Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/638727
2016 RECRUITING ISSUE BY JORDAN WELLS Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy safety Spencer Perry wasn't always South Bend bound. He played his junior high school season at Auburn (Ala.) High before he transferred to IMG Academy. Dur- ing that time, he amassed offers from numerous powers in SEC country, in- cluding Auburn and Florida, who were tabbed among two of the early favorites for his services by recruiting experts. The Gators won the initial round, landing a verbal commitment from Perry on March 20, 2015. At the time, his unofficial visit to the Gainesville campus over the Feb. 27 weekend convinced him he was ready to play for head coach Jim McElwain's Florida squad. Still, Perry kept his options open. Notre Dame offered a scholarship on March 31, less than two weeks after his Florida commitment. Ohio State fol- lowed suit shortly after the Irish, extend- ing an offer on April 3. The notion of playing defensive back for a coach as experienced as Notre Dame's Todd Lyght — a two-time con- sensus All-American at Notre Dame (1989-90) — grew on Perry, leading up to his June 19 visit for the Irish Invasion. His whole family — including his father, mother, brother and sister — joined him to see just what Notre Dame had to offer. Perry decommitted from the Gators on June 22 and pledged to the Irish a week later on June 29. "My eyes were opened at Notre Dame to something that could benefit me in different ways," Perry said. "Irish Inva- Spencer Perry Spurns Gators And The SEC For Notre Dame Perry flipped his commitment from Florida to Notre Dame after visiting South Bend in the summer for the Irish Invasion. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS