[Stardust]

Austin Collinsworth, who for the last three years has helped take a storied football program to unprecedented highs, will attempt to take part in the rebuilding of another storied program in college.


http://news.cincinnati.com/

The Highlands all-state senior football player said Friday he has committed to Notre Dame.

Collinsworth, the son of former Bengals wide receiver Cris Collinsworth, made an unofficial visit to the school Thursday. He said Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, who contacted him just three days after being announced as the school’s coach, told him he’ll probably play slot receiver for the Irish. Collinsworth also received a scholarship offer from Cincinnati, the program Kelly left last week.

Notre Dame hadn’t offered Collinsworth a scholarship before Kelly arrived.

“I liked him,” said Collinsworth, who was wearing a Notre Dame headband as a spectator at Friday's Mason County at Highlands boy’s basketball game. “But (UC) just wasn’t the place for me.”

Collinsworth, who helped lead the Bluebirds to three straight Class 5A titles, was an all-state player at three different positions: defensive back, wide receiver and running back. During his three seasons with the varsity, Highlands lost just one game. The Bluebirds are ranked second in the current USA Today Super 25 national rankings.

Collinsworth (6-1, 196) moved to running back before this season and rushed for 1,502 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was named the state finals MVP.

He had made one official visit, to Harvard, but also was considering Vanderbilt and Stanford. Before committing to Notre Dame, he was scheduled to visit Oregon this weekend.

“It’s definitely nice to have it over with,” Collinsworth said.

According to Highlands coach Dale Mueller, Collinsworth will be the first Highlands grad to play for the Irish.