If a Notre Dame coaching staff cannot sign top offensive lines fairly consistently, it is in the wrong profession. One must really, really try to fail there because, along with tight end, history shows it to be the easiest position to recruit for the Fighting Irish.
That is part of the reason why head coach Tyrone Willingham was fired after only three years. His 2003 recruiting class had merely two offensive linemen — albeit future NFL stalwarts in Ryan Harris and John Sullivan — the 2004 group had none after both soon left the program, and the 2005 haul had none when he was fired. (Later, new coach Charlie Weis added Paul Duncan and Michael Turkovich.)
Four offensive linemen over three years is mind-boggling.
Notre Dame signed four four-star figures alone this season that collectively was ranked No. 3 in the country by Rivals, behind Alabama and Tennessee: center Zeke Correll, guard John Olmstead and tackles Quinn Carroll and Andrew Kristofic.
Carroll received the highest national ranking from Rivals at No. 68 overall, Correll was No. 114 and Olmstead No. 118 — and Kristofic was named to the 2019 All-American Bowl in San Antonio. Kristofic was also ranked No. 4 overall (Top 100 caliber) by Blueandgold.com football analyst Bryan Driskell in his evaluations of the 22 players signed by the Fighting Irish.
Can this become one of the best offensive line hauls ever at Notre Dame? That will be answered in four or five years, but first a standard must be given on what constitutes the best in terms of team impact, balance at the position and how many do become major figures.
