Florida 2017 FB Chase Lasater All Positives about Auburn after Official Visit

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

There are a lot of Florida High School teams no one wants to play but there are very few lower classification teams that truly put fear in the eyes of their competitors at all levels the way Trinity Christian Academy does year in and year out. The Conquerors have a lot of next level talent on their 3 A squad but one of the key pieces to the Jacksonville squad’s 11-3 run in 2016 was all-around athlete Chase Lasater.

Lasater was that go-to guy for head coach Verlon Dorminey capable of playing running back, fullback, tight end, H-back, defensive end, defensive tackle, and linebacker – and did it all. The 6-2, 228 pound, standout picked up 56 yards on 12 carries behind fellow 2017 tailback Rasheed Martin. In 11 games played, some out of position at tackle, Lasater had 31 tackles, 18 solo, 8.5 tackles for a loss, and three sacks.

The one-time Michigan commit at fullback opened his recruitment back up in mid-October fielding several offers along the way from Power Five Conference schools in the SEC and Big Ten among others. As National Signing Day quickly approaches, the committable offers have narrowed with a few key teams still on Lasater’s short list. One of the top teams is a big one, the Auburn Tigers.

Lasater took an official visit to Auburn over the weekend with his parents coming along to check out the program on the Plains. In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with Lasater to get the inside scoop on how the official visit turned out.

Interview

Chase, the million dollar question, how did your official visit to Auburn go?

“I had a great time. All the coaches showed a lot of love. We saw the campus, the stadium, the weight room, and hung out with the players. We went to Coach (Gus) Malzahn’s (head coach) house. Tyler Taylor (2017 Georgia LB), Calvin Ashely (2017 Washington D.C. OT), and I hung out a lot. The coaches, the staff, and all the players made me feel very comfortable during my visit. I really enjoyed my visit.”

Which position is Auburn recruiting you to play?

“H-Back – Chandler Cox’s role.”

When you met with the coaching staff, how did they see you in fitting into their scheme?

“They told me that I would do the exact same thing Chandler does. I might touch the ball more in their system under their new offensive coordinator (Chip Lindsey). Coach Malzahn said I have good speed and they could get me out in the flats to help move the chains. He showed me the role I would have and the blocks I would make in their system. I really like their offensive scheme.”

You see yourself thriving in Auburn’s offense system?

“Most definitely. I do see myself thriving in their system.”

When did you get to campus and what all did you do during your visit?

“I was there for three days, Friday through Sunday. They showed me around as soon as I got there. We did something different every day. They informed use about their academics, saw the stadium, and met with Coach Malzahn. We had a guide that would take us everywhere we wanted to go and to see anything we wanted to see. All the time three was filled showing us around.”

Did you get to spend time with Coach Lindsey during your visit?

“I talked to him months ago when he was at Arizona State. We spoke briefly on Saturday night. He had just come in from a visit. We talked a little bit about the offense and how he wants to have a spread and power scheme. That was about it. We did not get into too much depth then.”

Your mom and dad went with you on the trip, what did they think about Auburn?

“They love the idea of Auburn. I know they hit it off with Coach (Scott) Fountain (tight ends coach) and Coach Malzahn. They liked the atmosphere there. The Auburn coaches were a lot less business and more about the personal part. At Auburn, they were talking about family, values, and the team aspect.”

When is the next contact with Auburn?

“Coach Malzahn is supposed to do an in-home visit by Tuesday. We had a death in the family so I am leaving Tuesday evening. If not then, later in the week if he does not come by on Monday.”

Sorry about your loss.

“Thank you.”

What are your lasting thoughts on Auburn?

“I had a great time on my visit. Coach Malzahn and his staff, they are all great guys. I loved the campus and Auburn is SEC football.”

Which other schools besides Auburn have been hitting you up recently?

“I get a lot of DM (direct messages). I’m not sure how serious to take some of the coaches reaching out. Is there really a chance for an offer? Besides Auburn, Oregon, Memphis, Baylor, Miami, Minnesota, and Michigan State have been in contact with me over the last week or so.”

Do you have any other official visits set?

“As of now, I have none set. Memphis might get my last visit. I think they feel strongly about me playing for them.”

With National Signing Day on Feb. 1, have you started thinking about when you might commit?

“Honestly that is a tough one. I may wait until National Signing Day. We’ll see how the in-home visit goes with Coach Malzahn. If not, I will wait until Signing Day.”

Chase, thanks for your time today. Good luck with the in-home visit.

“Thanks.”

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Photo credit: Lasater family; Chase Lasater with head coach Gus Malzahn

Photo credit: scout.com; Chase Lasater pre-game.