AZTEC, N.M.—Matt Hegarty’s quick feet are taking him from northwestern New Mexico to Notre Dame.
The standout offensive lineman from Aztec, N.M., chose the Fighting Irish from a bumper crop of college recruiting offers, including Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and USC. In the mix were LSU, Alabama, Florida State, Arizona State, Arizona, UCLA, California, Stanford and Oregon.
New Mexico and New Mexico State also recruited him, along with several Big 12 programs.
The 6-foot-5, 280-pound tackle is gifted with size, athleticism and long arms. Like most high school prospects, he will need to bulk up in college.
However, his high school coach, Brad Hirsch, said the lanky Hegarty has added 15 pounds for his senior season. He said Hegarty comes from a family of goal-oriented achievers and brings a first-rate work ethic to the sport he loves.
“The kid’s got a motor,” Hirsch said. “He’s an innovator. He gets after it and he really knows how to take care of his body—what to eat for peak performance.”
Besides his quickness, Hegarty has tools that suggest his all-around potential.
For starters, he’s a strong student. Then there’s his power and ability to drive opposing linemen in any direction, along with solid pass blocking skills that are rooted in the ability to engage opposing linemen with his lengthy arms.
Hegarty is versatile and, with his quickness, could switch to defensive end in college.
“He’s realistic about his goals,” Hirsch said. “He knows he will redshirt, so he’s going to work hard in the weight room. He’s going to learn the do’s and don’ts, then maybe play some as a redshirt freshman. He wants to be a three-year starter.”
Hirsch said he encouraged all his players to attend college camps. In sparsely populated New Mexico, Hegarty raised his profile by attending several and it wasn’t long before recruiters visited Aztec, located near the Colorado border 175 miles northwest of Albuquerque.
“Before you knew it, coaches started flocking into Aztec,” Hirsch said.
