It’s been talked about at nauseum, since he was hired to replace Richard Pitino. Ben Johnson was brought it to close the recruiting walls on the state of Minnesota. Those who know him believe in his coaching abilities and everything else he brings to the table but recruiting local kids to the University of Minnesota is his #1 job.

So, how is he going to do it? Our own Stephen Strom landed Ben Johnson for an interview on Wake Up Minnesota! earlier this week and Stephen asked Ben that exact question. Here was the pitch from the new Gophers head basketball coach:

New #Gophers MBB coach, Ben Johnson, sat down with @SStrom_ this week to talk about his new gig, including how he plans to keep MN kids in MN.

: https://t.co/GjHiisbslT
????: https://t.co/HHnrLnpxNq
????: https://t.co/QPQX7hhqGm pic.twitter.com/0DhAp4Pc5I

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 9, 2021

Transcribed from video above:

Convincing them and showing them that they don’t have to leave to get everything they want. And that’s academically, socially and through basketball. That all their dreams and wishes can come true here in-state at the University of Minnesota. And I think that’s really important.

We have a lot to sell. Our facilities are just as good if not better than everybody’s across the country. We play in the best league, in my opinion, in the country. National exposure, obviously we’ve had a number of NBA players so we’ve developed that NBA talent. So now it’s just convincing them that, like I said, there’s nothing we can’t do here at Minnesota that you might be able to do somewhere else. We just need guys to believe in it, stay home, and do it.

Ben Johnson – via Wake Up Minnesota! w/ Stephen Strom

I’d highly recommend the entire interview. Ben and Stephen also dove into Johnson’s offensive philosophy and whether fans can expect more of a Nate Oats analytical approach or something more conventional. That wasn’t it though. Do you have a good nickname for Coach Johnson? Strom thought of a couple that you’ll either like or laugh at…

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Wake Up Minnesota, we have some new content to roll out for you!

Being an informed Minnesota sports fan is a lot of work. Unless you are going to wake up every morning, look through Twitter, read both newspapers and run 7 different google searches…. it’s going to be impossible to keep up with everything happening in the Minnesota sports world by the time you get to work or school. Not anymore.

We’re here to introduce a new kind of Minnesota morning show, where our only goal is to make you the smartest Minnesota sports fan you hang out with… minus all the Twitter notifications and research it takes to get there.

This is Wake Up Minnesota!

We will soon be on all podcast platforms but you can find us (and subscribe) on Apple, Google, and Spotify for now!

My name is Stephen Strom. I’m a podcast host for TalkNorth.com and producer in New York at SiriusXM. Here’s my story.

Growing up as a Minnesota sports fanatic in New York was a perplexing situation. Imagine walking into an elementary class full of students with a Marion Gaborik or Michael Cuddyer jersey on… “WTF is this guy” you could see the other kids whisper.

I remember coming home that day and asking my Dad, “why isn’t anyone wearing the same jersey as me?” He replied, “because we’re Minnesota sports fans.” Little did I know what was in store for the rest of my life.

I wore #7 in baseball just like you, pumped my chest when Adrian Peterson ran for 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers and cried with you when Brett Favre was destroyed in that gut-wrenching loss in the 2009-10 NFC Championship game.

Truth be told, I’ve always been with you. The long-suffering Minnesota fan who still cringes every time some kicker trots out for a 27 yard field goal, I am you.

But now, you can be with me. I’m jacked up to join the Minnesota Sports Fan Family, as a podcast personality and where I will host the all new morning show, “​Wake up Minnesota” ​three times a week.

I’m here to bring you four things: passion, opinions, knowledge, and entertainment. I want to make YOU are the smartest person in the office every morning that you listen!

I’m eager to be a part of your daily commute or first sip of coffee.

Let’s do this​ ​thing.

Stephen Strom | Minnesota Sports Fan