Blue and Gold Illustrated

January 2019

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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42 JANUARY 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PREP PROFILES Pomona (Calif.) Diamond Ranch 2021 wide receiver Cristian Dixon was one of many prospects in South Bend Nov. 10 to watch Notre Dame dismantle Florida State 42-13 on a cold night. Seventeen days later, Dixon added the Irish to an early offer list that in- cludes USC, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. Notre Dame wide receiv- ers coach Del Alexander traveled to Diamond Ranch to deliver the good news. "I was ecstatic beyond belief that I'm one of the few sophomores that have a Notre Dame offer," Dixon told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "Notre Dame is about the tradition. They care about the people who go through Notre Dame. "The level of discipline that the whole school has stands out, too." Dixon had an idea that the offer would come his way following his trip out to Notre Dame. "When I was in South Bend a cou- ple of weeks ago, Coach Alexander asked me a great question: why I de- serve an offer," Dixon said. "… I wrote him a handwritten let- ter about why I did. I called him right after we got off the flight to touch base, and he told me I got the offer and that he would present it when he came out to California. "I said I felt I fit in at Notre Dame. I told him I'm obsessed with getting better, which is what I think they are about. I have a jugs machine in my backyard … I lift weights in my bed- room." The sophomore wide receiver was impressed with what he saw on the field during Notre Dame's blowout win against the Seminoles. "Their wide receivers are definitely disciplined," Dixon explained. "They for sure go hard in the weight room. They're all big-bodied wide receivers who can move like smaller ones. "I can fit in with their offense. They want their receivers to go up and make plays." While he was in town, Dixon had the chance to spend time with Alex- ander and head coach Brian Kelly. "He definitely cares," Dixon said of Alexander. "Football teaches certain lessons in life. His love and passion for the game also stood out. "… Coach Kelly is positive and al- ways wants to do better. He wants to go through the fine details of the game, which is great." — Corey Bodden After getting his first look at Notre Dame during a visit for the Florida State game Nov. 10, sophomore defen- sive end Landyn Watson got a call he wasn't expecting the following Mon- day. The Hutto (Texas) High standout was on the phone with Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston and graduate assistant Larry Black, and was offered a scholarship to play foot- ball for the Irish. Even after a successful visit, Watson said he didn't see the offer coming. "I was definitely shocked knowing a school out of state was that interested in me so early in my recruitment," Watson told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "Them being the school they are, that means a lot." Watson is referring to not only Notre Dame's academic prowess, but also the football team's current standing as the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff. After visiting campus for the first time, Watson said there was a lot to like about Notre Dame. "The people on campus make it feel like home, definitely," Watson said. "The coaching staff is tremendous, and I love the way they run their defense. "Plus, knowing they sell out every home game means a lot." The win over Florida State was the first time Watson had seen the Irish play in person, and the young defen- sive lineman was impressed. "It was definitely a great experience seeing all the players playing to the best of their abilities and seeing all the fans enjoy the game," recalled Watson. "There was a great energy and a great atmosphere in the stadium." Irish fans at the game also caught Watson's attention. "From the time I got into the sta- dium to the end of the game, the en- ergy was extreme," Watson noted. "It was definitely a great experience." Watson spent plenty of time with Elston and Black over the weekend, and said both Irish staffers made a strong impression on him. "They're definitely two great coaches," Watson said of Black and Elston. "They definitely care about the kids they recruit. They're definitely great guys." Now that an offer is on the table, Notre Dame has joined the likes of Oklahoma State, TCU, Baylor, Hous- ton and UT San Antonio in the race to land Watson. — David McKinney California Wide Receiver Is 'Ecstatic' About Notre Dame Fighting Irish Offer 'Means A Lot' To Texas Defensive End CRISTIAN DIXON Diamond Ranch H.S. Pomona, Calif. Status: Offered Class: 2021 Position: Wide Receiver Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 185 Rivals Rankings: Not cur- rently rated LANDYN WATSON Hutto H.S. Hutto, Texas Status: Offered Class: 2021 Position: Defensive End Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 225 Rivals Rankings: Not cur- rently rated "I was ecstatic beyond belief that I'm one of the few sophomores that have a Notre Dame offer. … They care about the people who go through Notre Dame." DIXON "I was definitely shocked know- ing a school out of state was that interested in me so early in my recruitment. Them being the school they are, that means a lot." WATSON

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