Kansas Football: Interview with 12-Offer 2021 Norton OL/DL Christien Hawks
By Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
Christien Hawks helped lead Norton High School to an appearance in the 2019 Kansas 2A state championship game but unfortunately the Blue Jays fell short. Going into the 2020 season, Hawks and the rest of his teammates are working hard and focused on reaching that ultimate goal of holding up that trophy at the end of the season.
The 6’6”, 255-pound, pure athlete utilizes his great speed and quickness on both the offensive and defensive line and also possesses a quick jump off the snap of the ball in the trenches. Hawks also uses his tremendous aggression and strength to deliver big blocks and hits to his opponents. This mountain of a man has been clocked running a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash.
This Class of 2021 recruit currently holds 12 college offers including Air Force and Arkansas State and is also drawing interest from Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska. Hawks is not only a workhorse on the field and the weight room but also in the classroom as he currently holds 3.8 GPA.
In an exclusive Recruiting News Guru interview, I caught up with the Norton star to get an update on his recruiting process and discuss his junior season.
Interview
Christien, how would you grade your individual performance last season and why?
“I think that I played very well for a junior in high school and that I played well above the average, but there’s always room to improve.”
What was your most memorable moment?
“The most memorable moment of this last year was beating the No. 1 team in the state on our field at sub-state, and when our kicker Luke Wahlmeier sunk the game winning field goal.”
What are your strengths on the football field?
“I believe my strengths on the football field are my knowledge of our plays, my quickness, my strength, and my overall aggression on both sides of the ball.”
Did you receive any individual honors?
“I received first team 2A All-State offensive lineman from the Wichita Eagle. I also received MCL first team offensive lineman and defensive tackle. I also received 2A All-State honorable mention from the Topeka Capital Journal. My favorite achievement is the 2019 Top 100 Non-Senior First Team Offensive Lineman.”
What type of challenges did you face in your junior season?
“At the beginning of my junior season I had to overcome an injury I had previously gotten the year before mentally. I wasn’t able to go to any camps that summer so I gained weight; that wasn’t very good.”
How did you overcome your challenges?
“The way I defeated those challenges was going to the weight room and busting my tail off every day, and hitting bags full-speed all the time. This allowed me to lose the bad weight and gain muscle. I overcame mentally by pushing through the thresholds my mind had created, and now my body is running better than it ever has.”
What is your practice and workout schedule like during the offseason?
“This is the very first offseason I have ever had, because I’ve always been involved with many different sports. Without all these sports going on and when the weight room opens up Monday, I’m going to continue to go there every day and work hard, eat lots of food, and keep doing agility work with my father.”
What are you working on the most during the offseason?
“I’m working on my technique and my strength the most during the off-season.”
What do you like most about playing as an offensive lineman?
“The thing that makes playing on the offensive line so much fun for me is that I know where my man needs to go, and I have so many angles that I can work with. I love knowing where I need to go and driving people into the dirt.”
Is there an NFL player that you try to model your game after?
“The NFL players that I want to become one day are Chris Jones and Aaron Donald. I know that they are both defensive tackles but I think that I play like a defensive tackle on offense. They are both so aggressive, quick, and strong. They are so much fun to watch, and I will do whatever it takes to become like them.”
Do you have any college offers?
“I have a total of 12 offers, nine of which are Division-I. The offers are from Arkansas State, Air Force Academy, Coastal Carolina, Southeast Missouri State, Akron, Eastern Michigan, Texas State, Southern Illinois, and South Dakota. The Division-II offers are from Fort Hays State and Washburn University, and I have also received an offer from Graceland University, who is NAIA.”
What other schools are showing you interest at this time?
“I have been receiving a lot of love from Kansas and Kansas State. Kansas coach Luke Meadows has been texting me every weekday so far. I’ve also been in contact with Nebraska as well.”
Have you been on any college visits?
“I was invited to a Kansas State game and also to Iowa State for a Junior Day. I loved what Kansas State showed me there and the atmosphere of the stadium and the field. It gave me goosebumps for sure.”
What is your favorite subject in school and why?
“My favorite subject in school are the science classes, this year it was Anatomy and Physiology. I like learning about how the body works because I’m wanting to go into that kind of field of study at college. Physical therapy to be more exact.”
What is your GPA?
“My GPA is 3.8.”
What do you like most about playing at Norton Community High School?
“The thing I like most about playing football at NCHS is the family aspect of the team and how hard our coaches work us. My father is my offensive line coach and our defensive coordinator, so he coaches me a lot. I like that he’s my coach here because he teaches me a lot of stuff that athletes do at the college level, and because he coached at Fort Hays.”
Do you have any early goals for your senior season?
“My main goals for my senior season are to be a huge presence on the field, be a leader on both sides of the ball, and to always play lower on both sides of the ball.”
Do you have a favorite quote or bible verse?
“Psalm 144:1 – “Blessed be the Lord my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.””
Thank you for your time and good luck in your senior season.
“Thank you, sir.”
Photo credit: Twitter.com; Norton OL/DL Christien Hawk during his visit to Iowa State
Photo credit: Twitter.com; Norton OL/DL Christien Hawk (50) with his teammates