These days, the latest Notre Dame and Michigan head-to-head recruiting battle is taking place not far from Ann Arbor. Both teams are in pursuit of Clarkson (Mich.) High offensive lineman Rocco Spindler, a top-100 player nationally who would bolster a position group both see as becoming a staple of their 2021 recruiting classes.
There have already been a few recruiting battles between the two this cycle, but Spindler stands as the pivotal one that will leave lasting elation for one and wounds for the other (or both, if he ends up choosing Penn State).
The Fighting Irish have already notched a couple recruiting wins over Michigan, notably snagging offensive lineman Pat Coogan earlier this week. Safety Justin Walters and offensive tackle Blake Fisher took visits to Michigan before committing to Notre Dame. Michigan remains in touch with Notre Dame wide receiver commit Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Michigan, meanwhile, has a commitment from ex-Fighting Irish pledge Greg Crippen, the final chapter of a Notre Dame recruitment that ended in an inevitable, unsurprising split.
In light of this year’s trail wars, here is a look back on the last three years of Notre Dame versus Michigan recruitments and signees each offered at one point.
First, some disclaimers.
• The difference in the number offers Michigan dishes out compared to Notre Dame should be noted. In the 2020 cycle, Rivals’ database shows Notre Dame handed out 160 offers while Michigan distributed 338.
• Also, verbal offers are non-binding and can be rescinded at any time. Recruitments shift for players, and other targets emerge for schools. An offer on a profile page does not necessarily mean that team recruited a player until his commitment or signing. To declare either Notre Dame or Michigan a “winner” of a certain cycle based solely on the number of offers from the other school in its class would be misleading.
2020 Class
Notre Dame signees with reported Michigan offers: 11
Michigan signees with reported Notre Dame offers: 8
Notable battles
Defensive end Braiden McGregor: This one may be the lasting memory from the 2020 class. McGregor was a top target for Michigan and Notre Dame. His announcement featured a Florida hat on the table, but those two were his true finalists. The four-star edge player stayed in-state and picked Michigan.
Wide receiver Jay Brunelle: The three-star prospect had a final three of Michigan, Notre Dame and UCLA before his June 2019 commitment. Two days after a trip to Michigan, he committed to Notre Dame.
Offensive tackle Zak Zinter: The decision came down to Michigan, Notre Dame, Boston College and Penn State for Zinter, a top-150 player. He had visited Notre Dame and Michigan on multiple occasions. He had a June 2019 official visit set to Notre Dame before ending his recruitment and picking Michigan.
Wide receiver A.J. Henning: Notre Dame and Michigan were finalists for the top-150 player along with Illinois, Georgia and Penn State. Michigan was considered the favorite heading into his June 2019 announcement and landed him, but Notre Dame was involved until the end.
Offensive tackle Michael Carmody: The four-star lineman took two unofficial visits to Michigan and was an important target for the Wolverines. He chose Notre Dame in June 2019, shortly after taking his third visit to South Bend.
Offensive tackle Tosh Baker: Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State earned spring visits from Baker before he committed to the Irish in May 2019. USC was also in the picture.
Other Notre Dame signees Michigan offered: Chris Tyree, Xavier Watts, Jordan Johnson, Aidan Keanaaina, Rylie Mills, Michael Mayer, Drew Pyne and Kevin Bauman.
Other Michigan signees Notre Dame offered: R.J. Moten, Makari Page, Jordan Morant, Reece Atteberry and Kalel Mullings.
Miscellaneous notes
• Notre Dame was involved and may have even led for Atteberry early, but the belief was the Irish scaled back as the process went on.
• Morant visited Notre Dame in the spring of 2019 and eventually committed to Michigan that summer, his expected destination.
• Mullings visited Notre Dame twice earlier in the process and was being recruited as a running back.
2019 Class
Notre Dame signees with reported Michigan offers: 12
Michigan signees with reported Notre Dame offers: 10
Notable battles
Safety Kyle Hamilton: A standout freshman season makes this one sting more for Michigan. He earned an offer from Jim Harbaugh himself and took an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor about a week before committing to Notre Dame in April 2018.
Defensive back DJ Turner: The Florida native and three-star recruit visited Michigan and Notre Dame in the same week leading up to his decision. He chose Michigan.
Athlete Kyren Williams: Williams, a St. Louis native, had a final three of Missouri, Michigan and Notre Dame. He had an official visit set to Michigan for June 22, 2018. One day in advance, he canceled it and committed to Notre Dame. He had visited South Bend the prior weekend.
Quarterback Cade McNamara: Recruiting battles between the two schools don’t stop when a player commits. McNamara made an early pledge to Notre Dame, backed off it in the spring of 2018 and committed to Michigan about two weeks later.
Defensive end Isaiah Foskey: Michigan and Notre Dame were in the final five and received visits from Foskey, who picked the Irish on the first day of the February signing period.
Wide receiver Cornelius Johnson: The four-star recruit was a Notre Dame target and visited for its September 2018 win over Michigan. The Irish, Penn State, Michigan and Stanford were his other finalists. He sided with Michigan in December 2018 and is one example of the rule that on-field results don’t often dictate decisions.
Defensive tackle Jacob Lacey: Notre Dame was in a favorable position after Lacey took five visits in a calendar year, but Michigan was in his final six when he made an early commitment to the Irish in July 2017.
Other Notre Dame signees Michigan offered: Zeke Correll, Osita Ekwonu, NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Quinn Carroll, Andrew Kristofic, Howard Cross III, Litchfield Ajavon and John Olmstead.
Other Michigan signees Notre Dame offered: Chris Hinton, Nolan Rumler, Zach Charbonnet, Mazi Smith, Erick All, David Ojabo and Jalen Perry.
2018 Class
Notre Dame signees with reported Michigan offers: 11
Michigan signees with reported Notre Dame offers: 5
Notable battles
Interior lineman Jarrett Patterson: An instance of 11th-hour thievery. Michigan and UCLA were perceived as the favorites for Patterson after he backed off his Arizona State commitment in December 2017. He took official visits to both. Notre Dame entered the picture in January, offered, hosted him and visited him in Southern California later in the month and filched him on National Signing Day.
Running back Christian Turner: The Georgia native admitted his decision was between Michigan and Notre Dame. He saw both on the same trip of unofficial visits in the spring of 2017 and picked the Wolverines.
Tight end Tommy Tremble: Another Georgia product who was ultimately deciding between Michigan and Notre Dame, though Georgia and UCLA were technically finalists. Tremble took official visits to Michigan and Notre Dame during the 2017 season and chose the Irish right before the December signing period.
Linebacker Cam McGrone: Despite an ACL injury as a junior, McGrone still had a final three of Notre Dame, Michigan and Indiana. Notre Dame was viewed as an early leader for the Indianapolis native. Michigan, though, hopped in with an offer in June 2017 after a visit. He committed a month later.
Linebacker Shayne Simon: The New Jersey native picked from a final group of Notre Dame UCLA, Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan. He visited Michigan twice during the spring of his junior year, but Notre Dame hosted him twice as well and put itself in a strong position. He picked the Irish that July.
Offensive tackle Ryan Hayes: A three-star recruit, Hayes had an unofficial final three of Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Hayes visited Notre Dame for a game during the 2016 season and picked up an offer early in 2017. He committed to Michigan later that spring.
Other Notre Dame signees Michigan offered: Lawrence Keys III, Noah Boykin, Derrik Allen, Houston Griffith, Kevin Austin, Justin Ademilola, Jayson Ademilola and Ovie Oghoufo.
Other Michigan signees Notre Dame offered: Mustapha Muhammad and Myles Sims.
Miscellaneous notes
• Michigan sent Allen an official offer on Aug. 1 before his senior year, after he had committed to Notre Dame. The pursuit was not prolonged or successful.
• Oghoufo grabbed an early offer from Michigan and visited unofficially. The belief is that Michigan became less involved later on.
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