BOSTON -- In the cutthroat world of college football recruiting, any edge is worth exploiting. Especially when it’s an edge over a school with a similar profile, a school that just might be wooing the same type of player from the same geographic area.

At the second annual Coffee with the Coaches breakfast on Tuesday morning, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly found something he can use against new Boston College coach Steve Addazio.

“I love to see kids that are three-sport athletes,” Addazio said, answering a question about specialization in youth sports. “When we recruit guys, I want to see three-sport athletes. I love when they’re three-sport athletes, and I think especially at a young age, I mean, come on -- go out and play sports, have fun.

“I played soccer all the way up, I didn’t play football until I got to high school and I had a great experience.”

That’s when Kelly cut in.

“I’m gonna use that in recruiting,” he joked, drawing a big laugh from the audience, “now that I know that you played soccer. I’m gonna have to take that with me.”

After the crowd’s laughter died down, all the chuckling Addazio could manage was, “Yeah.”

“Now he won’t say anything else,” event co-host and WEEI radio personality Michael Holley joked, drawing more laughs.

At least he wouldn’t say anything else to give the Eagles’ longtime rivals a possible leg up in recruiting -- joke or no joke.

Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.