Biographies of the 21
LOI Signees - As prepared by Notre Dame Sports Information
Office:
Arnaz Battle (QB, 6-1, 196, Shreveport, La ,
Byrd High School)
- Parade prep All-American
- rated 39th best player nationally by The Sporting Newsand
52nd best player by Chicago Sun-Times
- rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning
News
- named to Super Southern 100 byAtlanta
Journal-Constitution
- USA Today honorable mention All-America pick
- led Byrd to '97 state playoff berth despite playing on
injured ankle latein the season
- helped Byrd to 9-2 mark by completing 34 of 76 passes for
527 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing 107 times
for 677 yards and 11 TDs in '97
- Shreveport MVP, all-district and honorable mention
all-state as junior
- completed 35 of 73 passes as junior for 848 yards and 10
TDs -- and rushed for 1,085 yards (14 7 per carry) and 17
TDs
- accounted for more than 1,700 yards and 29 TDs as
sophomore
- helped team to combined 27-5 record as three-year starter
as Byrd won two district championships
- full name is Arnaz Jerome Battle
Jordan Black (OL, 6-5, 320, Rowlett, Texas,
Dallas Christian High School)
- Rated one of top 100 players nationally by Dallas Morning
News
- USA Today honorable mention All-America pick
- helped Dallas Christian to second straight state
private-school title in '97
- all-state on both offense and defense as senior and also
played fullback in short-yardage situations, scoring
three touchdowns
- graded out 95 percent as blocker as junior, including 39
pancake blocks
- has bench-pressed 425
- full name is Brian Jordan Black
Rocky Boiman (DB, 6-3, 212, Okeana, Ohio,
Cincinnati St Xavier High School) --
- Southwest Ohio Player of the Year for '97
- also selected Greater Cincinnati League Player of the
Year and all-city player of the year
- made 163 tackles and intercepted six passes for 139
return yards at free safety as senior in '97
- averaged 26 4 yards on 16 kickoff returns in '97
- all-state pick helped St Xavier to 9-3 mark and Ohio
playoff berth in '97 had 72 tackles and four
interceptions in eight games as junior, plus 10 kickoff
returns for 228 yards, and also played some as running
back
- Notre Dame football camp alumnus who committed to Irish
in July of '97
- full name is Rocky Michael Boiman
John Day-Owens (TE, 6-3, 223, Bowie, Md ,
DeMatha) --
- Rated 95th best player nationally by The Sporting News
and 99th best player by Chicago Sun-Times
- USA Today honorable mention All-America pick
- three-year starter at tight end and only player on team
to start on both offense and defense in '97
- caught 25 passes for 221 yards and six touchdowns as
senior in '97
- had six sacks and caused five fumbles as defensive end
while making 110 tackles
- helped DeMatha to Washington, D C , Catholic Athletic
Conference runnerup slot in '97
- caught 34 passes for 238 yards and six TDs as junior
- helped team to combined 29-4 record in three seasons,
including 11-1 in '97
- three-year starter in basketball
- from high school that produced former Notre Dame football
players Andre Jones (1987-90) and John Taliaferro
(1991-92) and Irish basketball standouts Adrian Dantley,
Bob Whitmore and Sid Catlett
- played at DeMatha for coach Bill McGregor, whose daughter
Christine is sophomore at Notre Dame
- full name is John Wesley Day-Owens
Donald Dykes (DB, 5-10, 181, Hammond, La ,
Hammond High School) --
- Named to Super Southern 100 by Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
- had six interceptions as senior, including one returned
for a touchdown
- made 80 tackles as senior from free safety spot
- named district MVP in '97
- had 75 tackles, four interceptions and three fumble
recoveries as junior
- father Donald Sr played for New York Jets (1979-81 after
being picked in third round of '79 draft) and San Diego
Chargers (1982) and now coaches defensive backs at Delta
State after playing at Southeastern Louisiana
- former prep teammate of current Irish cornerback Brock
Williams
- full name is Donald DeJuan Dykes
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 Steeler 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
Adam Tibble, (K/P 5-9 165 Northville MI) WALK
ON
- Hon Mention USA Today,
- First Team All-State (Michigan) (8/10 FG, long - 50 yds)
- IS ENROLLED at ND. Adam had invitations from several
schools but after a spring visit decided on the Fighting
Irish.
- Davie has invited him to walk on with the players in
August.
- A soccer style kicker, Tibble has been attending Dick
Pierce Kicking Camps (same place Craig Hentrich used to
camp) since the 8th grade.
- Adam is also a conscientious student with a 4.0 GPA.