Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2017 23 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE 0 Players signed by Notre Dame from the local Big Ten states of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, the first that has happened since the turn of the 21st century. The Irish did have a verbal pledge from Indianapolis four-star linebacker Pete Werner before he opted to sign with Ohio State. The last time the Fighting Irish did not sign a player from those three states was with a top-five class in 1999 under head coach Bob Davie. 3 Times in Fighting Irish football history that a Parade All-American did not sign with the program in a recruiting year — with this year the most recent. The others were from the 1963 season (the first year the Parade team came into existence) and 2004. The record for all of college football was 13 by first-year Notre Dame head coach Gerry Faust in 1981. Notre Dame signed one last year, offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer, making it also the lowest two-year count at the school. 4 Pennsylvania natives signed by Notre Dame, the most since 1991 when head coach Lou Holtz's staff signed six. All four this year came from the Pittsburgh region with Central Catholic defensive lineman Kurt Hinish and linebacker DAVID ADAMS, and offensive linemen Joshua Lugg and Robert Hainsey, the latter also from Pittsburgh but he played his last two seasons at Bradenton, Fla., powerhouse IMG Academy. 5 Early enrollees from the class of 21 who will begin spring practice with the rest of the team March 8: running back C.J. Holmes, tight end Brock Wright, offensive linemen Aaron Banks and Robert Hainsey, and safety Isaiah Robertson. 5-6 Count this year in the number of ver- bal commits Notre Dame was able to sign who originally committed to other schools compared to how many changed their minds and left the Fighting Irish. The five head coach Brian Kelly and his staff were able to land were receiver Jafar Armstrong (Missouri), defensive end Kofi Wardlow (Maryland), athlete Jordan Genmark Heath (Cal), linebacker Jer- emiah Owusu-Kora- moah (Virginia) and kicker Jonathan D o e r e r ( M a r y- land) — all in the final week before National Signing Day Feb. 1. The six lost were de- fensive linemen R o b e r t B e a l (Georgia) and Donovan Jeter ( M i c h i g a n ) , l i n e b a c k e r Pete Wern er (Ohio State), de- fensive back Elijah Hicks (Cal), cornerback Paulson Adebo (Stanford) and wide receiver Jordan Pouncey (Texas). Last year, Notre Dame did not lose a commit for the first time since 2006 while picking up seven from other schools. 14 The aggregate Notre Dame 2017 recruiting ranking when combining the four major outlets of 247Sports (No. 13), ESPN (No. 16), Rivals (No. 13) and Scout (No. 14). The Fighting Irish were the lone school to make the top 15 despite finishing the 2016 season with a losing record. 21 Letters in linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's first and last name — one more than defensive linemen Myron Tagovailoa- Amosa and Jonathon MacCollister. They now represent the longest first and last names by any Notre Dame scholarship football player. The previous high was 19 by 1986-90 linebacker Michael Stonebreaker and 1999-2002 linebacker Carlos Pierre-Antoine. Current junior wide receiver Equanime- ous St. Brown's 11 letters in his first name is tied with 1989-92 linebacker Karmeeleyah McGill. 320 Pounds listed by the University of Notre Dame as 6-5 offensive tackle Aaron Banks' weight. That is the most on National Signing Day by any incoming high school Irish football player since 2006 offensive guard Chris Stewart was penciled in at 340, although by the time he re- ported in the summer the word was he was "two Big Macs short of 400." Nose guard Louis Nix was listed at 315 in 2010, but was significantly above that when he reported. Banks' classmate on the offensive line, Dillan Gibbons, is listed at 315 pounds. 1971 The last recruiting cycle when Notre Dame signed two members from the talent-rich Tide- water, Va., area, like it did this year with defensive tackle Darnell Ewell (Norfolk) and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Kora- moah (Hampton). Back in 1971 the duo was fullback Wayne "The Train" Bullock and running back Al Samuel, both from Newport News, though not high school teammates. 3,744 C a r e e r r e c e i v - ing yards by Ja- far Armstrong during his time at Bishop Miege High School in Shawnees Mission, Kan. That eclipsed the 3,596 that 2016 Irish recruit Javon McKinley had at Cen- tennial High in Corona, Calif. — which at the time was the most we ever saw by an Irish player from the high school ranks. The previous high was 2,387 by 2008 five-star recruit Michael Floyd his last two seasons in high school. BY THE NUMBERS David Adams is one of four Notre Dame players to sign this year from the Pittsburgh area. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM