'Great for our community': Landon Gauthier could be latest Bay Port star to shine at Wisconsin
When Landon Gauthier joined the Bay Port football program four years ago, longtime coach Gary Westerman told the linebacker and his parents during early meetings with the family that he didn’t believe they would have to pay for a college education.
“Now what level that is, you never know,” Westerman said. “Is it Illinois State? NDSU? At the end of the day, I was pretty confident that he wasn’t going to need his college fund.”
Westerman’s hunch turned out to be correct.
Not only has the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Gauthier received the opportunity to play at the collegiate level, he gets to do it at his dream school after announcing Wednesday his commitment to the University of Wisconsin.
He is the third Pirates player to join the Badgers since Westerman was hired at Bay Port in 2012, joining former quarterback-running back Alec Ingold and offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen.
Those two are now in Florida playing in the NFL, with Ingold a member of the Miami Dolphins and Van Lanen with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Gauthier also is the latest Bay Port product to commit to a Big Ten school under Westerman, a list that along with Ingold and Van Lanen includes Michigan running back Isaiah Gash, Iowa linebacker Jayden Montgomery and former Hawkeyes offensive lineman Jack Plumb.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Gauthier said. “It really takes a lot of weight off my shoulders. Homegrown, I feel like I made the right decision. I’m 100% committed to it. I’m really excited.”
Gauthier probably could have kept his recruitment open a few more months and received even more offers from notable schools going into his senior season, but there really was no reason to wait.
No other program was likely to lure him away from playing for the Badgers, although many recruiters have attempted their best since the beginning of the year.
Gauthier received his offer from Wisconsin on Jan. 28 after previously getting offers from Minnesota, Syracuse and Ohio University earlier that month.
He visited Madison several times and liked what he heard from the incoming coaching staff when Luke Fickell was hired as the Badgers’ new coach.
Gauthier met incoming defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Mike Tressel in January, and an offer from the Badgers soon followed.
Tressel served in the same position under Fickell at the University of Cincinnati the past two years. In his first season with the team, he helped develop six future NFL players.
Wisconsin had a lot to like, but Gauthier received another significant offer when Stanford came calling in February.
He visited the school the following month.
What made that offer so intriguing is that Stanford had hired three former Badgers defensive assistants in December — outside linebackers coach Bobby April III, defensive line coach Ross Kolodziej and inside linebackers coach Mark D’Onofrio — who had been part of Gauthier’s recruitment while still at Wisconsin.
It at least gave the Cardinal a shot at landing Gauthier.
“Obviously, I grew close with those guys over that period that they were at Wisconsin,” Gauthier said. “Once they moved to Stanford, they offered me. Stanford was definitely high on my list, but Wisconsin, I loved the new staff. The new regime, it’s different for sure.”
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Gauthier has been one of the top prep defensive players in the state since his sophomore season.
He will be even more vital to the Pirates this fall with the graduation of fellow linebacker and two-time Fox River Classic Conference defensive player of the year JoJo Azure, who will play at North Dakota State.
Gauthier is coming off a junior campaign in which he had 87 total tackles, 3 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception to help lead the Pirates to a WIAA Division 1 semifinal playoff game against eventual state champion Kimberly.
Gauthier was an honorable mention all-state selection by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association.
With his college future decided, he can concentrate on his final season with no distractions.
“For sure,” said Gauthier, who is participating in track and field for the first time this spring. “I’m locked in on my high school team right now. I’m going to be a big leader on the team and stepping into a new position.
“I’m excited. I’m part of the Badger family. Nothing to worry about right now.”
Westerman thought his pupil might have been a bit underrecruited early on, but it started to pick up when his high-level potential became undeniable and he got even bigger and stronger than he already was when he entered high school.
Nothing was given to Gauthier. He has earned everything.
“He’s just a great kid,” Westerman said. “Really excited for his opportunity. He has worked really hard to get to where he is in terms of changing his body. It’s one thing to be 6-3½, but it’s another thing to work hard enough to be 6-3½ and 235 (pounds). He has put in that work.
“We are just excited for him. Really, it’s just great for our community. Not just the football program, but to hopefully watch him play on Saturdays, that brings a lot of community pride any time you can do that.”
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Landon Gauthier could be latest Bay Port star to shine at Wisconsin
