2026 West Coast LB Wassie Lugolobi Excited for First Trip to Notre Dame

2026 Eastside Catholic (Wash.) linebacker Wassie Lugolobi‍ will make the trip out to south Bend this weekend for Notre Dame’s Grill and Chill event. 

The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder has been in steady communication with linebackers coach Max Bullough over the last few months and is looking forward to experiencing Notre Dame for the first time. 

“I’ve been in a lot of contact with the coaches,” Lugolobi told ISD. “Coach Bullough came out during the eval period and we have stayed in contact. I thought, why not come see them since I was invited? It’s a super cool opportunity for me.” 

In the spring, Bullough made quite the impression when he showed up at Eastside Catholic to watch Lugolobi workout. 

In fact, Lugolobi was told Bullough took a red-eye from Chicago to Seattle just to watch the 6:00 a.m. workout before returning to Notre Dame. 

“It meant a lot,” Lugolobi said. “It took me by surprise. My coach texted me and said a Notre Dame coach was coming and it was cool to see him there. We’ve had good discussions after about how he sees my game translating into the Notre Dame defense. He’s given me some tips on pointers, too. I’m kind of repaying the favor in a way since he came to see me.” 

Lugolobi has also been impressed with Bullough as a person and coach. The two have gotten to know each other well and found common ground on and off the field. 

“On the football field, he seems like an energetic coach who wants what is best for his players and will pull it out of you,” explained Lugolobi. “As a family man, he’s very family-oriented. When we text, he always emphasizes how important family is, and that’s something I agree with. I know the importance of family and he’s very relatable.” 

As for Notre Dame, Lugolobi doesn’t necessarily have a checklist of what he wants to experience, but he plans to take everything about the university in on Thursday.  

“I’ve never been to Indiana or that area,” stated Lugolobi. “I’m going to have wide eyes and see everything. I want to soak everything in. I’m looking forward to being out there. It will be cool to see the school and what type of academics they have going on. I know they have high academics, but seeing the academic centers and maybe the dorms would be something that sticks out to me.” 

The Eastside Catholic star is a violent player on the field, but he can also play in space and quickly get downhill. This offseason, Lugolobi has taken it upon himself to sharpen his mental skills as he wants to learn the entire defense to put himself in even better positions. 

“I think I show up best in space,” Lugolobi explained. “I feel I can tackle and cover in space. That’s my skill with my combination of speed, awareness and IQ. I can just make plays all over with my physicality.

“I’ve been trying to work on knowing everyone's opposition and role as the leader of the defense - understanding our safety’s role in Cover 4 or what the role is when we bring a safety into the box. I’m trying to understand the whole role of the defense and not just my own.” 

Lugolobi played on the outside a year ago, but this year, he expects to transition into more of an inside backer, which he believes is his position at the next level. 

“With my frame, I project more as an inside linebacker,” Lugolobi stated. “I’m moving to more of Mike role, but last year was fun getting to come off the edge a little bit. I think for my long-term projectability, it’s probably inside.” 

When it comes to his recruitment, Lugolobi is taking it day by day and he’ll take advantage of the short window for visits this week. 

“It’s been a major blessing,” said Lugolobi. “I’m very grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way. I visited Tennessee last month and that was a good visit. It was cool to reconnect with those coaches. I’ll be at Washington after my Notre Dame visit.” 

Offers: Arizona State, Colorado, Louisville, Nevada, San Diego State, Tennessee and Washington

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