Joe Spivak will quickly become your new favorite Wildcat

[lou v]

I just got off the phone with preferred walkon defensive tackle Joe Spivak, all 5-foot-11, 287 pounds of him. I can see why every commit I talked to called him the funniest guy in the class. He is a live wire, just a bubbly, enthusiastic, fun-loving ball of energy. It would be very, very difficult not to like him.

The kid already bleeds purple. He's been going to NU camps -- usually a one-day camp and then the Showcase a week later -- since he was a freshman. And as you know now, he turned down an offer from Michigan State (and 16 other schools) to be a walkon at NU. I should also mention that the clown prince of the class has a 4.1 GPA and scored 27 on his ACT.

I'm going to write a feature on him soon enough, but here are a couple quotes to whet your appetite:

- On his height: "The motto of my career is to never let size define my skill set. I've been hearing since I was in fourth grade that on the line, low man wins. Well, I'm already down there. What's the big deal? It'll be easier for me."

- On his goal as a Wildcat: "I want to be remembered at Northwestern. I want to be remembered as a guy who walked on and earned a scholarship. I don't want to be given a scholarship. I want to earn one."

By the way, his dad, also Joe, walked on at Illinois State and ended up a two-time All-America. His OL coach? Guy by the name of Bob Heffner.

 

[DaCat]

Heff is that that old? Coached a guy AND now his son?

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I just got off the phone with preferred walkon defensive tackle Joe Spivak, all 5-foot-11, 287 pounds of him. I can see why every commit I talked to called him the funniest guy in the class. He is a live wire, just a bubbly, enthusiastic, fun-loving ball of energy. It would be very, very difficult not to like him.

The kid already bleeds purple. He's been going to NU camps -- usually a one-day camp and then the Showcase a week later -- since he was a freshman. And as you know now, he turned down an offer from Michigan State (and 16 other schools) to be a walkon at NU. I should also mention that the clown prince of the class has a 4.1 GPA and scored 27 on his ACT.

I'm going to write a feature on him soon enough, but here are a couple quotes to whet your appetite:

- On his height: "The motto of my career is to never let size define my skill set. I've been hearing since I was in fourth grade that on the line, low man wins. Well, I'm already down there. What's the big deal? It'll be easier for me."

- On his goal as a Wildcat: "I want to be remembered at Northwestern. I want to be remembered as a guy who walked on and earned a scholarship. I don't want to be given a scholarship. I want to earn one."

By the way, his dad, also Joe, walked on at Illinois State and ended up a two-time All-America. His OL coach? Guy by the name of Bob Heffner.

This is a guy you want at your tailgate after he shocks the world and becomes a starter.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I have little doubt that this kid will 1) earn a schollie; 2) become a starter; and 3) marry a beautiful, smart woman (the latter not necessarily while at NU).

 

[lou v]

I have little doubt that this kid will 1) earn a schollie; 2) become a starter; and 3) marry a beautiful, smart woman (the latter not necessarily while at NU).

And makes millions in sales.

 

[corbi296]

I think Spivak is just as likely to play on the interior OL as he is on the DL. He played both in HS very well. His dad was on OL at ISU and was in camp with the Bears.

 

[Sheffielder]

Photo to corroborate the story...

 

[EvanstonCat]

I just got off the phone with preferred walkon defensive tackle Joe Spivak, all 5-foot-11, 287 pounds of him. I can see why every commit I talked to called him the funniest guy in the class. He is a live wire, just a bubbly, enthusiastic, fun-loving ball of energy. It would be very, very difficult not to like him.

The kid already bleeds purple. He's been going to NU camps -- usually a one-day camp and then the Showcase a week later -- since he was a freshman. And as you know now, he turned down an offer from Michigan State (and 16 other schools) to be a walkon at NU. I should also mention that the clown prince of the class has a 4.1 GPA and scored 27 on his ACT.

I'm going to write a feature on him soon enough, but here are a couple quotes to whet your appetite:

- On his height: "The motto of my career is to never let size define my skill set. I've been hearing since I was in fourth grade that on the line, low man wins. Well, I'm already down there. What's the big deal? It'll be easier for me."

- On his goal as a Wildcat: "I want to be remembered at Northwestern. I want to be remembered as a guy who walked on and earned a scholarship. I don't want to be given a scholarship. I want to earn one."

By the way, his dad, also Joe, walked on at Illinois State and ended up a two-time All-America. His OL coach? Guy by the name of Bob Heffner.

Wait a second, when you say he turned down an offer from MSU (and sixteen other schools), you mean PWO offers, not a scholarship, right?

If a kid is turning down a MSU scholarship to be a PWO at NU, then we have truly arrived.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

I guess we"re here.

 

[EvanstonCat]

I guess we"re here.

Wow. I guess we are.

That's awesome.

 

[lou v]

I just got off the phone with preferred walkon defensive tackle Joe Spivak, all 5-foot-11, 287 pounds of him. I can see why every commit I talked to called him the funniest guy in the class. He is a live wire, just a bubbly, enthusiastic, fun-loving ball of energy. It would be very, very difficult not to like him.

The kid already bleeds purple. He's been going to NU camps -- usually a one-day camp and then the Showcase a week later -- since he was a freshman. And as you know now, he turned down an offer from Michigan State (and 16 other schools) to be a walkon at NU. I should also mention that the clown prince of the class has a 4.1 GPA and scored 27 on his ACT.

I'm going to write a feature on him soon enough, but here are a couple quotes to whet your appetite:

- On his height: "The motto of my career is to never let size define my skill set. I've been hearing since I was in fourth grade that on the line, low man wins. Well, I'm already down there. What's the big deal? It'll be easier for me."

- On his goal as a Wildcat: "I want to be remembered at Northwestern. I want to be remembered as a guy who walked on and earned a scholarship. I don't want to be given a scholarship. I want to earn one."

By the way, his dad, also Joe, walked on at Illinois State and ended up a two-time All-America. His OL coach? Guy by the name of Bob Heffner.

Wait a second, when you say he turned down an offer from MSU (and sixteen other schools), you mean PWO offers, not a scholarship, right?

If a kid is turning down a MSU scholarship to be a PWO at NU, then we have truly arrived.

They were scholarships, E. He had 16 offers from a combination of MACs, Ivys, FCS, and others like Wyoming, Nevada and Air Force. His dream was to play Power Five, so he decided to walkon at NU. Then Michigan State offered him on Sunday. But he still stuck with NU. It was his dream to play at NU and he liked the coaches and players so much that he turned down a free ride from Sparty. How 'bout them apples?

 

[EvanstonCat]

They were scholarships, E. He had 16 offers from a combination of MACs, Ivys, FCS, and others like Wyoming, Nevada and Air Force. His dream was to play Power Five, so he decided to walkon at NU. Then Michigan State offered him on Sunday. But he still stuck with NU. It was his dream to play at NU and he liked the coaches and players that he turned down a free ride from Sparty. How 'bout them apples?

Dem apples be just fine.

I suppose it really is a different era from the one we knew before. Kids in this class weren't born when NU won their championships in 1995 and 1996. You have kids now who were lifetime NU fans, like Spivak was apparently, who were few if any back when I went to school and when Barnett came on board. Which (as Barnett's so called #1 fan boy I am obliged to point out) makes what he did back in the day so much more impressive.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Dem apples be just fine.

I suppose it really is a different era from the one we knew before. Kids in this class weren't born when NU won their championships in 1995 and 1996. You have kids now who were lifetime NU fans, like Spivak was apparently, who were few if any back when I went to school and when Barnett came on board. Which (as Barnett's so called #1 fan boy I am obliged to point out) makes what he did back in the day so much more impressive.

Ha... you really found a way to bring a thread about everyone's new favorite walk-on back to Barnett? Hilarious.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Ha... you really found a way to bring a thread about everyone's new favorite walk-on back to Barnett? Hilarious.

Yup! What would you expect of Barnett's #1 fanboy?

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Yup! What would you expect of Barnett's #1 fanboy?

Nothing less, believe me.

 

[epicbret]

This kid is phenomenal. Had the pleasure of seeing him play, and Czech version of Minnesota's Steve Richardson.

 

[Hungry Jack]

This kid is phenomenal. Had the pleasure of seeing him play, and Czech version of Minnesota's Steve Richardson.

I was trying to think of comps, and Richardson came to mind. Richardson had a major chip on his shoulder because major programs largely ignored him (was he a candidate for NU academically?). He'll probably play on Sunday.

 

[epicbret]

I was trying to think of comps, and Richardson came to mind. Richardson had a major chip on his shoulder because major programs largely ignored him (was he a candidate for NU academically?). He'll probably play on Sunday.

I loved SRich at Mount Carmel, and thought he was was under-recruited. He's also proven to be underrated as a collegian. As a nose, he's played at an All-Conf level in 2 of 3 years.

They have both heard it, both similarly motivated kids, and both smart.

 

[NorthNJCatsfan]

I was trying to think of comps, and Richardson came to mind. Richardson had a major chip on his shoulder because major programs largely ignored him (was he a candidate for NU academically?). He'll probably play on Sunday.

A comp maybe is Jim Burt ( who , BTW, invented the gatorade post game shower )

 

[corbi296]

A comp maybe is Jim Burt ( who , BTW, invented the gatorade post game shower )

I remember Burt. Great player but I remember being in the 6"2 range. The best comp for Spivak is another local boy done good, Chris Zorich. Very similar body types.

 

[NorthNJCatsfan]

I remember Burt. Great player but I remember being in the 6"2 range. The best comp for Spivak is another local boy done good, Chris Zorich. Very similar body types.

Thought he was shorter, but couldn't remember his height. Tried to google it without success. In any event, regardless of how apt the comparison, very glad to see Spivak is a 'Cat.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Thought he was shorter, but couldn't remember his height. Tried to google it without success. In any event, regardless of how apt the comparison, very glad to see Spicak is a 'Cat.

Listed at 6-1 on a couple sites (NFL.com and ProFootballReference).

 

[NorthNJCatsfan]

Listed at 6-1 on a couple sites (NFL.com and ProFootballReference).

Thx. Will use these in future ....

 

[SmellyCat]

This guy sounds great. He is going to definitely wear uniform #1 at some point in his tenure.

 

[Hungry Jack]

The Joe Spivak image library on the Internet is already approaching legendary status. Check these out:

Signature shot

Check out the blood!

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

The Joe Spivak image library on the Internet is already approaching legendary status. Check these out:

Signature shot

Check out the blood!

Tommy Boy with some muscle.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Tommy Boy with some muscle.

He kind of looks like Jack Black to me.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

He kind of looks like Jack Black to me.

I can see that too. Either way, I like the cut of his jib.

 

[Williesfan]

He kind of looks like Jack Black to me.

My initial thought was John Belushi, however I see Jack Black.

 

[Gladeskat]

John Belushi was a pretty decent MLB for Wheaton Central HS back in the day.

 

[phatcat]

He'll probably play on Sunday.

Tomorrow?

 

[Hungry Jack]

John Belushi was a pretty decent MLB for Wheaton Central HS back in the day.

Did his training table include little chocolate donuts?

 

[epicbret]

that last pic is ripe for the shoppin'

 

[Overly_Invested_Cat]

He kind of looks like Jack Black to me.

Meatloaf? Anyone?