Since his recruitment with Notre Dame started, it has been no secret that Brad Carrico thinks very highly of Notre Dame.
In fact, after taking his first-ever visit to the Irish campus in late January, the 6-foot-6 defensive end out of Dublin (Ohio) Coffman High, listed Notre Dame as his top program.
Saturday afternoon, Carrico made it official and verbally committed to play for head coach Brian Kelly and Notre Dame.
“I committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish,” Carrico told Irish Sports Daily in a text message early Saturday afternoon. He didn't want to go public with his pledge until he could tell Kelly during his scheduled meeting with his future coach.
Carrico is in South Bend for Saturday’s Junior Day and became the first commit for the Irish in the class-of-2011.
From the same high school that produced former Irish stars Brady Quinn and Chinedum Ndukwe, Carrico selected Notre Dame over programs such as Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Purdue and West Virginia.
Carrico had built a relationship with the Cincinnati’s staff while Kelly was the Bearcat head man. Once he became Notre Dame’s coach in December, Kelly’s staff continued the courtship for Carrico’s services.
In the first week of January, Irish defensive line coach Mike Elston extended a verbal scholarship offer to Carrico at his high school.
After Kelly said at his National Signing Day press conference Feb. 3rd that the recruitment of defensive ends would be a priority in the class-of-2011, Carrico’s commitment bodes well for the program’s efforts to add a number of talented rush ends. However, in Carrico’s previous conversations with the Irish coaching staff, a possible switch to the offense has been discussed. In any case, Elston has previously told Carrico that he will get his first look at defensive end.
After Carrico concludes his Junior Day visit with Notre Dame, Irish Sports Daily will have more on his commitment to the Irish.
