Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/259072
SAMMUSTIPHER OFFENSIVE GUARD 6-3 • 294 OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL H.S. OLNEY, MD. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 22 11 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 18 3 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 203 12 3 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 134 9 2 MEASURABLES • Has self-reported career bests of a 385-pound bench press, 505-pound squat and 290-pound power clean. STATISTICS • Credited with 57 pancake blocks as a senior, and added nine tackles and three sacks in a part-time role on defense. HONORS • Selected all-state at offensive guard for all clas- sifications by The Baltimore Sun as a senior. • Named to Maryland Private School all-state squad in 2013. • Chosen for the USA Today American Family In- surance All-USA D.C. team for 2013. • Tabbed as a first-team offensive lineman on Washington Post All-Met unit in 2013, and listed as a second-team pick in 2012. • Montgomery Gazette first-team all-star selection for Montgomery County as both junior and senior. • Named to 2011 MaxPreps U.S. Air Force Sopho- more All-America first team as a defensive line- man. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played in the Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 4 in St. Petersburg, Fla. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on April 15, 2013. • Had more than 40 offers overall, and took unoffi- cial trips to Notre Dame, Northwestern, Ohio State and Michigan from April 2-7, before committing to the Irish. Other schools that offered thereafter included Alabama, Oklahoma and Florida State, and he also visited his father's alma mater West Virginia. • Took his official visit to Notre Dame on Dec. 13, 2013, for the Football Awards Show. • Primary recruiter was tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Scott Booker, with offensive line coach Harry Hiestand also involved. NOTABLE • Born on Aug. 13, 1996. • Possesses a 4.6 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and plans to major in aerospace or civil en- gineering. • His father, Sam, played nose guard at West Vir- ginia in 1990-91. 2014 PROJECTION • A probable redshirt as an offensive guard. THEY SAID IT Brian Kelly's Comments: "Here's a powerful guy inside, and again, I think what stood out for us with Sam was his ability to move his feet. All these guys can be big and strong and physical, but if they can't move their feet, if they can't bend, if they can't get out of their stance and do a good job and moving and bending, then we're moving on." Tom Lemming Of Prep Football Report: "A per- fect guard prospect. Technically, he makes few mistakes, he's got great feet and he seems to be at the right place at the right time. He's not over- powering like Quenton Nelson is, but he's been coached well." Good Counsel Defensive Line Coach Kevin McFad- den's Comments: "He is a leader, a get-it-done guy. Great family, strong foundation, great worker — very strong about community, helping people, helping others. He's somebody you don't find ev- ery day. He prepares himself to master what he's reaching for."