Alabama Bid Doesn't Change A Thing For Notre Dame Commit
There aren't too many offensive line prospects around the country that have told Alabama's Nick Saban and Mario Cristobal 'no' at some points during the recruiting process. Notre Dame four-star offensive tackle commit Josh Lugg however happens to be one of them.
Lugg, who committed to the Irish back in August, was offered by the Crimson Tide late last month when Cristobal was making the rounds in Pittsburgh during the spring evaluation period. The Rivals100 says that he was honored to receive bid from a program that has won four national titles in nine years, but he told the veteran offensive line coach right away that the offer wasn't going to lure him away from his pledge to Notre Dame. That's in large part because Lugg, who has morphed into the unofficial ambassador of the class for the Irish the past few months, isn't planning to give anyone else a look down the stretch.
"I have told [Cristobal] that I'm not going anywhere and he didn't disrespect Notre Dame at all," Lugg said two weeks ago at The Opening Chicago.
"He was just like, 'We want to talk to you and let you know that we want you if something were to happen' — and I respect that. He's not one of these other coaches that's going to bash Notre Dame. He's very respectable about it, which is very nice."
While Cristobal has taken the high road approach when it comes to Lugg, other college coaches haven't.
The Wexford (Pa.) North Allegenhy product said that he's heard a number of different things from a number of different schools since committing to the Irish and most, if not all of it, has been negative.
"The funniest one I got was, 'There's nothing to do in South Bend and you're going to be bored.'" Lugg said referencing a conversation with a Big Ten assistant coach.
"There has been a couple more schools but I rather not mention them," he added said.
While the negative recruiting might work on other prospects, it's clear already that it hasn't affected Lugg. Either has the offer from Alabama.
Lugg, who measured 6-7, 293 pounds at the Opening Chicago and is ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 13 offensive tackle in the country and No. 76 overall prospect, said he has instead spent much of his free time focusing on recruiting future teammates to South Bend.
The priority target?
Jackson (Tenn.) University School four-star offensive tackle Trey Smith, who lined up next to Lugg in drills two weeks ago.
"He knows Notre Dame," Lugg said when asked what he thought about Smith.
"He has visited a couple of time and he knows [offensive line coach Harry Hiestand] and he knows that if he comes to Notre Dame, Coach Hiestand is going to prepare him for the NFL and that he's also going to get the academics he needs if that falls through."
Smith is also considering Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama and Clemson amongst others.
Lugg thinks that Hiestand's history of putting linemen in the NFL like recent first-round draft pick Ronnie Stanley could be the difference when it comes to Smith because at the end of the day that's part of what sold him on Notre Dame.
"It's huge," Lugg said in reference to Stanley going No. 6 overall to the Baltimore Ravens. "I mean I was firmly committed before that, but now it just shows how good of a coach Coach Hiestand is at developing guys for the pro level."
