Tag: blue gold illustrated

Notre Dame extends offer to 2026 four-star offensive tackle recruit

Can the Irish get him?

Notre Dame has turned out an impressive number of offensive linemen in recent years. That position also can be a liability if enough guys get injured, and the Irish had their fair share of those during this past season. All they can do now though is look towards the future.

For [autotag]Kyle Rudolph[/autotag] and the Irish, the hope is that future will include Felix Ojo, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive tackle from Lake Ridge in Mansfield, Texas. The Irish have extended him an offer, the 45th he has received, which says a lot about how much college programs in general value him.

Ojo is a four-star recruit and, according to 247Sports, the No. 4 Texas recruit in the 2026 recruiting class and the No. 6 offensive tackle recruit nationally.

Texas reportedly is among the biggest challengers for the Irish, and Ojo was at the Longhorns’ junior day over the weekend. However, Kyle Kelly of Blue and Gold Illustrated is reporting that Rudolph was expected to visit Lake Ridge on Monday. So the competition for his services could be fierce:

https://www.instagram.com/felixtheol/p/DFVx19HuJHc/?img_index=1

Best of luck to Rudolph and the Irish in their pursuit of Ojo.

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Notre Dame preparing for Texas A&M with piped-in crowd, band noise

Will this help the Irish tune the Aggies fans out?

Kyle Field is said to provide one of the best home-field advantages in college football, and Notre Dame is about to experience it. If the Irish lose to Texas A&M in their season opener, the atmosphere Kyle Field is sure to provide could be a major reason why. Win or lose, we’ll have a good idea about the mental makeup of this team when the game is over.

Whatever happens, the Irish are preparing properly. While piped-in crowd noise and marching bands are nothing new with football practices, Tyler Horka of Blue and Gold Illustrated noted that the Irish cranked the volume with it during Tuesday’s practice, which was held in sweltering temperatures:

We’ll see how well this prepares the Irish for the first game of the season. If they want to win a national championship though, they eventually will have to conquer frenzied crowds to get there. If nothing else, it would build character for the entire team.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

2026 Notre Dame quarterback commit does well in exhibition victory

A glimpse at the Irish’s future.

It will be a couple of years before Notre Dame fans get a glimpse of 2026 quarterback commit [autotag]Noah Grubbs[/autotag], at least at the collegiate level. Until then, they can see what he offers at the prep level in Lake Mary, Florida. So far, he’s off to a good start in 2024.

Lake Mary defeated Oviedo, 40-18, in an exhibition game on Friday, but Irish fans obviously only care about Grubbs, who is rated fourth at quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class by Rivals and 11th by 247Sports. He threw three touchdown passes and looked good doing it.

Here’s one touchdown pass he threw:

Not satisfied with only one video? Here’s pregame video of him warming up from Mike Singer of Blue and Gold Illustrated:

So far, Grubbs is the only 2026 commit for the Irish other than receiver [autotag]Dylan Faison[/autotag]. More 2026 recruits will commit to the program in time, and at the moment, Grubbs is the headliner for good reason.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Watch: Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker does pushups

How many pushups can you do?

Of all the exercises I had to do in school, pushups were by far my least favorite. I just was never able to get the hang of the proper form, but that’s probably because I have sticks for arms even now. So forgive me if I’m a little jealous of the following video from Tyler Horka of Blue Gold Illustrated. Notre Dame offensive coordinator [autotag]Gerad Parker[/autotag] decided he’d start Monday’s practice by showing off how many pushups he could do:

Parker didn’t miss a beat as he immediately got up and resumed his coaching. As much as I wish I was more athletic than what God blessed me with, I wonder how those whose whole life is football are able to keep up at such a high level. All I know is I’m better sharing my thoughts behind a keyboard than showcasing my skills on a football field. Things sometimes just work out for the best.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Notre Dame punter uses memory of brother to push forward

A sad but touching story as we begin to enter the holiday season.

I’ve never met Blue and Gold Illustrated beat writer Tyler Horka but he seems like more than just “An outstanding young reporter” like [autotag]Paul Finebaum[/autotag] once called him (according to Horka’s Twitter profile).  Horka seems like he’s going to one day be playing the role of Jen Lada or Tom Rinaldi on College Gameday by making your eyes water on fall Saturday mornings.

Horka has shared a number of stories that pull at the heartstrings this year that include Notre Dame super-recruit [autotag]CJ Carr[/autotag]’s love for his late brother, how linebacker Prince Kollie saved his high school football coach’s life, and how Dabo Swinney helped Notre Dame wide receivers coach Chasni Stuckey get his start in coaching.

Horka knows how to make a room suddenly get a bit dusty and did it again this week.  He spoke with Notre Dame punter Jon Sot and some of those closest to him about the untimely death of his older brother.  I don’t want to steal clicks from Horka’s piece but instead, want to push more viewers to it.  Whether you’re a Notre Dame fan or just a college football fan that visits us regularly, go check it out.

“Sometimes I look back like, ‘How am I here right now?” Sot said. “It doesn’t feel like I should be here with some of the things that have happened. But I always push through it.”

–Jon Sot to Tyler Horka of Blue Gold Illustrated

Be sure to check it out in full as it helps get your mind right entering the holiday season.

Oh, and hey Horka:  keep up the great work.

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Notre Dame football adds another to 2021 recruiting class

For the second evening in a row Notre Dame added a class of 2021 football commitment. Details on the newest Irish right here!

Make it two commitments in two days for Brian Kelly and Notre Dame as the Irish landed kicker Joshua Bryan’s commitment on Tuesday night.

Bryan had been committed to Colorado but announced his change of heart on Twitter early Tuesday evening.

Bryan ranks as the seventh best kicker in the 2021 class according to 247Sports.

Bryan had also received scholarship offers from Air Force, Army, Navy and Yale as well as Colorado.

At the Chris Sailer Kicking Camp, Bryan became the first player to ever receive a six-star rating, meaning he projects as a Power Five starter his freshman year and worthy of a scholarship.

Mike Singer did the leg work (pun fully intended) over at Blue-Gold Illustrated in finding out the story behind Bryan’s pursuit of a scholarship from Notre Dame and his eventual commitment in a piece worth checking out.

Current Notre Dame kicker Jonathan Doerer previously said he thought he’d be back for another season in 2021 but this late offer by the Irish makes you wonder if that’s still the case.

Related: Meet Notre Dame’s 2021 Recruiting Class

Bryan is the 21st commitment to Notre Dame’s 2021 class that is knocking on the door of being one of the ten best in the nation.

Notre Dame football adds another to 2021 recruiting class

For the second evening in a row Notre Dame added a class of 2021 football commitment. Details on the newest Irish right here!

Make it two commitments in two days for Brian Kelly and Notre Dame as the Irish landed kicker Joshua Bryan’s commitment on Tuesday night.

Bryan had been committed to Colorado but announced his change of heart on Twitter early Tuesday evening.

Bryan ranks as the seventh best kicker in the 2021 class according to 247Sports.

Bryan had also received scholarship offers from Air Force, Army, Navy and Yale as well as Colorado.

At the Chris Sailer Kicking Camp, Bryan became the first player to ever receive a six-star rating, meaning he projects as a Power Five starter his freshman year and worthy of a scholarship.

Mike Singer did the leg work (pun fully intended) over at Blue-Gold Illustrated in finding out the story behind Bryan’s pursuit of a scholarship from Notre Dame and his eventual commitment in a piece worth checking out.

Current Notre Dame kicker Jonathan Doerer previously said he thought he’d be back for another season in 2021 but this late offer by the Irish makes you wonder if that’s still the case.

Related: Meet Notre Dame’s 2021 Recruiting Class

Bryan is the 21st commitment to Notre Dame’s 2021 class that is knocking on the door of being one of the ten best in the nation.