Sophomore Mark Asper has really come into his own this year. He’s started every game and gelled with the rest of the unit. The Emerald recently caught up with the fun-loving tackle from Idaho Falls, Ida. to talk about life, his kid and mini-golf.
 
OREGON DAILY EMERALD: What do you like to do in your free time?
 
MARK ASPER: Hang out with my wife and kid. Go to the movies. Go out to eat. Hang out with these guys as much as possible when there isn’t school or work to be done.
 
ODE: What’s your wife’s name?
 
MA: Michelle.
 
ODE: What’s your kid’s name?
 
MA: Kayla. She’s eight and a half months (old).
 
ODE: So it sounds like you’re pretty busy.
 
MA: Yeah, and I have a part-time job. My wife and I are apartment managers for Umbrella Properties. I don’t have much free time.
 
ODE: What sports do you like outside of football?
 
MA: The wife and I hit up the miniature golf every now and again, but I enjoyed basketball a lot in high school. It was big in southeast Idaho, where I was from, and I had a good coach. I played with the same group of games from eighth grade on so it was a lot of fun. I wasn’t very good individually, but when I was with those guys, it made it look like I knew what I was doing. We won a state championship and everything … I haven’t played it for a while. If I tried to shoot now, I’d probably have no touch. Just bang the ball off the glass … plus I weigh about 50 pounds more than I did in high school, so I can’t dunk anymore.
 
ODE: Who wins in mini golf?
 
MA: She usually wins. We tied the last time we went. We went on a triple date one time with Jordan (Holmes) and Max (Unger) and a couple of girls they strung along, and she beat all of us, man. She was on fire. She plays it off like, “I just want to have fun and I hope everyone does good,” but she gets out there and Tiger Woods it and follows it in and punches it through.
 
ODE: What is it like running out of the tunnel on game day?
 
MA: Hard, you have to run almost 100 yards (laughs). It’s exciting … it’s like you’re caged-up and you can’t come up. There’s the poor girl there making sure you won’t leave until the clock is at the right time, and she keeps having to scoot back and scoot back. But it’s exciting.
 
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