and like everything about them."
I realize it's very early, but what colleges are you interested in? Give me a list of five.
"My list would be OSU, Michigan, Purdue, Stanford, and Tennessee, right now. I told Brian he should have visited Stanford, when they offered him, but my dad would probably kill me if I went there."
Since we're talking college, who is your favorite team, and why?
"Ohio State is my favorite team and also number one on my list, obviously. I really like Coach Tressel a lot. He's very direct, and seems to be very caring. I think Joe Daniels is a real cool guy, too. At camp, Coach Daniels was always telling me to relax and have fun, not put too much pressure on myself. He kept telling me not to worry, just play my game."
By all reports, you had an excellent camp at Ohio State. How did you feel about your performance?
"I didn't think I played all that well, really. As the time went by, I got more comfortable, and by the end of camp, I was throwing the ball much better. I really liked being there and could see it's a great place to play. Brian and I stayed with Dustin Fox, and it was great getting to know him."
Are you feeling pressure to perform this year, with all the increased attention?
"I really don't know why I'm getting so much attention, really. I only played six games last year, as a sophomore. The only pressure I feel comes from myself. I want to get better, and I push myself pretty hard."
Tell me something about (GlenOak head coach Jack Rose)?
"Coach Rose is a great guy and a great coach. The best thing about him is he takes care of all of us. He cares about everybody on the team. He'll listen to you if you need to talk. It doesn't matter if you're a starter or third string. You could be a freshman with a problem, and coach would want to help. Everybody on the team respects him so much."
Last question. Tell me something people don't know about you.
"People would be surprised to know how dedicated I've become. I want to know everything we are doing. I won't run a drill unless I know exactly what I'm supposed to do. I ask a lot of questions, because I want to get it right. The game is starting to really slow down for me, and I'm realizing what I need to do to win. I think my attitude will surprise some people."