Bios for National Letter of Intent
Signees
(from the official site)
Arnaz Battle (QB, 6-1, 196, Shreveport, La., Byrd High School)
Jordan Black (OL, 6-5, 320, Rowlett, Texas, Dallas Christian High School)
Rocky Boiman (DB, 6-3, 212, Okeana, Ohio, Cincinnati St. Xavier High School)
John Day-Owens (TE, 6-3, 223, Bowie, Md., DeMatha)
Donald Dykes (DB, 5-10, 181, Hammond, La., Hammond High School)
Tony Fisher (RB, 6-1, 205, Euclid, Ohio, Euclid High School) -- USA Today player of the year in Ohio . . . rated 69th best player nationally by Chicago Sun-Times . . . voted Mr. Football award in '97 in Ohio . . . rushed 189 times for 2,143 yards (11.7 yards per carry) and 40 touchdowns as senior in '97 . . . helped Euclid win fifth straight Greater Cleveland Conference title with 9-2 record . . . missed more than half his junior season with injury (played in four games, rushing for 600 yards) but still finished with 3,950 career rushing yards . . . rushed for 1,633 yards and 9.8 average per carry as sophomore . . . played cornerback as well . . . also played basketball (averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds as junior) and ran track (22-4 in long jump) . . . last Mr. Football winner to play for Irish was standout fullback Marc Edwards . . . from same high school that produced Ohio State running backs Robert Smith and Pepe Pearson . . . full name is Antoine Maurice Fisher.
David Givens (WR, 6-0, 210, Humble, Texas, Humble High School) -- Rated 53rd best player nationally by Chicago Sun-Times and 59th best player by The Sporting News . . . rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning News . . . USA Today honorable mention All-America pick . . . split time in '97 between wide receiver (13 catches for 255 yards and four touchdowns), quarterback (21 of 52 for 337 yards and two TDs) and running back (71 carries for 331 yards and four TDs) . . . returned 10 punts for 105 yards and seven kickoffs for 136 . . . helped team to 9-2 record and second straight district championship . .. had 1,448 all-purpose yards as junior -- 465 yards and five TDs rushing, 18 catches for 253 and three TDs, six of seven passing for 136 and two TDs, 317 kick return yards and 245 punt return yards . . . had more than 50 tackles, one interception, two caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries as junior . . . from same high school as former Irish outside linebacker and current Indianapolis Colt Bert Berry and current Ohio State receiver David Boston . . . older brother Jesse plays football for Yale . . . full name is David Lamar Givens.
Tyreo Harrison (LB, 6-2, 224, Sulphur Springs, Texas, Sulpher Springs High School) -- Rated one of top 100 players in Texas by Dallas Morning News . . . made 119 tackles as senior in '97, 22 for loss, 11 sacks, three fumble recoveries and forced six fumbles . . . played linebacker as a senior after two years as rush defensive end . . . earned all-district honors as junior while making 86 tackles and eight sacks as defensive end . .. full name is Tyreo Tremayne Harrison.
Terrance Howard (RB, 6-0, 186, Willingboro, N.J., Rancocas Valley Regional High School) -- Parade prep All-American . . . rated 77th best player nationally by The Sporting News and 96th best player by Chicago Sun-Times . . . rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning News . . . USA Today honorable mention All-America pick . . . South Jersey MVP on offense as senior at Rancocas Valley in Mt. Holly, N.J. . . . named New Jersey Player of the Year by Philadelphia Inquirer . . . rushed 231 times for 1,450 yards and 14 touchdowns in '97 on 7-3 team . . . played at defensive back as senior in certain situations . . . rushed for more than 900 yards and 13 TDs as junior . . . caught 19 passes for 300 yards and one TD as junior . . . had 35 tackles and one interception as defensive back as junior . . . finished third as junior in state high jump competition at 6-6 and sixth in long jump at 22-9 . . . from same high school as Pittsburgh Steelers great Franco Harris . . . full name is Terrance Rochelle Howard.
Javin Hunter (WR, 6-1, 175, Orchard Lake, Mich., Detroit Country Day High School) -- Parade prep All-American . . . USA Today second-team All-American . . . rated 34th best player nationally by The Sporting News and 37th best player by Chicago Sun-Times . . . rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning News . . . caught 46 passes for 794 yards and nine touchdowns as senior in '97 . . . rushed 13 times for 115 yards and totaled 329 yards on punt and kickoff returns . . . finished with 1,238 all-purpose yards in '97 . . . all-state, all-area and all-metro pick as junior . . . caught 31 passes for 697 yards and three TDs and also intercepted two passes as junior . . . caught nine passes for 254 yards and three TDs and averaged 42.8 yards on kickoff returns with one TD as sophomore . . . didn't play football until his freshman year in high school . . . helped Country Day to Michigan Class B football state title as sophomore . . . second-team all-state in basketball as junior while teaming with Shane Battier, now at Duke, for three straight state basketball titles . . . averaged 18.3 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds as junior . . . has run 4.4 in 40 . . . alumnus of Notre Dame football camp . . . finished fourth in state in long jump as junior at 21-8 1/2 . . . father James was defensive back from 1976-82 for Detroit Lions (he led Lions in interceptions in '76, '77 and '80) after playing collegiately at Grambling . . . full name is Javin Edward Hunter.
Clifford Jefferson (DB, 5-10, 175, Dallas, Texas, Carter High School) -- USA Today first-team prep All-American . . . rated 24th best player nationally by Chicago Sun-Times and 64th best player by The Sporting News . . . rated one of top 100 players in Texas by Dallas Morning News . . . intercepted six passes while making 30 solo and 22 assisted tackles as senior in '97, to go with two caused fumbles and two recoveries . . . had 16 career interceptions, eight as junior in '96 . . . had 29 solos, 18 assists, 11 tackles for loss, five caused fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one blocked kick, two sacks as junior . . . ran 10.6 100, 21.01 200 and 49.9 400 as junior . . . second cousin of '97 Irish captain Allen Rossum. . . father Clifford played at Houston where he competed against Irish in 1979 Cotton Bowl . . . full name is Clifford Earl Jefferson.
Tom Lopienski (FB, 6-0, 238, Hudson, Ohio, Walsh Jesuit) -- Parade prep All-American . . . rated 74th best player nationally by The Sporting News and 95th best player by Chicago Sun-Times . . . rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning News . . . rushed 143 times for 676 yards and 15 touchdowns, caught five passes for 52 yards and punted for 40-yard average as senior at Walsh Jesuit High School in Stow, Ohio, while helping team to 9-3 mark . . . played solely at tailback as a junior, rushing for 573 yards on 133 carries and scoring seven TDs . . . caught five passes for 57 yards and two TDs and averaged 38 yards per punt as junior . . . also played basketball and ran 100 and 200 meters and threw the shot in track . . . played defensive back as sophomore at Columbus DeSales High School . . . father Tom was Irish cornerback from 1972-75 who was starter as senior in '75 when he tied for team lead in interceptions (with All-American Luther Bradley) with four each . . . sister Sarah is sophomore member of Irish track team who earned a monogram in '97 running 200 and 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles . . . from same high school as early 1980s Irish kicker Hal Von Wyl and recent Ohio State All-American Mike Vrabel . . . originally committed to Irish in March of '97 . . . full name is Thomas Joseph Lopienski.
Sean Mahan (OL, 6-3, 251, Tulsa, Okla., Jenks High School) -- USA Today honorable mention prep All-American . . . played on '97 Jenks team some considered greatest in Oklahoma prep history . . . coaches listed him with more than 100 pancake blocks as both junior and senior . . . had 83 tackles, two fumbles caused and two fumble recoveries as defensive lineman in '97 . . . helped '97 team to 14-0 record and Oklahoma Class 6-A state championship . . . three-year starter who did not allow a sack as junior on offense . . . has bench-pressed 405 . . . father (Michael, a '64 graduate), sister (Lisa, a '94 graduate) and uncle are Notre Dame graduates . . . former prep teammate of Irish linemen Jerry and Andy Wisne . . . full name is Sean Christopher Mahan.
Mike McNair (FB, 6-0, 229, Corona del Mar, Calif., Mater Dei High School) -- USA Today first-team prep All-American . . . rated 20th best player nationally by Chicago Sun-Times and 47th best player by The Sporting News . . . rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning News . . . rushed for school-record 2,671 yards as senior in '97, carrying 336 times and scoring 33 touchdowns at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. . . . career totals included 4,112 rushing yards, 563 carries and 55 TDs . . . led team to Southern Section Division I California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) title . . . also played linebacker, making 54 tackles, nine sacks as junior . . . first-team all-state and all-CIF as junior . . . rushed for 1,269 yards and 18 TDs as junior . . . has run 21.2 in 200 (he won state title as junior), 10.42 in 100 and 4.36 in 40 as track sprint standout . . . from same high school as Irish defensive lineman Brad Williams . . . father Kevin is speed development specialist who works with various professional athletes and teams . . . full name is Michael Kevin McNair.
David Miller (K/P, 6-0, 180, Granger, Ind., Penn High School) -- Associated Press first-team all-state pick as senior and junior in '97 and '96 . . . connected on nine of 13 field-goal attempts in '97 while helping Penn to third straight Indiana Class 5A state title . . . longest field goal in '97 came from 42 yards . . . kicked three critical field goals in poor weather conditions -- including 37-yarder to tie game in final minute of regulation and 35-yard gamewinner -- in 16-13 overtime win in state semifinals against Fort Wayne Snider . . . hit 70 of 74 PATs for 97 total points . . . set Indiana state record with 71-yard punt in '97 state finals win over Bloomington South, beating previous best of 69 by former Irish quarterback Blair Kiel when he played at Columbus East in 1979 . . . averaged 36.7 on 30 punts in '97, including 46-yard average on six punts in title game . . . averaged 56.3 yards on 73 kickoffs in '97 . . . missed sophomore season with knee injury from playing soccer but rebounded as junior to hit six of nine field goals, 63 of 66 PATs and put half his kickoffs into end zone . . . career long field goal from 50 came in 24-21 regional championship game in '96 versus Portage . . . from same high school as Irish offensive lineman Mike Rosenthal . . . full name is David Andrew Miller.
Gerald Morgan (OL, 6-3, 250, Mesquite, Texas, Poteet High School) -- Rated one of top 100 players in Texas by Dallas Morning News . . . played tight end, defensive line and wide receiver . . . named second-team all-state in '97 as defensive lineman at Class 4-A level . . . caught two passes as blocking tight end for 9-4 team in '97 . . . had 55 pancake blocks in '96 . . . full name is Gerald Eugene Morgan.
Carlos Pierre-Antoine (LB, 6-2, 244, Everett, Wash., Bishop O'Dea High School) -- Parade prep All-American . . . USA Today second-team All-American . . . rated 29th best player nationally by The Sporting News and 31st best player by Chicago Sun-Times . . . rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning News . . . two-time MVP of Seattle Metro League . . . made 105 tackles as senior in '97 . . . led O'Dea to 10-1 mark and Washington state playoff quarterfinals . . . two-time all-state selection . . . capable of playing both inside and outside linebacker . . . had 76 tackles, one interception and four sacks as junior . . . ran 100, 200 and 400 relay in track . . . from same Seattle high school as former Irish captain and linebacker Demetrius DuBose . . . family is originally from Haiti . . . full name is Carl-Philippe Pierre-Antoine.
Ryan Roberts (LB, 6-2, 224, Lawnside, N.J., Haddonfield Memorial High School) -- USA Today honorable mention All-America pick . . . played tailback and defensive end as senior in '97 . . . rushed for 1,243 yards in '97 and also handled punts and kickoffs . . . made 64 tackles, including 18 sacks and 16 tackles for losses . . . helped team to 7-2 and 6-3 marks in '96 and '97 for school's first back-to-back winning seasons since 1968-69 . . . first-team all-conference and all-South Jersey as junior . . . played offensive tackle and defensive end as sophomore and helped at fullback as junior . . . full name is Ryan Lanier Roberts.
Jeff Roehl (OL, 6-4, 285, Orland Park, Ill., Sandburg High School) -- USA Today honorable mention All-America pick . . . rated 98th best player nationally by Chicago Sun-Times . . . two-year starter played both guard and tackle as senior . . . '97 Chicago Sun-Times all-state pick (for large schools in Classes 6A, 5A and 4A) helped team set records for points, total yards and rushing yards in a season . . . didn't permit a sack as senior while making 41 pancake and 68 knock-down blocks . . . from same high school as current Irish quarterback Zak Kustok . . . alumnus of Notre Dame football camp . . . father Alan is 1976 Notre Dame graduate . . . full name is Jeffrey Alan Roehl.
Ryan Scarola (OL, 6-5, 320, Export, Pa., Franklin Regional High School) -- Rated 72nd best player nationally by The Sporting News . . . rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning News . . . USA Today honorable mention All-America pick . . . Pennsylvania all-state pick in '97 for large school division (Class AAAA and AAA) . . . made 75 tackles in '97 on defense, with four sacks and four fumble recoveries at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, Pa. . . . played both guard and tackle on offense in '97 though he was injured during early portion of senior campaign . . . had 58 solo tackles, 30 assists, 15 tackles for losses and one caused fumble as junior . . . father Phil is 1968 Notre Dame graduate who proposed to his mother Angie at a '69 Notre Dame football game . . . alumnus of Notre Dame football camp . . . top-notch skier who has competed in slalom and downhill events . . . full name is Ryan Patrick Scarola.
Anthony Weaver (DL, 6-3, 245, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Saratoga Springs High School) -- Rated 48th best player nationally by Chicago Sun-Times and 66th best player by The Sporting News . . . USA Today honorable mention All-America pick . . . helped team to back-to-back league crowns and sectional runnerup honors . . . made 79 tackles, including 14 for losses and five sacks as senior in '97 . . . rushed for 717 yards on 109 attempts and caught five passes for 52 yards and a combined six touchdowns as combination fullback/tight end . . . had 192 career tackles, plus 15 sacks and seven knock-downs . . . rushed for 1,305 yards and scored 11 TDs in his career . . . three-year starter on both offense and defense . . . named area player of the year as junior . . . carried 96 times for 592 yards and five TDs as junior in '96 . . . had 60 solo tackles, 18 assists, five sacks and three caused fumbles as junior . . . played offensive guard and defensive tackle as sophomore . . . averaged 10 points and eight rebounds as junior starter in basketball . . . received National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete award from Saratoga Springs area chapter . . . full name is Anthony Lee Weaver.
Comments from Notre Dame head football Bob Davie,
February 4, 1998
"I really feel like this is a quality recruiting class from top to bottom. Every
player that we signed was recruited for a specific reason and is a good fit for Notre
Dame. We have a lot of depth in the class in a lot of different positions. We are not top
heavy in any one position. The organization of the recruiting process by our staff was
outstanding in that we were able to target specific players and specific positions.
"All of the players we signed were identified early by our staff last spring. It is very rewarding to see that hard work and unselfish efforts of our staff pay off and help us in some specific needs. We were able to get some top cornerbacks and some top receivers. Over the last few years, they have been problem spots for us.
"The people in this class have great character. I had the opportunity to go into the home of every prospect and the parents of virtually every player visited our campus. They are all good fits for Notre Dame."