I caught up with Rivals100 Michigan wide receiver commit Xavier Worthy's mother, Nicky, to get her thoughts on the family's first visit to Michigan. Here are some highlights from our interview.
On her overall thoughts on the visit: “It was good. We had a really good time. We just had to get out there. The dead period keeps getting further out, but the signing day keeps getting closer. I was like ‘we have to go.’ I always envisioned the first time that he went out to the college he committed to that it would be a family thing. I wanted his sisters to be there. We just had to do it. Michigan was really good. They gave us everything they could for a dead period self-guided tour. It gave us what we needed to get out there, walk around, look around and just breathe the air, which we needed to because it was cold as hell (laughs). By Day 2, we got used to it. But those things matter. As a Cali person going out there, you need to feel what that windshield is like. For us too since we’re going to be out there. It served it’s purpose. For a lack of better words, I thought it was going to suck with not being able to have officials. We’re out here on our own. But I’m so glad we went. I came home feeling better.”
On her thoughts on the campus and environment in Ann Arbor: “I got to be around some locals, and they’re hecka friendly. I feel like we’re not used to that. People here are really guarded. People there were super friendly and helpful. We watched the game at a restaurant. Even on the drive there, people were in their Michigan gear and had beer pong tables set up. It was really cool. It gave us a good vibe. It turned out better than I thought. I liked the campus. I’m not going to school there, but the area — I want to say it was central campus — was really nice. Even though it’s a big campus, I don’t feel like you would get lost in the sauce. It’s not like where you have a class here then you have to book it to the complete other side of campus. It was manageable. I felt like he would be comfortable. It was big but not too big.
On spending time with the Dixon family: “I like them. I think these boys are going to bring this Cali swag. I like Cristian’s vibe. To me, him and Xavier have that same quiet confidence thing going on. I like the vibe. I like his mom. We’re similar in the involvement we have with our boys and the expectations we have of them. That was really cool because I think they plan on rooming together. Some of their interests are similar. That was another plus. You want to know who your kid is rooming with. I want my son to be a good influence for him and vice versa. "
On her reaction to the fallout from Michigan’s loss to Michigan State: “A win would have been great while we were there, but it’s football. You win some, you lose some. Being a football mom for as long as I have, we’ve been around tough losses before. Right now, Jim Habraugh is the head coach, and Josh Gattis is the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. That’s what it is right now. That’s what we’re rolling with. We’re 100 percent committed and believe in Gattis’ speed in space game plan. Honestly, we can’t wait for Xavier to join the team and make some things happen. It didn’t faze me.”
On her overall thoughts on the visit: “It was good. We had a really good time. We just had to get out there. The dead period keeps getting further out, but the signing day keeps getting closer. I was like ‘we have to go.’ I always envisioned the first time that he went out to the college he committed to that it would be a family thing. I wanted his sisters to be there. We just had to do it. Michigan was really good. They gave us everything they could for a dead period self-guided tour. It gave us what we needed to get out there, walk around, look around and just breathe the air, which we needed to because it was cold as hell (laughs). By Day 2, we got used to it. But those things matter. As a Cali person going out there, you need to feel what that windshield is like. For us too since we’re going to be out there. It served it’s purpose. For a lack of better words, I thought it was going to suck with not being able to have officials. We’re out here on our own. But I’m so glad we went. I came home feeling better.”
On her thoughts on the campus and environment in Ann Arbor: “I got to be around some locals, and they’re hecka friendly. I feel like we’re not used to that. People here are really guarded. People there were super friendly and helpful. We watched the game at a restaurant. Even on the drive there, people were in their Michigan gear and had beer pong tables set up. It was really cool. It gave us a good vibe. It turned out better than I thought. I liked the campus. I’m not going to school there, but the area — I want to say it was central campus — was really nice. Even though it’s a big campus, I don’t feel like you would get lost in the sauce. It’s not like where you have a class here then you have to book it to the complete other side of campus. It was manageable. I felt like he would be comfortable. It was big but not too big.
On spending time with the Dixon family: “I like them. I think these boys are going to bring this Cali swag. I like Cristian’s vibe. To me, him and Xavier have that same quiet confidence thing going on. I like the vibe. I like his mom. We’re similar in the involvement we have with our boys and the expectations we have of them. That was really cool because I think they plan on rooming together. Some of their interests are similar. That was another plus. You want to know who your kid is rooming with. I want my son to be a good influence for him and vice versa. "
On her reaction to the fallout from Michigan’s loss to Michigan State: “A win would have been great while we were there, but it’s football. You win some, you lose some. Being a football mom for as long as I have, we’ve been around tough losses before. Right now, Jim Habraugh is the head coach, and Josh Gattis is the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. That’s what it is right now. That’s what we’re rolling with. We’re 100 percent committed and believe in Gattis’ speed in space game plan. Honestly, we can’t wait for Xavier to join the team and make some things happen. It didn’t faze me.”
