Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame's success recruiting Michigan this year was not coincidental

Published Feb. 11, 2016 9:53 a.m. ET

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A look at Notre Dame's 2016 recruiting class reveals another nationally diverse class for Brian Kelly. 

He signed players from 11 states (and one from Canada), which the talent hotbed of Florida leading the way with six future Fighting Irish. 

Next on the list were Michigan, California and Illinois with three apiece. 

How did the Fighting Irish land three players from the Wolverine State after signing that many total in the previous four classes? 

MLive.com reports on the impact of first-year Irish assistant coach Keith Gilmore. 

A Michigan native, he was hired a year ago to coach Fighting Irish defensive linemen and appears to have paid immediate dividends. 

He reeled in four-star prospects Daelin Hayes, a linebacker from Ann Arbor Skyline, and Khalid Karem, a defensive end from Farmington Hills Harrison as well as three-star defensive end Adetokumbo Ogundeji of Walled Lake Central High. 

The Fighting Irish ended up with as many Michigan prospects as Jim Harbaugh signed from the state. 

Scout.com rated Hayes the No. 8 prospect in the state with Kareem No. 9. 

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