Coach | 2025 Notre Dame S Target Ethan Long Taking It All In
Wayne McGillicuddy has gotten to know the Notre Dame coaches a little bit so far and with the Irish recruiting a pair of his top players in the Class of 2025, the head coach Brunswick School in Connecticut is likely to get to know them even better in the months – and possibly years – to come.
That’s a good thing considering McGillicuddy’s initial dealings with head coach Marcus Freeman, defensive coordinator Al Golden and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph have been overwhelmingly positive.
“They've been awesome,” McGillicuddy says of the Irish coaches. “They have been very open and honest through the entire process.
“I was lucky enough that I went down to see one of their spring practices and I got to meet Coach Freeman and Coach Golden and spent some time with those guys and Coach Rudolph. I actually got to sit in on a couple meetings with Coach Rudolph. That was really, really really cool and awesome.”
Notre Dame has offers out to Brunswick offensive lineman Matty Augustine and safety Ethan Long.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Long joined Augustine in South Bend for Notre Dame’s Grill & Chill at the end of July. In addition to Notre Dame, Long also has offers from schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Boston College and Duke among others.
“I think he's just sitting back and enjoying the ride,” McGillicuddy says of Long. “I think the new August 1st deadline has been good because they've started to really get the recruiting part with some of these guys, which is awesome for them. I think he's taking it all in.
“I know Notre Dame really means something to him and his family with his cousin Austin being a former captain.”
Long’s cousin, Austin Webster, was a walk-on receiver who served as captain for the Irish back in 2017.
McGillicuddy says both Long and Augustine are guys who like to their play do the talking.
“He's someone who's just going to move in silence, work hard,” the coach says. “They're both kids who really look for relationships, so now that they can officially start being recruited, I think they're going to look to build the relationships and then see where they end up.”
And the Irish have done a good job of building those relationships.
“They've been very open and honest and I know they have been with the boys as well, which goes a long way,” McGillicuddy says. “When it comes to the recruiting world today, being open and honest and saying, 'Hey, this is how many we're taking and this is where you are at,' and all those things, I think really make the boys feel comfortable when looking at those schools.”
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