Ekwonu Ready To Sign In December After Weekend Visit To Notre Dame
2019 Notre Dame linebacker commit Ositadinma Ekwonu was back in South Bend on Saturday to see his future teammates dominate Florida State 42-13.
The four-star prospect has made the trip up from Charlotte numerous times, but Saturday was about bonding with his future teammates and watching the defense he will be playing in next year.
“I had a lot of fun,” stated Ekwonu. “It was great to spend time with the other commits in my class, and I got to watch a great game.”
Notre Dame normally has a huge recruiting tent up by the stadium for recruits and their families to hang out in before the game, but it was a little different with the 25-degree temperatures outside.
“We were in the basketball arena, so it was nice to be out of the cold for as long as we could,” laughed Ekwonu. “We all had our own tables, and the coaches came to talk to us after The Walk.”
Defensive coordinator Clark Lea identified the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder long before most Power 5 programs and his message was straightforward.
“He can’t wait for me to get up there in June and finally be part of the program,” said Ekwonu. “I told him I was looking forward to finally being able to sign.
“I’ll be signing in December.”
While Ekwonu had seen game day at Notre Dame before, the North Carolina native still got caught up in the moment as he watched the Irish walk into Notre Dame Stadium.
“I still get goosebumps from being able to witness The Walk,” said Ekwonu. “It always gets me excited. I told my sister I couldn’t wait to be part of it and to take part in it. Everyone is watching you as you enter the stadium. The whole crowd is lined up just to watch you walk into the stadium. It’s crazy to watch.”
Ekwonu had met all the commits in town for the weekend other than offensive line commit Andrew Kristofic, so it was an opportunity to develop stronger relationships and simply get to know his future teammates.
“It was great to get to know them better,” explained Ekwonu. “They are all great guys. Notre Dame doesn’t just recruit anybody. They look for characteristics of good people in the classroom and on the field. I was spending time with some good people.”
Ekwonu had taken his official visit in the spring with fellow commits Jacob Lacey and NaNa Osafo-Mensah. The three families came together on Sunday morning before heading back home.
“Jacob, Nana, and I all ended up having brunch together with our families on Sunday morning,” Ekwonu stated. “It was great to spend time with them and getting to know them even better than I already did.”
During the game, the Providence Day (N.C.) star kept a close eye on the Notre Dame linebackers, and he loved what he saw.
“I was watching Te’von (Coney), and Drue (Tranquill) play the entire game,” Ekwonu said. “It was awesome to watch them do their thing. It made me excited to think about how close I am to being in their shoes and being part of the program.”
Ekwonu got a chance to catch up with the linebacker duo after the game, and it gave him even more peace of mind he made the right decision.
“After speaking with all of them, they only had great things to say about the kind of coach Coach Lea is,” Ekwonu said. “He has improved their game tremendously in the short time he has been there. I’m very excited to learn from a guy like that.
