Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 11, 2017 45 PREP PROFILES Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard safety Avonta Crim has been speaking with Notre Dame for a while now, and the Florida talent will get his first look at campus during an official visit when the Irish host Georgia Sept. 9. Crim, a three-star prospect and former Central Florida commit, said he's been talking mostly with defen- sive coordinator Mike Elko and is looking forward to seeing his scheme in action. "He's a good coach," Crim said. "I want to see how he does things in a real game, and I like what he's trying to do with me. He's a straightfor- ward coach, and I'm just ready to see how he'll do in a real game." Crim's mother will join him on the visit to South Bend, and she's appar- ently just as intrigued by the oppor- tunities Notre Dame presents. "They've got one of the best ac- ademic programs, and they've al- ways been one of the top football schools," Crim explained. "My mom loves the academics that they have, so that's a big step for me right there." Crim does not yet hold a Notre Dame offer, but is hopeful one is on the way. The talented safety told Blue & Gold Illustrated earlier this summer that he believed he'd land the offer as soon as he visits, and he still believes that to be the case. That tender, Crim said, would be huge for his recruitment. "That would be a big impact," Crim said. "I'd really like that. I don't know if I'd be committing on the spot or anything like that, but that would really be something to think about with my mom after the trip. That would be huge." Crim has been looking forward to his trip to Notre Dame for a long time. "I'm excited to see the environ- ment, see how the people there are and see how the team plays," he said. "That will be big for my mom to see. If I went to Notre Dame, she'll have already seen how it is." — David McKinney Notre Dame hosted one of the na- tion's top 2019 defenders this sum- mer when Mineral (Va.) Louisa County product Brandon Smith trav- eled to South Bend. The 6-3, 218-pound junior made the trip to Notre Dame June 23 and landed an offer from head coach Brian Kelly during the trip. Two months later, Notre Dame is still a program very much in the mix for the No. 100 overall player in the class of 2019. Smith is already look- ing forward to his next trip to South Bend. "My parents and I will be trying to plan a date where we can get up for a game," he told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "Everything is going well with Notre Dame. Coach Clark Lea and I have a great relationship, and I'm really ex- cited for my next visit in South Bend. I really like the program and the school as a whole. It has great academics, and the football tradition is awesome." Smith saw much of what Notre Dame has to offer during his summer visit. This fall he wants to experience the game-day atmosphere and get a different perspective on what being a student-athlete at Notre Dame is like. "I'd want to be able to talk to some of the players and see what they like about Notre Dame," Smith ex- plained. "I want to see how a typical day goes for them." Smith, who is being recruited as a linebacker by Notre Dame, is also a big fan of Lea. "I really enjoy talking to Coach Lea," Smith said. "When you talk to him, you can tell that he is really pas- sionate about what he does." Recruiting is now on the back burner for Smith after an eventful summer, which included offers from Notre Dame, Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State. He also holds offers from Georgia, Florida State, Penn State and Virginia Tech, among others. "Right now, I am focused on the season," Smith said. "All in all, I feel good about where things are [in my recruitment]." — Corey Bodden Florida Safety Is Communicating With Notre Dame Four-Star 2019 Defensive End Is High On The Irish AVONTA CRIM ✪ ✪ ✪ Vanguard H.S. Ocala, Fla. Class: 2018 Status: Interested Position: Safety Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 195 Rivals Rankings: Currently unrated BRANDON SMITH ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Louisa County H.S. Mineral, Va. Class: 2019 Position: Defensive End Status: Offered Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 218 Rivals Rankings: No. 2 player in Virginia and No. 100 over- all prospect nationally "THEY'VE GOT ONE OF THE BEST ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, AND THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE TOP FOOTBALL SCHOOLS. MY MOM LOVES THE ACADEMICS THAT THEY HAVE, SO THAT'S A BIG STEP FOR ME RIGHT THERE." CRIM ON NOTRE DAME "EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL WITH NOTRE DAME. COACH CLARK LEA AND I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR MY NEXT VISIT IN SOUTH BEND. I REALLY LIKE THE PROGRAM AND THE SCHOOL AS A WHOLE. IT HAS GREAT ACADEMICS, AND THE FOOTBALL TRADITION IS AWESOME." SMITH ON NOTRE DAME