Mike McGlinchey is committed to Notre Dame, and the big guy said he didn't want to worry about the recruiting process during his senior season.
Photo courtesy of William Penn Charter School
just finished taking a visit to Notre Dame and was driving up to Wisconsin when the thought hit him. His father was driving and they were about 30 minutes up the Indiana Turnpike on Sunday, when McGlinchey asked his father to pull by the side of the road.
McGlinchey, the massive 6-foot-9, 270-pound two-way lineman from
William Penn Charter (Philadelphia) and the first cousin of Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Matt Ryan, made a decision — but he had to check in with his mother first.
After talking to mom, McGlinchey called Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand to tell him that he would be accepting Notre Dame's offer for a full scholarship in September, 2013.
The athletic McGlinchey chose Notre Dame over 21 other schools, some of the most prominent including Wisconsin, Penn State, Rutgers, Temple, Virginia, Maryland, Duke and Boston College, where Ryan went.
"Notre Dame came in a month and a half ago and they got a new staff and offensive line coach and I'm 100-percent committed to Notre Dame," said McGlinchey, whose mother is sisters with Ryan's mom. "It's definitely a relief to focus on what I need to do without the stress of picking out a school my senior year. I just liked everything about Notre Dame. During my visit with my dad (Mike Sr.), I loved what I saw. I decided to take my time with the decision.
"I definitely knew I wanted to go to Notre Dame, but I wasn't going to make a decision without talking to my mom first. I spoke to Matt [Ryan], and he told me to do what was right for me. I have. This allows me to get in more and focus on school and working out. It gives me a chance to relax and get ready for my senior year and enjoy it."
McGlinchey is an exceptional athlete for his size. His biggest asset is his footwork and speed. He's a starter for the Penn Charter basketball team and a three-year starter for the Quakers in football. He began his high school career as a defensive end and a tight end, but midway through his freshman year, McGlinchey was moved for the first time to left tackle, where he is projected to play at Notre Dame.
"I still plan on playing basketball my senior year, and Notre Dame actually requested tape of me playing basketball," said McGlinchey, the oldest of six who made visits to Virginia, Maryland, Temple, Duke, Rutgers and Boston College during the recruiting process. "I told Wisconsin on Sunday that I wasn't coming and that I would be going to Notre Dame. They told me good luck with everything. I hadn't really put together a whole list of schools. I just knew when I got out there Notre Dame was the place for me."
