Andrew Trumbetti isn’t going to do too many camps this summer.
The 2014 defensive end from New Jersey camped at Rutgers earlier this month and has another camp planned later this week, but that’s it.
“I’m still on for the Notre Dame camp on the 22nd,” the 6-foot-4, 250-pounder from Demarest High School (Demarest, N.J.) said.
Trumbetti (pictured) has offers from Rutgers, Boston College and Florida International, but won’t be hitting the camp circuit in full force looking for more. That being said, he’s definitely hoping to add one from the Irish.
“I just want to show them that I can play for them,” he said of the Irish coaches. “That's basically it. I really want to go there, so I just want to show them that I can play at that level.”
Trumbetti grew up a huge Notre Dame fan and while he probably wouldn’t commit to the Irish on the spot if offered, he did acknowledge that they’d jump right to the top of his list.
“I’ve been a Notre Dame fan my whole life,” he said. “I basically know all of the history and everything about it. It’s a great football school and it’s just a great school in general.”
He’s hoping the Notre Dame staff will be impressed with what it sees.
“My biggest thing, I think, is my speed,” Trumbetti said. “I'm a big kid, but people underestimate me for my speed. Football is a game of speed as much as anything else now.”
Trumbetti said he clocked a 4.64 in the 40-yard dash at Rutgers camp, which would certainly catch the attention of the Irish staff considering his frame. That speed has led some schools to recruit Trumbetti as a tight end and others to recruit him as an athlete, saying they’d decide which side of the ball he’d fit in at a later date.
The New Jersey prospect hasn’t had much direct contact with the Notre Dame staff, but they have expressed interest.
“I haven't really talked to them, but I know that they're talking to my coaches,” he said.
ROBINSON MAKING OWN PATH: Gelen Robinson’s family is familiar with the recruiting process.
The 2014 linebacker/defensive end from Lake Central High School (Saint John, Ind.) will able to lean on his father and older brother for advice throughout the process as both went through it themselves.
However, Robinson’s father - former NBA star Glenn Robinson - and his brother - 2012 Michigan hoops signee Glenn Robinson III - went through it as basketball players.
“Everyone else in the family plays basketball, but they don’t mind me playing football,” laughed Robinson. “I'll just make my own path.”
So far that path has led to interest from some of the top BCS football programs in the Midwest.
“I'm going to Notre Dame on the 22nd,” the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder said of Notre Dame’s Future Stars Camp. “Their coach had sent some stuff to the school and he was interested in me coming down to the camp, so I gave him a call and told him I’d be able to come.”
It will be Robinson’s first trip to South Bend.
“I'm looking forward to meeting the coaches and getting a feel for how the campus is,” he said. “I just know they have a really good traditional program and they’re a really good academic school, not just a football school.”
Robinson had a good showing at the Nike Football Training Camp in Illinois earlier this month and is also looking at a couple other top camps around the Midwest. He believes he showed his versatility at the NFTC in Illinois.
“I went as a lineman, so I think I showed them that I can play line or linebacker,” he said. “I’m mostly being recruited as a linebacker because of my size right now, but I definitely could play defensive end too.”
Robinson believes his athleticism is among his greatest assets as a defender. “My strengths are my speed and my ability to get off the ball,” he said.
He has an idea of what he’s looking for in a future school.
“I'm looking for a place that will welcome me all around, not just on the football field. I'm looking for good academic school, not just football.”
ENOCH IS EXCITED: Enoch Smith has already added three offers to his list this month and the 2014 Chicago defensive lineman is looking for more. The 6-foot-3, 260-pounder from Mount Carmel has set his next stop for Notre Dame.
“My trainer has been in contact with some of the coaches and they gave him the date that they want me to come down,” said Smith.
The date given was Friday, June 22nd and Smith says, “I will be in attendance.”
“I'm looking forward to great competition, learning from a great group of coaches and just getting better overall,” added Smith who will be making his first trip to South Bend.
Smith has picked up offers from Illinois, Indiana and Purdue this month to go with offers from Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan. He’s being recruited as both a defensive end and defensive tackle and is excited to show the Irish coaching staff what he can do.
“At Notre Dame, I’m going to showcase my power, speed and quickness with my hands,” he said.
“At other schools that I've been to so far that have offered me, they told me they liked my hips and my speed for my size and how I go after it and never give up. They just liked my overall personality.”
Academics will play a major role in Smith’s decision and he’s looking forward to seeing what Notre Dame has to offer.
“Hopefully I'll see a great engineering program because that's what I'd like to major in when I get to college and just a great place to be overall,” Smith said. “I’m looking for school that has a great engineering program. I want to major in either mechanical engineering or surgical engineering.
“I'm also looking at where I'd fit in with the team playing time-wise. I'm going to come in and learn, but I also want to contribute as much to can and also the location.”
