Trinca-Pasat on Iowa

Later this summer, Iowa football recruit Louis Trinca-Pasat is going to Australia and he's going back to his Chicago home through Hawaii.

And, no, he's not playing Australian rules football while he's down there. It's American football with pads and everything, it's just in Australia. He'll be playing a on team composed of players from all 50 states.

"It should be fun," said the 6-3, 230-pound defensive lineman/tight end at Chicago's Lane Tech High School.

Iowa was the first school to offer Trinca-Pasat. Iowa offered Jan. 18. He said Iowa's coaching staff when he and his parents met them stood out. "My parents really liked everything," he said. "They liked the way they treated us. Kirk Ferentz is a first-class coach. They really like the coaches. They were just impressed. It was my first visit and my parents really liked it."

The Trinca-Pasats then made Iowa the "base" for other visits.

"As I went and visited other schools, I tried to see the positives and the negatives," Trinca-Pasat said. "I'd discuss with my parents and try to find the best fit. In the end, my family and I decided the best decision would be Iowa."

Wisconsin and Michigan State were also on his list. Stanford, Colorado and Illinois also offered.

On offense last season, Trinca-Pasat played tight end, but also split out at wide receiver "80 or 90 percent" of the time. He had eight TD receptions last season. That speaks well for his speed.

"I guess physically I had an advantage over a cornerback who was smaller," he said. "Our coaches exploited that."

At Iowa, Trinca-Pasat, who only started playing football when he entered high school, likely projects as a defensive end.

"I want to do whatever helps the team the most, and right now that looks like D-end," Trinca-Pasat said, "putting on that weight and at the same time maintaining my speed."

Trinca-Pasat is of Romanian descent. His parents are from Romania and have been in the country for 20 years. Of the family's five children, Louis is the only one who was born in the United States.

His accent is kind of a cross between Chicago and Eastern European.

"People say I have an accent, so I guess I do," he laughed.

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