Every school still recruiting Arik Armstead has said it would allow the five-star defensive end prospect to play basketball in college as well as football, but Notre Dame has made it clear they don’t just want Armstead to play hoops, the Irish basketball program feels like it needs him.
Notre Dame head basketball coach Mike Brey made the cross-country trip to Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, Calif., on Monday following a game in Maryland on Sunday afternoon to demonstrate that exact need.
“He just wanted Arik to know how valuable he felt Arik could be to the program,” a source close to Armstead told Irish Sports Daily. “He just wanted to come by and show him that. They had a game in Maryland and he flew all of the way out here to see him, so…”
Brey made it clear that the need for a big man like the 6-foot-7, 280-pound Armstead is an immediate one and that if he enrolled early, which he’s on track to do, he could be suiting up for the Irish basketball squad next month.
Since hearing the immediate option Notre Dame is presenting on the basketball court, other schools have tried to step up to present similar opportunities.
“A couple people, when they found out that was the case, they said that would be the case there too,” the source said. “There are a couple that have needs for bigs, but Notre Dame was the first school that made him aware of that.”
The Irish kept the full-court press on Armstead on Monday with Irish recruiting coordinator Chuck Martin doing an in-home visit with Armstead’s family later that night.
“It wasn’t anything big,” Irish Sports Daily was told. “He was just making sure that Arik was clear with the need at defensive end and the defensive end situation, where they saw him fitting in and pretty much how important he was to their class.”
Armstead had a busy week of in-homes last week and this week won’t be any different. Washington is expected to be in on Tuesday with California, Auburn and Oregon also making stops in this week.
Armstead is still trying to schedule his final two official visits, which will be to Texas and Auburn. He’s already taken official visits to Notre Dame, Alabama and Oregon. An unofficial visit to California is also on the docket.
Armstead is taking college courses to be eligible to graduate and enroll early, but the former USC commit won’t make his college decision until he’s completely ready to do so.
