Blue and Gold Illustrated

PREP PROFILES Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh defen- sive tackle PJ Mustipher might be just a sophomore, but he's already a name that Notre Dame fans need to know. Mustipher, who was named a Max- Preps first-team Freshman All-Amer- ican last season after starting up front for one of Maryland's best programs, is the younger brother of current Irish cen- ter Sam Mustipher. He's also a top class of 2018 recruit, and that's why when he made his way to South Bend for the Texas game Sept. 5 to watch his brother play, he was treated like a priority by the coaching staff. "The environment is just unique," Mustipher said. "Fans come from all over, and as a recruit they show a lot of love. You can definitely tell they're crazy about they're football at Notre Dame. "Compared to other schools I've seen it's definitely up there," he added. "The fans make you feel like you're a player." And that's a good situation, because if the Notre Dame staff had their way, the younger Mustipher might be wearing the blue and gold one day. The 6-5, 275-pound tackle said he had a chance to meet new defensive line coach Keith Gilmore before the game, and he was impressed with what the coach had to say about the recruiting process. "I already have a strong relationship with [linebackers] Coach [Mike] Elston, but that was my first time meeting the defensive line coach," he said. "We vibed instantly." M u s t i p h e r — whose father, Sam, was a nose guard for the West Virginia Mountaineers in the early 1990s — already holds scholarship of- fers from Penn State, Maryland, Tennessee and Duke. While Notre Dame has yet to offer him a scholarship, he admits that the Irish are a school that he still likes. "I'm definitely going to get back there, I don't know if it's this season, but maybe spring time," he said. "For now, my recruiting is pretty much wide open. "Penn State is a school I like in addi- tion to Notre Dame." When asked if his brother could be a deciding factor, Mustipher said that he's keep his options open, but it something that he'll consider down said. "Sam isn't pushing me towards any school," he said. "He knows we're dif- ferent people, and we like different things. He wants me to do what's best for me." — Andrew Ivins Top 2018 Lineman Has Ties To Notre Dame PJ MUSTIPHER McDonogh High School Owings Mills, Md. Status: Evaluating Class: 2018 Po s i t i o n : D efe n s i ve Tackle Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 275 40-Yard Dash: 5.1 Rivals Rankings: Currently unrated

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