The leprechaun and cheerleaders for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish run onto the field before a game against the Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Stadium. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(CBS) Gunner Kiel has finally landed… at Notre Dame.
The Columbus, Ind. native is widely considered the top quarterback recruit in the country and was committed to LSU with reports saying he would enroll in classes there for the spring semester. Kiel had a sudden change of heart, however, and Notre Dame officially announced Tuesday that the quarterback had enrolled in classes in South Bend.
“This recruitment process was a roller-coaster ride at times, but I know I have made the right decision for my family and me,” Kiel said in a statement. “There were three critical elements I was looking for in my future school: the quality of education I would receive, the distance from home and the comfort level I would have with the players and coaches in the football program. Notre Dame was the perfect fit for me because it hit all three areas.
“Coach Kelly was great throughout my recruitment, as many times our conversations had nothing do with football. That really showed me he had my best intentions in mind. He was persistent yet also patient while recruiting me and I look forward to playing for him the next four years. I couldn’t be happier to be a member of the Fighting Irish football team. I’m excited about the future of the program.”
Kiel was originally committed to Indiana, but backed out that commitment earlier this fall. He committed to LSU Dec. 27, but that didn’t last long.
Notre Dame also announced the addition of three other players to the roster. Recruits Sheldon Day (defensive line) and Tee Shepard (defensive back) have enrolled early, as well as Amir Carlisle, a transfer running back from USC.
