Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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54 MARCH 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY COREY BODDEN Four years ago, if Andrew Kristofic had been told he would eventually enroll early at Notre Dame and join the offensive line room, the Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland product prob- ably would have been shocked and maybe even laughed. When Kristofic arrived at Pine- Richland almost four years ago, he was roughly a 6-4, 190-pound skill player. Quarterback was an option, but Kristofic and those around the program knew that position would be filled by current Notre Dame quarter- back Phil Jurkovec, who was a sopho- more at Pine-Richland at the time. As a member of the freshman team, Kristofic gave defensive line a try and liked it because it gave him an opportunity to be physical and hit an opposing player on every play. Eventually there was an opening on the other side of the ball in the trenches, and offensive line coach Tim Sasson told Kristofic his future could be bright if he "had the want." "I was playing a lot of defensive line, which is kind of where I thought I would have a chance to play in col- lege," Kristofic said. "So it was a natural thing given I was already at defensive line to try and do offensive line, given I was big and physical. Things happened with our freshman team that we needed someone to step in there. "Coach Sasson thought it could be really good for my future. Things worked out pretty well." Kristofic played only a few games that season due to a broken thumb. Even after a little experience on the offensive side, a future at the spot didn't cross his mind. "I still thought at the time that I would be a defensive lineman," he noted. "I liked offensive line though, so I wasn't opposed to keep playing it. "But, again at the time, I was still defensive-minded." Because of his potential, Kristofic remained along the offensive line during his sophomore year. Despite just a few games at tackle, he worked his way into the starting lineup. "Being an underclassman didn't help because the older kids had the size and strength on top of my in- experience," Kristofic said when de- scribing the season. "The strength and size of everyone was the biggest adjustment early on. "Playing a new position as a soph- omore was hard." Kristofic began earning offers for offensive line from the likes of Pitts- burgh and Michigan State. His junior year was when recruiting heightened to a new level. During the season, he added offers from Ohio State, West Virginia, Wis- consin, Northwestern, Boston Col- lege, Syracuse and eventually Notre Dame, while helping Pine-Richland win a state championship. "I remember I was going to all the camps that summer, so I started to get some bigger Power Five (Confer- ence) offers," Kristofic recalled. "I started thinking it was going to work itself out. Andrew Kristofic Makes The Most Of His Position Switch Kristofic has been playing offensive line for just three full seasons prior to arriving at Notre Dame. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM "I remember I was going to all the camps that summer, so I started to get some bigger Power Five offers. I started think- ing it was going to work itself out. I put together a good enough junior year to get those types of offers." KRISTOFIC ON MOVING TO THE OFFENSIVE LINE