Look: Notre Dame football coaches on the road recruiting during May
Despite the conclusion of spring practice on April 20, the Notre Dame football coaching staff has been busy. Every Fighting Irish coordinator and position coach has been on the road from Monday through Thursday during the NCAA spring recruiting contact period.
They have been scattered across the country — and, in special teams coordinator Marty Biagi‘s case, the world — recruiting the nation’s top prospects in the 2025 through 2027 classes. Some coaches have even checked in with the program’s 2024 class signees who do not enroll until June.
During the spring period, the Irish staff can have “contact” with high school juniors. That means they can have full-on conversations rather than just a “bump” as previously allowed. But as far as 2026 prospects and beyond go, the “bump” rule remains.
The NCAA does not permit head coaches from visiting prospects during the spring period.
Blue & Gold has compiled several social media posts from high schools and their coaches nationwide, highlighting some of the Irish’s staff stops.
Note: All rankings mentioned are according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.
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Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School
A stop at the school that houses 2025 running back Shekai Mills-Knight was not previously noted in Blue & Gold’s coaches on the road report this week. However, that is where Notre Dame running backs coach Deland McCullough ended up on Thursday.
Although the Irish already have the No. 26 and 41 running backs, Justin Thurman and Daniel Anderson, verbally committed in the 2025 cycle, McCullough continues to do his due diligence on prospects. Mills-Knight is a three-star and the No. 44 running back in the class.
Also, the No. 541 overall player and No. 19 prospect in Tennessee, Mills-Knight, has offers from 26 power conference schools, including Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Wisconsin.
Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal
Wide receivers coach Mike Brown was in his home state of Virginia on Wednesday. While there, he stopped by Richmond (Va.) Trinity Episcopal.
Trinity is home to two of the top wide receiver prospects in the nation. In 2025, they have three-star Isaiah Robinson, the No. 86 wide receiver in the class who’s committed to Virginia. It also features four-star Davion Brown, the No. 7 wide receiver in the 2026 class.
Both figure to be prospects in contention for a possible Irish offer.
Folsom (Calif.) High
Lake Mary (Fla.) High’s Noah Grubbs and Cocoa (Fla.) High’s Brady Hart are the most discussed names regarding Notre Dame 2026 quarterback recruiting. Still, Gino Guidugli has toured the country, seeing the nation’s top sophomore signal-callers.
The second-year Irish quarterbacks coach continues to target Folsom’s Ryder Lyons, a highly-rated four-star recruit. The 6-2, 205-pound passer is the No. 11 overall player, No. 3 quarterback nationally and No. 2 prospect in California in 2026. Guidugli was in Northern California on Monday to gather information on Lyons.
Lyons’ brother Walker Lyons — the No. 7 tight end prospect in the 2023 class — is set to enroll at USC next year after completing a church mission. The Trojans figure to be the team to beat for the younger Lyons, who has not publicized whether he will also take a mission.
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Honolulu Punahou School
Punahou, a private, co-ed college prep school in Honolulu, has recently become a Notre Dame feeder school. It produced linebackers Marist Liufau, Kahanu Kia, and eventually Ko’o Kia, a 2025 class linebacker commit.
Biagi stopped by Punahou on Tuesday to see Liufau before he joins the Dallas Cowboys for rookie minicamp. He also checked in with the younger Kia.
The Cowboys selected Liufau with the No. 87 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Ko’o, the No. 77 linebacker and No. 5 prospect in Hawai’i in the 2025 recruiting class, has been pledged to the Irish since Jan. 15.
Garner (N.C.) South Garner
Offensive line coach Joe Rudolph has only offered two offensive tackles in the 2026 cycle. One of them is Ekene Ogboko, whom he was in to see on Monday.
Ogboko is the No. 15 overall player, No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 3 prospect in North Carolina in his class. The four-star is the younger brother of former Notre Dame 2024 class defensive line target Nnamdi Ogboko, who signed with Georgia.
Though the Irish lost out on the older Ogboko, they hope to keep impressing the younger one.
Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit
Jesuit’s Thurman visited Notre Dame twice this spring, so it was only fair for McCullough to see him in his neck of the woods on Thursday. The No. 347 overall player and No. 48 prospect in Florida pledged to the Irish on Aug. 1 and remains fully locked in with his decision.
Thurman returns to South Bend from June 14-16 for his official visit.
Charlotte (N.C.) Corvian Community
Defensive line coach Al Washington was also in North Carolina on Monday. He stopped by Charlotte Corvian Community School, which features some talented underclassmen. Those names should start to emerge during the 2024 football season.
The Notre Dame football coaching staff will return to the recruiting trail next week. Stay tuned for Blue & Gold’s coverage of their whereabouts.
