Notre Dame Football: Aliz'e Jones Commitment Gives Irish Big Win over UCLA

Notre Dame may have an annual rivalry with USC, but things are heating up between the Irish and UCLA. The flip of 4-star tight end Aliz'e Jones is the latest in a growing battle between Brian Kelly and Jim Mora. 

On Thursday, Jones stepped away from his commitment to UCLA and verbally committed to Notre Dame. The top tight end in the country from Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High School had been committed to the Bruins for over a year, but he had visited Notre Dame multiple times, most recently for the awards banquet at end of 2014. 

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pic.twitter.com/BT6cDd2i7U

— ALIZE JONES (@AlizeJones8) January 15, 2015"

Jones picking Notre Dame is the latest in a battle between the two programs for top talent, with each school winning their fair share. Before Jones, it was defensive lineman Matt Dickerson last year. A longtime Irish pledge who the Irish stuck with through a major injury during his senior season, Dickerson flipped his commitment just weeks before signing day after committing to the Irish in the summer. 

But Dickerson's flip was nothing compared to the saga surrounding Eddie Vanderdoes. After faxing his letter of intent to Notre Dame, the 5-star defensive tackle wanted out within weeks, with more than a few people pointing to his continued recruitment by UCLA defensive line coach Angus McClure.

Kelly allowed Vanderdoes to enroll at UCLA, but refused to release him from his letter of intent. After a lengthy appeal process, Vanderdoes won immediate eligibility, citing a pull to stay closer to his ill grandmother in California among a myriad of reasons. 

Notre Dame and UCLA fighting over players has hardly been limited to Mora and Kelly, though. Former Irish receiver Shaq Evans found success with the Bruins. So did tight end Joseph Fauria. Notre Dame also lost a key recruiting battle for Anthony Barr, who despite family ties to the Irish, chose to play in Westwood. 

Notre Dame's latest victory for Jones heals some of those wounds—assuming it holds. Thanks to a solid recruitment by Scott Booker, the Irish have a versatile athlete who could see the field immediately, a threat as a detached tight end who will be an instant mismatch. 

Nearly as important is the growing connection between Notre Dame and Bishop Gorman. Long one of the best talent producers on the West Coast, the Irish first landed left tackle Ronnie Stanley and have followed it up with Jones and his teammate Nicco Fertitta. 

With Ben Koyack graduating and no other tight ends in the Irish's 2015 recruiting class, Jones is a key cog in a group that should grow by a few more before all is said and done. He's also the latest Notre Dame victory in a recruiting rivalry that's growing with the Bruins.