Keivarae Russell, Mariner High School's star running back, announced last week that he has decided to play for Notre Dame's Fighting Irish.

The gymnasium lights went black, the crowd cheered and Keivarae Russell arose from the darkness – with a white Notre Dame cap atop his head.

Keivarae Russell, Mariner High School’s star running back, announced his highly anticipated college commitment on Dec. 30.

In front of friends, family and more than a thousand viewers who watched online, Russell delivered the news from Mariner at a decision ceremony – next year he will be a Fighting Irish.

“It was like a sigh of relief, I was finally done with it,” said Russell on making his decision. “Everyone knows where I’m going, I know where I’m going and it was a great feeling.”

Russell, who will be playing in the U.S. Army All American game this weekend – a nationally televised game, in which players traditionally make commitment announcements – said making the announcement on television wouldn’t have been the same.

“It wouldn’t have felt like I was at home,” he said. “There have been people who have helped me, and offered support throughout the whole process and I wanted to do this for them.”

With scholarship offers from more than 16 universities – including every college from the Pac-12 – Russell had to ponder his many options over the past months.

After trips to some of the college campuses, chats with his family and plenty of thinking, Russell saw Notre Dame as the best option for his future as a football player.

“That was probably the best pick,” said Sylvester Phillips, Russell’s grandfather. “To me, it just shows how intelligent he is.”

In Phillips’s eyes, football was a secondary priority for his grandson. His main priority was ensuring that Russell would earn a college degree.

“A degree lasts a life time,” Phillips said. “If you want to get a degree, something that’s going to last you a life time – or life after football – you might want to consider something like Notre Dame.”

Russell said a degree was a huge standout in his list of reasons for committing to Notre Dame. His other reasons included Notre Dame’s graduation rates for football players – 98 percent – compared to his other choices. Class sizes of just 27 students also helped his decision.

“If I go to Notre Dame, they [the professors] actually care about me and who I am as a person,” he said. “They’ll know my name.”

Russell said he looks forward to playing nationally televised games each week and living in a football-loving town.

“I’m just looking forward to enjoying my time there,” he said. “Being a Notre Dame student, to walk around and see what all the hype is about.”

He said it feels great to accomplish his goal of playing college football, and that he feels that he is on the right track to accomplish his bigger dream of one day playing in the NFL.

“It feels nice,” he said about achieving his goal. “I’m still feeling it. It’s unbelievable.”