Irish trio makes Parade All-America Team

SOUTH BEND – The kudos for the Notre Dame football recruiting class of 2011 keep rolling in or -- in this case – Parading in.

Two of the early-enrolled ND freshmen and one who will join them in July have been named to the Parade All-America Team for high school football. The full team will appear in Sunday’s issue of Parade, found in your South Bend Tribune, and online at Parade.com.

The future Irish players named to the team are linebacker Ishaq Williams, tight end Ben Koyack and kicker Kyle Brindza. Williams and Brindza are already in school and will participate in spring practice. Koyack enrolls in June with most of the class.

In total, 53 high school seniors from 22 states were selected to the 48th edition
of the Parade team. Notre Dame was one of four schools (Auburn, Clemson and Ole Miss) to have three recruits named to the squad. Only one school (USC with five) had more players selected this year.

Brindza, from Plymouth High School near Canton, Mich., set the Michigan state high school record with 19 made field goals as a senior in 2010, including six of nine from at least 50 yards. After averaging 48.2 yards per punt as a junior, Brindza averaged 43.2 yards per punt during his senior campaign and 60 of his 63 kickoffs in 2010 resulted
in touchbacks.

Koyack, from Oil City (Pa.) High, was named first-team Pennsylvania all-state in 2010 by Associated Press and Pennsylvania Football News/Pennsylvania Coaches after recording 62 receptions for 1,031 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was rated the nation's top
tight end by Scout.com and the 34th-best prospect by Sporting News.

Williams, from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y., was the Gatorade Player of the Year for New York and was named one of the top 50 players in the country by Rivals.com, ESPNU, Scout.com, SuperPrep and 247Sports. He totaled 22 tackles, six sacks and two fumble recoveries in 2010 after tallying 43 tackles, 11 sacks and three forced
fumbles as a junior. In 2010, Williams led Lincoln High School to a 12-1
record and Public School Athletic League playoff championship game at Yankee
Stadium.

Notre Dame returns to the practice field for the start of spring practice on
March 23 and the Blue-Gold spring game is set for April 16.