Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2019 67 FOOTBALL RECRUITING play, although that doesn't exclude championship or pro-caliber athletes. With eight more Irish players invited to this year 's NFL Combine, Notre Dame has had 52 in the eight years from 2012-19. Only Alabama (86), LSU (69), Flor- ida State (66), Ohio State (64), Florida (60), Clemson (54), Georgia (54) and USC (53) have had more in that span, and one can state confidently the Irish were at the level of LSU, FSU, Florida, Georgia and USC in recent years based on on-field results. "Certainly they've got to have the skills to play national championship- quality football," Kelly told Notre Dame's in-house Fighting Irish Me- dia on National Signing Day Feb. 6. However, also mandated in the "fit factor" are academics and culture, which are part of the "distinctions." "They have to understand this is the preeminent Catholic institution in the world, and so you're coming into a holistic education where you're go- ing to develop in all manners," Kelly continued. "You're going to develop spiritually, you're going to develop intellectually, socially. So you're go- ing to be part of this campus. You're not going to be isolated in a football dorm, you're going to be part of this community. "Understanding what that means, being engaged, being part of what's going on, being in the dorms, being active, being other centered, being part of community service. We have to find young men that understand what our community is about, and when you do that and couple it with the skills, you find the right fit." Third-year recruiting coordinator Brian Polian said the academic as- pect is not about being a perfect 4.0 student or even close to it. "There are a lot of young men in this program who will graduate with a 2.8 and they work their tails off, but academics were important in their lives," he said. "I've heard some other schools sell their kids on, 'Hey, you can take half your courses online.' That conversation is not hap- pening here. "We make very sure we're clear on what the expectations are, but also what the rewards are going to be and what graduating from this university is going to mean." The faith-based institution also will prompt a different campus culture. Said Polian: "I think [director of athletics] Jack Swarbrick said it best: 'This is an other-centered university. We're looking for other-centered peo- ple, not self-centered.' "That kind of equates with being a good teammate and not a selfish per- son. That kind of culture permeates this place, which frankly makes it so fun to coach here." Does it lend itself getting to the highest tier in recruiting and on the field? Stay tuned. MIKE ELSTON NAMED TOP-25 RECRUITER BY RIVALS The lone holdover from head coach Brian Kelly's original Notre Dame staff in 2010, associate head coach/ defensive line coach Mike Elston was named one of the nation's top 25 re- Early Enrollees, Winter Conditioning And SWAT Leaders Named A school-record 10 freshman early enrollees began the spring semester at Notre Dame Jan. 15, and head coach Brian Kelly and his staff have been encouraged by their assimilation into the intense winter conditioning program. "I don't think you graduate early from high school if you're not organized, detailed, have put in the time and effort," Kelly told Fighting Irish Media Feb. 6. "All of these guys have had to do things that were more than the average student. They had to take an extra class, they had to do some summer work, so they're all highly motivated young men, and that works well here. They've been indoctrinated to a way of life here at Notre Dame which requires a great attention to detail." Linebacker recruit Jack Kiser did undergo Feb. 7 surgery for a partially torn labrum that was detected by the school's medical staff. Kiser will be sidelined for spring drills that begin in early March. Meanwhile, the 2019 captains likely will be named this spring among the eight players — four on offense and four on defense — who were named the leaders of the SWAT Teams during winter condi- tioning. SWAT is the acronym for Spring/Summer Workout Accountability Teams, where a points system is in place, from production in the weight room to academic achievement to tidiness in the locker room … to declare a winning group at the end of the offseason. QB Ian Book — The quarterback should always be a leader, whether he is a SWAT Team captain or not, but the senior earning a spot is a positive sign. WR Chris Finke — Now a fifth-year senior, Finke has gone from walk-on to SWAT Team captain and will lead a relatively green receiving corps. OL Liam Eichenberg — Arguably the most talented player on offense, Eichenberg must go from being a first-year starter that flashes to a proven and consistent player that dominates. OL Robert Hainsey — The least surprising selection on this list despite his junior status, he was the lone team captain on the vaunted IMG squad in 2016 and he's going into his third season as a starter. DE Julian Okwara — A playmaker last season who paced the defense in quarterback pressures (61, per Pro Football Focus) and tied for the team lead in sacks (eight). DE Khalid Kareem — Like Okwara, Kareem saw his playing time and production take significant leaps forward in 2018 and opted to return for his senior year. S Jalen Elliott — No surprise to anyone that knew Elliott from his high school days, or knows how engaging his personality is. S Alohi Gilman — The transfer from Navy is the kind of player you want setting the standard for how to prepare and work on a day-to-day basis. — Lou Somogyi Mike Elston was instrumental in the Irish landing four four-star defensive line recruits and assisted on four more signees along the offensive line. PHOTO COURTESY FIGHTING IRISH MEDIA