Freshman Aaron Lynch’s path to Notre Dame was not an easy one. His recruitment was a back-and-forth affair between the Irish and the Florida State Seminoles. In the end it was Notre Dame that landed the signature of this talented defensive end, and the decision is sitting well with the freshman.
“Actually I’m very happy that I made the decision to come here,” Lynch said, with a look of satisfaction on his face.
Although football seems to be going well for the freshman, the biggest reason for his contentment is what he is experiencing in the classroom. Lynch wants to be challenged on and off the field, and the academic rigors at Notre Dame are pushing the Cape Coral, Florida native to better himself.
“I was surprised at how much work you do every single day, even on the weekends,” Lynch said. “At another school you would not be doing as much work there. Not putting them down academically or saying the academics are bad, but here at Notre Dame it’s a whole different place.”
“I like that challenge,” Lynch said with a smile.
At the time of his final commitment to the Irish, Lynch talked about the multitude of benefits that Notre Dame has for student-athletes. As he enters his fourth month of school, he is seeing the recruiting pitch come to life in his every day experiences.
“I’m only 18 years old, I’m supposed to still be in high school, my senior year, going to prom,” Lynch continued. “Instead I’m in college working like these older guys, like a grown man. I’m trying to be a grown man. I don’t just want stuff given to me, because if you get stuff given to you, you’re not going to be a man.”
For Lynch, it’s all about business, on and off the field.
“You gotta take this as a job basically,” he concluded.
Among media members, Lynch has been the talk of the spring on the defensive side of the ball, which is to be expected of a player that came to Notre Dame as a highly decorated five-star defensive end. Despite the praise from the media, Lynch is being pushed by his coaches to continue to improve on the finer points of the game.
“I need to learn the plays, do more individual studying on the plays,” Lynch said, acknowledging that he still has plenty of room for development. “But transitioning from high school to now I think I’m doing a pretty good job.”
The 6-foot-6, 265-pound freshman knows the continued improvement will be necessary as he battles against the nation’s best players.
“I’m out here to compete,” Lynch exclaimed. “You have to do that and take that next step and jump up to these college players.”
Even the most talented of players go through an adjustment period as they learn the game at an advanced level. Often times this can result in what Brian Kelly and Bob Diaco have referred to as “paralysis by analysis.” The mental strain of making the adjustments and receiving so much instruction can prevent young players from playing the game as fast as they are capable of playing with. At this point in his development, the young end has been able to avoid this pitfal.
“I’m trying to go out there and make plays,” Lynch said. “I’m trying to learn the plays, but I feel if I go out there and make plays it will let the coach know I’m here to play.”
He knows that above all else, production is going to determine how much he plays in the fall.
“I’ve got that mentality that I’m out there to wreak havoc,” continued the standout freshman. “Once I get the plays down, it’s all going to fit together.”
This does not mean Lynch doesn’t appreciate the need to do what he is being told to do.
“I go out there and I’ll just fire off the ball, but I’m supposed to take a key step to the left where the tackle’s going,” Lynch said, displaying the proper technique as he talked. “Well if I just fire off the ball then I’m not doing what the coach told me to do. But if I take that key step and fire off the ball then everything works together.
“Once I do that and everybody else does that it comes together and the offense can’t do anything,” Lynch said emphatically.
Defensive line coach Mike Elston is teaching the young end how to play the game properly. He is also teaching Lynch how to study the game, and that study is backing up what the coaches are saying to him during practice.
“When we watch film I’ll see that I just fire off the ball and I won’t even touch the tackle,” Lynch said. “I’ll just run right past him. We’ll I’m not supposed to do that, I’m supposed to hit the tackle. When I see that on film I’m like ‘Yeah, I see that.’”
Lynch’s coaches are working hard to get him to learn to play the game the right way. But when the real games start, expect to see the talented freshman unleashed on opposing quarterbacks. That is something Lynch can’t wait to do.
“I’m playing defensive end,” Lynch said with a wide smile when asked if the coaches were going to unleash him off the edge. “I’m going to do what I can do.”
Until that time comes, Lynch is going to continue to work hard to become a complete player. His desire is to be the best, and he knows to become that player he has to take to the coaching he is receiving and learn to play the game the right way. Once his technique matches his talent, Lynch will give the Irish a potential standout on the edge of their defense.
