Notre Dame football recruiting notebook: Florida RB Bryant sets official visit

The Irish coaching staff has continued to look for another offensive playmaker in the 2013 class and this week they've moved closer to a prospect that had previously fallen off the radar. Running back Greg Bryant from American Heritage School in Delray Beach, Fla., proved his growing interest in Notre Dame by scheduling an official visit to the school for Dec. 7. It will be Bryant?s first official visit. 247Sports.com national recruiting writer Steve Wiltfong said Notre Dame had expressed interest in Bryant before he initially committed to Oklahoma, but has since reached back out to the star running back since he decommitted. Most recruiting services didn?t have the Irish in the picture for Bryant, but Wiltfong said Notre Dame?s success this season leaves a lot of things open. ?Nothing surprises me when you?re the No. 1 football team in the country and on top of that you?re also No. 1 in the classroom as well,? Wiltfong said. ?Notre Dame has a lot to sell kids right now. Most kids that they?re going to go after at this point are going to have some sort of interest moving forward.? The 5-11, 196-pound Bryant holds offers from many of the SEC powers including Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. 247Sports ranks Bryant as the No. 11 running back, but Rivals.com slates Bryant as the No. 2 running back and the No. 14 player overall in the 2013 class. Wiltfong said Bryant is an all-around running back that plays similar to the way Irish running back Theo Riddick has performed this season. Bryant recently finished his sixth season at the varsity level. ?He has a background playing slot receiver early in his high school career and then became a great running back as he came along,? Wiltfong said. ?He actually played high school football in middle school. He got moved up to the varsity in seventh grade and played slot receiver in seventh and eighth grade and became a running back as a freshman.? Residing in Florida, Bryant?s lead recruiter from Notre Dame is recruiting coordinator Tony Alford. Traction with Bryant could be the result of constant recruiting done by Alford. ?He?s out there working on the recruiting trail. He?s looking at every corner, turning over every rock and trying to find players that fit what Notre Dame wants on and off the football field and Greg Bryant fits that bill,? Wiltfong said. ?He?s a tireless worker and a tireless recruiter. He?s one of the best in the business, no doubt about that.? As for Bryant, Wiltfong sees a running back that?s physically mature enough to compete in college right away.

?He?s physically ready,? Wiltfong said. ?He?ll come into whatever college program he decides on ready to play from a physical standpoint.?

Recruiting travels
The entire Notre Dame coaching staff will be making trips to their recruiting areas across the country this week to check in on committed players and available prospects. Alford started his week checking in on tight end commit Mike Heuerman in Naples, Fla., on Sunday night and linebacker commit Michael Deeb in Plantation, Fla., on Monday. He?ll continue to make stops at schools in the state throughout the week like he did at University School in Fort Lauderdale, where 2014 defensive back Quincy Wilson and 2015 running back Jordan Scarlett attend school.

Cornerbacks coach Kerry Cooks and safeties coach Bob Elliott were in Arizona on Monday visiting committed cornerback Cole Luke and other 2014 prospects in the Phoenix area. Cooks was also scheduled to spend part of the week in Texas with visits to wide receiver commits Corey Robinson (Tuesday) and Torii Hunter Jr. (Thursday).

Tight ends coach Scott Booker visited defensive end Isaac Rochell at his Georgia home on Monday and will spend more time in the Peach State before heading to the Washington, D.C. area later in the week with a visit to cornerback commit Devin Butler scheduled for Friday.

Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand will visit several of his future players throughout the week including John Montelus (Wednesday), Mike McGlinchey (Thursday) and Hunter Bivin (Friday).

On Tuesday, Kelly and offensive coordinator Chuck Martin visited wide receiver commit James Onwualu in Minnesota while defensive line coach Mike Elston and defensive coordinator Bob Diaco travelled to Fort Wayne to visit five-star linebacker commit Jaylon Smith.

Kelly and Martin are expected to visit offensive line commit Steve Elmer in Midland, Mich., on Thursday.

Andrews offered
Kelly wasn?t the only one who stopped by a gym during his recruiting travels. Bob Elliott visited wide receiver/tight end prospect Mark Andrews during a basketball practice at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Desert Mountain on Monday to offer the junior a scholarship.
The 6-6, 225-pound Andrews was named to the Rivals 250 watch list for the 2014 class after catching 81 passes for almost 1,500 yards and 21 touchdowns this past season. The four-star prospect ranks as the No. 10 wide receiver according to 247Sports.com. His offer list includes Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan and Arizona.

Andrews teams with junior quarterback Kyle Allen at Desert Mountain who does not have a Notre Dame offer but is considered one of the top pro-style quarterbacks in his class.

Irish TV special planned
With Notre Dame concluding its 2012 regular season with a perfect 12-0 record and the No. 1 BCS ranking, NBC will take a special look back at the Fighting Irish?s magical 2012 season and look ahead to the team?s upcoming appearance in the BCS National Championship on Jan. 7. Undefeated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Season in Review airs on Saturday, December 22 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.

Hosted by Liam McHugh, Undefeated will feature an in-depth look at Notre Dame?s first undefeated regular season since 1988. It will also preview the BCS National Championship in which the Fighting Irish will look to win a national title for the first time in 24 years, likely against the winner of Saturday?s SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Georgia.

Undefeated will feature a behind-the-scenes look at Notre Dame?s improbable season, and include interviews with head coach Brian Kelly and numerous players. It will also look back at the remarkable career of Heisman Trophy hopeful and team captain linebacker Manti Te?o.

Footage from the Notre Dame Football awards show will also air in Undefeated.

Source: http://www.southbendtribune.com/sports/notredame/recruiting/sbt-notre-dame-football-irish-focusing-on-florida-tailback-bryant-20121127,0,255224.story?track=rss

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