Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY TOM LOY I t came down to Notre Dame and UCLA for Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Corey Holmes. The 6-2, 175-pound four-star prospect spent much of May and June weighing the pros and cons between the Fighting Irish and the Bruins. "Notre Dame is one of those schools that stands alone when you look at everything and put it on the table," Holmes said. "You should look at football and make sure you are sur- rounded by a good coaching staff, good players and at a school that can win a championship, but I wanted even more out of a school. "Academics are very important to me and my family, and I'll get the best education at Notre Dame. I wanted to be at a school without a ton of distrac- tions and at a place that I can enjoy myself, have fun, focus on academics and just get a real college experience. When I broke down the two schools, I just feel like I fit better at Notre Dame and that was the best school for me." Irish running backs coach and state of Florida recruiter Tony Alford tar- geted Holmes early in his high school career and extended him a scholar- ship offer Sept. 22, 2012, shortly after his junior season started. The talented Sunshine State athlete fondly remem- bers that event. "I just kept smiling and was pretty speechless," Holmes said. "It was defi- nitely one of the greatest moments in my young sports life. I always had in- terest in Notre Dame, but I just wasn't sure if they'd come out to my school and recruit me. When they did, it was pretty amazing. Corey Holmes Sees Big Picture At Notre Dame 247Sports ranks Holmes as a four-star recruit, the No. 26 prospect in Florida, the No. 27 wide receiver nationally and the No. 179 overall player in the land. PHOTO COURTESY 247SPORTS