2021 recruit T.J. Bollers hoping to follow in father’s footsteps
By Tyler Devine
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Before his freshman year of high school has come to an end T.J. Bollers has already made a name for himself on the athletic fields.
Bollers started on the Clear Creek Amana baseball team last summer as an eighth-grader and is a starter on the Clippers basketball team this winter.
The future for Bollers will likely be in football and if he follows in his father’s footsteps it would be at Iowa.
Bollers, whose father Trevor Bollers played fullback at Iowa from 1996-98, recently received a scholarship offer from Iowa State and has also gotten interest from Iowa, among others.
That’s nothing to sneeze at, especially for a high school freshman who recorded 11 solo tackles and three sacks on defense and caught 16 passes for 135 yards at tight end for the Clippers this past season.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound T.J. Bollers would love an offer from Iowa, but right now he’s just glad his hard work has begun to pay off.
“(An offer from Iowa) would truly be a humbling opportunity for me and my family,” Bollers said. “As of right now I am appreciating any offer I get. I’m just thankful that at this point in time that colleges are considering me as a prospect.”
Bollers flashed his potential in his first season of high school football last fall playing defensive end and wide receiver for Clear Creek Amana.
The athleticism that is attracting college football coaches shows on the basketball court where Bollers is averaging 7.8 points and leads Clear Creek Amana with 8.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game.
Bollers doesn’t hold an Iowa offer yet but knows it is very early in his recruiting process.
“I haven’t heard anything so far,” T.J. Bollers said. “I probably won’t until the day of, if it happens. That’s how it went when Iowa State offered. My coach will know before I do.
“My dad has said not to expect a lot of contact other than on visits because I am still a freshman and there are contact rules they have to follow.”
Knowing that his father played under legendary coach Hayden Fry only serves as motivation for T.J. Bollers.
“Any offer from a division one school right now is huge,” T.J. Bollers said. “It’s not everyday that I get offered so I’m absolutely humbled by any offer I get. Knowing that my dad played for Iowa is great motivation for me as I keep progressing.”