The Pitt Panthers will head to South Bend, Ind. as nearly three-touchdown underdogs as they take on No. 14 ranked Notre Dame.
Notre Dame is one of the most storied football programs in the country, having won 11 National Championships, the last of which came in 1988.
Despite not winning a national title in 35 years, Notre Dame’s brand is such that they can offer any prospect in the country and land him. The combination of playing for and receiving a degree from Notre Dame is something that very few, if any other program can match.
Although it’s not what is once was, the WPIAL still churns out Power Five talent on a yearly basis, but surprisingly, the Fighting Irish haven’t much landed many players from Western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Central Catholic defensive tackle Donovan Hinish (Class of 2022) was the player local player to sign with Notre Dame, and it’s been four recruiting classes since a four-star WPIAL player committed there.
Since the Class of 2015, here’s a look at the players from the WPIAL that Notre Dame signed. In case you were wondering, during that time frame, three players with Notre Dame offers, signed with Pitt, four-stars in safeties in Damar Hamlin and Paris Ford and defensive tackle Elliot Donald.
CLASS OF 2016
Damar Hamlin, four-star Safety, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pitt)
CLASS OF 2017
Josh Lugg, four-star offensive tackle, North Allegheny
Kurt Hinish, three-star defensive tackle, Pittsburgh Central Catholic
David Adams, four-star linebacker, Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Paris Ford, four-star safety, Steel Valley (Pitt)
CLASS OF 2018
Phil Jurkovec, four-star quarterback, Pine-Richland
CLASS OF 2019
Andrew Kristofic, four-star offensive tackle, Pine-Richland
CLASS OF 2020
Michael Carmody, four-star offensive tackle, Mars
CLASS OF 2021
Elliot Donald, four-star defensive tackle, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pitt)
CLASS OF 2022
Donovan Hinish, three-star defensive tackle, Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Looking at the WPIAL Class of 2023, Belle Vernon four-star athlete Quinton Martin (Penn State), Pittsburgh Central Catholic linebackers in three-star Cole Sullivan (Michigan) and four-star Anthony Speca (Penn State) all had offers from Notre Dame before committing elsewhere.
The WPIAL and City League is loaded with talent in the Classes of 2025 thru 2027 and it’ll be interesting to see if Notre Dame can start regaining a recruiting footprint in the Pittsburgh area.
I wonder if Cignetti will be strolling around the stadium tomorrow, calling people and taking photos pre-game, like he did at VT.
Some please remind him it’s a college football game, not a field trip.
Maybe he will miss the bus? We can hope.
If we had an average OC, we would be 5-2 right now. With Slovis playing well for Pitt.
Instead we have a conn man OC who never even played college football. I don’t think he played in high school either.
Narduzzi should be ashamed for not firing Cignetti by now.