College football

Clelland commits to Irish

McDonogh's Lane Clelland, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound offensive tackle who is perhaps the nation's top recruit at his position, has orally committed to a full football scholarship to Notre Dame, his mother, Linda, confirmed last night.

Nearly 15 schools offered a full scholarship to Clelland, including Michigan, Maryland and Virginia, Linda Clelland said.

Lane Clelland could not be reached last night.

"Not that this swayed him, but being that it was up to 10 [schools], it was getting very, very crazy," said Linda Clelland, whose son Lance, an assistant to McDonogh's Dom Damico, was an All-Metro lineman who played at Northwestern.

Said Lane Clelland: "All of the other programs did an awesome job recruiting me and they were awesome schools, and they've made it tough on me to make a decision. ... But I thought Notre Dame was a great program with phenomenal coaches, and the place where I thought I could do my best athletically and academically."

McDonogh intends to formally announce Clelland's decision this week, Linda Clelland said.