Some Gopher Commits, Like 2024 In-State LB Mason Carrier, Are Just Built Different

In a world where it seems like every current and future college football player in the country is decommitting or transferring from one school to another for more NIL money, playing time or whatever other reason, it’s important to highlight those who remain loyal and buck the trend.

One of those kids appears to be the Minnesota Gophers’ 2024 linebacker commit out of Detroit Lakes, Mason Carrier, whose brother Ethan is a redshirt Freshman cornerback for the Gophers, who appeared in one game in 2023 (Ohio State).

DL Mason Carrier lets everyone know: He’s committed to the Minnesota Gophers

On Friday — after he either a) became annoyed by the other 2024 Gopher commits who have bailed on PJ Fleck in the last few days or b) finally became sick of other coaches trying flip him before signing day on December 20 (possibly both) — Carrier typed a message into his notes app and put it out on his social medias that both a) affirmed his commitment to the University of Minnesota and b) made me run through a brick wall.

pic.twitter.com/oqNcfKQ6We

— Mason Carrier (@Mason_Carrier46) December 15, 2023

It sure is nice to see a kid like Mason, who looks like an absolute monster on the football field, prove there are still high school recruits in 2023-24 who value their commitments and have pride for their home state football program. That some commits are still built different.

Related: Did Drake Just Curse the Minnesota Gophers?

No transfer judgements here, just respect

Don’t get me wrong, you will not hear, see or read me complain about all of the freedom given to college football players in the year 2023. The NCAA and its Universities are reaping what they’ve sown for 50 years on that subject.

Every kid is different and so is everyone’s personal situation. We are talking big boy money, here. $50,000, for example, can be life-changing for a lot of kids, who don’t enter their college years with the same financial stability others do.

If you’re choosing between job offers, and one potential workplace is offering the same salary (a scholarship) as another, but it comes with a $50,000 cash bonus, which would you take? Now, pretend you’re 17 and your parents can’t help with college. Not even rent or groceries or gas money. Which are you going to choose?

Related: Gophers Paying Cole Kramer a Rumored $30K in NIL to Stay for Bowl Game

Eventually, we will get a world where college football players are paid by Universities and not NIL funds, which will come with a salary cap and parity that hasn’t been seen in power-5 college athletics since… forever. Until then, we’ll all roll with the punches because high-level American football is the best sport in the world by a mile.

So, I don’t judge these kids when they flip commitments because we do not know what is going on behind the scenes. Which is why I have even more respect for the kids who are old-school like Mason Carrier. And just for the record, I won’t forget the name.