Gray talks Shrine Bowl, Irish

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Notre Dame is well-represented at this week's Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. The Fighting Irish have their first commit of the class of 2007 in three star defensive end Kerry Neal playing for North Carolina as well as four star cornerback Gary Gray out of Columbia Richland Northeast for the South Carolina squad.

"I talked to (Neal) a couple of times while I've been here and we changed cell phones numbers so I have his number now," Gray told Rivals.com Sunday afternoon at the team hotel.

The 5-foot-10, 163-pound defensive back wraps up his prep career this week.

"I'm really excited about playing with South Carolina and focus in on playing and beating North Carolina," the nation's No. 4 cornerback offered. "They've beaten us three times in the last four years so we are trying to get a win. I'm excited about going against Jason Barnes – one of the best wide receivers out of North Carolina – and Dwight Jones."

And he's merely days from his arrival in South Bend as an early enrollment.

"I'm just really excited," the nation's No. 52 player admitted. "I'm going up on January 11 and enrolling in classes on January 16. I'm really excited to jump right in."

Gray realizes the job head coach Charlie Weis is doing at Notre Dame and knows he'll be part of building a power.

"He's getting the best players," the third-ranked prospect in the state of South Carolina indicated. "We just got Armando Allen a week ago. We're just trying to get the best athletes in the nation. I'm going to do anything I can to help them. Go Irish!"