Pretty awesome article Sinclair put together about Ronnie Stanley and Heistand...I think Heistand is going to be just fine recruiting Spoiler Notre Dame signed one of the top offensive line classes in the 2022 cycle. All five members of that group were All-Americans. All five were recruited by offensive line coach Jeff Quinn. But heading into their true freshmen seasons, they’re set to be coached by his replacement in Harry Hiestand. It was the same story for Ronnie Stanley when he signed his letter of intent with Notre Dame on February 1, 2012. Recruited by former O-Line coach Ed Warriner and the Irish staff throughout 2011, Hiestand was hired to replace Warriner on January 25, 2012. And so, he was ‘going in blind,’ as Stanley explained it, without knowledge of who Hiestand was or what his coaching style would be. Selected as an NFL All-Pro in 2019 as a left tackle with the Baltimore Ravens, Stanley worked behind Zack Martin in the early goings of his college career. Today, Martin carries more than a half-dozen All-Pro selections. And those star tackles preceded many successful linemen Hiestand recruited, landed, and developed, including fellow first-rounders Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey in addition to others who turned pro like Alex Bars, Sam Mustipher, and Liam Eichenberg. We all hear about Hiestand’s ability to develop young linemen into stellar collegiate players and early-round draft picks. But what is it about the veteran coach that paves the way to college All-American selections and Day One picks? To Stanley, it’s quite simple really. “It was a complete buy-in into the mentality, really, of what being a true O-Lineman entails,” Stanley said. “And that's something that you can't really hide. We always told each other the film never lies. And he always held us to the very highest standard of everything we did.” Often, you see the entire Notre Dame offensive line roster together dining at barbecue joints or attending other events as a whole. It’s all a part of the comradery component Hiestand implemented years ago. “Even the things that we didn't think were important at first, we then grew to understand...that it means something to be a close-knit O-Line and do things together, to actually build some type of chemistry during that,” Stanley said. “So, I would say, I think it's definitely unique because I don't see that a lot. It's very few and far between, but I do see the great players like (former seven-time All-Pro Ravens guard) Marshal Yanda kind of embody the same type of mentality that Harry would. “We've talked about him a lot, and he says he would love being coached by him, and things like that. To see other linemen that have never worked with him but may have worked with other O-Line coaches like one at Iowa that I know is really good and who I know Hiestand is friends with, and they teach similar techniques and stuff. “So, like I said, it's few and far between, that mentality tied in with the technique and all that.” A veteran offensive line coach, we can probably assume Hiestand doesn’t know what TikTok is much like he doesn’t apply the flashy, high-pressure sales tactics we see from many college coaches on the recruiting trail. No, he’s not going to learn the new lingo or dance moves to post on social media. In fact, you won’t see Hiestand on social media much at all (if ever). Yet his track record as a recruiter is about as good as it gets. From pulling two Top 100-ranked offensive linemen out of Buckeye Country in 2016 in Liam Eichenberg and Tommy Kraemer to scoring Alex Bars, Sam Mustipher, and Quenton Nelson together in 2014, Hiestand’s recruiting production has been stellar despite his old school approach. “(His approach to recruiting) is very simple, honestly. He knows his market. He knows the type of guys he wants in his room and he's not there to fake anything or sell a story or what all these other coaches would do,” Stanley said. “They're just trying to get these recruits based off whatever they've done in high school, which is nothing really. “So, Hiestand goes after guys he thinks can mentally handle the gruesomeness of college football. It's a big change from high school to college. And Hiestand wants guys that just want to be the best and that just want to work their ass off, and just do anything they need to do to win the game. It all ties in with the mentality of the type of people that we had in the room. And that's the type of people that we want in the room. If you're not like that, you're not going to last.” While some wonder if Hiestand’s approach to recruiting might not be as effective in 2022 and beyond as it was through his 2012 – 2018 tenure, Stanley would caution that flashy sales tactics aren’t necessarily the most impactful game plan in luring prospects in this specific position group. “(When) he sees something very special, very different, those guys are usually the ones that really want to buy-in to the type of things that he's saying. And I think they tie in together because when you're talking about top talent guys that are going to transfer into the league and carry on that same mentality, those are the guys that want a coach like Hiestand that isn't really all glamor, especially at that offensive lineman position. You know? “He knows his demographic in the simplest way. That's what he wants.” THE FUTURE Within the days that followed the hiring of Hiestand being officially announced publicly, Notre Dame’s new offensive line coach made a quick trip to Lawrenceburg, Indiana where he had lunch with soon-to-be Irish offensive lineman Ashton Craig and his mother. Kim Craig gushed about their experience with Hiestand that day. “It was great to meet him in person. They really hit it off,” Kim Craig said. “We talked about his family, his successful history with Notre Dame where he has coached in the past, what he has accomplished, what he has learned, and his expectations for Ashton. “We couldn’t be more excited for Ashton’s opportunity at Notre Dame and now look forward to him learning from one of the very best O-Line coaches in the country.” Around that same time, Hiestand also connected with another one of Notre Dame 2022-class offensive line signees based in the Midwest. Before he hit the Dayton, Ohio area to attend Aamil Wagner’s basketball game, Hiestand sat down with the All-American tackle. “Initially, I knew some about coach Hiestand going into it because I did my research on Notre Dame,” Wagner explained. “Obviously, I looked at some of the former O-Linemen that went there and who they were developed by. And his name was all over, pretty much. “And so, going into it, when they announced the hire, I knew it was a tremendous event because he's one of the best coaches in the country. “I actually got a chance to sit down with him before the basketball game…I got a chance to sit down and have lunch with him. And just getting a chance to talk back and forth with him was a great experience. He reminds me of my current O-Line coach in the sense that he wants to not only develop the highlights of your game but bring it to a high standard. “He relayed a lot to me the way he's going to communicate and display what he wants to see from me, why he wants to coach me, and overall, it was a great experience getting the chance to talk to him and get to know more about him.” Along with connecting with incoming freshmen signed just weeks before he took office in South Bend, Hiestand travelled to various states to check in on top prospects in the 2023 class. That included a trip to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina to see about Top 100 tackle Monroe Freeling. During that stop, Oceanside Collegiate Academy offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Antoine Rivens was thrilled to speak with a fellow coach with extraordinary experience. “I read up on him before he came. Yeah, very impressive resume, obviously,” Rivens said. “And then talking to him, he’s very impressive. I'm an O-Line guy so I really enjoyed talking with him. We were talking about our player that they're recruiting but in terms of just football and what he thought about the position, I was very impressed. A real down-to-earth guy. I just really enjoyed talking to him. “We talked about the difference between the NFL and college coaching. He was sharing how you get more time in college with the guys, actually, than you do in the NFL. So, he likes college. He was explaining that to me.” Hiestand begins his work in South Bend with a very promising and young roster to work with. That includes two towering freshmen tackles with starting experience in Blake Fisher and Freshman All-American Joe Alt. That duo anchors 10 underclassmen scholarship offensive linemen. Among that group is seven former high school All-Americans (and that group of seven all-stars doesn’t include Alt). Although the recruiting landscape has changed, Harry Hiestand hasn’t. He’s the same coach who knows what he wants on the recruiting trail and has a track record of locating, landing, and developing the right kind of guys. Harry’s guys. According to Ronnie Stanley, this is a major win for the Irish. And he would know. “For them to get him back, to continue to build the program I was a part of, I was just very happy,” Stanley said. “I was very happy he was back at Notre Dame, that the O-Line was going to continue to keep holding up that standard that he had. “He's going to keep bringing in players that he knows are going to be able to withstand that type of coaching.” He later posted this in the same thread and thought it was good too
On3 saying M'Pemba was going to commit to ND last November if he would have committed but he's decided to slow things down He does like MF as HC though so I think we have a legit chance to land him
I don't know know why he's not talked about more by ND fans. He's one of my favorite options out there. Could be a vyper or more traditional LB. Hell, he could probably play offense. He's just a versatile freak, who seems like a Notre Dame type of kid.
I think we underestimate the recruiting ability of the new staff, and the bags, as well. This defensive class is already loaded. They're going after these kids.
Does ND have a higher than normal decommitment rate of top 100-200 prospects or does it just seem like that? It seems like clockwork we get a couple Keeleys and P Bowens that look strong early, take their visits like clockwork, get shown the bag like clockwork, then end up somewhere else. Maybe it just feels like it but is just typical big game recruiting. Someone like Driskell who breaks down Baylor gametape in his basement for 25 hours over a weekend for fun should run some numbers on it.
I think it’s more we get on guys early who are risers and the home team isn’t pushing for and then they turn it up at the end. We just don’t have the same luxury
I’m trying to think of examples and really all I got was Beal from Georgia and the safety last cycle from Florida? who am I missing
ND's rate is no higher. Look back at the chaos around the signing days. It happens everywhere. ND commitments are actually traditionally pretty stable, despite the fears of the fanbase.
yeah, just look back at the last five years 2022: Even with a HC bailing just 5 decommits, which were really only 3 decommits with Agu and Nickel both being booted basically. CJ Williams did hurt, but thats 1 such case 2021: Riley and Colzie were won back, Crippen was basically booted and Abiari I think didnt end up qualifying of something like that 2020: Bartleson, who cares 2019: McNamara wasnt that big of an issue and Sheffield was never really a commit 2018: Gervin hurt a bit, Lenzy was reconquered, Stepp has academic issues (think he is a good player though) and Porter was never someone anyone was enthousiastic about. So 3 painful decommits (Moore, Gervin and Williams) in the last 5 years despite a coaching change is very very good. I think what one needs to worry about more are those guys who appear in the fold but take forever to commit (like schrauth did last year although that ended up okay)
assuming he likes ND when he visits, i think we have a very real shot at Rodney Gallagher, elite slot WR from PA. He's just as important as Carnell is, just a different spot on the field Spoiler Alongside the likes of Carnell Tate, Braylon James, and Kyler Kasper, Uniontown (Pa.) Laurel Highlands star Rodney Gallagher is in the same conversation of high-four-star receivers being targeted by Notre Dame. Ranked as the No. 80 overall prospect in the 2023 class via Composite rankings, it wasn’t long ago when the five-foot-11 playmaker was juggling over a dozen football scholarship offer list along with several basketball scholarship offers. Versatility is the prime component in play. But in December, Gallagher publicly announced he plans to pursue only football at the college level. But his versatility is rooted in much more than being a two-sport athlete. After competing in multiple roles from receiver to defensive back, Gallagher starred at quarterback as a junior in the fall. He threw for 1,365 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.7 yards per rush with 1,130 yards and 21 touchdowns in total. And defensively, he chipped in 30 total tackles, two interceptions, a pass breakups, and a forced fumble while manning kick return duties. Along with his Notre Dame offer, Arizona State, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, NC State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. On Sunday night, Irish Illustrated connected with Gallagher and his head coach for details on his Notre Dame recruitment and more. Sinclair: The last time we spoke, you were stacking up scholarship offers in both basketball and football. But more recently, you announced that you’re pursuing a college football career only. I’m sure that wasn’t an easy decision. Can you talk more about that? Gallagher: Yeah, it wasn't at all. To be honest, I wasn't really getting recruited as hard at basketball anymore. And I was losing a lot of schools because they really thought I was going to pick football over basketball in the long run. And to be honest, like I said, at the time, that wasn't the plan at all. I was really just going to lay out my options and then see what was best for my future. But obviously, things work out, and football picks up, and basketball didn't. So, yeah, when we're football, and I'm grateful for that decision. And it's been taking me a long way so far. It's only going to take me farther. Sinclair: You’ve played a lot of positions from quarterback to defensive back to receiver. I’m sure you could thrive in multiple roles in college, but is there a specific position you’re eyeing? Gallagher: I'd love to play slot receiver. I really want to score touchdowns for my team. And I just love having the ball in space, you know what I mean? But I'll do whatever is best for our team, even if they want me to try corner. But if I had a preferred position, it will be slot receiver. Sinclair: Notre Dame also had a change at head coach since they offered you. Marcus Freeman is the head coach now. I’m not sure how much you know about that whole situation but what are your thoughts on coach Freeman so far? Gallagher: Yeah, he's a great guy. I got to meet him when he came up to my school for a visit. Obviously, I didn't get to sit down and talk to him. But yeah, I got to meet him over the phone. And he's a great guy. I talk to him on the phone almost every week. I talked to Coach (Chansi) Stuckey every week, well, not even every week. Every day. The new hiring of coach (Gerad) Parker that was recently at West Virginia, he's at Notre Dame now. I've always had a relationship with him. And also coach (Chad) Bowden has been super, super heavy on me also. So, yeah, there's a lot of guys on that staff that have been in contact with me almost every single day. Sinclair: Just to clarify, you got to know coach Gerad Parker when he was on staff at West Virginia? Gallagher: Yeah, when he was the wide receivers coach at West Virginia. Sinclair: What are your thoughts on coach Stuckey in terms of the impression he’s made through the little bit you’ve been able to talk together so far? Gallagher: He's a great guy. I'm really interested in him. And I can't wait to see the campus in the spring. But like I say, I talk to him every single day, basically. And I'm building a great relationship with him. And yeah, he's a great guy. But once I meet him in person, I'll obviously have a better impression on him. Sinclair: You’ve just mentioned it, and I know that taking recruiting visits out of state is easier said than done, but where are you at in terms of planning to get out for a trip to Notre Dame? Gallagher: Yeah, I'm working on it now. I'm finishing up my high school basketball season. So, hopefully we make a big run. And then once the spring ball and everything hits, I plan on getting up there. Sinclair: Generally speaking, do you think that Notre Dame is a true contender? And if so, how would you sum up why that is? Gallagher: Yeah, they're for sure a contender. Like I said, all the love that they have shown me day in and day out, I mean, it doesn't get any better than that. And they come see me as much as possible when they're literally almost six hours away. So, that just means a lot. COACH KOLESAR Following our discussion with Gallagher, Irish Illustrated connected with Laurel Highlands head coach Rich Kolesar. Below is what coach Kolesar had to say. ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN KOLESAR & GALLAGHER IN BUILDING NEWFOUND SUCCESS… “I went to school here. I graduated at Laurel Highlands in 2006. I went to college, I came back, I started (substitute teaching) in 2010. And then 2013, I got hired as a full-time teacher, and I did some coaching as an assistant here at the time. “So, I had heard who Rodney was. I saw him in some youth league games coming up through. And then I teach eighth grade. Well, when Ronnie was in eighth grade, that off-season, I got hired as the head coach. So, his freshman season was my first season as a head coach. “We've kind of grown together and built the offense a little bit around his skill set. And he's done a great job of just building this program. This past year, we had our first winning season since 1996. We won our first playoff game in school history, and I think a lot of that goes to his ability and his leadership.” ON WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GALLAGHER… “Obviously, if you've watched him at all, you know he's a great athlete. I tell people a lot of times, you know, for as good of an athlete as he is, he's an even better person. He's a good student in school. He is very likable, very respectful, mature kid. He's just great.” ON MOVING GALLAGHER TO QUARTERBACK AHEAD OF LAST SEASON… “He had played quarterback in youth league and middle school. Obviously, he's an extremely talented wide receiver. But that was a position that we felt that in high school football, you want your best athlete to touch the ball as much as possible. So, we did that. We put the ball in his hands and he ended up...(throwing and rushing) for 1000 yards in the same season. So, he had a pretty special season there.” ON A HIGH ACADEMIC SCHOOL LIKE NOTRE DAME RECRUITING GALLAGHER… “It's no surprise. He's just a great kid. And I know when coach Freeman stopped in the school when I got a chance to meet with him, he expressed some of that stuff with me, and I really see Rodney as a great fit there.” ON COACH FREEMAN AND THE NOTRE DAME STAFF… “Coach Freeman was extremely impressive. It was really nice to get to meet him and talk to him for a little while. Coach (Tommy) Rees came in. I had a chance to meet him. And coach Bowden, he's been here a couple times. He's got great energy. And I see (Notre Dame) just recently hired coach (Gerad) Parker. Obviously, him being at West Virginia, we got to spend a lot of time with him and really get to know him. So, I think he has some great coaches on staff.” and Stuckey doing work already...I know Del never recruited like that
My guess - both Driskell and Loy both speak to Rees Loy was used to show there was a legit chance Rees could leave. Driskell now being used to mitigate any concerns. Either that or we got a source fight.
II podcast today basically gushing about Billy Scrauth today...O'Malley proclaimed him a 3 year starter and All American and the most impressive freshman he can recall after seeing him in person and 1 interview The part about Burnham and Gobaira both being Vypers is a big deal too
I’m still absolutely floored when I think about all the fall practice talk about Foskey struggling and doing nothing in practices. All because true frosh Blake Fisher was lined up against him. Fast forward to the season and Foskey eats kids alive. Just ridiculous
I'm pretty sure Scrauth is Harry Heistand's long lost son Full article from Prister Spoiler Early-entry Notre Dame freshman Billy Schrauth is a no-frills kind of guy. He doesn’t care which of the five positions along the offensive line he plays. He’s not interested in a shortcut or a break from his winter workouts just because he has a cast on his left foot from off-season surgery. While the rest of his teammates are doing the conventional two-legged squat, Schrauth simply elevates the bad foot and does his squats with his right leg alone. In Schrauth (pronounced shrowth), Notre Dame has a 6-foot-5, 300-pound four-star offensive lineman out of Campbellsport, Wis. just outside of Fond du Lac whose work ethic was honed on a cattle farm in the rural upper Midwest. He’s battle-tested with four older siblings, including Sam, a 6-foot-4, 350-pound former Division II lineman, and sister Kelli, who currently is playing professional basketball in Croatia. “It’s something within me,” Schrauth said. “Just growing up with older siblings, I’ve always wanted to be better than them. That pushed me mentally. It’s done a lot of good to have my siblings push me.” His attitude and skillset as a top 150 college football prospect in the Class of 2022 make Schrauth one of the most anticipated players among the dozen on campus for the spring semester. Physically, he stands out among the 10 (out of 12) early-entry freshmen on campus who conducted interviews with the media last week. “I don’t need an excuse for anything,” Schrauth said. “I come in and do the work. Today, we had squats and I just did single-leg squats. For a couple months, it will be a little less on that left leg.” Schrauth’s throwback attitude fits well with the Notre Dame offensive line culture, which has become a decade-long persona originally formed with guys like Zack Martin, Ronnie Stanley, Nick Martin, Chris Watt, Mike McGlinchey and Quentin Nelson. Under the leadership of line coach Harry Hiestand -- who arrived at Notre Dame in 2012, left for the NFL after his unit won the Joe Moore Award in 2017, and has returned under first-year head coach Marcus Freeman -- Schrauth is confident he’ll have everything he needs to live up to his lofty potential. “I love him,” said Schrauth of Hiestand. “Our mindsets are a lot of the same stuff. He’s a master motivator from what I’ve seen so far. I love that. I want to be pushed to the limits that I don’t know I’m capable of and I think he’s going to be the guy that’s going to get me and the group where we’ve got to be. “His overall intensity is different from what I’ve had with other coaches. He gets it. I like to play physical and you can tell that’s his style of ball. That’s what I’m going to give to our team.” When the Irish were transitioning from Jeff Quinn as offensive line coach to Hiestand during the finalization of the recruiting process, Schrauth spoke with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who made three visits to Wisconsin to make sure the Irish landed their man. Rees gave him the lowdown on Hiestand. “That was enough for me,” Schrauth said. “(Hiestand) is the best coach we could have gotten. I don’t think that’s going to change the way I attack the day, but he’s going to change the way I go about stuff in practice. It will be a lot different than it would have been with somebody else. I think it’s going to be for the better.” Schrauth has received instruction on everything Hiestand from former Irish offensive lineman Chris Watt, who returned to Notre Dame with Hiestand, current sixth-year senior-to-be Josh Lugg, and Director of Player Development Hunter Bivin, also another former player under Hiestand with the Irish. “I love him,” said Schrauth, this time regarding Watt. “He’s been great. He’s in the weight room with us every day. He’s always around the group. He’s another great guy for us linemen to have. I’m going to get to live it for four years. I can’t wait.” Schrauth is a bit of a rarity in today’s game as it pertains to position fit. A majority of the top-rated offensive linemen coming out of high school are listed as tackles. That’s where most like to be situated because it’s at left tackle where the money tends to be the greatest. Not so for Schrauth. “I’ve always liked playing guard, but I’ve played tackle, I’ve played a little center,” Schrauth said. “I’ll play wherever. I’ll work at all of the positions. I still have to get snapping down but once that comes, it will be fine. I’m comfortable wherever.” When the notion of playing left tackle for the increased paycheck is mentioned to Schrauth, he doesn’t hesitate. “It ain’t about that for me,” he said. “It’s about hitting guys.” Schrauth’s recruitment was a long one. While there were times in which it clearly seemed like he would choose the Irish, his name on the dotted line was one of the most anticipated in the Class of 2022. A December visit from Freeman sealed the deal. “He came in and it was just different.” Schrauth said. “It was a different interaction than any other coach. You could tell he cared about my family and me. He wanted to get to know everybody in my family. “I hadn’t had any of that. They were all so focused on me, but he cares about everything. The love he has for his players is something that shows every day.” While the choice of Notre Dame was a difficult one because the best offensive linemen from Wisconsin generally lean toward the Badgers, Schrauth couldn’t pass on the opportunity to benefit from all the assets Notre Dame has to offer. In the end, it was the faith, education and brand of football Notre Dame plays that swayed him. “It’s just what you hold most valuable to you,” said Schrauth, who played his prep football at St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac. “To me it was that pursuit of excellence every day, not only on the football field but in the classroom. That type of culture is something I wanted to be a part of. “Nobody does it,” added Schrauth of the top-rated Wisconsin prep offensive linemen leaving the state of Wisconsin. “Nobody has left the state in a while. But I’m not just anybody.” I don't know if he has top 6 potential like Q did, but I feel good that he's going to be a first round pick when he leaves...his floor and ceiling are sky high. And it's a ratings failure that he wasn't a concensus top 50 rated player by the sites
it’s outrageous for us to project a borderline top 150 guard as first rounder right now I do really like the kid though
It’s honestly insane, with how god a season Foskey ended up having. I cannot wait for a full year of Blake and Alt
that's actually my point, he should not be ranked in the top 150, he should have been ranked as a top 50 borderline 5* player
I forgot where I read it but someone said freeman is a fan of taking lower rated kids first if they are a take and then squeezing them out if needed (phrased as “working it out later”). Would like that to happen with a few positions each year
No. But I like Zinter. As do the coaches at Georgia, Ohio St., Michigan, Penn St., USC and Wisconsin. All of whom offered him. This kid's a football player. Don't get too hung up on where he's currently ranked.
fair enough, you’re entitled to your opinion. But there is absolutely no way he has a committable offer from Georgia. Even Michigan mods claim they’re not pushing for him, his brother plays there and they haven’t exactly been killing LB recruiting. but if you like his film then fine. To be fair it’s not the rating. I absolutely loved/love Ziegler who was similarly rated when he committed. let me ask you guys this. How do you rank these guys? Sneed, Ziegler, Burnham, Junior, Bowen and Zinter?
Depends on the position. Sneed is obviously 1, but he came in at 198 pounds and will probably be Rover or Will. Zinter would be a Mike at LB. He's actually a little faster than Junior, but those are probably the best comparison. He could actually stick on offense, too, from his junior film. He even lines up at WR, in addition to TE and move H back. As for his offers, that list is way too big to question if he has commitable offers from top schools. He clearly does.