2021 DT Gabriel Rubio Impressed With ND, Wants To Return

Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston was able to speak with 2021 Missouri defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio‍ following the Irish’s win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.

“He just asked me how the game was, if I liked,” Rubio said of Elston. “I responded that I enjoyed it thoroughly. He said he couldn’t wait to have me back on campus to watch another game and go through things in more detail.”

After Saturday’s visit, it seems like a good bet that the 6-foot-5, 275-pound sophomore will be back in the future.

“I would really like to do that,” Rubio said. “I’d like to see the student-athlete’s academic side of things, like what they go through on a daily basis and to experience what the players have to do from day to day, how early they have to get up, what times they need to be at places, meetings and everything.

“I would be thrilled to see how they balance it out so I can prepare it to my high school so I can get ready for it.”

The Lutheran High School standout was excited for the game.

“It was a hard-fought victory by Notre Dame,” he said. “I think Notre Dame played fine, but they could have brushed up on some little things. It’s just paying attention to small details.

“The atmosphere around the game is electric. The fans are just great fans. They’re all rowdy and they want to see their home team win.”

Rubio believes he’ll be up to the task of playing college ball when his time comes.

“I believe that I’m able to keep up with them and I’m able to compete at their level,” he said.

Prior to the game, Rubio got a sneak peek about other aspects of the program.

“We toured the facilities and we got to see what some of the players normally do on gameday, before and after,” he said. “I thought it was really interesting to see how the players balance out their time throughout normal schooldays and their practices and then going into games with the right mindset, being able to play their best and their hardest on the field and not being distracted by everything else that’s going on in the world around them.”

Last month, Rubio, who camped at Notre Dame this summer, landed an offer from Louisville, his first one.

“I was very excited,” he said. “I was almost in a little bit of disbelief because I couldn’t believe that I’d gotten that offer. Overall, I was just very excited to share with my friends and family to show them I worked hard for this spot and I worked hard for this position.”

He hadn’t taken any other visits this fall before the South Bend stop, but has another planned soon.

“Next week, we’re going to the University of Kentucky with a couple other teammates.”