Adam Breneman is considered the top tight end in the Class of 2013 by most recruiting analysts and, apparently, by several college football programs as well.
While National Signing Day is one of the busiest days on the college football calendar with senior prospects signing their National Letters of Intent, college coaches also use the day to reach out to their top 2013 prospects to let them know they’re thinking of them.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Breneman from Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill, Pa., heard from the staffs at Notre Dame, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Georgia and Washington on Wednesday. The Huskies used the conversation to extend an offer while the others already had.
“By 2 o’clock my phone was almost dead and it usually doesn’t die until about 10,” Breneman laughed. “They just wanted to start off the first day of the 2013 recruits on a good note.
“A lot of the head coaches just wanted to say hi and make sure I was hearing their voice and that I knew they’re really interested in me. It’s good to start off the year talking to the coaches.”
Breneman didn’t talk to Brian Kelly on Wednesday, but only because he had already talked with the Notre Dame head coach earlier in the week.
“Coach Kelly is an awesome guy,” Breneman said. “He’s very enthusiastic and he just told me I’m the guy they need to replace Tyler Eifert. I’m looking forward to going through the process with Notre Dame. I’ve been very impressed with them. The last month or so, they’ve really picked up the intensity in my recruiting process. We’re definitely going to get for another visit soon.”
Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Charley Molnar was handling Breneman’s recruitment before he took the head coaching job at UMass. While Breneman does technically have a recruiting contact on the staff in South Bend, it’s more like recruiting contacts.
He’s already spoke with Kelly, Irish recruiting coordinator and offensive coordinator Chuck Martin, tight ends coach Mike Denbrock, new Notre Dame assistant Scott Booker and new Irish offensive line coach Harry Hiestand.
“Coach Martin was telling me (Wednesday), ‘You’re going to have five people recruiting you. You don’t really have a recruiter, you have five of us,’” Breneman laughed. “Coach Martin and Coach Booker, I talk to them the most, but I also talk to Coach Denbrock. I talked to Coach Kelly. I also talked to the new offensive line coach, Coach Hiestand. He’s my lead recruiter actually. I just talk to all of them and they’re all great guys.”
Early reports on Booker’s abilities on the recruiting trail have been nothing but glowing, including Breneman’s.
“Coach Booker is awesome,” the tight end said. “I talk to him on Facebook, we talk about everything. He’s a funny guy. He’s one of the coolest coaches I’ve talked to, so is Coach Martin.”
While the Irish are selling their history using the tight end in their offense, there’s no doubt new Penn State head coach and current New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will be making the same pitch as soon as he finishes coaching in Super Bowl XLVI.
“It’s exciting,” Breneman said of O’Brien’s hiring in Happy Valley. “Obviously I grew up a Penn State fan, but at the end of the day, you’re going to that school as a player, not as a fan. You have to separate the two. But it’s exciting to see how he uses (Rob) Gronkowski and (Aaron) Hernandez in the NFL. I’m looking forward to getting a chance to meet him soon and to talk to him about what his plans with the tight end at Penn State.”
Breneman has already taken several visits to colleges and will be on the road again soon. He’ll be at Maryland this Saturday for the Terrapins’ Junior Day and will make stops at Ohio State and Penn State later this month. He’s been to Notre Dame twice already and is planning to return again next month. He’ll probably stop in Ann Arbor to see Michigan during the Midwestern swing and would also like to get down to North Carolina at some point soon.
“It should be pretty busy,” he laughed.
With signing day for the Class of 2012 over, Breneman knows the full attention will be on 2013 prospects.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s one year away, it’s just one year and one day away or something like that. It’s crazy, time is flying. I’m really looking forward to the coming year. It’s going to be crazy and hectic, but it’s a big blessing and I’m really looking forward to it.”
While National Signing Day for junior prospects is still 12 months away, the touted tight end would like to have his own decision made before that, although he isn’t exactly sure when.
“I really don’t know yet,” he said. “I’d like to do it before my senior year, but if I can’t do it before then, I’ll just wait until I get a good enough feeling.”
