Offensive Lineman Samuelu Utu Shares A Special Moment After Notre Dame Offer

The Notre Dame coaches have been making the travels on the recruiting trail over the last week. On Wednesday, several of the coaches made the rounds to California, including Gino Guidugli who visited the school of 2026 Orange (Calif.) Lutheran offensive lineman Samuelu Utu.

That trip concluded with a scholarship offer extended to Utu, a rare feat for a player his age. The Orange Lutheran standout went in depth on that offer, including his emotions leading up and during the moment.

Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Norte Dame! All glory and praise be to God! @OLuFootball @ChrisWardOL @GregBiggins @BrandonHuffman @OLuPerformance pic.twitter.com/YWn7ZoA3QF
— Samuelu Utu (@utukayden2) May 11, 2023

“On my way to lunch I received a text from my coach “come to my office,” Utu told Irish Breakdown. “Knowing me, my initial reaction was “I hope I'm not in trouble.” Once I got there, my coach started telling me about his conversation with Coach Gino.

“We proceeded to talk about the game then came to the school,” he continued. “Throughout the little period of time my coach had given me a rundown about the school, asking what I knew I mentioned that I had watched them on television. I also mentioned my mother is a Notre Dame fan. I remember her words clearly “If you go to Notre Dame, I will move there for you.”

As it turns out, that moment wasn’t just for Utu. It quickly turned into a family affair, sharing a special moment together.

“The best part about this moment was calling my mom to inform her about the news I've received,” Utu said. “She began to cry so I held back tears. I was fighting emotions and trying to keep my composure.”

Despite his age, Utu is already blowing up on the recruiting side of things. So far, he is just taking it in and enjoying the process.

“The recruiting process has been easy so far,” explained Utu. “To be honest when you allow yourself to be pushed and stop holding back you show you can grow beyond the capacity of your work. I never had the confidence to embrace my size and skill until I got to Orange Lutheran, where I was opened to opportunities.

“With the help of God, my parents and family, and especially my coaches for allowing me to grow in the right areas,” he added. “Without them I wouldn’t be here and be the person I am today. The schools that stick out to me are all of them right now. Being a freshman I want to keep my options open so at a later time I can decide what place best fits me.”

Utu is mature beyond his years. He already has clear criteria for what he’s looking for in a school, which Notre Dame does seem to fit really well.

“When it comes to school I want a culture that is authentic,” he said. “I embrace the fact that I am loved and supported by my peers. Orange Lutheran has given me an aspect of what I look for in a school, great academics and great athletics.”

Despite being just a freshman, Utu is garnering a ton of interest from several big time programs. Some of his notable offers so far include Notre Dame, Texas, Miami, USC, Tennessee, Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, Arizona State, Arizona, BYU and Cal among others.

The 6-5, 295-pound offensive lineman plays in one of the toughest leagues in high school football. On a week to week basis, he is playing against schools like St. John Bosco, Mater Dei and Gardena Serra. Despite that level of competition, he stands out consistently.

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