Notre Dame added another #ShamrockSoldier to the recruiting class of 2015 on Saturday afternoon in the form of 4-star offensive lineman Tristen Hoge giving the Irish a trio of highly touted commitments already for the class of ’15.
Prior to committing to Notre Dame on Saturday, Hoge picked up scholarship offers from the likes of Stanford, Penn State, LSU, Florida, and UCLA but had been favoring the Irish since the summer months when Notre Dame initially offered the 4-star tackle from Idaho.
Hoge is listed by as an offensive guard by some recruiting websites, but can also play the center position giving the Irish coaching staff the flexibility they greatly value with their interior linemen. Brian Kelly recently mentioned that when it comes to the center position, they like to get their linemen on campus first and see who is up to the task of playing the position and handling all of the responsibilities of being the quarterback of the offensive line before labeling any a center right off the bat.
If Hoge’s recruiting rankings are correct, however, the Idaho native could be an elite center for the Irish. Tem Lemmming and 247 Sports both have Hoge ranked as the top center in the class of 2015 already while Lemming has him ranked as the #18 overall prospect in the country regardless of position. 247 meanwhile has Hoge inside their initial top 100 at #92 overall.
Since getting that offer over the summer, Hoge made a return trip to Notre Dame in October as part of a blockbuster recruiting weekend for the USC game and is back in town this weekend for yet another visit. On this trip, Hoge decided it was time to end his recruitment and commit to Brian Kelly and the Irish coaching staff.
Notre Dame now has three stellar commitments to start the class of 2015 with Hoge joining fellow 4-star offensive lineman Jerry Tillery from Louisiana and 4-star quarterback quarterback Blake Barnett who committed to Notre Dame just last week. Barnett and Tillery decided that the moniker for the class of 2015 would be the #ShamrockSoldiers15 after the class of 2014 took on the name of the #GoldenArmy14 and the class of 2013 the name the #IrishMob13.
With three 4-star commitments before the close of 2013, this is the earliest we can remember Notre Dame ever being off to this fast of a start to a recruiting class in terms of quality, top 100 type talent – something all three players have the potential to be.
The days of Notre Dame failing to add top quality linemen and coming up short on numbers in the trenches appear to be long, long gone with this current coaching regime – especially since the arrival of Harry Hiestand. Since Hiestand’s arrival following the 2011 season, not only has the Notre Dame offensive line been stout on the field, but the Irish have also flat out cleaned up on the recruiting trail along the offensive line.
There’s another important dynamic at play here. These kids are committing earlier, with great conviction and with ownership of the success of the recruiting class. It is marvelous that the committee of two (Tillery and Barnett) came up with the Shamrock Soldiers. I remember when Elmer committed early and then he kept up the push with the others and then he came in early, and by George, he was ready to play.
These guys have their vectors aligned with the Notre Dame way and they are already being accultured into the Notre Dame football milieu.
One word about Barnett. CAVEAT: I too once drank deep draughts of the Koegel and Powlus Kool-Aid, FWIW. I saw a telecast of one of Barnett’s games. He has an absurd arm, can wing it deep, is a great leader, and has great mobility. He has more escapability than downfield running capability. But he does that thing that Golson does, wheel away from pressure, keep his eyes downfield and then zing it to the receiver.
The Spring 2016 battle of Zaire, Kizer and Barnett will be something else.
It’s getting better lads. The personnel of
August 2014 is so much better than the talent that assembled in August 2012.
The offensive line should be the strength of the team by 2015, if not sooner. Hoge and Tillery are in the fold already for 2015, and Bars, Nelson, Mustipher and Byrne show up in June, 2014. Hoge and Tillery are huge mammals already and we are on a collision course with having a line that rivals
Bama 2012 and Stanford 2013.
Try this for a 2016 OL
LT Tillery
LG Nelson
C Hoge
RG Stanley
RT Elmer
key reserves-McGlinchey, Bars, Montelus and Mustipher.
To Jack’s point on rbs catching the ball, the quarterback’s ability to deliver is half the battle, and Rees never looked comfortable. Establishing consistency of the short passing game to the running backs, flares, screens, wheels, will be a key point of emphasis in the Spring.
And further, Jack, if you look at the four top teams right now, while they run, a key aspect is the mobility and escapability of their quarterbacks. (except McCarron). It makes a difference. Golson, though not a speedster, has mobility, Zaire, Kizer (again a non-speedster) and Barnett more so.
For now, the Spring battle at OL will be fun to watch. Expect McGlinchey
and Montelus to fight hard, and Matt Hegarty will try to Wally Pipp
Nick Martin.
Hiestand is the best OL coach we’ve had since Joe Moore. By a margin.
Let’s look at the top 4 teams right now, what do they have in common. Any one, Bueller!. THEY RUN THE DAM FOOTBALL! I love that BK is getting good lineman now call some runs. When they play Rutgers, be needs to feed Folston and McDaniel all day long. Sprinkle in a jet sweep or two to Atkinson. By the way teach Atkinson how to catch and ND is cooking with fire. This is a great pick up and ND’s Lind is the strongest its been in years, now use them to impose your will
Go Irish!
Notre Dame 17 Michigan State 13—
AND
tonight as I live now in columbus, ohio with Urban meyer and the conceit of oswho–
the buckeyes LOST to the SAME sparty ND beat
and Michigan State is the BIG 10 CHAMP!!!!!!!!!!!
Had to get this on the board somewhere after a positive article!!!!!!!!
OSU national championship?
They are NOT nearly as worthy as Bama, Auburn,Florida State this year and ND last year—
I’m ELATED
I have four favorite teams
NOTRE DAME
anybody who beat miami
anybody who beat usc
anybody who beat ohio state
THIS IS AWESOME
( * I rarely rejoice in the loss of a team. Living in Columbus, you have to –regardless of what team you are and school you are from. The tunnel vision of osu has come back to haunt them and I ‘m THRILLED!)
OSU loses to MICHIGAN STATE
Never Have I cheered for Sparty SO MUCH!!!!!!!
( rare–but it’s osu-again living here and the hate for all things but ohio state makes it unbearable at times. You keep smiling and grinning and listen to the constant smug media. It is NOT that way in Bama, Texas, USC, Ann Arbor and East Lansing–and even Penn State–lived there –columbus is the worst. Tonight it is AWESOME to hear the whining of them. NOW they say bama versus Ohio state in the Orange Bowl!!!!!! Oh yeah!!!! )
HAD TO VENT
THe enemy of my enemy is my friend as they say—
OH yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!
( and we beat sparty–don’t think we could tonight–but it’s in the record books! the kids are in the yard builidng spartan and Irish snowmen and it’s awesome! LOL)
again-rarely get this high over somebody’s loss-
but oswho in a national title with that pansy schedule??
please–
now FSU and probably Auburn –better game for sure!!!!!
I don’t care who wins that –just as long as OSU, Miami and USC aren’t there.( Probably lots of Irish fans agree)
again, live in columbus and you hear it—it’s nice to see them lose
I don’t hate them –they REALLY hate ND-
and now this ND fan with his brood of 7 plus is having a party!!!!
Party with us Irish FANS!!!
Now let’s win that Pinstripe Bowl!!!!!!!!!!
GO IRISH!
Good pick up and hopefully he sticks around. Kudos to the recruiting staff in getting 3 four stars at this point.
Nice offer list. Go irish!