Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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44 OCT. 2, 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY COREY BODDEN AND DAVID MCKINNEY W hile Notre Dame is working through its 2017 campaign, the program's 2018 and 2019 commits are doing the same during their prep seasons. Blue & Gold Illustrated highlights some of the 2018 Irish commits per- forming well (through Sept. 21) dur- ing the first part of their high school seasons. Be sure to follow along with the "Commitment Updates" section on page 47 for a full look at how each Irish commit is performing every week. DERRIK ALLEN SAFETY • MARIETTA (GA.) LASSITER Allen has shown early in his senior season that he truly belongs in the Ri- vals100 for the class of 2018. Lassiter is 4-0, and Allen — who is ranked as the No. 82 overall prospect nationally per Rivals — is a big reason why. He opened the season with a huge performance against Alpharetta (Ga.) Johns Creek, recording 10-plus tack- les, three passes broken up and an interception. In Lassiter's 38-36 vic- tory over state-ranked Marietta (Ga.) Kell, Allen intercepted a late pass to seal the big win. According to Lassiter defensive backs coach Cedric Dickerson, Allen has become a more complete player. "Before, he knew what he was supposed to do, but not necessarily what everybody else was supposed to do," Dickerson said. "Now, he can see how his play fits in the grand scheme of an entire defense." KEVIN AUSTIN WIDE RECEIVER • COCONUT CREEK (FLA.) NORTH BROWARD PREP Thanks to Hurricane Irma, Austin and his North Broward Prep team have only played two of their four scheduled games. Austin, Rivals' No. 69 overall player in the nation, has taken full advantage of those two opportunities. In the first game of the year, he hauled in a touchdown pass and then sat out the second half of the game in North Broward's 57-0 win over Pembroke Pines (Fla.) High. In week two, Austin caught five passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in a 31-28 win over Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) The Benjamin School. MICAH JONES WIDE RECEIVER • GURNEE (ILL.) WARREN TOWNSHIP Wide receiver commit Micah Jones did not produce much as a junior while playing in Gurnee (Ill.) Warren Township's run-dominant offense, but his senior season is a different story. Per MaxPreps, Jones caught 22 passes for 232 yards and two touch- downs in 2016. The 6-5, 205-pounder eclipsed those numbers in just four games during his final season at Warren. So far in 2017, Jones has hauled in 26 receptions for 340 yards and five touchdowns, helping Warren Town- ship to a 3-1 record. Jones caught eight passes for 151 yards in a 26- 10 win over Libertyville (Ill.) High. Head coach Bryan McNulty is look- ing at Jones to be a leader for the team with his play and more. "I expect him to be a leader with his body language and everything else," McNulty said. "I want to see guys follow him, and we're trying to put him in positions to do that. That's what I want to see out of him." PHIL JURKOVEC QUARTERBACK • GIBSONIA (PA.) PINE-RICHLAND Given the nature of his position, Jurkovec will be closely watched throughout this season at Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland. He hasn't disappointed. In a nationally televised game against Ohio power Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne, Jurk- ovec threw for 238 yards and added 106 rushing with six total touchdowns (three passing and three rushing). The 6-5, 190-pounder, who is listed as Rivals' No. 80 overall player nation- ally, has continued his hot start while leading the Rams to a 4-0 record. Ac- cording to MaxPreps.com, Jurkovec has completed 70 of 98 passes (71.4 percent) for 1,117 yards with 10 touch- downs while rushing for 216 yards and nine scores on 23 carries. JAHMIR SMITH RUNNING BACK • SANFORD (N.C.) LEE COUNTY Smith, who Rivals ranks as the No. 16 running back in the 2018 class, con- tinues to be a touchdown machine. Af- ter scoring 40 during his junior season, he isn't quite on pace with his 2016 numbers, but has scored two rushing touchdowns in each of the four games he's played for Lee County (5-0). He returned to action Sept. 15 after missing the previous week with an ankle injury. MARKESE STEPP RUNNING BACK • INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL In his first game back after sitting out almost all of 2016, Stepp showed he was ready to compete by rushing for 203 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries in a 35-28 loss to Louis- ville St. Xavier. Stepp followed up in week two with another 124 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-35 loss to Detroit King. He scored a touchdown in each of the next two contests, but was held out of action in week five after suf- fering an ankle injury in practice. ✦ Irish Commits Are Impressing During Their Prep Seasons Quarterback commit Phil Jurkovec threw for 1,117 yards and accounted for 19 touchdowns (10 pass- ing and nine rushing) in his first four games this season. PHOTO BY RYAN DONNELLY/PANTHER-LAIR.COM