Notre Dame hoping to steal another Tennessee legacy away from Josh Heupel

Marcus Freeman needs to back off.
Tennessee Football Coach Josh Heupel yells at an official during a football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021.

Kns Tennessee Alabama Football Bp
Tennessee Football Coach Josh Heupel yells at an official during a football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. Kns Tennessee Alabama Football Bp | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

What is it with Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame in trying to prevent the Tennessee football team from bringing legacy playmakers to Knoxville? As most of you already know, Notre Dame is working hard to land linebacker Cooper Witten, the son of UT legend Jason Witten.

He's not the only 2027 playmaker that Freeman and his staff have their eyes on. Notre Dame is also working hard to make an early impression with Kenneth Simon, whose father Kevin was a linebacker for the Vols in the early 2000s.

In an interview with reporter Kyle Kelly, Simon didn't hold back in letting everyone know what the offer from Notre Dame meant to him. If anything, it has made people believe that the Irish may be the current leaders for him, though Simon hasn't announced any top schools:

Tennessee will have to work overtime to land safety Kenneth Simon over Notre Dame

That's a bit concerning if you're a Tennessee fan, but keep in mind that the Vols are still considered the favorites to land him. Multiple times, Simon has said that it has always been his dream to follow in his father's footsteps and play for the Vols at the next level.

At the same time, the touted defensive back has also said that he's going to be open minded with his recruitment and listen to other schools that show him interest. Clearly, the Irish have strong interest in the 6-2, 200-pounder who is a playmaker for Brentwood Academy in Tennessee.

Throughout his recruitment, Simon has picked up offers from Tennessee, Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss and others - he holds 21 scholarships to his name this cycle. With him being an in-state product, it adds even more pressure for Josh Heupel to win this recruiting battle.

There's also pressure to bring in Cooper Witten, who is one of the top LBs in the country for his class. The good thing is that legacy JP Peace is already on board for '27, but Heupel wants others to join him. Will Simon and Cooper Witten end up pledging to the Vols like Peace did? Fans sure hope so.