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Notre Dame Football Recruiting: 3 Star Linebacker, Marist Liufua, Commits To The Irish

Irish add another Hawaiian defender (and the hair is flowing).

By Joshua Vowles
Marist Liufua
Hawaii Prep World

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish added another commitment to the 2019 class, when 3 star linebacker Marist Liufua gave his pledge to join Brian Kelly in South Bend next year.

Marist Liufau has become a very hot prospect this fall as he’s had a great senior year, and his body is starting to fill out. Marist beefed up from 175 pounds to 210 pounds on his 6’3” frame. He has a great combination of size, speed, and power (to go along with just absolutely tremendous hair).

Liufua chose the Irish over the Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Washington State Cougars, and Utah Utes (among others). He will play in the Polynesian Bowl in the offseason, and really has been one of “those names” that west coast recruiting analysts have been dropping as a diamond in the rough.

Marist just visited Notre Dame for the Florida State game, so he is not oblivious to the cold fronts that move in to South Bend during the football season and into the winter. Again... his amazing hair should help him stay warm during the gray months.

Liufua projects to play as an outside linebacker (BUCK) at Notre Dame, but could see initial action at ROVER. Depending upon his body and development, he could also develop into a weakside defensive end.

This is the first Hawaiian recruit the Irish have landed since Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa in 2017, and he joins MTA and Alohi Gilman in Notre Dame’s Polynesian ranks.

The class is now up to 21 commitments (with kicker Harrison Leonard being a preferred walk-on).

Notre Dame Football’s 2019 Commit List (23)

POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE
POSITION PLAYER STATE HT WT RIVALS ESPN 247 SPORTS 247 COMPOSITE COMMIT DATE
RB Kyren Williams Missouri 5'10" 200 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6/21/18
WR Cam Hart Maryland 6'3" 190 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/04/18
DE NaNa Osafo-Mensah Texas 6'4" 231 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/19/18
DT Jacob Lacey Kentucky 6'2" 285 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 7/29/17
DT Hunter Spears Texas 6'4" 280 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2/20/18
LB Osita Ekwonu North Carolina 6'2" 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6/14/18
QB Brendon Clark Virginia 6'2" 217 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 07/04/18
LB Jack Kiser Indiana 6'2" 215 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6/12/18
OL Zeke Correll Ohio 6'4" 270 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6/18/18
OL John Olmstead New Jersey 6'6" 290 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/20/18
P Jay Bramblett Alabama 6'2" 175 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/30/18
CB KJ Wallace Georgia 5'10" 187 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/28/18
S Litchfield Ajavon Virginia 6'1" 185 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/21/18
DE Howard Cross New Jersey 6'2" 260 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/22/18
S Kyle Hamilton Georgia 6'3" 188 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/24/18
OL Andrew Kristofic Pennsylvania 6'6" 265 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/23/18
OL Quinn Carroll Minnesota 6'6" 295 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 05/01/18
WR Kendall Abdur-Rahman Illinois 6'1" 180 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 09/09/18
CB Isaiah Rutherford California 6’0” 175 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/13/18
K Harrison Leonard Connecticut 5’11” 180 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/18/18
LB Marist Liufua Hawaii 6'3" 210 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/14/18
LB J.D. Bertrand Georgia 6’1” 220 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/19/18
DE Isaiah Foskey California 6'4" 240 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2/6/19

Notre Dame is really playing it tight with the numbers game. The full scholarship count for 2019 sits at 93 right now which is 8 over the 85 man limit. Obviously, there will be attrition with guys transfering and other guys leaving early for the NFL Draft — but 8 is still a big number.

Notre Dame still seems to be pursuing Asa Turner, a LB recruit that is currently committed to the Washington Huskies, but maybe that eventually tails off now that Liufua is in the fold. Notre Dame would also like to add another offensive lineman to this class, but again... it really depends on the numbers.

Notre Dame could sign all 21 of these recruits in December during the early signing period and be done. They could also sign all 21 and still add one or two during the final signing pwriod in February if they anticipate more attrition.

2019 Notre Dame Football Scholarship Chart

Position/Year Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Position/Year Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior 5th Year
Quarterback Brendon Clark Phil Jurkovec* Ian Book*
Running Back Kyren Williams Jahmir Smith*, C'Bo Flemister* Jafar Armstrong* Tony Jones Jr.*
Tight End ⭐️ George Takacs*, Tommy Tremble* Cole Kmet, Brock Wright
Wide Receiver Cam Hart, Kendall Abdur-Rahman Micah Jones*, Kevin Austin, Braden Lenzy*, Lawrence Keys III*, Joe Wilkins Jr.* Michael Young, Isaiah Robertson Chase Claypool, Javon McKinley* Chris Finke
Center Zeke Correll Jarrett Patterson* Trevor Ruhland
Guard John Olmstead John Dirksen* Dillan Gibbons*, Aaron Banks* Tommy Kraemer*
Tackle Andrew Kristofic, Quinn Carroll Cole Mabry* Robert Hainsey, Josh Lugg* Liam Eichenberg*
Defensive Tackle Jacob Lacey, Hunter Spears Jayson Ademilola, Ja'mion Franklin* Kurt Hinish, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa*
Defensive End Howard Cross, NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Isaiah Foskey Justin Ademilola*, Ovie Oghoufo* Kofi Wardlow* Ade Ogundeji*, Daelin Hayes, Khalid Kareem, Julian Okwara, Jamir Jones
Linebacker Jack Kiser, Osi Ekwonu, Marist Luifau, JD Bertrand Matt Bauer, Jack Lamb*, Shayne Simon, Paul Moala Drew White*, Jordan Genmark Heath, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah* Jonathan Jones* Asmar Bilal
Safety Litchfield Ajavon, Kyle Hamilton D.J. Brown* Jalen Elliott, Alohi Gilman*
Cornerback K.J. Wallace, Isaiah Rutherford Tariq Bracy, Houston Griffith Avery Davis* Troy Pride Jr., Donte Vaughn Shaun Crawford**
Specialists Jay Bramblett John Doerer John Shannon*
22/85 (22) 46/85 (24) 63/85 (17) 80/85 (17) 84/85 (4)
*Eligible For 5th Year **Eligible For 6th Year Rovers count as LB’s

Notre Dame is currently ranked #12 in the 247 Team rankings, and given the numbers crunch they’re facing, it might be hard for the Irish to finish inside the top 15 this recruiting cycle.

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