Spartan Spirit

Former Pali High Lineman Is Adapting to Life as a Football Player at a Small College in the Midwest

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

A three-year varsity lineman at Pali High, TJ Michel is now a freshman at the University of Dubuque, a Division III program in rural Iowa. He recently shared with the Palisadian-Post his thoughts on football, life in the Midwest, his passion for flying, and his future goals: 

PP: What was it like living away from home for the first time? What is the biggest adjustment you had to make? 

TJ: Like any freshman it’s quite the change.  Living on your own, doing your laundry, budgeting your time, dorm food—anyone who has gone away to college knows what I’m talking about. In my case, being an aviation major and playing football made time management quite the challenge, but so far so good.

PP: What is life in Dubuque like? Do you live in the dorms? Do you have teammates for roommates? Have you gotten used to the cold weather? 

TJ: Dubuque is a great typical midwestern town, a real college town as there are two other small universities there—including our crosstown rival.

My roommate this year was a teammate, but he had to quit due to injuries. Next year I’ll live with three teammates in an apartment-like dorm on campus staring at our football field.  We had a lot of freshmen not make the team or quit; only about one third of the original 70 freshmen are still on the roster.  The good news is I’m one of only three of 20 freshman offensive linemen remaining even though some will transfer in.

As for weather, I don’t think you ever get ready for weather that starts with a minus sign but it wasn’t that bad. The fall was beautiful but the winter got pretty nasty and long. The good news is we have a phenomenal indoor practice facility that we use a lot. It was just getting nice when the school year was called to an end.   

PP: Talk about your crosstown rivalry with Loras. What makes it so special?   

TJ: There are actually two other small universities there—including our crosstown rival, Loras College. It’s an intense rivalry as they are only 11 blocks away. It’s quite unique though in that you go to a restaurant and its half Dubuque and half Loras. It’s fun and the good news is we’ve beaten them nine times in a row. My favorite t-shirt is “Beat Loras…………………Again!”

PP: Did you get any playing time your first year? How did the team do? Is the coaching similar to what you experienced at Pali or completely different?

TJ: I played a lot during the week! Just kidding… no, I didn’t see game time but I did suit up. I was awarded scout player of the week twice, so I know my efforts are being recognized. It’s difficult after playing so much for the last three years to sit on the sidelines, but I also understand that college football is a different animal. Dubuque is a really good program in a really tough league. All of these guys were All-League or All-County or All-State in high school. They’re big and fast, but I know I can play with them as I’ve held my own during practice. All of our starting linemen were juniors and seniors and they all told me to stick with it as they never played their freshman year either.  We had some freshmen play at the skill positions but most linemen are in a learning curve understanding the offense and frankly getting stronger.

PP: What have you been doing to prepare for next season without spring practice? Lifting or working out on your own? What has been the biggest obstacle? Have your coaches given you a program to follow? 

TJ: Yes, we have a regimented workout schedule and I do them  after doing my online classes. I was really looking forward to spring practice but like all of us I understand that we all have to make sacrifices. I really feel for those seniors everywhere who don’t get to go to graduation or enjoy all that goes with it. The biggest obstacle is not having access to a weight room. I’m literally lifting filled propane cans and boxing in my backyard. When I left I was near the top of most of the lifting categories so I’m pleased with my strength and conditioning. I’m still 6-1 and hover around 300 pounds, maybe a little more with mom’s cooking. I’m benching 280 and need to get stronger as I’ve had some minor labrum issues but I’m squatting 400 and deadlifting 420. I’m really working on my quickness­—these guys are fast!

PP: Did you make it back for any Pali games last season? If so, what was it like to watch from the sideline or the stands? Do you keep in touch with Coach Tim Hyde or any of your Pali teammates?

TJ: Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to any games as we never had a bye week where I could come back but I did watch a couple of games on Facebook and my parents sent me the Palisadian-Post. I was real happy that they won the league championship, building on what we’d done the last three years. We told them when we graduated to keep this going and they have. To beat Venice three out of four years feels really good for all of us.

Yes, Coach Hyde has reached out via text and I’m grateful for that. He’s very supportive; he told me what to expect and he was right. I follow some of my teammates [on social media] but it’s hard to get together. I saw that Will Janney had a great year at College of Idaho and Jake Nadley had a medical redshirt but their program is one the rise. I also see Innocent Okoh and Brandon Castro are doing well at Presentation even though they had a rough year. It won’t be long until Syr Riley and Ari Sallus start making noise at Washington State and UC Davis and Quinn Perry should contribute at Colorado. I’m proud of our group and what we’ve done.

PP: When did you start playing football? Did you play other sports growing up?

TJ: I started playing flag football in fifth and sixth grade at the Pali Rec Center. I was too big to play tackle football. Then, in seventh and eighth grade I played tackle football for the Santa Monica and Westside Vikings. I loved it and we had really good teams. Some of my teammates went on to play at Venice—one reason why beating them was so sweet. We played a regional championship in Las Vegas one year on Thanksgiving day. We still laugh about having pizza on Thanksgiving because our game ended at around 7 p.m. I played baseball in Santa Monica for tow or three years and did well but it just didn’t hold my interest. We use to play near Santa Monica airport and I was playing third base. Because of my love of flying I’d check every plane in the air out. Even then I could tell what type of plan it was, like a Cessna. One time while I was looking up a line drive came right at me. Fortunately, I stuck my glove up just in time to save my teeth. That’s when I started focusing on football. I played one year of rugby and I enjoyed it, especially when I got to carry the ball. I did make it to a couple of the basketball playoff games, though, and it was so impressive how both teams did.

PP: What did you learn most in your freshman year? Did the Palisades program  prepare you well for college?

TJ: Pali did prepare me well on and off the field. In the classroom I owe a lot to my counselor  Steve Yusi for keeping everything in perspective. I think that time management is the biggest hurdle.On the field, Coach Hyde taught me and prepared me. There was a myth that Pali football didn’t prepare you for college football, well Coach Hyde’s alumni tell a different story. I’m fortunate I had a busy schedule. I didn’t have time to mess around. Even my Sundays were full as we had three to five hours of film study and prepping for the next week.

PP: How is your major going? Have you taken any aviation classes yet? Is being a pilot still the career path you wish to pursue? 

TJ: It’s going great! Yes, they started us flying the second day of classes. I love aviation, I love the classes and love flying. I get a rush out of taking off in Iowa, crossing the Mississippi into Illinois and then heading up to Wisconsin, all in 45 minutes! My classes are really small which is great, my current instructor is an Air Force graduate. The pandemic has put me behind a little on flying hours but I’ll make those up. I already have over 30 hours of flying time and the bulk of my classes are aviation-focused like meteorology, basic flight training such as understanding maps and now I’m moving into instrument training.   Yes, I want to be a pilot, I have ever since I was a kid. I know I’m very lucky to pursue my passion by flying an airplane in the morning and then playing football in the afternoon. In what specific industry I’ll go I’m not sure but they’re already recruiting us on campus. The good news is that even though the airlines are struggling with the pandemic there are still a ton of flying opportunities out there.

PP: What position do you anticipate playing this coming season and where are you on the depth chart? 

TJ: They have me playing right guard and I’m battling a senior for a starting job. My job is to get better every day and if I do that it will help the team.  We have a great running back who played his first year at University of Iowa and then transferred. He’ll be an All American. We finished last year with six straight wins to finish 7-3 and have a strong core returning. In Division III if you win your conference you get into the playoffs with 32 teams… that’s our priority. We played the No. 1 team in the country [in our division] even for three quarters last year, so we know we’re close.

PP: What do you like to do to relax or have fun there? Are people different in the Midwest?

TJ: Well, I’d like to say I’ve had a lot of time to relax, but that’s not the case with my major and football. However, Dubuque is a fun town and we’re only two and a half hours from Chicago. I’ve taken some friends down to the Field of Dreams, which is 20 minutes away.

Yes, Midwest people are more laid back, but they’re so down to earth. And what do I like the most? No traffic. Six miles is six minutes! There’s also more steakhouses than sushi houses, what a shock! They like their trucks and wide open spaces, just like me. I also like to shoot clay pigeons and targets and there’s a lot of that there too.

PP: What will you remember most about Pali? Is there a game or a locker room speech or a bus ride that sticks out? What accomplishment are you most proud of?

TJ: Well, fortunately there’s a lot to remember when in four years (including JV) you average nine wins and win three league championships and it should’ve been four as we let Fairfax off the hook. I have five things that come to mind.

1) Beating Venice on the road to end their 15-game winning streak over us. I was a sophomore and we dominated them like they’d never seen. The party on the field, people crying, Coach Hyde getting a Gatorade bath, the parents dancing on the field and then the bus ride home was the greatest. The shock absorbers on that bus had to have been replaced due to the way we got that thing rocking.

2) The big comeback at Hamilton that same season as a sophomore when I had a key fumble recovery. (Palisades overcame a 23-0 halftime deficit to prevail, 30-23).

3) We hosted our first Division I playoff game in 19 years against powerhouse Carson and they were big but soft. We dominated them, ran the ball down their throats and won, 41-0. Hearing the horns honking after the game and seeing the sold out stadium was really cool!

4) Unfortunately you remember the bad ones, too. It was my last game against Eagle Rock. They were the No. 2 seed, we were No. 7 and we should’ve beaten them, we just made too many mistakes and lost 24-21. I was fine until I saw my dad and then broke down realizing the season was over and my Pali career was over.

5) I’ll never forget the phone call we got telling us that [line coach] Larry Palmer had passed away. We’d become very close, texting and all. He was the first one to tell me I could play at the next level. I remember briefly speaking at his wake representing the team. It was tough but everyone applauded because they knew what Pali football meant to him. I really miss him.

PP: How much different is the college game? Players are bigger, faster and stronger, but what is the environment like? 

TJ: Except for the size of the field, everything is different.  Division III in the Midwest is pretty big time. We average about 6,000 to 8,000 fans a game and our road opener against Wisconsin Whitewater (which was a Division III finalist) had 18,000. Most of our travel is on a bus daily but we do have a couple of overnighters. Next year we open in Columbus, Ohio but no, we are not playing the Buckeyes.

At the end of the day, I know that God has blessed me. I get to chase my dream of being a pilot, still play a game that I love and pursue my college degree. I’m so thankful for my family, my coaches, my friends and of course Pali!   

PP: You and your family were forced to move last year. How hard was that? 

TJ: We currently live on El Medio right next to Pali because our house in the Highlands burned in a garage fire last March.  That really shook me seeing our whole house in flames. We’re in the process of rebuilding that house. It was tough seeing our house burn but we realize that since we got out safe that’s what really matters. We move back in August, right before I leave for school again!

PP: Where did you go to school before Pali High? Do you have any brothers or sisters who play sports? 

TJ: I started at Corpus Christi, but then went to Paul Revere Middle School before Pali. My younger brother Marcus is now a sophomore at Pali. He’s not athletically inclined even though he’s a better wakeboarder than I.  He says he’s going to try golf. I wish I had his height. He’s over 6-2 and still growing. In short, I’m proud that in three years our team had 25 wins, two league titles and two wins over Venice. I wish we’d done a little bit more, but we laid the groundwork.