2020 DB Alaka'i Gilman Enjoys First Visit To Notre Dame

2020 Punahou (Hawaii) defensive back Alaka'i Gilman‍ made his first trip out to Notre Dame over the weekend, and it didn’t disappoint despite the freezing temperatures. 

“The trip was awesome,” Gilman told Irish Sports Daily. “It was good to see Notre Dame. It was fun to experience a school like Notre Dame. My brother (Alohi Gilman) has told me a lot but to see it firsthand was cool.” 

It’s not a shock the people around Notre Dame impressed the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder. From The Walk to the end of the game, Gilman saw how much Notre Dame fans cared about the program, and it made a lasting impression.

“The main highlight was seeing how the fans and people in the community are so bought into the culture of Notre Dame football,” explained Gilman. “They are bought into supporting the group. It was awesome to see the fans and the game day experience.” 

The Walk was a unique experience for everyone involved on Saturday. There were over 300 people in the recruit section as Notre Dame coaches and players entered the stadium along with thousands of fans. Gilman admitted he had never experienced something like that before, but he also got a special moment with his brother. 

“That was cool,” Gilman said of The Walk. “Other schools do it, but at Notre Dame, it was magnified to a different level. People love to experience it despite not having a sibling or family member. It was cool to see my brother and get a picture with him before he went to work and played the game.”

While Gilman hasn’t had to deal with 20-degree weather, the Hawaii native was impressed Notre Dame Stadium was sold out, and no one left until the end of the game. 

“It was cool to see,” Gilman said. “It was exactly like how you would expect a college game day to be. Seeing the team and fans react to each other was awesome to see. I have never experienced anything like it before.

“It was shocking. I thought it wouldn’t have been sold out. The fans are so bought into the culture and were there to support the team, even if it was 20 degrees out. It was cool to see them do pushups after a touchdown.”

The Notre Dame staff also made sure to take the time to get to know Gilman and also explain where he stood with an offer as Gilman had meetings with Terry Joseph, Todd Lyght and Brian Polian.

“They reviewed my film and love what I can bring,” said Gilman. “They could see similarities between me and Alohi with the physicality we both play with. It’s still a little early for me, and they said they will recruit me. They will stop by my school after the season is over.”