Towards the end of the 2011 recruiting year the Irish missed out on the top long snapper in the nation in Bryce Haynes. Haynes ultimately chose the Buckeyes of Ohio State over Notre Dame and left many Irish fans split on whether they should have offered a long snapper in the first place.
Get ready for the conversation to begin again as Notre Dame has begun to show interest in another long snapper in the 2012 class, and they have invited him to this Saturday's junior day.
Downers Groves South's Scott Daly (Downers Grove South, Illinois) was surprised by the invite.
"I was invited by Notre Dame special teams coach, Mike Elston," said the standout long snapper. "We have been keeping in touch, and just last week he invited me to the junior day. I'm very excited and just hoping to have a great time."
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Daly has already been receiving a lot of Midwest love early in the recruiting cycle.
"I have received a offer from Northwestern," he said. "I'm also receiving a lot of interest from Notre Dame, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State."
It's easy to see why when you hear from his coach, long snapping guru Chris Rubio of Rubio Long Snapping.
"Right now I have him rated as the No.1 long snapper in the country for his class," said Rubio. "I started working with him a year and a half ago, and he has a good frame, good body, long, and he's one of those kids that works his tail off. He's just a pure athlete and by far the best snapper in the 2012 class.
"I see hundreds of long snappers per year, so I can easily say that. He's very, very smooth. The ball's fast and quick. He has a phenomenal physique, and he passes the eyeball test very quickly.
"He's one of those kids when you watch him snap, it almost looks like he's doing nothing and then the ball's back there in like half a second."
According to Daly, a bullet snap isn't all he brings to the table.
"I would describe myself as a team player," said the junior. "I'm going to do my best every time I step on the field, and do what's best for the team. I give a 110 percent in the weight room, the practice field and the game field."
With so many schools already starting to show him interest, the Illinois standout already knows what he'll be looking at when comparing the institutions.
"The school I choose is going to have to have the overall package," said the Downers Grove South snapper. "High academics is what I'm shooting for, and I know Notre Dame has that. I want a great football program, which they are.
"The things I love about Notre Dame are pretty much everything. The school is fantastic, the campus is beautiful, the academics are top notch, and the coaches have been nothing but the best to me. The campus is also real close to my home.
"I believe they are also turning into one of the top football programs in the country. I'm really looking forward to meeting coach Kelly for the first time this Saturday."
Daly's snapping coach believes, as of now, that it's a two horse race for his prize student.
"I know at this point Notre Dame and Northwestern are tops on his list," said Rubio. "I know Northwestern is at the top of his list now, but if Notre Dame came in and offered that would be huge for him."
