2029 TE Hank Doyle Calls Notre Dame "Everything I Expected & More"
Hank Doyle has been coming to Notre Dame games for years.
The difference now is the 2029 Wisconsin tight end is making the trips as a recruit, and earlier this month he was in South Bend for the Stanford game as a prospect the Irish are getting to know.
Already pegged as an elite national prospect, Doyle arrived with offers from some of the top programs in the Midwest, but Notre Dame is the school he has rooted for his whole life.
"Notre Dame was everything I expected and more," Doyle told Irish Sports Daily. "It was a full day with a lot of great experiences and people."
Doyle's connection to Notre Dame runs through his family. His grandfather and aunt attended the school and his uncle was a member of the Irish swim team, and Doyle has been an Irish fan for as long as he has followed football, usually making it to a game each year.
Those trips were as a fan.
This summer he camped in South Bend and last month he was at Lambeau Field when the Irish opened the season against Wisconsin, but the Stanford visit was his first chance to experience a game day as a recruited guest.
The tour covered the program's newest spaces and its most famous one.
"The new Shields Family Hall, the indoor facility, Notre Dame Stadium, the locker room and campus overall, everything was very impressive," he said.
The people made an impression of their own on the 6-foot-6, 215-pounder. Prior to the trip, Doyle identified spending time with the coaches as a priority, and he got it.
"The coaches and staff were great as well," he said. "I was able to spend some quality time with the coaches, which is really important to me."
Doyle does not hold a Notre Dame offer yet, but the Irish are evaluating him, and many other regional schools have already weighed in. His offer sheet includes Iowa, Miami (Ohio), Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin.
There is no rush on either side. Doyle is a sophomore in the early stages of the process with plenty of time before he has to seriously sort through his options, and he is using the fall to see his top schools up close.
He has already made game-day visits to Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio State this fall, with Vanderbilt, Indiana, Tennessee and a return trip to Northwestern on his schedule.
What he’s looking for is pretty straightforward: a great football program and a great education, a high standard, hard-working teammates and great coaches.
"I really enjoyed the game, and I am looking forward to spending more time in South Bend."
Want the latest scoop on Notre Dame Football and Recruiting? Become an ISD Premium Subscriber and never miss the inside information. Sign Up for ISD
Notre Dame Fighting Irish League Collegiate Wear Guinness Leprechaun Waffle Knit Hoodie
