Ever since he was a little boy, Tristen Hoge always dreamed of playing at Notre Dame.

    This summer as the offensive lineman visits camps and universities in preparation for his junior season at Highland, he is that much closer to seeing his dream come true. The University of Notre Dame invited Hoge for a visit, and while there two weekends ago, he was offered a full-ride athletic scholarship.

    “Ever since I was a young boy, Notre Dame was at the top of my list,” Hoge told the Journal after arriving back in Pocatello from South Bend, Ind. (the home of Notre Dame). “The first thing that struck me was the gold helmets.

    “They’re still at the top of my list.”

    Hoge’s visit to Notre Dame was a huge moment during what has been an exciting summer for the Rams’ center — yes, he’s being recruited as a center. Penn State also offered recently (after visiting its campus for a junior day), as did Utah and Washington State.

    “It was pretty overwhelming,” he said. “A lot of emotions, a lot of excitement. A great experience overall, but it was unexplainable. Just to talk to the coaches one-on-one and to know I got the offers was awesome.”

    And while Notre Dame may be Hoge’s childhood dream destination, he’s not quite ready to commit quite yet.

    “The selection process is a big decision,” he said. “It requires soul-searching and discussion with my friends and family.

    “I haven’t put a time frame on it, I’m playing it by ear. When I choose it will definitely be the perfect fit.”

    Still, Hoge was wowed by what he saw in South Bend.

    “The school itself is awesome. That’s the best word I can come up with,” he said. “There’s so much history involved when they show you the buildings.

    “We had a great tour guide. She showed us every little thing about it. The coaching staff was top notch, too, the best in the country.”

    Hoge, who also holds scholarship offers from BYU and Boise State, says seeing the college football opportunities available make him work that much harder.

    “It motivates me to go reach more goals,” he said. “These have all been goals I have had for a long time. It also sends a message to people around me that goals are attainable.”

    He doesn’t care about the amount of scholarships offers he receives, either. For Hoge, it’s quality over quantity.

    At 6 foot 5, 270 pounds, as listed on the Highland’s 2012 roster (he’s likely bigger now), Hoge’s frame, size, skill level and high ceiling are attracting many quality college suitors.

    He also knows that reaching his full potential requires work. A lot of it.

    “(I need) to keep working, learning and absorbing what I can,” he said. “There are so many different techniques to use as an offensive lineman.”

    Hoge’s summer visits aren’t over just year, either. He plans to visit Stanford July 26 and 27.

    Whether a scholarship offer awaits him in Palo Alto, Calif. remains to be seen. If nothing else, his trip to Stanford is another opportunity to become a better football player.

    “I will keep learning new things,” Hoge said. “The new things matters as much as the old stuff. It adds another wrench to my toolbox.”