Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/638727
2016 RECRUITING ISSUE ing much about the program aside from the fact that Coney had spurned Florida and Miami the year before for Notre Dame, but left with the Irish near the top of his list. "Notre Dame provides so much, but what really turned me was the show," Studstill said in reference to the Showtime series "A Season With Notre Dame" that gave viewers a week-to- week behind-the-scenes look at the Irish. "That gave me the insight of the everyday life of players. That was great and very positive for me." But that wasn't the only thing that led Studstill to Notre Dame. The poten- tial playing time also made a difference. Early in the recruiting process Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and de- fensive coordinator Brian VanGorder made Studstill a priority. They told him that they thought he was a prospect that could compete for a role as a true freshman. Studstill agreed. "I want to get there and try to beat out the competition," Studstill said. "That's why I enrolled early." Palm Beach Gardens head coach Rob Freeman thinks Studstill can do just that after watching Coney find the field his freshman season in South Bend. "The strength of his game is the fact that he's just physical," Freeman said. "To me, he's the prototypical safety and what college coaches are looking for now. "He has no problem getting down in the box and making tackles. He can also cover space, and in this day in age with all the spread offenses, he has the right skill set to be an exceptional player." ✦