Mike Wilson

National Signing Day was over three weeks ago, but the Irish aren't finished recruiting players who could help them this fall. A couple weeks ago, Notre Dame landed wide receiver transfer Freddy Canteen from Michigan and is now in the running for an impact defensive lineman in Scott Pagano, who is transferring from Clemson after graduating. As we reported earlier in the week, Pagano has already scheduled an official visit to Notre Dame for next month before stops at Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Oregon. We caught up with Pagano's former coach at Moanalua High School in Hawaii, Arnold Martinez, who offered some insight into Pagano's decision to leave a program that just won a national championship. "He's like a son to me," Martinez said of Pagano. "I love him. He's a great guy, a great kid. It's one of those deals where he wants to expand his experiences. There's no bad blood between him and Clemson. I'm excited for him to get an opportunity to experience something new. As a coach, part of me sees the value in staying where you started. "You want guys to stretch their learning, experiences and go outside their comfort zones. He's not afraid to do that. I think whatever choice he makes, he can't go wrong. Even if he was going to stay he wouldn't go wrong. He wants to experience something else and grow from it. You want kids to be able to adapt, be versatile, grow in different situations, so he's definitely showing some maturity." Martinez, who is now the head coach at Kaiser High School, said Pagano has already accomplished more than he could have dreamed of in college. "He's always going to be a Clemson Tiger in his heart," the coach said. "He felt like he accomplished everything he wanted to and got a national championship. The guys in that recruiting class at Clemson had a phenomenal run. Every kid in his same class played in BCS bowl games, two national championship games and won one. There aren't a lot of guys who can say that other than kids who maybe came through Alabama." The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder from Honolulu was an Army All-American coming out of high school, but knew he needed to step up his game for the college level. "In high school, being one of the biggest guys around, there are times when you're going to dominate because of your physical size," Martinez explained. "He wanted to get better at technique. He had a desire to not just rely on his size and I think that's what separated him. One of the things we talked about when he first left high school, was pad level, leverage and playing low because you're going to be up against guys the same size. "I think Dan Brooks and Dabo (Swinney) did a heckuva job of getting him to habitually play with leverage and power down inside. You could see his job was really to plug the middle up and push that line back. I thought he definitely made great improvement from leaving high school to doing that. Almost by necessity you have to, but he did take time out to get better at technique." Once a starter, Pagano remained a key part of the Tigers' defensive line rotation and shared the award given to the unit's 12th man this past season. Still, he has more room to improve. "He's mature enough to know that he's still got some things to work on," Martinez said. "He's not the kid to feel like he's satisfied and has reached the mountaintop. He's a kid who is constantly thinking, 'OK, how can I get better? What can I get better at?' Those qualities are what you want in a player." Notre Dame did offer him a scholarship in high school and Pagano showed some legitimate interest, but he never visited. He'll finally make that trip in a month. "I think tradition obviously," Martinez said of why Notre Dame has Pagano's attention. "He was aware of the tradition and I think he still is now and I think that intrigues him." Martinez isn't expecting a snap decision. "He's going to take these trips," the coach said. "I know he's going to be thorough about it. He won't make an off-the-cuff decision or a knee-jerk decision. He's going to think it through and weigh out the pros and cons and pick something where he feels like he can perform the best and help a team too. That's the other thing with Scott. He cares about helping other people too and helping a team. I don't believe he's just looking at what he can get out of it." And that decision won't come down to a single factor. "He hasn't really said it's one thing or another. It's not playing time, it's not one specific area. It's more of the general experience, what the school has to offer. Obviously, he has to think about what his future looks like after college football. I think he's looking for a situation that will benefit him in that sense." WHAT WOULD PAGANO MEAN FOR THE 2017 IRISH?: Not many fifth-year transfers generate as much interest as Pagano. Then again, there aren't many defensive tackles on the transfer market who can come in and immediately help your team like he can. Notre Dame could certainly use his help at one-technique if Daniel Cage's status becomes uncertain. The 6-3 nose tackle is very strong at the point of attack. When he is at his best, he can be great player versus the run in the middle of a defense. His strongest position is at one-technique or nose guard. He did some really good things against Nick Martin in the game at Death Valley last season, when he got underneath Martin's pads and forced CJ Prosise to bounce outside. Pagano is most effective at plays run at him inside. He is strong, but not a massive presence in the middle. He needs to rely on a good get-off and play with great leverage to be an effective player against the double and struggles when he is late reacting at the snap of the ball. In a lot of ways, he is similar to Cage. He shows flashes of being disruptive versus the run, but is not great at finding the football when having to move laterally against outside zone plays. He also isn't the kind of player who is going to be an outstanding pass rusher, although he does have an effective bull rush. This past season, he lost playing time to five-star freshman Dexter Lawrence. That's says less about Pagano and more about how exceptionally gifted Lawrence is. There aren't many who are as big and freakishly athletic as Lawrence. He should end up being a top five pick in the NFL Draft in 2019. Pagano was still solid as a third tackle on the team and played at nose as well as at three-technique when asked. Clemson would stem their linemen and move the shades pre-snap as well and he could handle the transition to any interior spot on the line. That was nice to see because Mike Elko will mix up his alignments at times. If he was to choose Notre Dame, he could step in and be a one-two with Cage at one-technique immediately. If Jerry Tillery or another player do not step up at three-technique, he could pick up snaps there as well. And if Cage is not healthy enough to play this season, Pagano would play a crucial role in filling in that spot with no one else with experience behind him. One thing the coaching staff can offer him that he didn't get much of a chance to have at Clemson is more of an opportunity on third down. In his last season of eligibility, he would love to show pro scouts he has something more to offer in that area. We'll see if he is open to the pitch that Notre Dame gives him because they should be show him plenty of opportunities to showcase his talent. COACHING CHANGES CATCH DAX'S EYE: Notre Dame has always been a dream school of sorts for Dax Hollifield, so the 2018 North Carolina linebacker was pretty fired up to receive an offer from the Irish a couple weeks ago, but it was a move actually moves made a couple months that helped Notre Dame secure a spot in Hollifield's top nine schools, which he released yesterday. "I'd been talking to them since my sophomore year anyway, but the fact that Coach (Mike) Elko and Coach (Clark) Lea got jobs there as defensive coordinator and linebacker coach was a big factor in them being included," Hollifield said. "I was in contact with them at Wake Forest the whole time." In addition to the Irish, Wake Forest did make the cut along with North Carolina, Alabama, LSU, Florida State, Virginia Tech, South Carolina and Stanford. Hollifield called both Elko and Lea "very sharp." "Coach Elko graduated from Penn," he continued. "He proved it this year at Wake Forest how he can coach. He had one of the best defenses in the country with players who weren't necessarily big-time players. He's a great guy. "Coach Lea is a young guy, but I feel like he's going to be one of the hottest coaches in the country in a few years. He gets down to the fundamentals of stuff and I really like that about him. I think he's a really good coach." Hollifield is going to try to visit each of his favorites over the next several months and hopes to have his list trimmed to five by the start of the fall. RISING DE EXCITED BY ND OFFER: Notre Dame needs pass rushers and 2018 California defensive end Abdul-Malik McClain is one the Irish have more than a fair shot at landing land. The three-star prospect from Santa Margarita was fired up to learn he had an offer from Notre Dame last week. "I was very happy about it," McClain told Irish Sports Daily. "Notre Dame is one of those schools I really like and I was really excited to get the offer." UCLA, Virginia and Washington join Notre Dame in offering the California native and all want him coming off the edge. "It's really exciting for me," he said. "They see me as a rush end but kind of like a linebacker too." Notre Dame should have a chance to impress McClain this summer as he is already trying to get a trip worked out to South Bend. "I think I will be coming out to South Bend for a camp this summer," said McClain. ND OFFER SENTIMENTAL ONE FOR WILLIAMS: 2018 California wide receiver Chase Williams has some pretty big-time offers already with schools like USC, Washington, Cal and UCLA among others. But the offer he received from Notre Dame had an added layer of significance for the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder from Corona, Calif. "I was really excited," Williams said. "It was a bigger one for me because it has a lot to do with my family. It was really meaningful. "It's very meaningful to me and my family because one of the members of my family who had passed away, it was his favorite school. There was just more meaning to the offer, not that the other ones aren't. I'm just saying it was more sentimental." Williams plans to visit South Bend at some point to get a feel for the school, program and the surrounding area, but doesn't have a date locked in yet. He's already been to USC, UCLA, Cal and Washington and will be back at UCLA this weekend. In addition, Arizona and Georgia have also made strong pushes. Williams isn't in a rush to make a decision, but would like to have one before the start of his senior season. COULD IRISH GO AFTER ANOTHER HOOPS PROJECT?: Just a couple years ago, Kofi Wardlow considered himself a basketball player and now the 2017 Washington, D.C. defensive end is headed to Notre Dame as a football player after signing with the Irish earlier this month. Jayson Oweh is looking to take a similar path as the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder from New Jersey's Blair Academy has also made football his primary sport over hoops. Like Wardlow, Oweh could play defensive end, but he's hoping to play tight end at the next level. Oweh could be in the midst of one of those stages where a prospect goes from unknown to well-known in a flash. After picking up his first offer, from Rutgers, back on Feb. 8th, Oweh has grabbed offers from Boston College, Louisville, Temple, Central Florida and Dartmouth this week alone with Pitt potentially coming in next. He's received some preliminary contact from Notre Dame and is hoping that continues. Oweh said he would "definitely" be interested in the Irish and would love the opportunity to visit South Bend. He's also receiving varying degrees of interest from schools like Syracuse, Penn State, Wisconsin and Indiana. Obviously, college coaches like the athletic gifts Oweh possesses along with his ceiling since he's only played football for a single year. For his part, Oweh, who wants to study Engineering, is going to be looking at academics seriously. But for now, he's just enjoying the beginning of the process. "It's a blessing. It's overwhelming, but it's a blessing. It's my first year playing, so I'm extremely blessed to have this."http://www.hudl.com/video/3/8228091/58214943bd752109189627a4 Additional Analysis From Uyeyama: When I watched Oweh's film from his first year playing football, I couldn't help but think of Wardlow. If Notre Dame took a chance on Wardlow with how raw he is, they could do the same with someone like Oweh, who has more impressive physical traits than Wardlow. He absolutely looks the part of a future NFL player with his wingspan and the way he moves for someone 6-6 and 240 pounds. I'm sure he is going to be get much bigger as well and be a scary individual. There are so many things like hand use and snap anticipation where he is clearly taking baby steps. For that reason, I can understand why most of the big boys would want to see him during the May evaluation period, in camp, or on video competing at other camps this spring or summer before pulling the trigger. That is what I assume Notre Dame would do with a prospect like him at this time. It's likely that they would wait to see him doing that, much like they did with Ade Ogundeji before offering him a couple of years ago. Oweh is someone who should definitely be on their board as someone to watch closely, though. He is the prototype physically and if he shows enough of the other traits that can be molded at the next level, he could very well be in line for an offer down in the next few months. GARNER WANTS ND OFFER: Stanley Garner already has an impressive offer sheet, but the 2018 Florida cornerback wants more. In fact, the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder from Fort Lauderdale recently sent out a tweet listing the schools he was still waiting on offers from and Notre Dame was on it.https://twitter.com/StanleyG_9/status/832048469795827713 "I just see that they have a large fan base and their fan base shows a lot of love," Garner said of the Irish. "They also send me a lot of mail, so I know I'm on their watch list, I just haven't gotten an offer yet." Garner already has offers from schools like Clemson, South Carolina, Auburn, Miami, Central Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky among others. He says an offer from Notre Dame would vault the Irish into contenders and would likely result in him taking a visit to South Bend. Garner said colleges like the frame, athleticism and physicality he brings to the position. Comfort will be a major factor when it comes time for him to choose one school over the rest. ON THE HOOPS TRAIL: With a week off between games, Mike Brey dispatched his assistant coaches around the country to check on recruits in the Class of 2018 and beyond. Nate Laszewski was one of the first 2018 prospects the Irish checked on. The 6-foot-7 swingman from Northfield Mount Herman in Massachusetts has offers from schools like Villanova, Texas, Texas A&M, Miami, Baylor and Wake Forest. Despite having not offered Laszewski yet, the Irish remain firmly in the race and he visited back in November. In the coming months, he could see his stock soar the nation's biggest programs are already poking around but academics will really be the key here. Wake Forest and Danny Manning are coming at him hard right now, but we're told Laszewski has a good understanding of where he stands with the Irish as well. If Notre Dame decides to offer, it would be a real contender. Brock Cunningham is another top target who is waiting on an offer from the Irish. The 2018 Texas forward tells us he was honored to have Notre Dame at his playoff game earlier in the week and will now wait to hear back on whether the Irish believe he's good enough for them. If Notre Dame decides to offer, the 6-foot-7, 205-pounder would likely jump at the chance to visit South Bend. His grandfather worked at Notre Dame and his mother grew up nearby, so Cunningham's family has seriously strong ties to the University. 2018 New Jersey guard Luther Muhammad also received a visit. One of the top players on the East Coast, Notre Dame remains in the mix and he continues to talk about getting out to South Bend. The Irish will need to get him on campus if they're going to stay in the race against schools like St. John's, Syracuse and Seton Hall among others. Texas' Gerald Liddell Jr. may have been the highest-rated target the Irish saw during their travels. The 6-foot-7, 180-pounder from Cibilo, Texas is considered a five-star prospect by multiple outlets. It'll be interesting to see if the Irish are able to establish any type of traction. Notre Dame also made it up to Chicago to check on 2018 guard Ayo Dosunmu and 2018 swingman Talen Horton-Tucker, both of whom have made trips down to South Bend in recent months. The Irish made sure to swing by and see 2017 signee DJ Harvey and watched his game against Virginia's Paul VI, which features 2018 guard Brandon Slater and 2020 guard Jeremy Roach. Other targets who the Irish checked in on included 2018 Washington, D.C. guard Prentiss Hubb, 2018 Wisconsin forward Joey Hauser and 2018 Texas forward Matthew Mayer along with 2019 Minnesota forward Matthew Hurt. SHOOTING THE GAPS: 2018 Ohio running back Jaelen Gill has a decision date set for Wednesday. If you didn't notice, we removed Gill from our Target List last week. The Irish are no longer pursuing Gill, who is expected to pick Ohio State. The flurry of offers the Irish sent out on Tuesday included four to players who could play receiver. Notre Dame scored a receiver commitment last week from Micah Jones and one this week from Braden Lenzy, but apparently, the staff is far from done at the position. "They're taking five receivers this year in the Class of 2018 because they need guys who can make plays," one of the prospects who was offered this week told ISD. One thing that is clear is the Irish are definitely prioritizing speed at the position. They saw what the offense looked liked with Will Fuller in it as a deep threat and what it looked like without him last season. Adding Lenzy as a speedy option on the outside is a terrific start, but new offers to Lawrence Keys III, Anthony Schwartz, and Mike Wilson signal that they aren't done looking for burners to create big-chunk plays. Expect them to continue to look for more players with similar speed at receiver this spring. Five may be pushing it a bit, but Notre Dame is clearly making the position a priority this cycle. CJ Holmes has enjoyed his first several weeks on campus after enrolling early last month. The Connecticut native will be seeing some faces this weekend as his father and sister, Lexe, are making the trip to South Bend. Lexe is a standout track sprinter with state records in the 100 and 200 while reaching All-American status in the 200 and 400. She's is taking an unofficial visit to Notre Dame with the hosting the ACC Indoor Championships. Lexe visited Clemson last weekend and expects to hit Maryland, South Carolina, UConn and Vanderbilt among others in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, CJ seems to be making the transition to college just fine. He's liking his teammates, classmates and the workouts. He might be liking the workouts most of all as he feels he's already in the best shape of his life and appears to have caught the eye of the new strength staff. We didn't see the Irish almost sweeping commits from Junior Day visitors scoring pledges from four of the five uncommitted targets who were on campus a couple weeks ago at least not this fast. But we had a source who did. He didn't only know who was going to fall to Notre Dame, but he predicted when as well, so kudos to him. "Just getting started," the source said after Lenzy announcement this week. Asked if there were more to come in the immediate future, he said he wasn't as sure as the previous ones, but that he knew the members of the current class were working particularly hard on one more. Could it be Ohio linebacker Dallas Gant to complete a perfect Junior Day sweep? We'll see.