Going out with his Mom "as his date" means he is confident and has self esteem. 7th graders are embarrassed to be seen with their Moms. Men are not. Athletes who hang with their Moms rock. Go back and listen to the interviews of Marcus Mariota when he was at Oregon. When asked what made him tick his consistent response was his family and particularly his Mother. When asked what was the most difficult aspect of playing at Oregon, he literally said: "I missed my Mother so much and called her everyday." Not at all wierd for a college kid.