Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) offensive lineman Richie Wenzel has always been a big fan of Notre Dame football and has grown up watching them whenever he had the opportunity. In a couple weeks he'll be heading up to South Bend to inform the Irish coaches just how much he'd like to be a part of the program and hopefully received a verbal offer he's been hoping for.
Wenzel’s head coach at Good Counsel, Bob Milloy, knows that the odds will probably be against his big offensive lineman receiving an offer this soon from a program like Notre Dame, but one thing he's learned about the talented junior is that you can never count him out no matter the odds.
“Richie's really been working hard in the weight room, but before he gets to the college level he'll need to get a little bit stronger,” said Milloy. “He's a very dedicated player and even though he isn't the prototypical 6-foot-5, 6-foot-6 prospect, he never gives up and he always plays hard. If he really wants to play for Notre Dame, and is given that opportunity, I wouldn't put it past him to do it.
“I know Notre Dame has a lot of offensive lineman that are a lot bigger than him and that will be something he'll have to consider when he gets ready to look at these schools.”
Being the underdog is something that Wenzel has been getting familiar with recently and last season he proved that no matter what obstacles were in his way he was going to succeed.
“I've only had Richie for one year because he transferred from another school, but he started every game for us at left guard and he's did a really great job,” explained Good Counsel’s coach. “He definitely has a little nasty streak in him and he gets after it.
“He transferred here because the football as other school wasn't really special and was considered just another activity. Richie wanted to be the best and play against some of the best competition in the state and that's what we do here at Good Counsel.
“He wanted to get involved in a serious weight-training program and he knew we could provide that type of atmosphere for him. I'm pretty sure that's the main reason he came over and I'm fairly sure that he really enjoys what we’re doing here.
“I know were ecstatic to have him on our team.”
As fantastic as he is in the trenches, the 6-foot-4, 280-pound lineman shines just as bright off the field also.
“He's a great student and I believe he was the president of his class when he was at Landon,” added Milloy. “Landon is a very, very good school for academics and they're excellent in the sport of lacrosse, but the football isn't taking as seriously there as it is here. Richie was looking for a place where football is taken seriously and that's why he made the decision he did.”
Whether Wenzel receives a verbal offer from the Irish or not remains to be seen, but the Good Counsel standout’s coach believes that whoever ends up receiving the commitment of the talented offensive lineman will be getting a player who brings his lunch pail to work every single day and is ready to do what he can to help a program win.
“Brian Kelly went 12-0 this year and played for the national championship, so what more can you say about Notre Dame,” claimed Milloy. “I know the game against Alabama didn't go the way they hoped it would, but in my opinion he's Kelly’s one of the top college football coaches in the nation.
“Coach Kelly truly gets the best out of his players and if he decides that Richie is the type of player they're looking for, I know they won't be disappointed by his effort.”
