Everything four-star LB Cincere Johnson said about first Notre Dame football recruiting visit
On Wednesday, Notre Dame hosted Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville linebacker Cincere Johnson on an unofficial visit. According to On3, Johnson is the No. 79 overall player, No. 8 linebacker nationally and No. 3 prospect in Ohio in the 2026 class. The Irish offered the four-star thumper during their Pot of Gold Day recruiting event on March 17.
Blue & Gold stopped by Ginn Academy to interview Johnson on Thursday. Here is everything said about his first trip to South Bend. Note: Quotes have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
On if he felt excited once he learned Notre Dame had an interest:
“It was exciting because it’s always been a dream. When you were a kid — somebody from Cleveland or just anywhere — Notre Dame was a school where you wanted to get recruited. That’s a school where you feel like you’re doing something when they recruit you — all the hard work is paying off.”
On how Notre Dame offered him:
“On Pot of Gold Day — St. Patrick’s Day – they sent me the flier and said you have an offer. That was the day. I was excited.”
On his process of scheduling a Notre Dame visit before getting an offer:
“Of course, I wanted the offer, but I just wanted to go down, see the players, see the coaches, and have them see me and continue to build this special relationship. Then, hopefully, I get the offer. So when I did, I was like, ‘Yes, like a dream come true. This is what I want.’”
On his observations of spring practice:
“The competitiveness stuck out to me. The coaches and the players just had me fired up. They were competitive on Thursday. They were going at it even though it was just shells and stuff like that. They were just hitting with helmets on, talking their talk. The defensive players were getting into the offensive players’ faces, being competitive. It just made everything better.
“That stuck out to me because I feel that’s what’s needed on a football team. Competition is what makes the team great, and that’s what makes Notre Dame great, for sure.”
On his observations of the linebackers:
“I was focused on the linebackers. In between periods, I would stop and talk with some coaches — come up to them, dap them up. I was able to get on the field while they were doing stuff.
“So I was watching them go through their tackling circuit, their 7-on-7s, inside run, and team period and just studying the linebackers. I was also in the linebackers meeting, so I went over that stuff. I was tuned in with the LBs all day.”
On Notre Dame linebackers coach Max Bullough’s coaching style:
“I love him because he played linebacker. That’s what I love about him. He is just not an LB coach. He played it before, so he knows what I think, how I react and what should be done from the LB standpoint.
“He was a dog back in college, so I love his energy and my relationship with him. I love him. He’s a great coach.”
On his individualized meeting with Bullough:
“It was me getting to know him, but at the same time, he was talking football. He reviewed some of my film, and we watched the practice film. He saw where my head was and how much I knew.”
On Notre Dame recruiting him as a hybrid linebacker:
“I fit into the category of a hybrid. So, that is someone who could drop back, go down or stay. You can go down on the D-line. You’re a hybrid. Then the other is the blitzing linebacker on first down, second down and third down. We talked about that, too.”
On if his visit felt personalized:
“It felt personalized because there weren’t a lot of recruits there, so there was a lot of attention on me. But at the same time, I was reciprocating and putting a lot of attention on the school and the coaches.
“I was also talking to the other players who went there—players who had just declared for the draft. They were there for their pro day the next day. So I was talking to all of them. So that was great.”
On what he learned from the former Notre Dame players:
“They were good guys. They just told me that the school is great, and once football is going well, everything’s going well. The school is not big, but it’s not a small school. So, everything revolves around you. And once that is going well, you’re good. It’s a football and academic school. So it will be hard, but you’ll have to want it, and I want it for sure.”
On his meeting with head coach Marcus Freeman:
“It was great. We talked about me, my future with Notre Dame, and him as a coach. He told me what he wants me to bring to the team and what he sees me bringing to the team. I just asked some questions about the team and his philosophies. …
“He’s a great guy. He was a linebacker at Ohio State. He knows us. He’s from Ohio, I’m an Ohio guy. He coached at Cincy. He’s a great guy. I like him.”
On how quickly Freeman brought up his Ohio ties during the meeting:
“It was pretty fast because he was talking about “G” (Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr.). When we first started talking, he was talking about “G.” Then, he brought up how he played with little Ted (Ginn Jr.). He was on that team with Coach (James) Laurinaitis, the (linebackers) coach at Ohio State. So, that’s what he brought up and how he needs to come back down here.”
On Freeman’s pitch to him:
“He told me that Notre Dame is where they can see me come and play. That’s a place that fits perfectly for me. At the same time, they’re going to heavily recruit me and go hard to persuade me, but it’s my choice.
“I love it. I love the fact that our relationship is good. We were laughing, joking, and playing but then talking seriously about the degree that comes with Notre Dame and its history. It’s a place where they can see me, and they want me.”
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