Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/462058
2015 RECRUITING ISSUE • Started all 47 of his high school games and led Highland to a 41-6 record while averaging 7.9 pancake blocks per contest. HONORS • Named a Parade All-American. • Tabbed as a first-team performer on the 2014 USA Today All-America Team. • Listed as a first-team All-American by Max- Preps.com. • One of 18 offensive lineman named to The Western 100 (top high school recruits from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Western Canada) by The Tacoma News-Tribune. • Earned a spot on the 2014 American Family Insurance All-USA Idaho team as an offensive lineman. • A two-time Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year (2013 and 2014), making him the first player to capture the award (which began in 1986) multiple times. • Honored as the 2014 Idaho Class 5A Player of the Year. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Jan. 3 in San Antonio. • Participated in The Opening at the Nike head- quarters in Beaverton, Ore. • Named Offensive MVP at the FBU Phoenix Camp. • Took part in the Irish Invasion camp at Notre Dame last summer. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on Dec. 7, 2013. • Offered by Boise State, BYU, Cal, Duke, Flor- ida, LSU, North Carolina, Northwestern, Oregon State, Penn State, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, Wash- ington and Washington State, among others. • Primarily recruited by Irish outside linebackers coach Bob Elliott and secondarily recruited by offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. • Enrolled early at Notre Dame, arriving in South Bend in January 2015. NOTABLE • Born on April 23, 1997. • Nephew of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and current ESPN analyst Merril Hoge. 2015 PROJECTION • Despite enrolling early, he is a likely candidate to redshirt. THEY SAID IT Brian Kelly's Comments: "What separates Tris- ten for us is he is a true center. Many times in the recruiting process on the offensive line, you're projecting offensive linemen for the cen- ter position. Because in the college game, you're doing a lot more reading fronts, shotgun snap- ping, having to really take on much more of the identification of fronts and coverages. It requires somebody that maybe didn't play that position in high school. Tristen's already done that. He's already been coached to do that, and he's done it for his entire high school career." Tom Lemming Of Prep Football Report: "He's the best center in the country. He's got the look of an NFL center, with the bull head and thick neck and body. He's a natural knee-bender, and he's also a nasty, tough guy. He'll be a three-year starter and a high draft pick in four years." Highland Head Coach Gino Mariani's Com- ments: "Tristen has been the backbone of our line for the past four years, and it culminated in a state championship. His leadership and work ethic were second to none." Why He Chose Notre Dame: "When I stepped on campus the first time I knew that's where I wanted to be. The first time I was there it was surreal. The experience was everything I hoped for and more."