Great catch: Bloomington North's Aidan Steinfeldt reveals college choice

BLOOMINGTON — When Aidan Steinfeldt went to Huntington, West Virginia he found out that "We are Marshall!" is far more than just a slogan.

It’s a way of life, a rallying cry to the never-to-be-forgotten tragic plane crash in 1970 that took the lives of 37 players and eight coaches from the 1970 Thundering Herd football team.

The Bloomington North senior All-State tight end sees current third-year head coach Charles Huff and tight ends coach Derek Shay as great caretakers of that legacy who are ready to lift the Herd to another level. He also saw their upset at then-No. 8 Notre Dame this year.

Steinfeldt wants to be a part of that rise, in the end choosing Marshall’s offer over neighboring West Virginia. That both schools are in the same state is a mere coincidence, he said.

Steinfeldt made his announcement on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.

“I was really big on West Virginia,” Steinfeldt said. “I loved everything about them. But there were a lot more things for Marshall in why I fit there more.

“I love the enthusiasm Coach Huff brings to the program. He’s a great coach, coming from Penn State and Alabama. They have a winning program under him and in a couple years, they will be at a Power 5 level.”

He sees Marshall as a place he can come in and play and compete for the spot right away. Shay came to Marshall from LSU after its championship season in 2019 and he’s not afraid to put freshmen on the field right away.

“He said he’s thinking I’m that guy who can be that freshman who plays,” Steinfeldt said.

Steinfeldt was named Indiana Football Coaches Association 5A Junior All-State for a second time after his junior season. He was also All-Conference Indiana again and a repeat All-Area pick. He has earned invitations to some of the nation's top football camps and had interest from dozens of schools, including Notre Dame, Minnesota, Ohio State, Auburn and Illinois, and offers from numerous D-Is including Indiana.

Over his career, Steinfeldt has 1,149 yards and 17 touchdowns receiving on 101 receptions. Last year, he had 59 catches for 549 yards and nine scores, all career highs.

Green and mean

Steinfeldt said it‘s been a while since he saw the 2006 film, but he felt its spirit in real life during his visit. Having such an enthusiastic fan base was a strong draw for him.

“The community loves the football team,” Steinfeldt said. “It’s not the biggest town, but they always have strong support. The city is unreal.

“When I was looking at schools, the support you get from the fans, at other schools I looked at, it’s not always the best. At Huntington, they love the team and I love the situation there. The longevity that Coach Huff brings is also big. He’s got big plans and they’ve done renovations to the stadium and the weight room.”

Marshall went 9-4 last year, including a win at Notre Dame, and won its Myrtle Beach Bowl game over Connecticut, 28-14. The Thundering Herd are members of the Sun Belt Conference. The 2024 schedule includes trips to Virginia Tech and Ohio State.

Help from home

Aiden is following his older brother Aaron to the Division I level and was able to turn to Aaron, a tight end at IU, and his dad, who played at Yale. Yes, Aidan considered IU but ultimately saw Marshall as the better fit for him.

“My brother said you're going to be around your position coach and strength coach more than anyone else,” Steinfeldt said. “He told me to see how the players relate to the position coach and how the coach relates to the players.

“(Shay) will love you up, pick you up and rip into you when you need it. And the strength coach (Ben Ashford) brings unbelievable energy. When me and my dad talked, we both liked the coaches. I thought they were the best of anywhere I had been.”

Running a pro route

This summer, Steinfeldt has been looking to improve his speed and as always, improve his blocking techniques. Part of the appeal for Marshall is that the way it uses its tight ends is similar to what he’s doing at North and it won't be long before team workouts pick up again.

More: Division I colleges calling on Bloomington North's Aidan Steinfeldt

Getting the decision out of the way before the season was also important. He plans to sign as soon as he can in the December signing period.

“I wanted to get it done,” Steinfeldt said, “so I can focus on the season and our goals and the team being the best it can and me being the best player and best captain and best team leader I can.”

Steinfeldt is looking at studying business along with psychology and possibly journalism, but naturally has the pro game as part of his long-term plans, too. It wasn't always that way.

“I dream of playing in the NFL," Steinfeldt said. "That's what I work for every day and this is the next step to achieving that. So I'm just trying to be the best player I can be and maybe everything will work itself out from there.

"I remember seeing brother signing with IU. My freshman year, I didn't have many DIs chasing me so I was just having fun. But when I saw him sign, I thought, this is something I can do. This will be my route."

Contact Jim Gordilllo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington North's Aidan Steinfeldt reveals college football choice