In the 12 days between Gerad Parker’s addition to the Notre Dame football coaching staff as tight ends coach and the school’s official announcement on Monday, another reason for the hiring came to the forefront.
The former Purdue tight end had four catches for 47 yards in the Los Angeles Rams’ 23-20 Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. It was Parker who recruited Hopkins to Purdue as a two-star prospect out of Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth High in the 2015 class.
After Parker moved on, Hopkins became a second-team All-American in 2019 and fourth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2020.
The 41-year-old Parker, meanwhile, went on to show not only a penchant for finding diamonds in the rough, but the ability to win tough recruiting battles for more coveted prospects, most recently as the offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at West Virginia the past two seasons.
First-year Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and Parker have a history together. They spent four seasons on the same staff under Darrell Hazell at Purdue (2013-16).
Parker coached tight ends for two seasons and wide receiver for two seasons there. He was the recruiting coordinator all four years for the Boilermakers, and interim head coach for the last half of the 2016 season after Hazell was purged.
“The energy he brings each and every day is contagious,” Freeman said. “It is part of what makes him a great leader. He is also a very detailed teacher, and that combination of skills is going to make us a better program."
For more on Parker’s background, revisit our story from Feb. 2.
He joins fellow staff newcomers Brian Mason (special teams), Harry Hiestand (offensive line), Chansi Stuckey (wide receivers), Al Washington (defensive line) and Deland McCullough (running backs).
Cincinnati Bengals linebackers coach Al Golden continues to be the leading candidate for the job as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach, the last vacancy Freeman has to fill this offseason.
A final decision is expected this week.
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