The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Andrew Nemec interviewed Gabriel Sewell Sr. about his sons, Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell and five-star linebacker and Oregon target Noah Sewell, as well as how he handles the recruiting process as a parent and the decision timeline for Noah following his official visit to Oregon on October 26.

Andrew Nemec: When you go to Oregon, how much is about watching Penei play and how much is about Noah, and helping him and guiding him through his recruitment?

Gabriel Sewell Sr.: “So, this was a recruiting trip [in late October]. I mean, the bonus is being able to watch Penei play. On pretty much every recruiting trip we go on, we kind of let Noah go through his thing. It allows him to see things for himself, it allows him to see whether or not he fits in, to see what he likes and doesn’t like. As parents, we sit back and find the things that apply to us as parents and we try to see what his reactions are and how he feels.”

AN: How hard has it been with your four boys to let them make their own decision and let them go through the process as individuals versus telling them where you think the best fit is for them?

GS: “Here’s what it is at the end of the day – we come from a culture where parents are kind of in the driver’s seat, right? We’re brought up in a culture where you’re seen and not heard, you’re told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. Over the years, and I tell people a lot when they say, ‘Why don’t you just tell your kid where to go?’ I tell them, ‘I’m not going to rob him of the opportunity that he’s earned for himself.’ That’s number one. Number two, it’s his choice. He’s going to school. I’m not going to school. I’m not writing his papers. I’m not going to his practices. I’m not even living where he lives. So, he’s got to make that choice based on what he believes and he sees is the best fit for him.”

"One thing that especially Penei has taught me, or taught Arlene and I as parents, he based the decision on where he believed he would be the happiest. I believe the success that all my kids have had, and even Penei is having at this point, is predicated upon him being extremely happy where he’s at, doing what he’s doing where he’s at.”

AN: Have you found yourself growing into that answer, growing into doing that, or is that how you’ve been from the beginning?

GS: "You know, it wasn’t. When we did it with our other son it was still somewhat new. I’ve been a coach going on almost 20 years now, and with my former players I guided them in a different way. Over the years, having dealt with previous players and my sons, that’s something I’ve kind of grown into. My oldest son picked Nevada, at the time because that’s how he felt. Now, he’s gone through a coaching change and he may see things a little different now. Nephi went to Nevada thinking that his brother was there and it would automatically mean he’d be happy too, but over the course of time I don’t think that was the case. Penei did base his decision on what he believed was the best fit for him. I hope Noah does too. If it’s Oregon, great. If it’s somewhere else, so be it. It’s his journey. At the end of the day, they are all brothers that will never change.”

AN: Do you personally think, behind-the-scenes, for each of your sons, ‘This is where I hope they pick because they seem happiest there,’ or have you been in a situation where you’ve been lucky enough to feel comfortable with what they thought?

GS: “I think being a parent, it’s a constant and continuous process of growing. We’re about to be empty-nesters, I think they call It, and we’re still learning, because every kid’s journey, every kid’s process is different. We’d like to think we know everything, but the truth of the matter is we don’t. Maybe we have a few experiences that give us a little more insight into things, but again what I hope we’ve learned, and I hope it’s true, is that if you are going to ball, you are going to ball. If you are going to get a 4.0, you’re going to get a 4.0 no matter where you go. If that’s what you’re going to go in looking for, that’s exactly what you’re going to get out of it. Now I do know there are unique situations that may change things, but at the end of the day we let them make their choice, pray and support that everything goes the right way. But there’s nothing without adversity and trials.”

AN: I think it’s safe to say, and I hope this isn’t overstating with the success Penei is having, that he has the highest ceiling of the boys as far as his football future. Growing up, did he seem like he had potential to be a truly, truly special athlete the way he is? Did he stand out, even among his brothers, or has he taken off lately?

GS: “Come on, now. I don’t think anyone ever thinks of linemen as athletes. (Laughter). You know what I mean?”

“He had a conscious decision and choice that once he got there his mentality changed, his body changed, his work ethic and fine-tuning of habits that take you from being good to great and great to beyond that, he did a good job of changing those. Under the right tutelage and right situation with the people that are in the building, he’s just taken off and run with it.”

"When people ask, ‘Did you ever think…?’ I say, ‘You know what? I always thought my kids would be good. Or Penei would be… but I never thought it would be this quick… (sigh). And, this… quick (chuckle).”

AN: As far as your relationship with Mario Cristobal, what’s it like and would you say there’s quite a bit of trust between the two of you?

GS: “Most definitely there’s trust. If you just look at what’s happened to Penei – the success and happiness he’s had. That goes a long way in… You know, he sat in our living room…”

“You know, I’m going to tell you. I don’t know if you’d like me to share this story.”

“The night they played Boise State and lost in the Las Vegas Bowl [December 16, 2017], they had already planned to come visit us for Penei’s in-home visit. Unfortunately, I just got out of surgery and I was in the hospital and I told them they didn’t have to come prior to arriving in Vegas. Then when they lost the game, I told my wife, ‘Tell them not to come, because I totally understand.’”

“They showed up anyway. And I’m a couple hours out of surgery. That kind of showed us as a family how committed they were to him, to our family.”

“He made a promise to me. So far, he’s kept every word and beyond.”

Noah Sewell’s recruitment

AN: When you went on Noah’s visit to Oregon, you said you go for Noah. But at the same time, you know the drill because you’ve seen it with another sign. Do you try to see it with fresh eyes, do you try to see it through Noah’s perspective or do are you just going and hanging because you’re comfortable letting Noah do this thing?

GS: In this particular instance, we’ve been (to Oregon) many times, Penei is there, so we know exactly what it is. In this particular instance, we went to be hyper-vigilant, I guess, to things that may seem wrong. You know what I mean? Because we know everything that’s right. But we’re trying to find anything that may be wrong. And again, we can’t find anything (laughter).”

AN: I talked to Noah after the visit – very polite, very respectful – and he said he wasn’t sure about other visits. He didn’t have any visits planned, but he wanted to check with you. What is next for him?

GS: “Again, we’ve not set a date. I know he tentatively wants to come to a decision before the season is done. Right now, we’ve got the playoffs. He’s focused on that. Again, we had a few other visits, and he decided to postpone or… again, I’m kind of letting him. We’ve sat back as parents and let him handle this recruiting journey on his own, and thus far I think he’s done a real good job.”

“As of right now we don’t have anything else on the books. Everyone thinks I’m going to influence him to go one way or the other as far as setting trips. If he does, he does. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t. And my wife and I will support him.”

AN: I wanted to clarify, you had said that Noah may commit ‘before the season is over.’ Did you mean the college football season or his?

GS: “I think it may be his high school season.”

AN: Do you know the date of the state championship game?

GS: “The week before Thanksgiving [November 22 - view bracket]. And we definitely plan to play up to that date.”

AN: Early on in the evaluation process for Noah people were talking about him as a defensive tackle or defensive end. They finally see him in person and see his athleticism. How much, for you, was that talk kind of silly. And how much were you thinking, ‘Man, he might be too big. He might be a defensive tackle, defensive end.’

GS: “I think people thought we were ignorant to the whole process. We’ve gone through it with Penei. Every analyst in the world thought Penei was going to be a guard. He was a big, massive kid with good feet, but was just too big, maybe not quick enough to play tackle. Fast forward two years and we are where we are.”

“Noah and I had these conversations. Listen, I’ve done this long enough - your body will dictate where you go."

"However, he just turned 17. Just like Penei didn’t really start to change his body until he got onto a college campus, until he was introduced to nutrition and had weight training and all that other stuff.”

“Listen, if I could afford to eat healthy, I probably wouldn’t be this big, but it’s expensive, right? We just tried to keep food on the table. If my kids all could have been healthier, yeah… it is what it is.”

“But Noah’s been blessed with some natural, God-given ability. Yes, he’s big for what he does right now. But again, you put him in the right situation, get him a nutrition plan, I think he’ll probably be between 235 and 250 when it’s all said and done, especially if he gets on campus early as an early enrollee. Wherever that is.”

AN: Is that the plan – to graduate in December and get him somewhere by January?

GS: We’re hoping, and he’ll be done as far as graduation requirements.

AN: This was such a great interview and I thank you sincerely.

-- Andrew Nemec