Interview: Power Five College Coaches Quickly Catching on to Australian JUCO FB/LS Tim O’Donnell

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

An invasion is in process for American style football with a growing popularity of the sport in Australia. Not only are the new found players loving and adopting the game as their own, they are showing they can excel on the gridiron just as well as their American brethren.

There is a widely popular sport in Australia that helps make the transition onto the gridiron easier – rugby. Rugby is a lot like football, just without pads. The “kill the man with the ball” mentality is the same, as is catching the ball and running for a score with an occasional kick of the ball. The use of pads, technique, learning plays, and schemes is the bigger rub.

The invasion of Australians to America playing football is usually thought of with punters, but there are a few breaking through at other positions. One of the few breaking through paving a path forward for the future is Tim O’Donnell.

O’Donnell is that rare athlete that can thump a linebacker in the hole playing fullback and long snap with the best of them in the country. After just one camp with long snapping specialist Chris Rubio, O’Donnell was rated as a four-star recruit. The 5-11, 242 pound, talent can more than hold his own knocking defenders out of the way for his running backs with weight room maxes at 575 on squat, 330 on power clean, dead-lifts 405 pounds 12 times, and can bench press 225 pounds 31 times – all on video for everyone to verify without a wink and a smile.

College coaches may wonder about his speed both playing fullback and snapping. Not only is O’Donnell consistently accurate with his snaps to both a punter and holder, but is also at that .67 to .68 range. At fullback, he is not a rock with a helmet on posting a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash at a Wisconsin camp this summer.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with O’Donnell to learn more about the mystery man that college coaches are finally starting to clue in on for the 2017 class.

Interview

Tim, give me a little bit about your background. Which sports did you play in Australia?

“I played rugby for 10 years, cricket, and everything I could. We have development academies in Australia. The development academies are filled by pro teams that scout potential players and place them in these academies to develop for professional sports. We don’t have college sports that severs the same purpose in Australia. I was signed to one of the academies out of high school. That helped me develop physically and expand my athleticism.”

When did you start playing football in America?

“In 2015 I was at Butte College in California, the Roadrunners. I didn’t play as much as I had hoped when there. I was still getting used to the speed of the game. They had a third-year fullback that they loved. I had a pretty good season. I had a decent year with a steep learning curve at fullback. I was in a good spot to return but I had troubles with my visa. I got stuck in Australia. NDSCS (North Dakota State College of Science) was a team that could help me get my papers squared away and come back to the states to start playing again.”

NDSCS had a really good season in 2016 going 9-2 losing in the championship game to Central Lakes. How did this season go for you?

“I redshirted this year after I missed the first five games getting my visa situation worked out. At that point there was no reason to play. Redshirting should work out to my benefit. I will be a sophomore next season with more experience under my belt.”

tim-odonnel-tire-workout-2016-500

You played fullback your freshman year. At fullback, what are some of the things you do well?

“Our coaches know how to best utilize me. With my background in rugby, I am very tough to bring down in the open field. Rugby is a one-on-one game. I have shiftiness to my game and one guy cannot bring me down. Catching the ball is second nature to me. I have exceptional hands which catches a lot of people off guard. I have 4.6 speed – the coaches at NDSCS were going to use me in screen packages to utilize those skills this season.

“In the I-formation, I am an impact blocker. My 10-yard split is really quick. I can get on a linebacker quick and at that point it is game over. I play low when I come out of a three-point stance. I’m better in a three-point stance than standing up at this point.”

I know some schools are looking at you as a long snapper too. What is your average snap speed?

“Right now I’m at a .67 to .68. I’m getting really close to breaking that speed.”

What about your accuracy? How accurate are you?

“Using the (Chris) Rubio zone, which is shoulder width and chest to top of the knees, I’m always within the zone. At a Wisconsin camp I was a perfect 5-of-5 with the laces out on accuracy.”

tim-odonnell-long-snapping-2016

How did the Wisconsin camp go for you overall this summer?

“I destroyed their camp. I weighed in at 240 and I was perfect with my snaps. They invited me back the next day. I knew they were looking for a snapper, that’s why I attended their camp.”

Which schools are showing recruiting interest in you right now?

“Missouri, Oregon State – they contacted me the other day. Oregon State has used a lot of Australian punters. I know a lot of them through the academy. Playing at a school with an Australian punter would be big for me. New Mexico State is showing interest. Wisconsin was interested until the Mizzou snapper committed there. Arizona State is looking into me.

“A few D-II schools like Henderson State (Arkansas). Arizona State has shown some interest. Everything is starting to pick up. Mississippi State asked for my transcripts too. Most of my interest has been in the last week or so.”

You recently took a visit to Missouri, have you taken any other visits?

“Missouri is my first one. I don’t know if you would call the Wisconsin camp a visit.”

You could, they asked you to come back the next day. How did your visit to Missouri go?

“I had a great time at Missouri. They had a legit visit set up. Some schools ask you to see the game and that is it. I was with the team, I got to see the school and campus. I saw the football facilities. They are building a lot more. We watched the game, I got to go on the sidelines – it was a great experience. I met a bunch of the players and some of the coaches as well.

“They showed me some film on what they would want me to do if I went there. I sat down with Coach (Barry) Odom (head coach) the next day. He wanted to get to know me some more. They did not expect me to be so big. They said I am their guy, once I clear the clearing house.”

What did the coaches talk to you about in respect to your game?

“They told me that I am the best at what I do by far with the overall package. It is one thing to snap, but it is another to get downfield and have physicality when you get there. They looked at some of the other kids and said they are nowhere close to you.”

Do you have any other visits coming up?

“No, not yet. All the interest is new. We’ll see what happens.”

What is your cumulative GPA?

“I have a 3.0.”

When is your graduation date?

“Either in December or in the spring. I’m not 100 percent on that. I am waiting for my qualifier information. I’ve been told different things about what can be used from Australia. Bottom line, I will only be a sophomore next season. I have three years left to play regardless of when I graduate from NDSCS.”

Two final questions for you. What made you want to play American football?

“For me, basically I got to the point with rugby where I was hitting my ceiling. I did really well in rugby and I was a big recruit out of high school. I received a scholarship for rugby in high school. The funny thing is, friends of mine played American football when I was 14. They asked me to play but I said ‘nah.’ I started getting nagging injuries in rugby. I met an American football coach at my gym. He said I should come play for them. He said ‘you’re a big boy.’

“My first game was the Down Under Bowl. They have high school students playing games while they travel, like a club sport (Bayside Ravens). I played with a bunch of Texas guys. I made the team when I tried out. I was playing against guys that were all in their late 20’s. I was playing against grown men. That tape got me to the states.”

What is your motivation when playing football?

“For me, being an athlete, I always wanted to be the best. When Marshawn Lynch went beast mode in the playoffs, that was the first time I had seen American football. I fell in love with the game. It fits my skill set. I’m strong and powerful. I started watching college and NFL ball, I just fell in love with it.

“Someone asked me if I won the lottery would I still want to play the game? I said ‘yes.’ That’s when it really hit me how much I love the game. When the national anthem plays you get that feeling, that feeling that you want to take someone’s head off. I love the competition. Football is great. You line up against someone and either you dominate them or they dominate you. Football is fun for me. It is tailored for me.

“As far as college goes, I want to make it to the highest possible level. I want to say I played with the best. I want to help pave the way for other Australians coming behind me. There are two more guys coming to the states because of me. Right now we are looked down upon because of the level of play in Australia but there are two guys from Australia that went in the NFL draft last year. There are guys playing at Alabama. We are paving the way for the sport back home. As we succeed they pay attention back home. I want to go as high as possible. I want to see how high I can take it.”

Tim, thanks for your time today and good luck with everything going forward.

“Thank you.”

Please help keep RecruitingNewsGuru.com FREE!

If RNG has helped you, a friend, or a family member through an article, video, or stylized interview with our countless hours of free promotion for high school, junior college, and college athletes – please donate. Any amount is appreciated!

Photo credit: Fish; No. 44 Tim O’Donnell at BC JUCO (2015).

Photo credit: O’Donnell family; Tim O’Donnell long snapping.

Photo credit: O’Donnell family; Tim O’Donnell doing a tire workout.