Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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58 MARCH 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY COREY BODDEN When Notre Dame began reach- ing out to Kalihi (Hawai'i) Punahou linebacker Marist Liufau this past fall, the 6-2, 205-pounder knew of the connection between the program and his home. Liufau's offensive coordinator is for- mer Irish and Punahou wide receiver Robby Toma, not to mention Hawai'i natives safety Alohi Gilman and de- fensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa- Amosa already on the roster. In ad- dition, former Irish All-American and Punahou standout Manti Te'o's legacy is still as strong as ever on the islands. Once he saw it for himself dur- ing his official visit for the Florida State game Nov. 10 and had the green light, Liufau committed just days fol- lowing the trip. "I couldn't pass it up," Liufau said. "Notre Dame is a great opportunity. There weren't many schools I was ac- tually considering when Notre Dame got into the picture. … I was really hoping that offer would come from them. Of course, I had to talk with my parents about it. "… I was so set on them and in- vested in them. It wasn't really a hard decision. The four for 40 pro- gram, which could set me up for life, really sold it for me." With the success of those players and hearing about the Irish, Liufau hoped the opportunity would pres- ent itself to join Notre Dame to con- tinue his student-athlete career and be the next in line from Hawai'i to find success in South Bend. "Just looking up to all the older guys that went there from Manti to Robby, it's inspiring to me," Liufau said. "It made me want to be like them. Seeing that they were able to do makes me more confident in myself to be able to do it. That made it easier to visualize myself being there." Toma and Te'o both made sure to share their experience with Liufau. "Robby said it was a bigger version of our high school," Liufau began. "When I visited, I definitely saw a lot of similarities between the two. "Manti reached out to me through Instagram. It was more him reassur- ing he's there if I need any help and supporting me. It was a good luck type of thing." The same message from Gilman and Tagovailoa-Amosa reinforced Notre Dame being the right place to spend the next few years of his life. "It was important to find out what the players think because they are go- ing through what I would be going through," Liufau said. "So it was good to talk to them about it all. I know for them and for all college athletes that leaving home is hard at first. They told me you get used to it and everything comes easier as the years go by." ✦ MARIST LIUFAU LINEBACKER 6-2 · 205 PUNAHOU H.S. KALIHI, HAWAI'I RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS.* STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — 36 6 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 51 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 386 26 6 * Ranked as an outside linebacker STATISTICS • Recorded 40 total stops, nine tackles for loss and eight sacks during his senior year. HONORS • 2017 and 2018 USA Today All-State first-team defense • 2018 Interscholastic League of Honolulu Open Division All-Star • 2018 Interscholastic League of Honolulu De- fensive MVP ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Participated in the 2019 Polynesian Bowl, and notched an interception and two tackles in the contest RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on Nov. 14, 2018. • Took an official visit to Boise State in October and held offers from USC, Washington State, Oregon, Utah and Arizona, among others. • Primarily recruited by special teams coordina- tor Brian Polian. • Took his lone visit, an official, to Notre Dame for the Florida State game Nov. 10 before commit- ting a few days later. NOTABLE • Born on Feb. 9, 2001. • Attends same high school as former Irish line- backer Manti Te'o (2009-12) and wide receiver Robby Toma (2009-12). • Is the second player from Hawai'i to sign with the Irish in the last three recruiting cycles, joining defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. 2019 PROJECTION • Barring him earning a special teams role, ex- pect Liufau to redshirt as a true freshman in 2019. THEY SAID IT Head coach Brian Kelly: "Marist is a young man that just fits our university, and we love his upside. He's a guy that's going to develop into a great player here." Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Clark Lea: "His extreme versatility and athletic prow- ess can impact both the run and the pass game. Another long, rangy player that is physical at the point of attack and shows an ability to finish. Marist is a difference maker." BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Liufau, a former cornerback, brings elite coverage poten- tial to the linebacker position. He has good flex- ibility and quick feet, and his ball skills are out- standing. Combine that with impressive length, and his ability to impact the pass game in cover- age and as a pass rusher is top shelf. "The Punahou standout displays a sudden burst off the edge as a pass rusher and between the tackles as a run defender. During his senior sea- son he showed greater comfort diagnosing run plays, and his closing speed allowed him to fly to the ball." Marist Liufau Continues Hawai'i To Notre Dame Connection The success of former and current Hawaiians at Notre Dame helped sell Liufau on life in South Bend. PHOTO COURTESY MARIST LIUFAU