2024 OL Jake Guarnera Returning To Notre Dame This Weekend
After visiting Notre Dame in the summer, Jake Guarnera is excited to get back to South Bend this weekend for the Irish’s home opener against Marshall.
The 2024 Florida offensive lineman will fly to Chicago on Friday before getting to Notre Dame’s campus on Saturday morning.
The Irish initially reached out months ago. After communication with multiple Notre Dame staff members, including Harry Hiestand and Gerad Parker, he set up a trip to South Bend the final weekend of July.
“It was awesome,” the 6-foot-4, 290-pounder said. “The campus is really nice. Obviously, they’re a great football team. They have great facilities, great coaches. Coach Hiestand, they say is the Godfather of O-Line Coaching. I was just really impressed.”
When he returns this weekend, he’s looking to see what the gameday experience is like as well as furthering those relationships with the staff members.
Guarnera already has offers from schools like Florida, Florida State, Penn State, Michigan, Virginia and Wake Forest among others.
“It’s really crazy,” the Ponte Vedra Beach native said. “You dream of playing on Saturdays or Sundays as a kid. It’s really just a surreal experience. I’m just trying to enjoy the entire experience while I have it.”
The Irish haven’t offered yet, but have expressed a sincere interest.
“They wanted to see a couple of games this year,” Guarnera said of the Irish. “They were impressed with my last year’s film.
“They said they really take their time with their o-line recruits. They only went after eight kids last year. I know they offered a couple more, but they really hammered down on eight with the coaching change. That’s what I was told, so it would really be a very prestigious offer to get.”
Having to wait for an offer from the Irish doesn’t bother Guarnera.
“It definitely gives more meaning to the offer when you get it, but it’s also more difficult to obtain,” he said. “Recruits obviously want to get as many offers as they can as quick as they can. But I know it’s going to be a steady grind. I’m going to have to be patient and wait to see if I get an opportunity there.”
Guarnera was at Florida for the Gators’ win over Utah last week.
“It was crazy,” he said. “It was electric.”
He’ll be busy the rest of the fall as well, including Saturday.
“I’m staying for a little bit of the Notre Dame game and then I’m heading up to Michigan to watch them play Hawaii at night,” he said.
“I’m going to Auburn the 17th, Penn State White Out Oct. 22nd, and then FSU-UF on Nov. 25th. I might plan a Clemson visit and maybe another UF visit just because they’re so close.”
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