Notre Dame defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Marcus Freeman is on a mission to sign an elite group of recruits in the 2022 class, and he got one step closer to accomplishing his goal on June 19.
Mission Hills (Calif.) Bishop Alemany class of 2022 inside linebacker Niuafe “Junior” Tuihalamaka announced his commitment to the Fighting Irish on his father’s birthday.
Freeman and special teams coordinator Brian Polian led the charge in securing a commitment from the four-star thumper.
“It’s Notre Dame; it separates from everyone,” Tuihalamaka said about choosing the Fighting Irish. “They’re always competing for a national championship every year and have a great coaching staff. Coach Freeman is one of the greatest coaches you’ll ever meet.
“Overall, you have the best of both worlds with education and football, and it sets you up to build up your network after football.”
Tuihalamaka originally pledged to USC in February 2020, but backed off his commitment in January 2021. He received an offer from the Fighting Irish two days before his decision to open things back up, and Notre Dame jumped to the top of his board.
Tuihalamaka felt early in the process with the Irish staff that he'd end up committing to them.
“If I’m honest, I knew a week or two after I got my offer from Notre Dame,” Tuihalamaka said.
Tuihalamaka officially visited Texas June 4-6, and there were rumors that the Longhorns pulled past Notre Dame to take the lead in the recruitment. However, Tuihalamaka officially visited Notre Dame the following weekend and the Irish surged as the heavy favorite to land him.
He informed the staff a couple days after returning home from his Notre Dame official that he would be announcing his commitment to them on Saturday.
“It was relieving,” he said of the moment he told them of his final decision. “I knew where I wanted to go since the beginning, but now I know my family fully supports me going to Notre Dame, and I’m truly happy at Notre Dame.
“It was a really happy moment for me and my family.”
It helped the Fighting Irish that the coach who recruited Te’o was Polian, who took weekly trips out to Hawaii to recruit Te’o — a five-star prospect in the 2009 class and 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist — to Notre Dame, and his efforts were rewarded.
Rivals ranks Tuihalamaka as a four-star talent, the No. 10 prospect in California, and the No. 5 inside linebacker and No. 144 overall player in the country.
Stats are not available for his shortened spring season in 2021, but Tuihalamaka posted 65 tackles, seven tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries as a sophomore in 2019.
He is Notre Dame’s third linebacker pledge of the cycle, joining Michigan recruits Joshua Burnham and Nolan Ziegler. All three are listed as four-star recruits by Rivals. Notre Dame has 15 commitments in the 2022 class.
Casey Clausen — the older brother of former Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen — is the head coach Bishop Alemany, Tuihalamaka’s high school.
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