Why a June visit to Notre Dame was a major success for 2025 WR Koby Howard
When 2025 Pensacola (Fla.) Catholic wide receiver Koby Howard arrived at Notre Dame on June 5 for the Irish Invasion camp, he had an agenda. He wanted to walk away from South Bend with an opportunity to play for the Irish.
“I went to the camp and wanted to get the offer, so I knew I had to do well,” Howard told BlueandGold.com. “I went in there intending to get it, and I did.”
When the afternoon full of position drills, one-on-ones and testing ended, Howard was invited up to head coach Marcus Freeman’s office. It was there that the first-year head coach offered the 5-11, 175-pound wideout.
Mission accomplished.
Of course, the broader goal remains far from over. Howard is merely a rising sophomore with ample time to make his pledge. He said there are a few schools sticking out to him at this point, but he’s keeping them close hold. He did, however, enjoy his trip to South Bend.
“I really liked everything about Notre Dame,” Howard said. “I could definitely see myself going there. More specifically, I really liked Coach (Chansi) Stuckey and how they run things.”
Unsurprisingly, Howard mentioned he’s looking for a school that makes him feel at home and runs a pass-friendly offense. With four-star quarterback CJ Carr committed to Notre Dame in the 2024 class, it seems the Irish are trending toward having that passing game Howard is seeking.
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Notre Dame is one of seven schools Howard has visited unofficially and the only one outside of the SEC or the Southeast region. He’s made two trips to both Florida and Florida State. The Gators got the most recent visit on June 20, and the Seminoles were the first school to offer Howard.
On3 has yet to rank the 2025 class, but it’s clear the quick wideout is a hot commodity. In total, Howard holds 13 Power Five offers, including the three aforementioned schools plus Georgia, LSU, Miami and others. The Miami offer was particularly special, as Howard received it in-person from head coach Mario Cristobal while in the hospital for a broken leg. He suffered the injury while at a camp at Miami.
Rehabbing his leg is the primary focus right now for Howard. He learned this week that he will likely return in late October or early November, but the timeline varies from person to person. He hopes to be back by the time the playoffs roll around.
“I intend to come back stronger than ever and have a great sophomore season,” Howard said. “I want to show people why I have my offers.”
