Hendrix goes Gold

For every recruit, there comes a time when he just knows one school is a perfect fit. For Andrew Hendrix, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback from Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, that moment occurred on Wednesday during a visit to Notre Dame.

But, Hendrix didn't want to make his verbal pledge until after talking with his parents. Irish head coach Charlie Weis agreed.

"He said, 'I know you want to commit, but the right thing to do is talk to your parents about it,'" Hendrix said. "He's really good at reading people."

Hendrix proceeded to the recruiting lounge inside the Guglielmino Center, then out to the parking lot where his mother waited in the car.

"She pulled out a (Notre Dame) shirt and a hat," Hendrix said. "She said, 'I figured you were going to commit.' So I said let's do it and I called (Weis)."

Despite a slow start, Notre Dame's recruitment of the four-star prospect gained plenty of momentum when it looked like the Irish were out of the running for California quarterback Nick Montana.

"Notre Dame I think was one of the later schools to offer," Hendrix said. "Like (Ohio State), they were really pulling for Montana. When he started pulling away from them I realized I had a great chance to go there, and when they offered me it was really special."

The offer prompted Hendrix to schedule a quick visit to campus.

"Right on I realized it was definitely someplace I could see myself going," he said. "I set up a visit; I wanted to get out there right away."

That visit helped the Irish pull out in front of the other schools recruiting Hendrix. This week's trip sealed the deal.

"One of first things that stands out is it's a Catholic school," he said. "Moeller used to be a big feeder school for Notre Dame and I'm looking to get that pipeline back from Moeller and Cincinnati. (Elder's) Alex Welch already committed and (St. Xavier's) Matt James is visiting again."

During the visit, Hendrix spent time with many of the players.

"I felt right at home with them and interacting with them. I couldn't see myself going anywhere else," he said. "Going back a second time and hanging with (Dayne) Crist and (Kyle) Rudolph and (Mike) Golic, one of funniest guys I've ever met, I realized I wanted to be a part of that for the next four to five years."

But, the decision to pick the Irish over the Buckeyes wasn't an easy one.

"Really, it was tough turning down the Buckeyes, being an in-state boy," Hendrix said. "I almost wish I could split it. (Jim) Tressel runs a great program. That's why they'll keep winning, but in the end it was Notre Dame."