Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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C.J. Prosise Seeks Better Returns For Irish FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY LOU SOMOGYI P (Va.) Woodberry Forest High safety C.J. Prosise, a first- team all-state selection as a punt returner. "Where he's gifted in punt returns is he can beat the Mentally, though, there are similarities for Petersburg hysically, football will never be compared to a game of chess. first guy, but he beats the first guy while he's already working the second guy," Woodberry Forest head coach Clint Alexander said. "He's just got that gift to beat people in space and set up his blocks. It's like playing someone in chess who is two moves ahead of you." After Notre Dame finished with only three yards in punt returns during the 2011 regular season, Prosise might be as good a candidate as any on the 2012 Irish roster to help that area. The senior averaged 22.7 yards per runback and scored four touchdowns on the 18 punts he returned last fall. "I thought it was going to be Ronald Darby [who switched in January from Notre Dame to Florida State], so why not Prosise?" longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. "He's kind of tall, and he's not super fast in big-time ball. But all you need are 10 to 15 yards in returns to help switch the field. You don't need someone to go all the way — and they haven't had that anyway." ✦ solo), broke up 10 passes and intercepted six, and scored 10 touchdowns (four on punts, three in a part-time role on offense, and one apiece on a kickoff, an interception return and a fumble return) … Returned 18 punts for 408 yards (22.7 yards per runback) and four scores, and had nine kick returns for 178 yards (19.8 yards per runback) 21st-best safety nationally and the No. 276 player in the land by Scout.com … Listed as a three-star recruit, the No. 13 prospect in Virginia and the No. 22 safety in the class of 2012 by 247Sports … Ranked as a three-star prospect, the 10th-best player in Virginia and the country's 22nd-best safety by ESPNU … Tabbed as a three-star recruit and the No. 22 player in Virginia by Rivals.com … Considered the No. 9 prospect in Virginia and the No. 24 safety in the country by SuperPrep. Statistics: As a senior, recorded 51 tackles (26 www.BLUEANDGOLD.com has been listed anywhere from 4.55 to 4.73, but he finished second in the 100 meters (10.9) at the 2011 Virginia state track meet … Started for the varsity football team as a sophomore at Wood- berry Forest, which has played football since 1898 and has won five straight Prep League titles … After starting the year 1-2, the Tigers closed with seven straight wins to finish 8-2 … Woodberry For- est holds classes six days a week and sends several prospects per year to BCS schools — among them are current UCLA linebacker Aramide Olaniyan and Stanford safety Ed Reynolds. Rankings: Rated as a four-star prospect, the 6-0, 205 •Woodberry Forest • Petersburg, Va. Notable: Born on May 20, 1994 … His 40 time DB C.J. PROSISE During his senior campaign, Prosise returned five kicks (four punts and one kickoff) for touchdowns. camp at the University of North Carolina prior to his verbal pledge to Notre Dame. Brian Kelly's Comments: "He can return punts, defensive back in 2010 and 2011 … Also first-team all-state at kick returner as a junior and first-team all-state at punt returner as a senior … Named Central Virginia Defensive Player of the Year for 2011 by the Charlottesville Daily Progress … Se- lected as the Prep League Player of the Year and first-team defensive back on the Richmond Times- Dispatch all-district team for 2011. All-Star Games & Camps: Attended a football and one score … As a junior, totaled 42 tackles and seven interceptions, and returned 13 kicks for 299 yards (23.0 yards per return) and three touchdowns … Also had one punt return for a touchdown. Honors: First-team Virginia all-state player at PHOTO COURTESY 247SPORTS national recruit, but he's got length. His competi- tion level is not great there, but he plays big in his competition." Recruitment: Gave his verbal commitment to Tom Lemming of Prep Football Report: "Not a Notre Dame on May 26 during the spring evalu- ation period following back-to-back visits from recruiter Charley Molnar (now the head coach at Massachusetts) and defensive coordinator Bob Di- aco … Other programs that had extended an offer at the time included Boston College, Duke, Mary- land, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest … Took his official visit to Notre Dame for the victory against Air Force Oct. 8. Favorite Part of Notre Dame Visit: "There's no der's Comments: "He's not rated as high because with classes six days a week, it's just hard for our kids academically to go to all those different com- bines and camps to be evaluated. That three-star rating is a joke. Everybody next fall is going to go, 'Oh my God, where did this kid come from?' " kickoffs, and when you're talking about our de- fense, he is somebody that can play half the field [at safety]. He has to be a great tackler at times — he will be asked to play close to the line of scrimmage. Coming from Woodberry Forest, an excellent academic institution, there was a great connection right out of the starting box for us with C.J." Woodberry Forest Head Coach Clint Alexan- right way to describe it until you actually live it. I definitely had a 'wow' moment walking through tunnel in the stadium and nothing came close to that feeling on any other visit." Why He Chose Notre Dame: "It's the kind of school that I can find success both on and off the field, and I know it's the right place for me." Scouting Report: Has a smooth stride and used it effectively in the return game … Also aggressive in getting to ball in coverage and displays field awareness … Looks to go against the grain a bit early at times in the return game and needs to build strength. 2012 Projection: Has opportunity to earn mono- gram as freshman on special teams … Cracking the two-deep at safety might be a little tougher with the return of veterans Jamoris Slaughter, Zeke Motta and Austin Collinsworth. MARCH 2012 39