Recruiting Week In Review

Written by Joe Bradshaw

A good recruiting class addresses both strengths and weaknesses. It must eliminate the team’s weaknesses while making its strengths even stronger. Of course, that’s much easier said than done. It’s no secret that Notre Dame’s offense possesses more dynamic playmakers than does its defense. It’s also well known that the Irish offensive line recruiting is light years ahead of defensive line recruiting, a problem area throughout the Kelly era. Notre Dame has a top recruit on the defensive line that plans to make a decision within the next six weeks and some would consider him a must get. 

The Irish have also turned to the Class of 2019 to try to strengthen an already loaded positon, one that new Offensive Coordinator Chip Long’s offense is well known for using very well. What have you been missing by not being a member of Irish Sports Daily?

Jayson Oweh, DE, 6-5, 236, Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ has narrowed his final list of schools to Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State. He visited all three in the last week. 

“I just want to get a better feel for the coaches,” he explained. “At the end of the day, that’s really what I need. I want to have good relationships with the coaches.”

Oweh is being recruited by Notre Dame Defensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Mike Elston. The two have remained in contact since the four-star prospect attended Irish Invasion. 

“We talk pretty frequently,” he shared. “He knows I’m the type of player who is looking at a school on both sides. So, he’s preaching that how Notre Dame is strong academically as well as athletically and how much exposure they get and how they can develop me.”

After having attended camps at both Notre Dame and Ohio State, Oweh is putting all the knowledge he gained at those camps to good use. He’s been working on what he learned all summer, trying to expand and refine his game. 

“I’m just working on pass rushing,” he said. “Prior to this, I didn’t really know all of the angles and stuff. I’m just working on how to get past the tackles and rush the quarterbacks.”

Most recruitniks consider Oweh a must get prospect, both because of his talent and the position he plays. Ryland Goede, Class of 2019, may not be quite as critical of a recruit, but Notre Dame has long excelled at developing players at his position and want to continue that trend. Goede, TE, 6-5, 235, Kennesaw Mountain High School, Acworth, GA knows that Notre Dame has some very strong tight ends already on their roster and have already received a verbal commitment from four-star 2018 recruit George Takacs. The depth of talent on the Irish roster at tight end doesn’t seem to concern him at all. 

Rick Kimball/ISD

“For me, if I were to go there and play with those guys, especially if Jeremy Ruckert goes there, I’ll learn from them and let them mold me a little bit,” he said.

Goede is being recruited by Offensive Coordinator Chip Long, well known for his use of tight ends in his offense. Right now, Long is emphasizing the need for Goede to get on campus and see how it compares to other places he’s visited. 

“It’ll definitely be in the fall when I get up there,” he said.

So far, the four-star tight end has visited Clemson and Auburn and had nice things to say about both. 

“They were awesome,” he said of the visits. “Just getting back there with the coaching staffs and the campuses. It was a lot of fun.”

Goede knows that a visit to South Bend will be an important step to his continuing to develop a strong relationship with the Irish. 

“Probably just talking to some of the players to see what it’s really like to play up there and be a student-athlete,” he said. “I’m really looking for that family feel, which I’ve heard Notre Dame really has.”

Goede continued. 

“I was talking to Coach Chip Long the other day. They just want me to get up there and meet everybody and get a tour of the facilities, which I definitely cannot wait to do.”

Goede plans to visit schools other than Notre Dame this fall but has yet to finalize his travel schedule. One thing he will undoubtedly be discussing with the coaching staffs will be his ability to play both football and baseball. 

“I’ve played baseball ever since I was about five,” he said. “Baseball is my first love but I like baseball and football equally. That’s why I want to play both because I don’t know what to choose.”

These two summaries represent just a sample of the Notre Dame football recruiting information available each week on Irish Sports Daily.