Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/259072
BY THE NUMBERS 2 Early enrollees for the 2014 spring semester: wide receiver Justin Brent and defensive lineman An- drew Trumbetti. Since first admitting early enrollees in January 2006, Notre Dame has had a total of 30, or an average of 3.8 per year. Amazingly, all three verbal pledges so far for 2015 — quarterback Blake Barnett and offensive linemen Tristen Hoge and Jerry Tillery — have already indicated they will enroll in January 2015. 3-3 Notre Dame's score in the annual decommitment sweepstakes that goes with the recruit- ing territory. The Fighting Irish staff was able to flip three to its side: defensive tackle Peter Mokwuah (Rutgers), safety Drue Tranquill (Purdue) and defensive end Jhonny Williams (Missouri). Meanwhile, it lost defensive tackle Matt Dickerson (UCLA), running back Elijah Hood (North Carolina) and outside linebacker Richard Yeargin III (Clemson). 6 Recruits in 2014 who are listed as defensive linemen — the most in a recruiting class at Notre Dame since landing seven in 1992. That group included one who was drafted by the NFL (Paul Grasmanis). The 2008 and 2011 hauls had five apiece. 6-5 Height of DESHONE KIZER, the tallest listing for a Notre Dame quarterback since 1988, when Kent Graham was measured at 6-5, 228 pounds as the backup to Tony Rice for the 1988 national champions. Graham transferred to Ohio State the next season en route to a decade-long career in the NFL. 9.5 Composite ranking of Notre Dame's 2014 class by the four major football recruiting service outlets. Scout.com had the Irish the highest at No. 6, followed by 247Sports at No. 10 and then ESPN.com and Rivals.com both at No. 11. 14 States represented among Notre Dame's 23 recruits, one year after the Irish had 23 recruits from 15 states. Leading the way were Illinois, Texas and Ohio with three apiece. There were two each from Indiana, New Jersey and New York, and then one apiece from California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee. 305 Yards of total offense (160 receiving and 145 rushing) by Irish defensive end recruit Andrew Trumbetti during a 61-26 victory over Tenafly High in New Jersey during his senior year. One doesn't often see such numbers among defensive linemen. 2,735 Yards rushing as seniors by Indiana natives Drue Tranquill (1,420 with 28 touchdowns) and Justin Brent (1,315, with 18 touchdowns), just in case one might wonder why Notre Dame didn't sign any running backs. However, Tranquill will start out at safety and Brent at receiver. Kizer is Notre Dame's tall- est quarterback recruit since signing 6-5 Kent Graham in the 1987 haul. PHOTO BY SCOTT W. GRAU