BREAKING | 2023 OL Charles Jagusah Commits To Notre Dame
Even as Notre Dame began assembling an elite-level offensive line for the Class of 2023, landing commits from four of its top prospects during the spring, one target always loomed toward the top of the Wish List.
That target just moved from Wish List to Commit List with Charles Jagusah announcing his commitment to the Irish today.
The elite 2023 Illinois offensive lineman chose Notre Dame over his other finalist, Michigan, and a host of other offers, including Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, LSU, Oklahoma, Miami and Tennessee among others.
“The opportunity that they provide outside of football, but also the opportunity that comes with playing at a University that's known for their o-line and playing under a coach like (Harry) Hiestand, who is genuinely just a good guy,” Jagusah told ISD of his decision earlier in the week.
The Alleman Catholic High School standout received his offer from the Irish last August and was described as “seriously interested” before his first visit last fall. But Jagusah acknowledged that the Irish moved way up his list with the makeup of the new staff in South Bend, specifically Hiestand being brought back and Marcus Freeman being elevated to head coach.
“It's a process, you've just got to figure it out, but I think it all worked out,” he said.
Jagusah joins a group of offensive line commits that includes Sam Pendleton and Sullivan Absher, both of North Carolina, Arizona’s Elijah Paige and Joe Otting of Kansas. Pendleton got the position started by committing in April with Absher following a month later and Otting and Paige committing within days of each other earlier this month.
“It's already one of the better o-line classes in the country,” Jagusah said. “I'm just hoping I can add onto that.”
Jagusah squeezed four official visits in within a two-week timeframe earlier this month, finishing the tour with an abbreviated official to Notre Dame.
It’s clear by then, he had pretty much seen all he needed to see, although he did make some phone calls afterward to ask some final questions. And then, there was the moment when he let the staff know he was coming.
Jagusah described a mixed reaction of sorts from the coaches.
“Everybody was excited,” he said. “Some people were a little bit calmer than others, some people were just running around screaming for no reason.”
Well, not exactly for no reason.
Film Don’t Lie | Charles Jagusah
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