Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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46 APRIL 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PREP PROFILES Though Jan. 27 was categorized as a Junior Day, Notre Dame hosted s e v e r a l s o p h o m o re p ro s p e c t s . Among them was Cincinnati Princ- eton 2020 defensive end Darrion Henry. The 6-5, 255-pounder entered the weekend already holding offers from the likes of Ohio State, Mich- igan and Michigan State, and left South Bend having added Notre Dame to that trio. "I was very excited," Henry told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "I knew they were going to offer me soon. … Notre Dame is a big program with great history behind it, so it is a great offer to have. "I had a great experience at Notre Dame. Being able to meet all the coaches there was great. … The coaches also went over how great academically and how great the ath- letics at Notre Dame are. … What the coaches are doing with the pro- gram is great." Henry had a hard time picking out a favorite part of the trip. "The whole visit by itself was amazing," he said. Brian Kelly extended the offer to the sophomore, and Henry appreci- ated getting the chance to sit down with the Irish head coach. "He told me that I deserved it and to keep working," Henry stated. "Also, he said I am a great student- athlete and Notre Dame would be a great fit for me. … He seems like a great person also as a coach, too." Henry spent time with defensive line coach Mike Elston, who also impressed the Cincinnati product. "Coach Elston seems like a great guy," Henry stated. "I'm looking forward to getting to know him more." Notre Dame will be a program Henry continues to take a strong look at as his recruitment progresses over the next year or so. "Great academics also followed up by a wonderful football pro- gram," Henry said of the Irish. "I would say that stands out to me and the history. Also, how well Coach Kelly is running the program." Henry isn't in any rush to make a decision, but is thankful for the op- portunities he's already been given by Notre Dame and other programs. "I can start to gain relationships from coaches that offered me early," Henry explained. "I would say the relationship with the coach and what I can get out of the school will be the reasons for me picking a school." — Corey Bodden Zeeland (Mich.) East 2019 defen- sive end Adam Berghorst made his way down to Notre Dame Feb. 22 for a visit and left with a scholarship of- fer. The Irish made a big impression on the 6-7, 245-pounder during his second visit South Bend. "It's huge," Berghorst said of Notre Dame's offer. "It's definitely up in my top three. I would really like to be close to home. Obviously, it's a great tradition and program with great academics. "I had a great day with Coach [Mike] Elston. I'm trying to develop that relationship even more. It's defi- nitely a huge offer for me." Berghorst received the red-carpet treatment during the trip and got an in-depth look at the Irish program. The academic side of the package re- ally caught his attention. "I knew they were good on it going in, but how they stress it and what a Notre Dame degree means stood out," Berghorst stated. "It's very powerful and effective. The whole day was very, very impressive. Ev- erything about the school is nice and stands out. We toured the whole foot- ball building. We met with Coach Elston and the defensive coordinator [Clark Lea] for a while. "… We met with an academic advi- sor, the head strength coach and then met with Coach [Brian] Kelly." Much of the junior's day was spent with Elston, the Irish's defensive line coach. "He went through the depth chart and where they stand," Berghorst said. "He doesn't seem to offer many guys and is picky with it. It was re- ally cool and nice to know that he picked me. It stood out to me that he's detail-orientated. He's also done really well with his defensive line- men and the NFL." Berghorst, a Detroit Free Press Divi- sion 3 All-State selection last fall, is eyeing a chance at playing baseball on the next level, too. Notre Dame is open to the possibil- ity if Berghorst decides to be a two- sport athlete, and he had a chance to speak with freshman tight end Cole Kmet, who pitches for the Irish base- ball team. "He said it's an awesome experi- ence, and he's loving it so far," Berg- horst said. "He said it's doable if I chose to try it. It's a lot work, but he's loving it." Though he is still open to other schools in his recruitment, Notre Dame, Michigan and Michigan State are standing out to Berghorst. Notre Dame's proximity to his home and the overall package make the Irish a strong contender. — Corey Bodden 2020 Cincinnati Defensive End Excited To Land Irish Offer Irish Make A Move With Michigan Defensive End DARRION HENRY No star rating yet Princeton H.S. Cincinnati Status: Offered Class: 2020 Position: Defensive End Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 255 Rivals Rankings: The Class of 2020 is currently unrated ADAM BERGHORST ✪ ✪ ✪ Zeeland East H.S. Zeeland, Mich. Class: 2019 Position: Defensive End Status: Offered Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 245 Rivals Rankings: No. 12 player in Michigan and No. 43 strongside de- fensive end in the nation