Christian Morgan

Notre Dame's season may very well come down to production or a lack of production from its defensive line in 2017. The Irish may have a deeper defensive line than in past seasons under head coach Brian Kelly, but it's raw talent. Jay Hayes will no longer be at rush end and will move to his natural position at strongside end but could he potentially add depth on the inside? The Brooklyn native tweeted a photo weighing in at 293 pounds last week, and we have heard from one source who believes Hayes could potentially see time inside at 3-Tech. Speaking of 3-Tech, we have also heard Elijah Taylor is out of his boot and has started rehab after suffering a LisFranc fracture in his left football during the spring. It's a long road back from a LisFranc injury as we saw with Jarron Jones, but anything Taylor can give in 2017 will be welcomed. Another guy at 3-Tech is junior Micah Dew-Treadway, who figured to be in the rotation last fall before breaking his foot in fall camp. We have heard Dew-Treadway is in constant contact with defensive coordinator Mike Elko and is fully aware of what he needs to do to get on the field. The staff wants Dew-Treadway at 305 pounds for the season and has a few pounds to gain to reach that mark from what we're told. One area Dew-Treadway can prove to Elko, and defensive line coach Mike Elston right away is the ability to stay on the field and not get tired. New Director of Football Performance, Matt Balis, is making sure the defensive line and the entire team are going to be able to stay on the field and not fatigue as quickly. "Balis is a beast and is an extension of Brian Kelly," stated one source. "What he says goes."The source also added there was a greater sense of accountability, which goes in line with what we heard and saw in the spring. Uyeyama's Thoughts: The topic of Hayes' weight and a potential move to 3-Tech was brought up earlier this week. I think whether he moves there or not, he will be rushing the passer from the interior quite a bit this season. It's partly a product of the Bear front with two players lined up outside shade of the two guards that Mike Elko often likes to use on 3rd down. The strong-side defensive end often kicks inside when that happens, and we saw Duke Ejiofor have a lot of success matching up on the interior. Hayes is even bigger than Ejiofor so moving to 3-Tech full-time is not out of the question for a guy who should line up there a lot regardless if he switches positions.The reason why I'm not 100% sold on it happening is the situation behind him at end. Right now there is Khalid Kareem and possibly Andrew Trumbetti competing there. Kareem may be able to make a big step up to have a significant role this year, but that is no guarantee at this point.As was just discussed, there are several options at 3-Tech already as well with Taylor, Dew-Treadway, and projected starter Jonathan Bonner. Even if they aren't happy with those three players and want to give Hayes a look there, it could be a scenario of robbing Peter to pay Paul. It all leads into some interesting competition in fall camp, which should only be further complicated by inserting freshman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa into the mix. Notes- We have heard quarterback Ian Book continues to impress during summer workouts. - Freshman tight end Cole Kmet has turned heads in the few short weeks he has been on campus. "Soft hands" has been used to describe his style of play. - Alize Mack has impressed but still needs to work on consistently catching the football. - Avery Davis is raw and needs to clean up his throwing motion, but he's been on campus for three weeks. No reason to be concerned. - Justin Yoon is close to being ready to go. He has his range back, which at right about 55 yards for field goals. Also, don't expect Yoon to just give up kickoffs as that's his ticket to the NFL. Yoon is right around 73-74 yards on his kickoffs at this point in June.- Brian Kelly has been present for the workouts the staff is allowed to attend and has continued to be more involved with the program top to bottom.ADEMILOLA READY TO RECRUIT: The Opening presents a great opportunity for kids to get away from the recruiting scene and form friendships with other top prospects. With that said, the recruits do a lot of recruiting as they are surrounded by prospects their future schools want onboard. 2018 defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola plans on doing some recruiting this week, and it starts with his teammate at St. Peter's Prep. "I am going to recruit my teammate, Shayne Simon," laughed Ademilola. "He is a great guy to be around. I am going to talk to Houston Griffith and Cameron McGrone. "I spoke to Cam at Irish Invasion, and we stayed in a dorm together. I was chilling with him that night, and we have texted back and forth since then. Cam is also on my team at The Opening." The Opening also provides the opportunity to play with and against future teammates. Ademilola is looking forward to meeting and working with new Notre Dame defensive tackle commit Ja'mion Franklin this week. "I am excited to work with him," said Ademilola. "I haven't met Ja'mion, so it's going to be good to see how he does. We are going to compete and try to build that bond more." When it comes to his fellow commits, Ademilola believes they are forming a close bond as the summer goes by. The four-star prospect FaceTime's with Markese Stepp and Ovie Oghoufo multiples a week and the commits are all heavily involved in the group text. Stepp has been the face of the class for over a year, and it's not a shock Ademilola has developed a strong relationship with the four-star running back. "Markese is a great kid," Ademilola said. "He came over to my house when he was in New Jersey. We're pretty tight, and we have a great relationship. He's a great recruiter and doing great things for Notre Dame." Simon visited South Bend for a second time for Irish Invasion with the Ademilola twins, and Notre Dame jumped into the lead for the four-star rover prospect. A commitment would mean more than just a talented football player joining Ademilola, as Simon is one of his closest friends. "It would be huge," Ademilola said of potentially landing Simon. "I met Shayne when I was a freshman. We are really tight, and he's one of my best friends. We always stay close, and he has helped me develop as a player. I feel like Shayne, my brother, and I would stay tight if he came to Notre Dame." FRANKLIN ENJOYS TRIP HOME: 2018 defensive tackle Ja'mion Franklin started off a busy month of June by committing to Notre Dame. The 6-foot-3, 305-pounder took a spring visit to Notre Dame with his coach but returned last weekend to show his family his future home for the first time. The trip was exactly what the North Caroline (Md.) star imagined it would be and he was more comfortable than he even thought."It was like seeing my family after a while away," Franklin said of his return to South Bend. "My parents loved the campus and the coaches/players they met on the visit. The feeling they got from the visit and the vibe from coach Kelly sealed the deal for them." As we mentioned, Franklin will be at The Opening this week and is more than ready to recruit for the Irish. "I'm going after everybody," laughed Franklin. "Cameron McGrone is the target in mind." ST. BROWN INTEL: 2018 Mater Dei (Calif.) receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has been the name no one can get enough scoop on as every program in the country covets the signature of the 5-foot-10, 186-pounder. The four-star prospect is low-key and doesn't seem interested in the recruiting process at times, but St. Brown has done his due diligence and visited multiple schools over the last two years. As National Signing Day approaches, he will be paying close attention to how and what teams are doing this fall. "I've been to a lot of schools, I've seen most of the schools now, I've talked to a lot of the coaches, but one thing I really want to do is see how they play during the season, how each team fares out, how they utilize some of the players," said St. Brown. "I know some of the players on the teams, how they use the freshmen. I want to have a fair shot at playing early. I just want to watch how the season works, how everything plays out."Playing early is definitely a major factor in St. Brown's recruitment, but he doesn't want a coach to promise him playing time. The California native wants a fair shot to compete to see the field. St. Brown will pay attention to see how Stanford works his brother, Osiris, into the rotation this fall as he already saw how his older brother, Equanimeous, battled the depth chart at Notre Dame in his first season."Freshman year, he didn't really play much," St. Brown said of his oldest brother. "Our family, me and my dad, thought he should have played a little more, but obviously that's not my decision or his. That's the coach's decision. Him not playing freshman year was on him. I don't know if that really has an impact, maybe it's subconscious in my mind, I'm not sure. But, if I'm the best player, I think I should have a fair shot at playing. If there's a senior in front, just because he's a senior doesn't mean he should play. I think everyone should have a fair shot and the best player should play."St. Brown also addressed some thoughts of him wanting to play with 2019 five-star quarterback JT Daniels, as the two have put up video game numbers at Mater Dei. "If JT chooses USC, wherever he goes, that would be great, I'm going to be happy for him," stated St. Brown. "If I choose USC, then we might do some damage. Regarding him having an impact, I would say it has a little impact, but at the end of the day, we have to do what's best for us."HARRISON OPEN: 2019 four-star defensive end Zach Harrison made a low-key visit to South Bend last weekend and backed up his statements of not being an Ohio State lock despite living in a Columbus suburb. Olentangy Orange head coach Zebb Schroeder also agrees his star player isn't a lock to Ohio State."His family is not from the Columbus area," Schroeder said of the 6-foot-5, 242-pounder. "In fact, his family is closer to South Bend than they are Columbus. He truly is looking at the opportunity as a special position he has been put in."Harrison, who ran a 4.62 40-yard dash earlier this spring, is doing his due diligence and making sure he checks out the schools that have extended offers. Schroeder believes Harrison is proactive in taking visits to experience everything he needs to make the best decision. "He's been smart about doing his research on the academics and what it's like to live there as a student-athlete," said Schroeder. "He has looked at his relationships with the defensive line coach and the football culture. I think those are the important things he is trying to do his research on." Uyeyama's' Thoughts: There have been two rising junior defensive linemen that were selected to The Opening in recent years that catapulted their way to be the top-ranked player in the nation in their recruiting class after shining against older players. Those two players were Rashan Gary and currently the top ranked player in the 2018 class, Xavier Thomas. Those guys were exceptional and were definitely in the top five defensive line prospects at the camp despite being a year younger than everyone else. This year the recruit trying to show he is the next top dog is Harrison.He certainly has the physical tools to suggest he could be that. He is freakishly long with a frame that looks like he can carry 280 pounds or more once he physically matures and gets in a good college strength and conditioning program. His athleticism that goes with that size is what puts it over the top for him, though. There aren't many who have a ceiling as high as him because of those exceptional traits.I don't think he is at the level of Thomas or Gary. At least not yet. Those guys had film that put them in an upper tier. Harrison's sophomore film doesn't match up. Heck, he didn't even make the Final 5 at the regional camp this year. He has some work to do before he should be considered a generational talent like those two. But this week could be the start of him approaching that level. He is going to get some quality coaching and go up against elite competition. He is raw, especially with his hands, but this week for the defensive linemen is as much about refinement as it is about competition. I would be surprised if Harrison is one of the Final 5 defensive linemen at this camp, but this experience should be invaluable to him in his quest to be one of the best in the class of 2019. GRAY ON LYGHT: 2019 Charlotte Christian (N.C.) defensive back Jeremiah Gray got his first look at Notre Dame last weekend. The 6-foot-1, 198-pounder is one of the few prospects each year with a father that holds an NFL background. In the past, prospects in Gray's position have had a more mature viewpoint than their peers as they have a father who went through the process. The chance to meet with cornerbacks coach Todd Lyght was a great opportunity for Gray to relate to someone in a position very similar to that of his father's. "It was interesting," said Gray. "At first we didn't even talk about football. He talked a lot about the networking after football you get with Notre Dame. You can't just bank off going to the NFL. After college, Notre Dame has a lot of alumni or fans that are there for you. "He pulled out some mail and told me he still gets fan mail. That was pretty cool to see." There are many coaches who played in college and the NFL, but few are coaching the position they played at their alma mater. Gray values the experience Lyght brings and could be a factor if he receives an offer from the Irish. "If a coach didn't play in college or the NFL, I am not going to hold that against them, but I will say it's a bonus," explained Gray. "When I play college football, it would be great to be coached by someone who played football and was in my shoes. "There are some coaches who never played, and there's nothing wrong with it, but it's harder for them to understand what you go through." DISTANCE A FACTOR FOR MAZI?: 2019 Grand Rapids (Mich.) defensive tackle Mazi Smith added an offer from Notre Dame last weekend, and it was definitely a big one for the four-star prospect. With an offer from Alabama and a trip to Tuscaloosa next month, Smith can play away from home, but he also has Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, and Wisconsin as much closer options. "I could go anywhere if I feel comfortable and I like it there whether it's close to home or not," said Smith. "I want to go where I can fit in and do my best. At the end of the day, I am going to be the one living there for four years, and I have to live with it." BOARD CLARITY COMING FROM OPENING: While ISD's staff is out in Oregon for The Opening this week, we should get some further clarity on where Notre Dame's 2018 recruiting board currently stands.Even after gaining a commitment from Florida tight end George Takacs earlier this month, Notre Dame didn't shy away from bringing Georgia tight end Tommy Tremble in for a visit. The Irish staff made the pitch to Tremble that he and Takacs would be complementary pieces in the tight end picture in South Bend with Tremble being the more athletic, Alize Mack type, and Takacs playing more of the traditional role. Does Notre Dame see New York's Jeremy Ruckert being the same type of fit? We could find out this week or at least get a sense, but in our opinion, at this point, we see Ruckert landing at one of his Big Ten finalists, Ohio State, Michigan or Wisconsin.On the offensive line, we've had Utah's Penei Sewell and Maryland's Rasheed Walker on our Target List for some time now, but could they be removed when we talk to them this week? Sewell received his offer from Notre Dame a couple of months back, and we'll be interested to see if he's any closer to locking in a visit to South Bend. Meanwhile, the Irish were included in Walker's top six, but are they truly a player here? Either way, we believe Notre Dame's current focus up front is on guys like Jamaree Salyer, Sam Vakalahi, and Will Craig, who will all be in Oregon as well, along with Nick Petit Frere.On the either side of the ball, both may say otherwise, but we'll be interested in whether we see any hints that defensive linemen PJ Mustipher and Tyreek Smith should be removed from the Target List. Both have made trips to South Bend in the past, and the Irish have a strong connection to Mustipher through his brother, but both seem to be trending elsewhere at the moment. In the 2019 class, it's too early to start thinking about removing Ohio's Jowon Briggs from the target sheet, but we're not sure Briggs and Notre Dame would be as good of a match as we initially believed. We'll be looking to get Briggs' thoughts.On the back end of the defense, maybe Houston stud Anthony Cook is closer to a visit to South Bend and keeping the Irish under consideration, but what about his high school teammate, D'Shawn Jamison? Will Georgia's Christian Tutt and Texas' Christian Morgan be options for Notre Dame moving forward? We'll do our best to find out.LAMB SAW A FIRED-UP IRISH SQUAD: Jack Lamb knew he'd see a historic football program when he visited Notre Dame last week and he did.The 2018 California linebacker knew he'd hear about the academic prowess of the University and he did.He figured he'd meet several people with similar goals to him and he did.He didn't have any idea he'd see a squad as hungry as the current one in South Bend though.Although he didn't get to spend extensive one-on-one time with many of the players, his first sighting of the team as a group made a strong impression."Their lifting didn't start until 11 a.m.," Lamb explained. "They were trying to get into the weight room at 10:59 and they wouldn't let them in until 11. They were banging on the glass, banging on the door trying to get in the weight room."Obviously, that impression was a positive one for Lamb."I thought that was really awesome they were really excited to lift," he said."A lot of people really don't get excited for that hard work. I thought that was really interesting, the kind of attitude and that they carried that passion."FROM THE BUSHES-STAFF EDITION: After almost a month of hosting camps in South Bend, the current dead period offers the Irish staff a bit of a break.Communication is still allowed during the dead period, which began on Monday and stretches through Sunday, July 9th, but in-person contact is prohibited, meaning no prospects will be visiting.The Irish were able to draw a large group of visitors to town during the month of June, and while other targets will surely make trips to South Bend when the dead period expires, there shouldn't be as many coordinated efforts as the last couple of weeks.We continue to hear nothing but positives on the new Irish defensive coordinator, especially on the recruiting side of things. Multiple sources from virtually every angle of the process have told us he respects the importance of recruiting, is prepared and seems to truly enjoy doing it. There is no doubt he is working very, very hard and putting in the hours necessary to be successful. As a person, Elko is similar in a sense to guys like Chuck Martin and Mike Denbrock as people who are easy to like almost instantly. He certainly has the work ethic and personality that could make him a head coach somewhere down the line. We've also been told the players really love him. He's very positive but isn't afraid to push them either. Many people are confident in his ability to get the defensive playing solid football early in the season. New linebackers coach Clark Lea, who was with Elko at Wake Forest, seems to be a good hire as well. He may not be as dynamic of a personality as some of the nation's top recruiters, but he definitely gives it the effort it deserves and makes up for anything he may lack in a flash by taking the time to form genuine relationships with prospects and their inner circles. The current players like him as well, and he's known as a very good teacher of fundamentals. Likewise, we've heard the players have also taken to new quarterbacks coach Tommy, sorry, Tom Rees. He's also proven to be an asset in recruiting even if his role is somewhat limited in that he tries to help a lot, and he's effective talking to kids. We'll see exactly how well he can coach in the future, but from a personality standpoint in recruiting, working and connecting with the current signal-callers, it seems to be a positive so far.

Last week in this space, we took a look back at how Brandon Wimbush cemented his status as a potential breakout college football star with his performance this spring, but Wimbush wasn't the only Notre Dame quarterback turning heads this fall. Brian Kelly was clear is saying there is no quarterback controversy in South Bend, but the Irish head coach was equally clear on how impressed he was with what he saw from Ian Book this spring. And Kelly wasn't the only one.We caught up with Book's personal quarterback coach at The Range, Will Hewlett, for his thoughts on what he saw from the redshirt freshman."I'd like to say I was surprised, but I fully expected him to have a really good spring and perform well," Hewlett says. "Going into the spring with a lot of the focus being on Brandon Wimbush, and deservedly so, I felt like Ian did every little thing he possibly could have from my perspective, sitting back here, to prove he can A) hang and play for the Irish and B) that he's a competitor. I think a lot of people were probably surprised by his performance, but that's kind of his MO. "I think everyone was surprised when he ended up at Notre Dame. Who's this 6-foot tall kid out of Northern California? That's kind of been his story. For those who have watched him and known him, that's what we've come to expect. I'm really pleased for him. He should be pumped up coming out of spring."Book has been aware of doubters throughout his career, but it's never necessarily bothered him, according to Hewlett."One of the neat things about Ian is that I don't think there was ever an element where he had any kind of anger or discouragement," the coach says. "He never appeared to ever really be affected by the lack of recruitment. I think sometimes the coaches and parents get more caught up in it than everyone else."During the recruiting process, he was confident he would find the right fit and it ended up being Notre Dame."The schools that weren't quick to judge him on first glimpse were smart and ended up offering him," Hewlett says. "One offensive coordinator at a big Pac-12 school admittedly said that he missed on Ian after watching his senior film and regretted it. But it worked out great and I think it's still working out great for him."Book prides himself on his accuracy and ability to deliver the ball under pressure and is always looking to improve."We're on a never-ending quest to perfect the mechanics," Hewlett says. "I always look at athletes that I train and think, 'Where can we get one or two percent better that will add up over the long term?'"We're going to continually look at adding more velocity to his throws. I think he showed he has the velocity and arm strength during the spring game."That may not always be obvious when Book is being compared to Wimbush, who Hewlett says, "might have the strongest arm in the country.""We're going to look at refining little things and finding deficiencies anywhere and eliminating those," Hewlett adds. "I think he'll handle the pressure well and be able to handle the situation. Making sure he's prepared and feels confident in his ability to hold up to the moment. He's going to continue to learn and grow with his staff obviously. They did a fantastic job."Hewlett is convinced Book will get his chance eventually and will take advantage of it when it comes."I think the staff is probably as confident as I am in his ability to be a player for the Irish and not just an arm. He'll contribute. He will contribute. By the time he leaves the Irish, he will have contributed to Notre Dame, so I'm excited for him."DECISION ON HORIZON FOR AUSTIN: We spoke with a source down at North Broward Prep this week about 2018 Florida wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr., who announced a final four last week of Notre Dame, Duke, Miami and Tennessee."From an academic standpoint, from a football and a future standpoint, I don't think many on campus were surprised by the four he selected," our source said. "We knew he was looking for high-academic schools. We knew he was obviously looking for an opportunity to play at a high level. "Seeing those four schools, it was exactly what I'd expect from him knowing how much he commits himself to the classroom and knowing how much he'll commit himself to a high level of college football. He expects that of himself. I know that regardless of where he goes, he's going to expect himself to go in there and compete and be a guy who's ready for that competition and what's next."When he announced his finalists, Austin teased that an announcement would be coming "soon," but other than that, no timeline has been defined."I'll be honest, I really don't," our source said. "I know the process of making a decision soon is very much in play. I know he's ready to get that weight off his shoulder, but I'm unsure as to when that decision is going to come."There has been some late buzz that Duke could be a bigger factor here than many believe, but our source noted several reasons why the Irish are considered by many to be the frontrunner."I think the experience, all of the intangibles are there obviously, as are the tangibles," we were told. "The experience and the feel of the campus, even him just going to check out the spring game. I know that was a Saturday experience unlike anything he's ever seen. Those Saturday experiences and game day experiences and the support from the town and the school are very big to him. "Tied to that, the tradition of the program and the tradition of the University are second to none really. It's hard to name a brand quite like Notre Dame Football. I think those things are big for him along with the classroom setting and the campus. His family is very much playing a role in the decision as well and all of those boxes seem to be checked."IRISH STAY BUSY IN TEXAS: Multiple members of the Notre Dame staff have spent time in the Lone Star State the last couple of weeks with defensive backs coach Todd Lyght canvassing the state last week followed by defensive coordinator Mike Elko swinging through this week.We mentioned this in this space last week, but received further confirmation this week that despite a verbal commitment to Baylor, 2018 Texas safety Christian Morgan remains open to "major schools" like Notre Dame. Lyght was at Porter High School last week and it sounds like he was impressed with he saw before Elko followed up. While we know Morgan's interest in Notre Dame is serious, despite not having received a Notre Dame offer yet, we get the sense the Irish's interest in Morgan is also serious. Following a stop in South Bend last month, Morgan told us an offer would put Notre Dame atop his list. Baylor is obviously at the top now, but the Bears would have a fight on their hands if the Irish do offer.There always seems to be a couple high school secondaries each cycle that are flat loaded, whether it was Rancho Cucamonga last year or Cass Tech in years past. This year, Lamar High School could have the nation's best defensive backfield. Elite 2018 prospects Anthony Cook and D'Shawn Jamison lead the way at corner, but Al'vonte Woodard would be a highly-ranked corner as well if he wasn't a highly-ranked receiver. They're joined by three other D-I prospects. It's going to be tough, but the Irish are going after both Cook and Jamison. Cook did include Notre Dame in his top 10, although the Irish aren't in the lead pack. Jamison is considered a heavy Texas lean, but has expressed some interest in visiting. Notre Dame will need to get both on campus to even have a shot, but sources tell us they are such great players it's worth the chase.As we mentioned on Thursday's recruiting edition of ISD Power Hour, 2018 Texas defensive end Joseph Ossai has been a Texas A&M lean for a long time now and that remains the case today, but he hasn't shut off other schools by any means. Texas is coming after him hard and out-of-state schools like Notre Dame and Arkansas are also pushing. Notre Dame was at Oak Ridge High School this week and Ossai continues to talk about getting up to South Bend for a visit this summer. Academics will be crucial for Ossai, who wants to major in Engineering. He's in no rush to make a decision either as he'll do his best to keep his focus on his high school squad. He plans to use all five official visits and isn't expected to make a decision until the winter.On Wednesday, Notre Dame extended an offer to 2019 Texas linebacker Nana Osafo-Mensah. The Nolan Catholic High School standout already had offers from schools like Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Georgia, USC and UCLA among others, but the Notre Dame offer was one he wanted. Part of that has do with Osafo-Mensah's Catholic upbringing."He's a kid that will actually mean something to," one source said of Notre Dame being a faith-based school. "Obviously, a lot of kids say it's special because it's Notre Dame, but that doesn't mean anything. That part means something to him."The same source told us Osafo-Mensah "lit up" when informed of the offer and would like visit South Bend at some point."I do think he'll take it seriously for sure. At the end of the day with him and his parents, it's going to be schools like that. It's going to be the Stanfords, Notre Dames, academic places. You throw in the fact that he's a devout Catholic and I think they'll be a frontrunner."We continue to hear how high Notre Dame is on 2019 Dallas safety Brian Williams. The Bishop Dunne standout has offers from premier programs across the country, but does have some interest in the Irish and has told us he's thinking about visiting this summer. Williams is the younger brother of Rawleigh Williams III, who made headlines this week with his story announcing his decision to walk away from the game and his role as Arkansas' starting running back."It was a tough decision for him, but it was the best thing for him," Williams said of his brother. "We're just getting by day to day and he's definitely feeling better about it, so I'm happy for him."I'm happy for him. I'm glad that he was able to make that decision and I'm just glad he has his health. That's what matters to me most, not if he's a football player or not. Just that he's healthy and he's able to be a big brother."JOHNSON TIMELINE NOT SO CLEAR: It's obvious DJ Johnson is going to take a good, long look at Notre Dame now that the 2018 Indianapolis cornerback has his Irish offer. That was obvious even before he got the offer.What's not so obvious is when he may shut down the process.Iowa was Johnson's named leader prior to the offer from Notre Dame, but now the Irish have at least pulled into a tie with the Hawkeyes, if they haven't surpassed them. He visited Notre Dame for a game last fall and is scheduled to be back for next month's Irish Invasion.It's almost certain there will be chatter then about Johnson potentially being on Commit Watch at that time, but there's a chance he'll try to hold off until he has a better understanding of all his options.This week, we spoke to new North Central High School head coach, Kevin O'Shea, about Johnson's timetable."When I first got here, he wanted it taken care of before the season started," said O'Shea, who's only been on the job for a couple months now. "Now, since some more teams have started rolling in and with this next wave of recruiting and especially over the summer, I think he's going to get some more offers. "I told DJ, 'When the time is right, you'll know it. Don't put a timeline on it. When you are ready to pull the trigger, you'll know it.'"In addition to Notre Dame, both Ohio State and Tennessee could end up offering."I think he owes it to visit some of these schools to see what they have to offer and see what's out there," his coach said. "As far as a teenager goes, you need to get up to the school and hang around with your potential teammates because those are the guys you're going to hang with for the next four or five years. Coaches come and go, we all know that. Nothing is guaranteed. "These are the guys you're going to be hanging with and you need to go up there and visit, not only in South Bend. You need to go up to Iowa, you need to go over to Ohio State, you need to go visit some of these schools and see how you fit in and see what your comfort zone is."But O'Shea isn't as concerned with when Johnson picks as a school as he is with Johnson finding the best school for him."If DJ pulled the trigger tomorrow, I'd be right behind him congratulating him and if he waits until Signing Day, I'll be right there for him too. I just want him to be comfortable."TREMBLE A TALENTED TIGHT END: Notre Dame broadened its search base a bit for a tight end in the Class of 2018 when it extended an offer to Georgia's Tommy Tremble last week. Despite family ties to Georgia, where his father played, as we said here last week, he's no lock to be a Bulldog.We caught up with his coach at Johns Creek High School, Matt Helmerich, for his thoughts on the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder."Explosive," said Helmerich, who just arrived at Johns Creek this offseason. "He's got an extremely high ceiling. "I think he was just learning the position a little bit last year. They played him a little bit at tight end and a little bit of an outside linebacker-type position. Now that he's found his niche so to speak as a tight end, he's just going to blossom."Through examining Tremble's junior film, Helmerich said he sees things "you just can't coach.""He's got this one play on film where he catches the ball, turns, jukes out the linebacker and gets upfield another 20 yards in one motion. You just can't coach stuff. That's just natural, God-Given talent and instincts. Once he gets in our system and we coach him up a little bit, I think he's going to be phenomenal."via GIPHY2019 LINEMEN LOOKING TO IMPRESS AT BIG MAN CAMP: Notre Dame has been hesitant about sending out offers to 2019 offensive linemen until in-depth evaluations are done.Some of those evaluations will undoubtedly be done at Notre Dame's Lineman's Challenge on June 24th.At least a pair of 2019 offensive linemen are already looking at making plans to get to South Bend to show Harry Hiestand and the rest of the Irish staff what they can do.New Jersey's John Olmstead already has nine offers from schools like Rutgers, Syracuse, Nebraska, Virginia, Minnesota and UCLA among others. The 6-foot-6, 290-pounder called Notre Dame one of his few dream schools and one he's had some communication with so far. The Irish have stopped by to check in on Olmstead during the Evaluation Period and he said he'll "probably" be able to make it to South Bend for the camp this summer.http://www.hudl.com/video/3/8294781/588b9c6b0c53f224bcb1e863New Jersey's Caedan Wallace has offers from schools like Penn State, Rutgers, Maryland, Oklahoma, Virginia and Virginia Tech. He visited South Bend for a game last fall and said communications with the Irish have increased recently. The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder was also invited to Notre Dame's camp and is still trying to find out if he can make the event. If he makes it, he'll be looking to get an idea of what Notre Dame is like without the hoopla of a game day atmosphere. Right now, the Nittany Lions and the Sooners seem to have a bit of an edge.http://www.hudl.com/video/3/4473074/58239c4411fa80508876e3ffDURHAM VISIT GOES WELL: Notre Dame hoops hosted UConn transfer prospect Juwan Durham last weekend and, according to multiple sources, the visit went about as well as could have been expected."It went great," one source said. "He absolutely loved it."A separate source told us, "It could not have gone better."One of the sources told us the 6-foot-10 Durham was really impressed with the people he met while in South Bend."The genuineness of the coaching staff," we were told of what stuck out most. "He really hit it off with the kids, the players a lot. Their style of play when he played pickup with them was really what he was looking for, a really team-oriented system."It sounds like Durham will take visits to Virginia Tech and potentially toward the end of the month, but at this point, Notre Dame has secured its spot as one of the frontrunners.

Coming into the spring, there were high expectations for Brandon Wimbush and the New Jersey native performed well enough that the expectations are even higher for Notre Dame's next starting quarterback coming out of the spring. We spoke with a source close to Wimbush's development, who credits the quarterback with ramping up those hopes. "I really believe that all throughout the spring, he really won over his coaching staff, won over his teammates and gave them a clear view as to what they'll be able to expect going into the fall," we were told. "There's a heightened sense of excitement going into the summer and heading into the fall about what this season could potentially be. I think it could be something completely special, very special, just from what I was able to witness on that field. "There were a few plays that we left on the field that he had an opportunity to go back, watch the film and learn from, but other than that, he displayed all of the attributes that he's going to bring to this Chip Long offense." Wimbush was picked off twice during the Blue-Gold Game, including one attempt in the red zone to Miles Boykin. "Brandon took a shot, he was decisive and he believed he could thread that thing in there, but he probably should have taken more care of the football in the red zone," the source said. "It was really a misjudgment, miscalculation, miscommunication." With a quarterback who has Wimbush's arm talent, there will always be a fine line between taking advantage of that talent and forcing a throw. "What I do like about it, he made a decision and he was aggressive with it," the source said. "Through reps like that and being able to see it on the field, going back to film and watching it, he'll understand sometimes you have to pick your poison and live to see another day. "He sees a window of opportunity and he was decisive and aggressive about the decision. It wasn't like he hung onto the ball too long, he made the decision and went with it. He tried to show some level of timing and anticipation. Sometimes, you misjudge and miscalculate. Sometimes you make a wrong read based upon what you see. Through time and experience, you'll begin to understand when you should take those shots. But when you know you're blessed with an arm like he possesses, he's in a more advantageous position to take those risks and he's going to win more times than not. He has that gunslinger mentality. We have to find a way to keep it under control to the point where he doesn't put himself and his team at a disadvantage or bad situation." Since arriving at Notre Dame two years ago, Wimbush has seamlessly adjusted to different roles. Coming in as a freshman, his goal was to compete for the backup job, which was suddenly his once Malik Zaire went down in the second game of the season. He spent last spring trying to turn a two-person race between Zaire and DeShone Kizer into a three-person race before having to make the most of a redshirt year as a sophomore. Now, he'll be thrust into the spotlight as he promises to be a trendy pick as a breakout college star. But he'll be able to handle it, according to our source. "One of the unique qualities about Brandon is that he doesn't allow all of that hype to go to his head," we were told. "He takes it all into consideration. He understands what it all is, but it's not like he allows his head to swell up and inflate his ego. He gets it. "He understands what this process is, he understands what it entails. He understands there are going to be some tremendous things said about him in the media leading up to his full indoctrination as Notre Dame's QB1, but with all of that being said, he's going to remain level-headed. It's a quiet, humble confidence that he possesses, but he doesn't allow all of this hype. It's all a business approach. He's excited for the opportunity and he wants to take full advantage of all the opportunities that he'll get to continue to grow and learn." FROM THE BUSHES: It certainly looks like a clear Notre Dame-Ohio State battle for 2018 Ohio linebacker Dallas Gant at this point. While we don't believe Gant has made a decision yet, with an announcement scheduled for May 16th, we do feel comfortable saying the Buckeyes are currently in front. The lack of a firm decision just yet should give the Irish some hope, but it would require a change of thinking on Gant's part. We still see 2018 Maryland defensive tackle Ja'mion Franklin picking Notre Dame when he makes his announcement on July 1st. The key will be whether Franklin decides to completely shut down his recruitment, meaning no visits, after his announcement and how the Irish will handle things if he wants to commit, but isn't ready to completely shut things down. We've heard from multiple sources that PJ Mustipher's visit for the spring game a couple weeks ago went well. It's obvious the Notre Dame staff has done a great job making the 2018 Maryland defensive tackle feel wanted. His parents love Notre Dame and the fact that his brother, starting center Sam Mustipher, has done so well during his time in South Bend, but they're going to let PJ make his own decision. The connection with his brother and the comfort level with everybody on the team should help the Irish, but this one isn't a slam dunk by any means yet. As we've said here for the last couple of weeks, Notre Dame has a real solid shot at 2018 New Jersey Rover candidate Shayne Simon. His mother and aunt attended Michigan and assistant Chris Partridge has done a great job recruiting New Jersey since arriving in Ann Arbor from Paramus Catholic a couple years back, so his ties to the Wolverines are real. Still, his mother is serious about academics and that part of the visit to Notre Dame really seemed to hit home with her. Also, everybody around Simon who we've talked with says the kid is really a Notre Dame type of kid, so this one should be interesting. It continues to look like a Notre Dame-Ohio State battle for IMG defensive back Houston Griffith. The Irish were down to check in on him and his teammates this week and he continues to show a legitimate interest in Notre Dame even though the Buckeyes could have a bit of a lead right now. A couple West Coast safeties to keep an eye on include California's Julius Irvin and Washington's Tre'Shaun Harrison. Both have expressed some interest in visiting, but it'll be telling if they actually do. On that note, we've heard Washington is doing a fantastic job recruiting out there and that Chris Petersen is just a great salesman because of his total honesty. We've also heard USC head coach Clay Helton is doing a very good job for the Trojans for the same reason. Notre Dame was down to see 2018 Florida offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere this week. He may not receive as much attention as some other prospects, but Petit-Frere is a very, very important recruit for the Irish this cycle. It isn't clear when he'll make his decision, but Notre Dame put itself in a good position with a visit back in March. The Irish will have to beat out schools like Florida, Alabama, Auburn and Ohio State to get him, but they're right there. It seems likely Notre Dame will try to take four offensive linemen in 2018 and with two in the fold already with Cole Mabry and John Dirksen, the Tampa target is probably the best bet for a third at this point with Notre Dame still trailing Michigan for Ryan Hayes. We heard from Florida wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. earlier this week and we'll have more on him below. As we've said in the past, Austin is "definitely" a Notre Dame type of kid. He truly enjoyed his visit and we remain high on Notre Dame's chances of landing him over Miami, Tennessee and Duke. 2018 Oregon wide receiver Chase Cota is another Notre Dame kid, but his connections to Oregon, where his father was a standout, could be difficult to overcome. The feeling among many is that this will end up being a battle between Notre Dame, Oregon and Stanford. Notre Dame remains in the race for 2018 New York tight end Jeremy Ruckert. The Irish had a good conversation with him last week and he expressed an interest in returning, possibly in June. With previous chatter that he could be finished with visits, a return trip to South Bend this summer would confirm the Irish's chances as legitimate against Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin. DOWELL OK WITH WAITING: As we reported last week, 2018 Ohio defensive back Michael Dowell remains in contact with Notre Dame and did catch up with the Irish staff as planned last week after receiving a visit at school. "They didn't offer me, but said they were going to keep recruiting me and to stay in contact," said Dowell. "The next step toward an offer would be to keep working and staying in contact with them. They're going around and seeing some other guys during the Evaluation Period right now. I can just hope for the best." The 6-foot, 195-pounder already has offers from schools like Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana, Cincinnati, Duke, Maryland, Pitt, Syracuse and Vanderbilt among others, but he admits Notre Dame is one he wants. "I do want the Notre Dame offer, so it's kind of humbling in a way," he acknowledged. "It just gives me something to work for. It just shows me I still have things to work on. Obviously, I knew that beforehand, but it helps me keep things in perspective." The delay in receiving an Irish offer isn't causing any negative feelings on his end. "I wouldn't really say that just because I'm very familiar with this process," he said. "I've gone through it with my brothers who are at Michigan State. I understand how it works. I'm not mad. I'm a little disappointed and wish I could have done better, but I understand the process and I hope to hear from them soon, so that's all I can do." If the Irish do join the mix, expect them to be serious, serious players. IRISH COMMITS STAY AFTER AUSTIN: Kevin Austin Jr. is unlikely to take any more visits before making his college announcement, meaning the trip he took to Notre Dame for the Irish's spring game a couple weeks back will be the 2018 Florida wideout's final one before a commitment. Coming into that visit, Austin told us hearing from the current members of Notre Dame's 2018 recruiting class would be important. Coming out of the visit, it's clear the members of the class see Austin as a potential important piece. "I heard from Braden Lenzy, Micah (Jones) and Markese (Stepp)," Austin told us this week. "They tell me we can make the Notre Dame recruiting class and our class could be the best ever for Notre Dame and we'll come in there and start early and make a big impact. "They're really a great group of guys who seem to be good throughout the process. They're trying to get a lot of guys over to their school to make them the best. That's really great to see." BOOMER SURE TO BE A SOONER?: The headlines seem to write themselves when you're talking about a top prospect in the state of Oklahoma with the last name Boomer, but 2019 Oklahoma tight end Grayson Boomer is saying, "Not so fast my friend," with the talk of him being a lock play for the homestate power. "That's what a lot of people say, but I'm really wide open," the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder from Collinsville, Okla., told ISD this week. "I'm going to go wherever I feel comfortable. It's not like, 'Oh, all of the Oklahoma kids are going to OU, so I'm going to go to OU.' I'm going to go where I fit in best and where I can excel and make it to the next next level." And Boomer, who received an Irish offer recently, is well aware of Notre Dame's success with getting tight ends to that next next level as Kyle Rudolph is one of his favorite tight ends in the NFL. He also knows the Irish had enough to offer to sign two of the top tight ends in the Class of 2017 in Brock Wright and Cole Kmet. The Irish will have to get Boomer up to South Bend at some point and it isn't clear when that may occur, but his interest in Notre Dame is real. UGA LEGACY NO LOCK FOR UGA: Similarly, many people have 2018 Georgia tight end Tommy Tremble pegged as a lock to follow the footsteps of his father, former Georgia and Dallas Cowboy safety Greg Tremble. But the younger Tremble, who was offered by Notre Dame this week and has several other offers from BCS and Ivy League programs, says he's considering all of his options. "I've been a Georgia fan all of my life, I watched them play, bought the jerseys, half of my clothes are Georgia stuff," he said. "My dad was a pretty good safety and went to The League for two or three years. They sold his jersey in the shop and all of that. "After he hurt his shoulder in the NFL and had to retire, he felt Georgia sort of forgot about him. They have their alumni stuff and all of that, but they treated him the same as if he was just a walk-onMy dad doesn't really care, but my mom does not like Georgia and the way they treated him as an alum. That's one of the things with my thoughts on Georgia." MORGAN MAY NOT BE OUT: 2018 Texas safety Christian Morgan committed to Baylor earlier this week, but we still think there's a chance for Notre Dame to remain in the running if the Irish decide to offer him at some point. We spoke with Morgan earlier this week, just prior to his commitment, and it didn't sound like his feelings on Notre Dame had changed much from his visit last month, when he said an offer from the Irish would shoot them to the very top of his list. He's remained in touch with the staff in South Bend and is expecting the defensive coordinator to drop in on him at Porter High School soon. "I think Coach (Mike) Elko is coming by next week," he told us. "I just don't know when. "They've just been saying the same thing, they just want to see me in person and stuff like that." DOWN A GRADE: Notre Dame extended a pair of offers to 2019 quarterbacks earlier this week, which wasn't a huge surprise to us. Although 2019 California quarterback JT Daniels has been a favorite of Irish fans for more than a year now, we've heard the term "longshot" associated with him for a couple weeks now. That's why Daniels wasn't included on our Top 10 To Watch list last month. Other 2019 prospects who were in contention to be on the list, but were ultimately left off include Ohio defensive tackle Jowon Briggs, St. Louis linebacker Shammond Cooper and Illinois offensive lineman Trevor Keegan. It's still very early in the process, so this list will undoubtedly change, but as it is today, each of those targets missed the cut. Also, 2018 Ohio linebacker Brian Asamoah hit pause on his recruiting plans when schools like Notre Dame and others extended offers. His interest in the Irish is legit, his connection to defensive coordinator Mike Elko is unique and he remains on the board, but he'll need to do a good deal of work in order to be a legitimate Notre Dame target. GOING CAMPING: Irish Invasion is set for Saturday, June 10th. After having a lot of top targets just visit and not compete in years past, we expect a greater push to get many of those guys on the field this time. In addition to Tremble, we've also confirmed Indianapolis cornerback DJ Johnson will be in attendance along with 2019 Colorado quarterback Ty Evans and a couple others. 2019 Kansas defensive end Marcus Hicks has early offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State. "I've heard a lot of good things and I just really want to learn more about it because I don't know that much in-depth about Notre Dame," Hicks said. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder from Wichita is confident in what he believes he'll be able to show the Irish in a camp setting. "I think I can definitely show them my speed and my pass-rushing ability, which I've heard I'm pretty good at," he said. 2018 New Orleans cornerback Curry Benn has an offer from Arizona along with offers from smaller regional schools. He's hoping to impress the Irish coaches during his trip to South Bend this summer for camp. "Since I was in eighth grade, I picked out colleges I was into and Notre Dame was one of them because of the academics," the 6-foot, 170-pounder said. "Every year, I did some research and for the past 15 years, somebody from Notre Dame has been drafted into the NFL and I like that." Benn was excited when he began communicating with Irish defensive backs coach Todd Lyght and is looking forward to the camp. "I'll show them a complete cornerback; tackling, covering, everything you're looking for in a cornerback." QUICK HOOPS NOTES: The weather wasn't great, but we're told Prentiss Hubb's official visit to Notre Dame earlier this week went "as good as it could go." We're confident Notre Dame made a great impression on the 2018 Washington, D.C. point guard, who is also considering Virginia, Villanova and Maryland. "We shall see if it was good enough," one source said. The Irish are hosting another big target this weekend in 6-foot-10 UConn transfer Juwan Durham, which we reported last week. Durham is pretty much down to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech and it sounds like the Irish have done a good job making he and his family feel comfortable. We're not sure if Durham is a candidate to pull the trigger this weekend though. We get the sense he probably wants to take at least one other visit to compare Notre Dame to another school before an announcement, something he didn't do when he initially went through the recruiting process coming out of high school.