Notre Dame commit recap: QB Phil Jurkovec shines again on national TV
Nine more Notre Dame commits started their football seasons in the past several days. ND Insider recaps the 14 Irish pledges in action.
• QB Phil Jurkovec | Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland 41, Wayne 0: Something about playing on national television brings out the best in Jurkovec. A year after shining in his season opener on ESPN, he did the same Sunday. Jurkovec completed 14 of 20 passes (70 percent) for 250 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 106 yards and three more touchdowns. Jurkovec’s longest scores of the day came on a 64-yard touchdown run and a 29-yard touchdown pass.
Jurkovec did all that while only playing through the first offensive series in the second half. Last year in a 28-27 loss to St. Edward, Jurkovec completed 20 of his 31 passes (64.5 percent) for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 20 times for 92 yards and one touchdown.
Phil Jurkovec with a nice run here. pic.twitter.com/2lIQCU4vGq
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) August 27, 2017
.@pjurkovec again. This time a dime to @RaymondFalcone3. @PRRamsFootball up 14-0. #WPIAL@MSASportspic.twitter.com/wDRFMqeGIB
— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) August 27, 2017
Yeah, this @PRRamsFootball team is legit. @pjurkovec hits @jdefrancisis and it's 21-0 Rams over Wayne in 2Q. #WPIAL@MSASportspic.twitter.com/SjaZtmv4BZ
— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) August 27, 2017
.@pjurkovec putting on a show for the nation. 2 passing & now 2 rushing TDs today as @PRRamsFootball is rolling Wayne. #WPIAL@MSASportspic.twitter.com/DPvYB0AKo6
— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) August 27, 2017
• QB Cade McNamara | Reno (Nev.) Damonte Ranch 46, Northgate 16: McNamara lit it up in his first game as a Notre Dame commit. He completed 27 of his 40 passes (67.5 percent) for 400 yards and four touchdowns in his junior debut. He also rushed seven times for 18 yards and one touchdown.
• LB Bo Bauer | Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep 40, Pittsburgh Central Catholic 7: Bauer helped set the tone for a dominating Cathedral Prep victory. On the first offensive possession for Central Catholic, a state runner-up last year, Bauer crushed the quarterback as he threw the ball, which landed in the hands of one of Bauer’s teammates and was returned for a touchdown. Bauer totaled nine tackles, three tackles for a loss and two sacks for a Cathedral Prep defense that allowed only 210 yards.
• RB Jahmir Smith | Sanford (N.C.) Lee County 45, Holly Springs 0: Smith continued the productive start to his season with 20 carries for 132 yards and two touchdowns in a winning effort for Lee County (2-0). Smith scored on a 28-yard touchdown and a three-yard touchdown.
• DT Jacob Lacey | Bowling Green (Ky.) South Warren 43, Warren Central 6: Lacey didn’t need to play a full game as South Warren (1-1) rolled over the visitors from Indianapolis. The Spartans built up a 43-0 lead in the second quarter. Lacey was a constant presence in the opposing backfield while he was on the field. He recorded six tackles, five tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and one sack in less than one half of play.
• OL Cole Mabry | Brentwood (Tenn.) High 41, Cane Ridge 21: Mabry and the Brentwood offensive line provided protection for their quarterback to throw for 285 yards and three touchdowns in a commanding victory. The Bruins (2-0) also scored three rushing touchdowns.
• S Derrik Allen | Marietta (Ga.) Lassiter 42, Pope 6: Allen made in an impact in all three phases of Lassiter’s victory. He caught two passes for 29 yards including a 14-yard touchdown, recorded three tackles and returned a punt 58 yards for the Trojans (2-0).
• WR Kevin Austin | Coconut Creek (Fla.) North Broward Prep 57, Pembroke Pines Charter 0: Austin wasn’t needed much in North Broward Prep’s dominating performance. He caught only two passes, but one was a 15-yard touchdown in double coverage that belongs on a highlight reel.
Camera mode: Lock in on @Ka_szn and see what happens. Result: Touchdown. 35-0 Eagles pic.twitter.com/Z6v8t56pl2
— NBPSAthletics (@NBPSAthletics) August 25, 2017
• TE George Takacs | Naples (Fla.) Gulf Coast 27, Lely 2: Takacs did most of his work on offense as a blocker for Gulf Coast. The Sharks racked up 304 yards of offense in the victory. Takacs caught two passes for nine yards and also made a tackle for a loss at defensive end.
• OL John Dirksen | Maria Stein (Ohio) Marion Local 35, Chaminade Julienne 7: Dirksen helped pave the way for the first touchdown of the season for Marion Local: a 31-yard run to Dirksen’s side at right tackle. The Flyers totaled 295 yards behind Dirksen and the offensive line.
• RB Markese Stepp | Indianapolis Cathedral 35, Detroit King 38: Another productive night for Stepp ended in another Cathedral loss. Stepp scored two touchdowns on 17 carries for 125 yards. He also caught two passes for 11 yards. The Irish (0-2) gave up 20 points in the fourth quarter.
@markese_stepp 74yd TD run 1 of his 2 TD runs last night! This man can run the rock #SportsintheD@CathedralFBall@detpkc@thecoachhopshowpic.twitter.com/rVFms0bfhB
— Sports in the D ™ (@Sportsinthed_) August 27, 2017
• WR Micah Jones | Gurnee (Ill.) Warren Township 20, Barrington 34: Jones couldn’t get loose for Warren Township’s offense until it was too late. Jones caught three passes for 32 yards and two touchdowns. His touchdowns of 11 and 7 yards came late in the fourth quarter.
• LB Ovie Oghoufo | Farmington Hills (Mich.) Harrison 8, East Grand Rapids 33: Harrison hung tough in the first half, but East Grand Rapids pulled away quickly in the second half with two scoring drives to start the third quarter separated only by a fumbled quick return by Harrison. Oghoufo totaled 11 tackles, two tackles for a loss and five catches for 62 yards in a losing effort.
• LB Jack Lamb | Temecula (Calif.) Great Oak 0 vs. Heritage 42: Lamb’s senior season started on a sour note. He left his season opener in the first half with an apparent injury as his Great Oak team was blown out by Heritage. Lamb did not respond for a follow-up on his injury Monday.
*Stats reported were provided by players, coaches or the following news organizations: MaxPreps, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, WZZM, The Press-Enterprise, The Sanford Herald, Press Pros Magazine, The Tennessean, Marietta Daily Journal, Erie Times-News, Bowling Green Daily News.
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