Notre Dame Football Recruiting
Valentine and Denson Have Much in Common
April 16, 2017
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Notre Dame has put a premium on speed in the 2018 recruiting class and Melbourne Central Catholic (Fla.) running back Lavonte Valentine is the latest to earn an offer from the Irish. The 6-foot-0, 190-pounder had been in communication with running backs coach Autry Denson for a month and then last Wednesday, the three-star prospect got the good news.
“I have been talking with Coach Denson for about four weeks,” Valentine told Irish Sports Daily. “He’s been telling me how he was from Florida and about the opportunity at Notre Dame. He explained why he left Florida for Notre Dame.
“He has been getting to know my grandmother and me too. He asked for some information about me; then he gave me the offer.”
“I was wondering what kind of people were up at Notre Dame and made him leave Florida,” explained Valentine. “He was telling me how he lived with his grandmother too. We were in the same predicament.”
Valentine’s story has seen a sudden change from just a few months ago. On February 27th, the speedster received his first offer from Kentucky, and almost two months later he is up to 13 offers.
“It’s been a blessing,” said Valentine. “I was patient, and it finally happened. I was like ‘Man, why don’t have an offer?’
“Now, it’s going to be hard for me to choose.”
While he has the attention from the likes Notre Dame, Florida, LSU, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, and USC, Valentine knows he has the support of his family behind him.
“My grandmother told me ‘I’m not going to tell you where to go or be one of those people to direct me to school,’” stated Valentine. “She is going to support me, and she knows I am going to have a hard decision.”
Part of Valentine’s decision will involve academics, as he has already thought about his potential major.
“I want to major in something that has to do with medicine,” Valentine explained. “I prefer Kinesiology, but I have to do more research in the medical field and see what aspects of medicine I like. Academics will have a big part in my decision.”
While academics will play a significant role in a future school, Valentine also will base his decision with his future in football and track in mind.
“The sports programs will also have a large role in my recruitment,” he explained. “I want to be able to run track and play football in college.”
“Track will be a big role in my decision. I wouldn’t want to play football and stop running track because it could close doors or opportunities that may come later in my life. I don’t want to sell myself short.”
Valentine has run a 10.44 in the 100m this spring, and while he hasn’t run against fellow Notre Dame prospect Anthony Schwartz, a potential showdown between the two could be looming.
“Sadly, I haven’t run against him yet,” laughed Valentine. “They actually have the Golden South after the State Championships, and we’ll be able to race there.”
The local schools have hosted Valentine on visits this spring, while the out of state schools are getting ready to host him this summer.
“I have visited Florida, Florida State, Miami, and South Carolina,” said Valentine. “I want to Florida State and Miami for track, but that’s pretty much it for visits at this point.
“I plan to visit out of state schools in June because that is my off month before I have to start doing AAU track and summer football. I will be mostly going to Notre Dame and some other visits in June.”
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“I have been talking with Coach Denson for about four weeks,” Valentine told Irish Sports Daily. “He’s been telling me how he was from Florida and about the opportunity at Notre Dame. He explained why he left Florida for Notre Dame.
“He has been getting to know my grandmother and me too. He asked for some information about me; then he gave me the offer.”
He was telling me how he lived with his grandmother too. We were in the same predicament.
The Florida native instantly connected with Denson, but it was due to more than both sides being from Florida. “I was wondering what kind of people were up at Notre Dame and made him leave Florida,” explained Valentine. “He was telling me how he lived with his grandmother too. We were in the same predicament.”
Valentine’s story has seen a sudden change from just a few months ago. On February 27th, the speedster received his first offer from Kentucky, and almost two months later he is up to 13 offers.
“It’s been a blessing,” said Valentine. “I was patient, and it finally happened. I was like ‘Man, why don’t have an offer?’
“Now, it’s going to be hard for me to choose.”
While he has the attention from the likes Notre Dame, Florida, LSU, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, and USC, Valentine knows he has the support of his family behind him.
“My grandmother told me ‘I’m not going to tell you where to go or be one of those people to direct me to school,’” stated Valentine. “She is going to support me, and she knows I am going to have a hard decision.”
Part of Valentine’s decision will involve academics, as he has already thought about his potential major.
“I want to major in something that has to do with medicine,” Valentine explained. “I prefer Kinesiology, but I have to do more research in the medical field and see what aspects of medicine I like. Academics will have a big part in my decision.”
While academics will play a significant role in a future school, Valentine also will base his decision with his future in football and track in mind.
“The sports programs will also have a large role in my recruitment,” he explained. “I want to be able to run track and play football in college.”
“Track will be a big role in my decision. I wouldn’t want to play football and stop running track because it could close doors or opportunities that may come later in my life. I don’t want to sell myself short.”
Valentine has run a 10.44 in the 100m this spring, and while he hasn’t run against fellow Notre Dame prospect Anthony Schwartz, a potential showdown between the two could be looming.
“Sadly, I haven’t run against him yet,” laughed Valentine. “They actually have the Golden South after the State Championships, and we’ll be able to race there.”
The local schools have hosted Valentine on visits this spring, while the out of state schools are getting ready to host him this summer.
“I have visited Florida, Florida State, Miami, and South Carolina,” said Valentine. “I want to Florida State and Miami for track, but that’s pretty much it for visits at this point.
“I plan to visit out of state schools in June because that is my off month before I have to start doing AAU track and summer football. I will be mostly going to Notre Dame and some other visits in June.”
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