Subscribe
Follow Us
The last time the Michigan football team played Notre Dame was back in 2019. The Wolverines completely thumped the 8th ranked Fighting Irish, winning the game 45-14. The two teams won’t meet again until 2033, so until then, Michigan will have to settle for wins on the recruiting trail over its rival. The Wolverines got one recently when Alister Vallejo chose Michigan over Notre Dame.
Notre Dame tried hard to get a commitment from Alister Vallejo, but the Michigan football team got the job done. At the end of the day, there was one crucial factor that led to the decision.
“For me, it was the relationships,” Vallejo said, according to an article from On3. “Just the relationships I had with the people there like Coach (Lou) Esposito. It was the best relationship in my recruiting process. The people there — not just the people I’m going to be primarily involved with — are amazing.”
Ann Arbor is one of the best college towns in the country, so that helped Michigan win this recruiting battle as well.
“I loved it,” Vallejo added. “The hospitality and the life around Ann Arbor are great. There are so many spots to see and so many spots to eat. It was just a great time. When I went to Michigan the first time, they hadn’t offered yet, but they showed me a ton of hospitality and why it could be home. They’ve been the same since before they offered me. The relationship has not changed one bit.”
Since committing to Michigan, Vallejo’s recruiting ranking has been on the rise, and he admitted that more schools are starting to recruit him despite his pledge to the Wolverines. The Michigan coaching staff is making sure he knows how important he is.
“They are amazing people,” Vallejo said. “Coach Moore called me before practice the other day and wanted to check up on me. He call me once a week or every other week. He’s just a great guy and cares for the people around him. So does Coach Esposito. He’s constantly texting me and making sure I’m good. Coach Denham texts me every day as well and tells me ‘go be a dawg.’”
Alister Vallejo is going to a star for the Michigan football team one day. This was a big win for the Wolverines, and getting it over Notre Dame makes it even sweeter.
