Cooking: The Skill No Recruit Talks About

Noah and Lucas volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (YMSL)

Food is a constant in college football. These guys are either trying to bulk up or lean out while building muscle — there’s really no in-between. It’s part of the job.

I recently watched a video post from Shannon Mendez that stuck with me: the athletes who can consistently feed themselves are already ahead at the college level. Missing meals doesn’t just mean being hungry — it can show up as injury. That hit home.

So what does that mean for me? It means I need to pivot.

Instead of just making sure my high school senior is eating enough, I need to make sure he knows how to feed himself. College football won’t wait for him to figure it out. He won’t always have me there reminding him, planning meals, or handing him a plate.

I’ve got four months to level him up in the kitchen.

So here’s the plan: Sunday dinners are officially his responsibility. He’s cooking with me — learning how to grocery shop, prep, season, time everything out, and actually make meals that fuel his body. Not just frozen Mac and Cheese from Trader Joe's. Not just protein shakes. Real food.

If being able to feed yourself is an edge at the next level, then we’re taking that edge.

Game on.