5-Star Running Back Savon Huggins Talks Notre Dame Football, Do Irish Lead?

Five-star running back Savon Huggins was in South Bend a couple of weeks ago visiting with Notre Dame for its game against Central Michigan, but at the time did not speak with reporters about the trip.

While his father did reveal some interesting information about the visit, Huggins met with Scout.com on Wednesday and gave his own account of the trip to Notre Dame. 

“It was a good trip and I got to talk to a lot of players and the whole coaching staff,” Huggins said. “I had a fun time watching the game and learned a lot about the connections you build there and what they can do for you once you graduate from there."

Huggins has narrowed his list to five schools, with Notre Dame, Rutgers, Florida, North Carolina and Pitt, all topping his list. Though based on the recent news coming from his camp, it looks like the Irish are a clear favorite at the moment. 

Huggins would neither confirm or deny this, but he's also had nothing but good things to say about the program while other schools on his list have been relatively brushed over. 

The aforementioned praise can be credited to Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, who's done a terrific job recruiting in his first year with the team. 

“Coach Brian Kelly came down to see me in person for my last game and then I called him after the game and we’re starting to build a relationship now,” Huggins said. 

"[Kelly has] flat out told me that if I play the best there I’m going to be the running back next year. He’s hands on and I respect that type of coaching. I don’t want a coach that just lets you walk past him when you make a mistake. I want someone that will tell me when I do something right and get in my face if I do something wrong.”

Huggins is one of the best home-run hitters of the 2011 class, and arguably has the best juke moves of any running back, but he's also a north-south runner who will hit his holes hard and fast.

That isn't necessarily the type of back Notre Dane normally goes after, but after speaking with the coaching staff, Huggins, and his family, Huggins appears to be at ease with how he'd be used in the spread offense system. 

Huggins will be continuing his tour of the country this weekend with a trip to North Carolina up next. He then heads to Florida in December and Rutgers in January, but he has yet to make plans for a visit to Pitt.