Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY ANDREW OWENS J erry Tillery might be the only recruit to ever use his official visits on Notre Dame, LSU and … Dartmouth. Although the Shreveport, La., na‑ tive committed to the Fighting Irish in June 2013, many Notre Dame fol‑ lowers expected the 6‑6, 305‑pound standout to eventually pledge to the in‑state Tigers. In his first interview after arriving in January as an early enrollee, Tillery explained his situ‑ ation. "I knew what I wanted from the beginning," Tillery said. "LSU did their job. Their job is to recruit. And being from Louisiana, why wouldn't they? "I knew what I wanted to do, but I definitely took advantage of the recruiting process I would say. I told anyone that asked me that they should. I got to travel to a bunch of different places ,and the recruiting process is fun. That's what it should be. "People get all stressed about it like, 'Oh my God, all the offers and camps and all that stuff.' I tried not to look at it like that. I just enjoyed the process and had fun." Tillery's commitment to the Irish was strong, but so was his desire to enjoy the free trips allotted to him during the once‑in‑a‑lifetime recruit‑ ing experience. "He wants to live life to the fullest, and he's trying to do everything in his power to get the full experience, the Notre Dame experience, and just experience the outside world," se‑ nior captain Sheldon Day said. "And living in places such as Mexico, Ire‑ land, just places we wouldn't think of." This summer, just one semester into his Notre Dame career, Til‑ lery had the opportunity to travel to South Africa with some fellow student‑athletes for a study‑abroad experience. "It was incredible," he said. "It was easily the coolest thing I've ever done. From the safari to the beaches in Capetown, it was a country of con‑ trast. "From places with the poorest peo‑ ple in the world to opulent neighbor‑ hoods of super rich and fancy, it was a country that really gave me a differ‑ ent outlook on life. It was really nice." Having FUN Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame's newest standout on the defensive line, does all he can to live life to the fullest