Recruiting update

The Blue-Gold weekend, as mentioned below, was a large recruiting event for the Notre Dame football staff.

Next to give their pledges were a trio of players at the Blue-Gold weekend: Tony Springmann, Jarrett Grace, and Conor Hanratty.

Springmann, an offensive lineman from Fort Wayne, Indiana, chose Notre Dame over Boston College, Duke, Stanford, Purdue, and Michigan State.

Grace, a linebacker out of Cincinnati, selected the Irish over Boston College, Stanford, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Michigan State.

If the name Hanratty doesn't sound familiar, you are a newbie Irish fan. A hint, from Sports Illustrated and Time:



Conor Hanratty, meanwhile, is an offensive lineman from New Canaan, Connecticut, and selected his Dad's alma mater over the likes of Boston College, California, Clemson, Florida State, Iowa, Stanford, and Wisconsin.

Steve Wiltfong, at Irish Sports Daily, has an interesting article on recruiting in the mid-1960s versus today via the Hanratty family.

Yet, for some Notre Dame fans, one of the lingering questions when Brian Kelly was hired was -- given his time spent at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, and Cincinnati -- how would he fare when he went head-to-head against the elite football programs for the commitments of blue-chip, 5-star players? Could Kelly and the Irish staff beat Southern Cal, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, and the like for a player?

So?



Ben Koyack, a tight end from Oil City, Pennsylvania, will continue the tradition of Notre Dame as Tight End U., and picked ND over Penn State, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Southern Cal, and the rest of Division I football. South Bend Tribune article [here].

Then, Kelly got a pledge from Matthew Hegarty, an elite offensive tackle from Aztec, New Mexico, over offers from Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Southern Cal, and the rest of the nation. Irish Sports Daily [here]. If you like cyberstalking recruits, Youtube video from Oklahoma's camp [here].

Of course, some Irish fans still await the next elite defensive lineman to say "yes" to Kelly...