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Notre Dame 2024 five-star defensive tackle target Justin Scott committed to Ohio State on Sunday night.


The 6-foot-5, 310-pound defensive tackle from Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius chose the Buckeyes over Notre Dame, Georgia, Miami (Fla.) and Michigan.

Scott took official visits to all of those schools except Notre Dame this summer. The Irish were hoping to get Scott on campus for an official visit for their game against Ohio State in September. He last visited Notre Dame in March.

Rivals ranks Scott as the No. 8 overall player and No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2024 recruiting class.

Inside ND Sports had Scott listed as Hot on The Heat Index. His commitment leaves Notre Dame's 2024 class with one defensive tackle commit, three-star Sean Sevillano Jr.

In our conversation in May, Scott told me he valued academics but also spoke just as much about wanting to be developed. He'll join the Buckeyes and learn under the tutelage of Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

Scott is the second Notre Dame target, along with 2024 safety Oliver Miles III, who verbally committed to different programs on Sunday.

DottingTheEyes has full coverage of Scott's commitment.

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Last year, USC defeated ND in the last game. Then the Trojans faced Utah in the PAC 12 champtionship game. IMO, ND lost to USC but set them up to get hammered by Utah. Too much power for USC to handle two games in a row.

In '23, the Trojans visit ND after playing five games they should win and be able to use to prepare for ND. They should come in fit and fast. ND will have played NC State, Ohio State, Duke, and Louisville. They will have been tested, and should be ready to challenge the Trojans. But one thing seems obvious: USC will have their hands full the next week when they host Utah. Don't bet against Utah at USC. They are scary good on defense and have a great OL, a winner at QB, a talented RB room, and a star at TE who is part of a really good group. They have a couple decent WRs, but that is enough with their RBs and TEs. They have a winning culture and great coaching. USC is not ready for that fight. Oh, check out DT Simote Pepa.

I believe ND should be undefeated after the USC game, but I'm not confident the coaches believe they should be or will coach to get it done.

'23 seems like an interesting year so for the first time in a long time I bought preview magazines. Since it has been so long, I bought all three: Athlon, Lindy's, and Phil Steele's. Street and Smith's is still published, but I did not see it, and my wife stopped by Barnes and Noble and picked up Steele's for me. A few observations:

1. No way these guys know as much about any school as the fans who join a site like Rivals.
2. These guys know a hell of a lot more about our opponents and all the other teams than we do.
3. Steele is a computer data, recent history junkie so the reader must wade through tons of stuff to learn anything about this year's teams and the print is too small. He must use a tiny font to get all his stuff on a page. If the reader buys into his logarithms, it would be cool, but my old eyes could not take me there.
4. I'll admit that I am a bottom line, "get to the point" reader, so I found the Athlon's observations by assistant coaches of opposing teams most interesting.
5. All seem confident of their top 20 or so rankings, but in their description of specific teams "everything is possible."

My advice, just buy one, and if you want to know a lot about an opponent, meet a knowledgeable fan of that team. One of my best friends is a college football junkie and a huge Utah fan. So in my mind Utah is way better than anticipated and ND's wide receivers are vastly underrated.

OK, let's get these two over with. Central MIchigan, anyway.

NC State is actually interesting. They are typically good on D, and the last time this QB and OC were together is the last time Virginia was good. Those two factors make this game interesting. Plus, NCSt is 16 and 1 in its last 17 home games. Looks like a good mental and physical prep game for Ohio St in two weeks.

From und.com

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame hockey program has added graduate defenseman Ryan Siedem ahead of the 2023-24 season.

“I am very excited to play for such a historic program with so many amazing players,” Siedem said on his arrival to campus.

Siedem joins the Irish from Harvard University where he skated in 99 career games for the Crimson. Over the course of three seasons in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he tallied 58 points off seven goals and 51 assists. He set a career-best 20 points in 2021-22, posting 17 assists on top of three goals. In his final season at Harvard, Siedem most recently tallied a goal and 16 assists to lead his team to a 24-8-2 record and berth in the NCAA Tournament.

The veteran defenseman spent his sophomore season (2020-21) in the USHL following the Ivy Leagues’ cancellation of its athletics season. With the Fargo Force he averaged 0.615 points per game that season, appearing in 52 games.

Prior to the start of his collegiate career, Siedem skated in 111 games in the USHL, including stops with the USNTDP and Central Illinois. With the Aces in 2018-19, he posted 36 points (4-32-36) in 60 games played, leading the team in points and ranking seventh among USHL defensemen. Siedem also spent time with the national team development program, skating with the U17 team in 2017-18.

A 6-2, 192 lbs. defenseman, Siedem hails from Madison, New Jersey and is the son of Ellis and Pete Siedem. He joins both his parents, as well as siblings Jason and Kate, as a collegiate athlete. His father played golf at Rollins College while his mother played women’s lacrosse at Colgate. His brother, Jason, currently plays ice hockey at New Hampshire and his sister is on the field hockey team at Brown.

“”I can’t wait to get started and chase a national championship. Go Irish,” Siedem concluded.

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Wrote on Justin Scott's decision and implications for the Irish. Touched on Notre Dame's current 2024 defensive line commits, potential names to fill Scott's void, interesting 2025 defensive tackle targets to know and more. Quotes from Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith.

Visited Notre Dame last week. ND and Xavier were the other finalists.

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This is a Notre Dame/Ohio State/USC battle.

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I'm starting a series, two of ND's '23 opponents at a time. I'm hoping that the little I know will be added to by members who know more.

Navy's great DC is now the HC with a new OC who says he will keep the option but pass more and run more RPO. Sounds to me like significant changes in OL play. D should still be good. They like their sophomore QB and expect improved QB play. Still, two mags predict an improved record only because of an easier schedule.

Tennessee State, not much to tell. One mag had a section on Group of 5 schools but omitted the Ohio Valley Conference. I believe their band will be worth the price of admission.

This could be a fun and interesting series if guys who live near or are connected to these schools contribute.

A note here, all three freshmen are expected to play for Notre Dame this season. ... For NCAA players that have been drafted, NHL teams retain their rights until 30 days after the player has left college.

From und.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 2023 NHL Draft saw three members of the University of Notre Dame freshman class selected as Danny Nelson, Cole Knuble and Paul Fischer all heard their names called on day two in Nashville. The three men picked was the most for Notre Dame in a single draft class since 2020 and 15th time at least three Irish icers were selected in a NHL Draft.

Nelson joins a rich history of Irish on Long Island following his selection by the New York Islanders at pick 49. A second round pick, he became the eighth Irish skater to be drafted by the Islanders, and first since Robbie Russo in 2011. In 2022-23, two Irish alums laced up their skates with the Islanders, including team captain Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri. Nelson’s selection within the top-50 of this year’s draft is the highest selection since Cam Morrison to Colorado in 2016.

Knuble joined his classmate Nelson in the 2023 draft class following his selection at No. 103 to the Philadelphia Flyers. The third Flyers draftee in Irish program history, Knuble joins Don Lucia (1978) and Brad Phillips (2007) as Philadelphia prospects with Irish ties. Not an unfamiliar face around the Flyers’ fan base, Knuble’s father spent five seasons with the Flyers organization from 2005-09 and 2012-13.

The St. Louis Blues selected Fischer with their fifth round pick, becoming the sixth Irish icer to be chosen by the organization in NHL Draft history. Former Irish defenseman and Stanley Cup Champion, Ian Cole was the last Irish skater selected by the Blues, a first round pick in 2007. At No. 138 overall, Fischer was the Blues’ sixth pick of the 2023 Draft.

The trio brings the all-time total to 96 NHL draftees to have come through the Irish program as Nelson, Knuble and Fischer are all set to make their debut in a Notre Dame sweater this fall.

Plenty of Notre Dame mentions here. Rapidly ascending 2025 prospect and an important target for O-Line coach Joe Rudolph.

Here's a shortcut to the question queue: https://live.jotcast.com/chat/notre-dame-football-live-chat-july-5-2023-16105.html

My 14 year grandson was very excited to show me a photo of the shoes he ordred today. It wonderful to see that a 14 year old boy who buy shoes asscociated with a women player.

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From und.com

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball program adds graduate pitcher Alexis Laudenslager for the upcoming school year. Laudenslager transfers to Notre Dame after a career at Princeton University and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

“We’re very excited to have Alexis on campus this fall.” head coach Deanna Gumpf said, “She has proven to be a dominant college pitcher and will add an extra element to our current pitching staff. Her experience, paired with our current staff gives us the depth to put us in a great position to compete at the highest level in the nation and in the ACC.”

Laudenslager is a two-time Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and first team All-Ivy League selection. She was an Ivy League All-Tournament Team member this past season as well as being named National Fastpitch Coaches Association third team All-Region (Mid-Atlantic).

She owns a career 2.29 ERA in 287.2 innings pitched. She’s earned 30 career wins in 64 appearances, starting 52 games in the circle. She holds opponents to a .199 average against, striking out 352 hitters in her career. She also adds 12 double digit strikeout performances, with a career-best 13 against Liberty and Cornell in 2023.

In her latest Pitcher of the Year campaign, Laudenslager earned Ivy League Pitcher of the Week honors five times while throwing three no hitters and becoming the first Tiger pitcher to throw three in a season and five career solo no-hitters. Each no-hitter came against conference opponents and continued her dominance of the Ivy League in the championship tournament. She appeared in all five games of the tournament, recording three wins in elimination games to earn a spot in the Ivy League Championship against Harvard.

2022 saw Laudenslager become the seventh Tiger to earn Ivy League Pitcher of the Year honors. She was the only pitcher in the league to finish in the top three of ERA, strikeouts and wins. She threw her first no hitter on March 20th, striking out 10. She was a two-time Ivy League Pitcher of the Week, each coming after a no-hit performance.

In her first two seasons at Princeton, she combined to appear in seven games, appearing in six in her rookie season of 2020. She made her collegiate debut against Syracuse, striking out three in 2.1 innings of work.

The San Diego native played at Scripps Ranch High School where she earned varsity letters in 2016 and 2017. She played travel softball for the Firecrackers organization under Tony Rico.

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I caught up with Notre Dame men's basketball 2025 shooting guard prospect Braylon Mullins last weekend. The Irish watched him last Saturday at Carmel High School during the IBC/IHSAA Boys Team Showcase in Memory of Charlie Hughes.

Mullins had a phone call with Notre Dame on June 15 when the open contact period began between coaches and players in the 2025 recruiting class. He also texted them last weekend prior to the Charlie Hughes Shootout.

"It's definitely a wonderful experience," Mullins told Inside ND Sports on Notre Dame's interest. "They have a great program, culture, coaches and players. It's just a great community up there and it's definitely a one-time experience getting them to call."

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound shooting guard led Greenfield (Ind.) Central High to a 3-1 record and averaged 27.2 points per game over the weekend. Mullins plays for Indiana Elite on the grassroots basketball circuit and is teammates with 2025 forward target Malachi Moreno.

Mullins pointed out his shooting and work ethic as two of the strongest parts of his game. After averaging 16.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season, Mullins plans to increase those numbers but also display his leadership for Power-Five coaches next season.

"I'm not a very vocal person," Mullins said. "I'm trying to improve on that. I'm trying to get better and show that I can play wherever and whatever. I'm definitely trying to play the point and take over [as] the leader of this team. That's definitely my goal for the year."

Mullins reports seven offers from IUPUI, Indiana State, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Toledo, Tulane and Valparaiso. He's also receiving interest from Notre Dame, Butler and Indiana. He took unofficial visits to the Bulldogs and Hoosiers last season.

Mullins is not rated or ranked by Rivals currently. He said the Irish would be in contention if their one of his offers by his senior year.

"I am very humble and excited," Mullins said. "I'm very appreciative for them coming down and it's definitely a good school. I'll definitely consider them when it's all done and my high school career is over."

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