Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 23, 2017 45 PREP PROFILES Notre Dame expanded its class of 2019 running back board by one Sept. 26 when it extended an offer to four- star Austin Jones. Jones, an Oakland (Calif.) Bishop O'Dowd product, is rated by Rivals as the No. 6 running back and No. 86 overall player nationally in the class of 2019. The California standout said landing an Irish offer was a huge ad- dition to his list. "I was really happy and surprised," Jones said. "Getting a Notre Dame offer really sets you apart from a lot of people." Jones, like a lot of Notre Dame prospects, said the program's rich his- tory was the first thing that grabbed his attention. "Their prestige and their history," Jones said of what sticks out about Notre Dame. "They have really good history. A lot of players come out of there, and when you think Notre Dame, you think football." According to Jones, Notre Dame has been contacting him for a while now, mainly through special teams and recruiting coordinator Brian Po- lian. Jones said he and Polian have already hit it off in a big way. "Coach Polian is really cool," Jones said. "He's chill and he just wants to see how I'm doing all the time. He shows that he cares." Since first having contact with the Irish, Jones has been doing research on the team and the coaching staff, and has been impressed with what he's seen so far. "I really like Notre Dame and how they run the ball," Jones said. "I just like the team and the coaches, and I want to learn more about the cul- ture." Jones will have a chance to do that should he ever make a visit to Notre Dame, which he said he's already working on for this summer. "I've never really been to the East Coast," Jones said. "It would just be cool to get out there and see a lot of things." Obviously, it's early in his recruit- ing process, but Jones said he already has a good idea of what he's looking for in a school and a football program. "I'm looking for a good culture and coaches that really want me to be there," Jones said. "I'm looking for my major also, either business or technology." — David McKinney Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons defensive end Khris Bogle is one of the top players in the class of 2019, and on Sept. 26 he picked up an offer from Notre Dame. Bogle, the No. 9 weakside defen- sive end and No. 169 overall player in the class according to Rivals, said coming from a Catholic school made the Notre Dame offer a special one for him. "It's really big," Bogle told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "I go to a Catholic school right now, and Notre Dame is a Catholic school. My principal is really in love with Notre Dame. It's a great opportunity to have a scholar- ship from Notre Dame." According to Bogle, the Notre Dame coaching staff started contact- ing the staff at Cardinal Gibbons fol- lowing his sophomore season, and got in touch with Bogle himself after the 2019 contact period started. Bogle said he's been speaking mostly with running backs coach Au- try Denson, adding that the conver- sations have been different than any he's had with other college coaches. "We really haven't been taking about football," Bogle said. "Most schools know I can play football, but he's trying to make me become a man and prepare me for the next level and how to grow up and pro- vide for my family." The four-star prospect said he's been a big fan of the conversations with Denson because they've taught him some things he will need down the road. "You never know," Bogle said. "On any given day your football career could be over with, so it's great talk- ing to him." Being in Florida, Bogle is obvi- ously far away from Notre Dame. However, the Floridian said distance won't be a factor in his recruitment. "My mom always says 'Wherever you go, just make the right deci- sion,'" Bogle said. "She's not going to stop me from going where I want to go." Bogle is planning on releasing a list of his top 10 schools Oct. 27, and said Notre Dame will likely make the cut now that an offer is on the table. — David McKinney 2019 RB 'Happy And Surprised' To Land An Irish Offer Top-10 Junior Defensive End Is Fired Up Over Irish Offer AUSTIN JONES ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Oakland, Calif. Bishop O'Dowd H.S. Class: 2019 Status: Offered Position: Running Back Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 190 Rivals Rankings: No. 6 run- ning back and No. 86 overall player in the nation KHRIS BOGLE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cardinal Gibbons H.S. Class: 2019 Status: Offered Position: Defensive End Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 215 Rivals Rankings: No. 9 weakside defensive end and No. 169 overall prospect in the country "Getting a Notre Dame offer really sets you apart from a lot of people." JONES "It's really big. I go to a Catholic school right now, and Notre Dame is a Catholic school. My principal is really in love with Notre Dame. It's a great opportunity to have a scholarship from Notre Dame." BOGLE