Emmanuel Karmo has already mapped out the next stretch of his life, and it starts with a bigger job for the Gophers this fall.
The Robbinsdale Cooper product, now a sophomore at Minnesota, entered training camp with a clear goal: earn a major spot in the linebacking corps, keep climbing until he’s among the best at his position nationally, and eventually turn that into a long NFL career. After that, he wants to build something of his own.
“I want to own a restaurant one day. It’s going to sell African food and American food,” Karmo said before the Gophers began training camp last weekend. “I just want to own businesses … and be my family’s hero."
He’s even got a signature item in mind. Karmo says his mac and cheese is already a family favorite, and he’s the one they want making it.
“If I don’t make it, they get mad at me and ask, ‘Where were you?’” he joked.
Karmo wouldn’t hand over the recipe, but he did say the key is in the seasoning. He keeps it straightforward, without piling on meat or buffalo sauce.
“I’m a pretty good cook,” said Karmo.
On the field, Minnesota likes where he is headed. Coach P.J. Fleck said Karmo spent the offseason in the strength and conditioning program and has taken a noticeable step forward.
“He’s had a whole year in the strength and conditioning program. I just love where he’s at,” Fleck said.
“You can see that he’s processing at a higher level. He’s doing more, playing different positions.
You can move him around a lot more, and we’ll see as we put the pads on.”
For Karmo, the jump from high school to the Big Ten came with a real adjustment. What once felt natural and slow suddenly demanded precision.
“Coming from high school, the game was slow, and I could do anything I wanted,” he said. “But when I got to college, you had to be right in everything you do. … When I first got on the field, it felt very surreal, but probably in my third game, I got very comfortable, realized other players are just like me and you just play football."
That lesson came with a few growing pains, too. Karmo said the coaches drilled discipline into him, especially when it came to how he carried himself late in plays.
“The coaches really taught me to stay disciplined,” Karmo said. “When I got tired, I used to put my hands on my hips a lot, but no more of that.
I’ve got great body language now. That’s the biggest thing they taught me.”
His offseason wasn’t all football and workouts. Karmo teamed with Team IFA, the Minneapolis-based agency, to serve as co-host of the Cooper Youth Football Camp with Jaxon Howard, his former Cooper and current Gophers teammate. The camp also drew guest appearances from several Minnesota players, including quarterback Drake Lindsey and running back Darius Taylor.
As a linebacker, Karmo knows his value has to show up in a lot of places. He has to rush, cover, and help stop the run, and he says he’s ready for both the Sam and Will spots.
“You can put me anywhere in any linebacker position,” he said. “I like to play outside linebacker, the Sam, but I also play the Will, and I feel like I’m great at both.”
He also pointed to the influence of Baranowski and linebackers coach Mariano Sori-Marin, saying their leadership has helped push that room to a demanding standard.
“The thing about Maverick is you have to beat him to the ball,” Karmo said. “Every play, he’s at the ball.”
With the Sept. 3 season opener getting closer, Karmo says the trust from defensive coordinator Danny Collins matters. That confidence, along with the work he’s already put in, has him positioned for a larger role.
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