Jon Gruden is trying to sabotage the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from taking advantage of Penn State firing James Franklin

Notre Dame has to battle against an extremely unique recruiting pitch.

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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Head coach Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame football are set to host the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday night in South Bend. While it won’t compare to Texas A&M or USC, this is also quietly an important recruiting weekend. They are set to host an impressive list of 2027 and 2028 recruits for the game. 

There is also a lone 2026 target to know for Notre Dame, McDonald (Pa.) Fort Cherry four-star safety Matt Sieg, who is technically still committed to Penn State. Following the firing of head coach James Franklin several weeks ago, however, Sieg has decided to keep his options open. The Irish, along with Pittsburgh and Indiana, are a couple of suitors. 

With Sieg visiting for the Navy game, optimism is high Notre Dame can make a strong push. There is a lot of momentum on its side, but other programs are utilizing some interesting recruiting tactics. That includes the Pitt Panthers, who got a recent assist from former NFL head coach Jon Gruden. 

According to Rivals national recruiting, Adam Gorney, Gruden spoke to Sieg over the phone to pitch the Panthers. He laid out a strong argument for the Pennsylvania native to stay in the home state. 

“He told me that I’m a perfect fit there and that Pitt can get me ready to play at the next level above anyone,” Sieg told Gorney. “He talked about what I can do for them and how he thinks their future is trending upwards.”

The push for Pittsburgh is interesting from Gruden, considering he only spent a single season on the coaching staff back in 1991. He supposedly does have a good relationship with head coach Pat Narduzzi, but it still feels a bit random. Regardless, Notre Dame now has to recruit against a former NFL coach and content creator who has a big voice in the space. 

The Irish will still have a strong chance. It will, however, be interesting to see if this does strengthen Pitt’s chances. 

Sieg’s recruiting background 

Sieg is currently considered a four-star player by the 247 Sports and ESPN rankings, while On3 has him rated as a three-star player, for whatever reason. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Sieg sits as the No. 180 overall player, the No. 16 safety, and the No. 5 player in the state of Pennsylvania for the 2026 recruiting class. Pennsylvania is a state that the Irish staff has been tapping into a lot in the class so far, and hopes to do so one more time. 

Outside of the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish, Sieg has been pursued by a long list of impressive programs. Some of his other top offers include Alabama, USC, Nebraska, Missouri, Indiana, Pittsburgh, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Vanderbilt, Minnesota, Rutgers, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Stanford, Syracuse, and Purdue, among others. 

As a senior, Sieg is putting together a tremendous season on both sides of the football. On top of his work on defense, the 6-0, 190-pound athlete has also been dynamic for his offense. Sieg has been an outstanding running back and quarterback throughout his career, having rushed for 5,295 yards and 90 touchdowns coming into the year. 

Sieg has also thrown for 3,176 yards and 39 touchdowns as a passer in his career. Fort Cherry has also utilized him as a return man and a stellar defensive player. His versatility should allow him to become a defensive weapon on the next level.

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