Welcome aboard, Brian. It's great to get another LB.
Are there any D-linemen out there that we still have a shot at? Or do you guys think Smith and Walker will be the final commits?
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 11:41 am | #

It should come as no surprise that Brian was interested in ND. He's been blogging at ND Weekly for a while.
http://ndweekly.blogspot.com/
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 11:44 am | #

So, it looks like Charlie and Corwin did not pull a Meyer and went after an already committed player - Brian Smith.

Though, I can just hear the wolves howling in the background saying that ND, like FL go after other team's committed players.

Perhaps recruiting is like sausage making, the less you know how it was done and by whom, the better, or bitter, depending on your point of view.
Smitty | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 11:55 am | #

Based on Smitty's comment and the general tone of Pat's post, it appears as though this is different than what Myer did. I don't claim to know much about recruiting, but when I first heard that Smith decommitted from Iowa (regardless of whether we were recruiting him in the past) I thought it was not any different than what Urban did.

Sincerely, could someone please explain to me how this is different?

Thanks...
rbingham'97 | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:01 pm | #

Trattou's father is a UF alum?

Sorry, but it seems like Brian Smith was always a big ND fan. Getting a late offer seems a slight different than having Meyer and Mattison come in and bad mouth ND and their defense, in order to earn a recruit.

Anyways, great pick up for ND.

However, I gotta stop following this recruiting stuff. The drama is just too much.
atepesm | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:07 pm | #

We got another commit today:

Kicker Brandon Walker, who's a decommit from Louisville.
suave andrew | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:16 pm | #

If we use the switch in DC to say it was ok for ND to revisit Brian Smith, then I think we also need to acknowledge that the switch in DC rightfully opened the door to re-commit Trattou. Now, I think that Urban probably used a bit more negative recruiting against ND whereas with Smith I think Weis just reminded him of his original feelings towards the Irish. But overall, if a kid is willing to listen and accepts a trip to your campus, he's not really committed. I don't blame either Smith or Trattou for going with their gut in making the switch.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:25 pm | #

There's no difference between the two situations, other than minor details.

There was nothing wrong with what Trattou did. There is nothing wrong with what Brian Smith just did. At least they both ran from the altar before saying "I do."
Chris | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:31 pm | #

So in a 3-4 we have to have a very large nose tackle to plug basically 2 gaps. Is Ian williams going to be filling that role? or can we move an OL to do that? Paskorz? Are any of them big enough to fill that need? Maybe Chris Stewart?
Irish4eva | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:34 pm | #

The Marvin Austin Theory...

Source: Tallahassee Democrat: 1/30

Florida State’s list of officials visits seemed to be ever-changing this month – sometimes even during the weekend of the planned visit. Bowden has some key visits lined up this week. He will visit defensive tackle Marvin Austin (Wash. D.C.) on Wednesday night. USC’s Pete Carroll was expected to visit the nation’s top defensive prospect on Tuesday. Austin’s final choices are FSU, UNC, Southern California and Tennessee.

ND's private jet landed at Washington Dulles International on Monday so???

Monday - CW + CB
Tuesday - Carroll
Wednesday - Bowden

It's fun to think about...probably trying to sell him on the new D scheme.
Peck | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:40 pm | #

A lot of ND people use that jet, not just Charlie. And when Charlie does fly around, he will sometimes use private jets of alumni that aren't as easily tracked via the internet.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:43 pm | #

Pat,

Dead on.

This splitting hairs over whether Meyer "poached" ND or not is pretty silly, in my opinion -- particularly when you look at the number of players in this year's class who had originally committed elsewhere.

Meyer's actions are "dirty and unethical" and ND's are merely "aggressive"? C'mon.

It's pretty clear that when it comes to top 150 players, just about every school -- ND included -- will continue to recruit any player expressing an interest right up until signing day.

I'm not saying there are no scumbags out there. Just that a lot of the criticism of Meyer and co sounds an awful lot like whining on our part.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:43 pm | #

Until the kid, yes, they are still kids, signs that letter of intent, they are just saying what they think might happen. An 18 year old kid changing his mind? Heaven forbid. Yes, Meyer did to Weis what Weis just did to Ferentz, but in neither case is it wrong, illegal or unethical. For Irish fans it sucks to lose that Jersey boy, and I am sure Iowa hates to have lost Smith, but until that letter is signed, it's open season and the kids can choose whatever they want and coaches can and should go after everyone they want. It's their job to get as many of as quality players they can, and a kid has to make a choice as to where they are going to be the most comfortable for the next few years of their life.
okhrana | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:48 pm | #

is anyone else terribly worried that a switch to a 3-4 is going to be disasterous, not that the defense can get any worse? There is a reason that 98% of college teams dont use a 3-4. I understand that a scheme should be developed around the talent, but tell me which 4 linebackers ND has that are going to be able to successfully stop opponents with a bad 3-man front?
morrissey mustache month | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 12:55 pm | #

Morrissey,

We were speaking on here a few days ago about the fact that there are a variety of young, athletic players such as Kallen Wade, Mo Richardson, and Kerry Neal who could make excellent OLBs in a 3-4 system. You basically take highly athletic DEs and let them stand up and take a greater role in terms of responsibility. I personally think the change to a 3-4 is going to work wonderfully, if for no other reason that it can allow for greater flexibility in terms of coverage options (putting more pressure on the QB to make reads, and be aware of where the rush is coming from) and by using LBs to cover more space over within 10 yards of scrimage, it can allow safeties to play a little further back and worry more about deep coverage.

It's gonna work, and its gonna work well.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:02 pm | #

Just a question for everybody. I see on irishillustrated that we've already offered 5 offensive lineman for next year. I think OL recruiting is very important, but I find myself wishing that we would start going after top-tier defensive talent early, instead of seeming to always focus so much on offense. I would really like to see us pull a 3:2 ratio of defensive:offensive recruits next year. What do you guys think about going after defensive recruits instead of focusing on offense so early?
JR | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:20 pm | #

Doesnt Urban Meyer look like the guy who claimed he killed Jon Bennet Ramsey just recently? Can somebody download a photo of both?
James Murphy | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:31 pm | #

Does Notre Dame's "Smiths Only" policy on defense mean the signings of Morrissey and Johnny Marr are imminent?
Fighting Binny | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:31 pm | #

JR, have we offered any D players for next year?
Offense is Charlie's specialty. Perhaps he figures he can nail down the offensive guys that he really wants while it's early, then spend crunch time working some defensive guys.
Or maybe he just enjoys watching tapes on offense and puts off defense for later.
Regardless of his methods, I'm pretty sure Charlie hasn't forgotten that there are 2 sides of the ball.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:31 pm | #

M&MM : ND will be giving up yards on the ground next year. We'll just have to hope that our vaunted offensive recruits and brilliant offensive schemes and playcalling will put opponents in a position where they have to throw against us, and our new super-motivated defensive backfield will cut off the deep ball. That way we have time to react to a run between the tackles on 3rd and 8 and get the ball back on downs.

With our defensive recruiting the past couple of years on the line and new scheme, a key measure of how we are doing on D next year will be results against play action. If opponents don't burn us night and day faking a shot up the gut, there's hope.

I for one think there will be a shocking improvement in our secondary under CB and infantry always look better when they have air cover 10-4.
indy | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:39 pm | #

Indy,

I re-watched a lot of games this year trying to figure out why people were so wide open for big plays. It seemed to me that the D backs were waaayyy out of position on a consistent basis.

I mention this because the D line was much maligned, but I have the feeling that if the D backs could have made the QB think twice about half of those big play throws, the line probably gets the extra split second or two it needs to make some real plays.

I realize this is a chicken and egg game. The d backs could turn this around and say that they'd have played better if the line exerted more pressure on the QB. But from my vantage point, the d backfield is the real weakness.

If this is true, maybe we're not in such bad shape on D right now, with all the really good recruits coming at C back and safety.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:55 pm | #

Yeah I'm not saying Charlie doesn't know what he's doing by any stretch of the imagination. I love the guy. And yes, as of right now, the Irish have offered 4 defensive players to go along with 10 offensive prospects and one athlete.

Offense:
WR - Michael Floyd (MN), Dan Buckner (TX)

Both receivers posses great size to go along with being deep threats. I think it will be hard to get Buckner out of TX, but Floyd is from Cretin-Durham which has produced Marcus Freeman, RPN, and Matt Carufel. It's be nice to keep that pipeline alive.

OL - Mike Adams (OH), Michael Brewster (FL), Stephen Good (TX), Kyle Long (VA), Brandon Washington (FL), and Trevor Robinson (NE)

I think we won't take quite as many lineman as last year when it's all said and done. Adams is the stud out of this group.

TE - Blake Ayles (CA), Kyle Rudolph (OH)

Always nice to get at least 1 TE per class.

Defense:
DE - Ethan Johnson (OR)

LB - Steven Filer (Chicago, IL), David Posluszny (PA)

Filer is where we need Corwin to step up because Filer appears to be a stud at LB, which is of course our big need along with DT. And that's Paul Puz's brother.

DT - Sean Cwynar (IL)

We need DTs, simple as that.

Then the athlete is Ryan Williams who would play either DB/RB/ or slot WR.


So that's who we've offered as of 1:53 pm today for 2008.
JR | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 1:59 pm | #

Welcome again Brian! This could be interesting for announcers:

Brian Smith
Toryan Smith
Scott Smith
Harison Smith

Our growing Smith Defense! :)
Chris | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 2:19 pm | #

Irish4eva, there's several folks at ndnation that seem to think Trevor Laws would be fine at the nose.
Mr. Wednesday | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 2:44 pm | #

Even if Laws is the answer at NT, and I'm not convinced about that, what about 2008?
JohnWA | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 2:58 pm | #

Laws is certainly not ideal for the NT, but will likely have to man up and play there. The NT in a 3-4 is supposed to be the most ridiculously enormous and athletic person you can find. Someone who is bigger than offensive lineman is not uncommon. It is very hard to find players who can fit this mold, one reason that colleges dont run a 3-4.
morrissey mustache month | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:17 pm | #

Is Laws a little undersized to be a NT in the 3-4? Either way, I'm sure he's the best option for next season. Who will be on the ends and who will be our 4 LBs?
With ND's current personnel, I don't think the 3-4 is a good idea, but if CB and CW think it's the D of the future, then it's probably best to install the fundamentals now.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:18 pm | #

How soon is now?
GRNDFan | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:24 pm | #

Sorry, couldn't resist the Smith's reference....
GRNDFan | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:25 pm | #

GRNDFan:

You were waiting all day for that one, weren't you? You could also have stated "these things take time."

I haven't seen this many Smiths since The Matrix.
Anon | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:33 pm | #

Hal is right....did you ever get a job offer, accept and then another offer came along? Better pay, better job? Nothing wrong with that.
The letter of intent is the contract. I just wonder about getting guys to commit even before they play a senior season. Another year in High School can make a big differnce in a player, good and bad.....Tough losing a Catholic School Jersey kid, though...that had to get Charlie thinking. I hope we got a kicker.
jake | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:33 pm | #

The Smiths on defence. I like where this is going. Because 1988 was perhaps the peak year creatively for the Smiths, and something else happened that year.

Shall they replace 'Play like a champion today' with, 'Strangeways, here we come'?

Okay, I think I've flogged that one to death.

Go Irish!
Joe Subway | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:35 pm | #

I've never been too thrilled about these kids changing their committments late in the game; the college programs only have so many scholarships to offer and its tough to stick to a recruiting plan when someone flips at the 11th hour. That being said, the verbals are non-binding. The one time the programs should leave a committed player alone is when the player tells the program that he is done and no longer wishes to be recruited. I assume most school still honor those types of requests.
Southside | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:43 pm | #

Teams stopped using the 3-4 because most teams recruit regionally and its hard to find good LBs for the 3-4.

You need an NG like Sam Adams athletic space eater who demands triple teams.
HMFIC | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 3:55 pm | #

Hal, I think you are right about this year. My optimism about the secondary stems from our success bringing DBs in the past couple of cycles, and sharing your belief that 99% of our backfield problems are due to coaching. Once Corwin gets that straightened out we are going to look a LOT better all around defensively. I do expect people to be able to pound us given our lack of quality/depth/youth at the line/LB (no rotation) the fact that we are apparently going to a 3:4, but this may not be a huge problem if the offense can move the ball successfully and our opponents have to play more aggressively. A lot of ifs, but I don't think the sky is falling.

Success next year will be all about turning around our horrendous play in the backfield. Clearly Corwin is a great fit for that job even if he doesn't do another thing as DC. That young Texas QB didn't look too bad this year after they took the training wheels off - maybe our offense will click early and we can win another 9 or 10 games and go into 08 with big mo.
indy | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 4:01 pm | #

I'm as bummed about Trattou as anyone, but February 7th is commitment day in CFB. I don't see the justification for outrage about a kid changing his mind on one of the biggest decisions of his life to this point. In Love as in War, gentlemen.
indy | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 4:07 pm | #

High School recruits certainly consider many facets of both a university and it's football program during the courting process. One should consider which college will best enable them to succeed no matter how their football career pans out. Trattou forsook Notre Dame for Florida. Not such a great swap sheepskin-for-sheepskin. Smith left Iowa at the altar for Notre Dame. And the only reason he agreed to attend Iowa in the first place is because ND ignorantly gave him the cold shoulder earlier in the process. Iowa, to their credit, knew a potentially great linebacker when they saw one. ( And they have had infinitely better LB's over the last few years than ND.) ND finally offered the kid a ride, and he took it. Trattou had his choice of programs from the gitgo, so the vacating of his decision is, to us, at least, more unsettling than what Iowans could possibly be feeling today. Honest Hawkeyes secretly agree with Brian Smith's decision, too.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 4:30 pm | #

Indy:

You're right. All is fair, but I don't think it's outrage we are seeing. It is frustration. Just put yourself in the position of the recruiters and the recruits.

The recruiters offer early to try to land these kids before another program gets to them and then, presumably having solved one problem, turn to another position and/or recruit. The recruits shouldn't commit until they are certain, but I can see that there also is pressure on them to take an open spot somewhere early so that they are not standing without a chair when the music stops. With an 11th hour change, the recruiter is like the proverbial child with his finger in the dyke watching as new hole spring open. Charlie thought he had one DE problem solved and, with the departure of Trattou, is left scrambling. Meyer, Ferentz, Louisville, et al. are all in the same boat.

How would these kids feel if the University that they committed to back in August decided to pull their offer next week? The detrimental reliance lawsuits would be piling up, and for good reason.

It's just a little bit frustrating.
Southside | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 4:31 pm | #

I don't think you guys should be worrying so much about the size of the NT in a 3-4. In the NFL, the most successful 3-4s typically do have massive bodied NTs who are around 320 and up. But that isn't necessary to run the defense effectively.

ND, Texas A&M, and Michigan often ran the 3-4 during the 90s and were all highly successful with it, and while they sometimes had bigmen up front, more often than not they didn't. If you look at the size of the NTs during that period at ND alone, you'll see that they weren't all that big.

NT has a lot more to do with attitude. If you can put a wild man down there who is going to make life difficult for 2 offensive linemen all day, that is more than enough. Now, being 320 or more can help, but it is no way necessary.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 4:34 pm | #

I was raving about our running back recruits the other day and somebody asked about our receivers. So, who's gonna be at X, Y, and Z next year?
24 hour | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 4:50 pm | #

24 hour, good question. Obviously Grimes is in there. I expect to see DJ Hord in the mix. As for that 3rd guy, I have no idea. Richard Jackson? Kamara? Maybe a lot of 2 TE sets with Carlson/Rueland/Yeatman.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 5:09 pm | #

I believe UVA ran the 3-4 last year and not one guy in the T-N-T was over 300 (it's become hip to call the Ts "DEs", but that's misleading and also screws up an awesome acronym).

I think UVA's defense did OK with those guys - ranked somewhere in the 20s with middle of the pack ACC talent.
Thundershaker | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 5:17 pm | #

Fighting Binny, +1.
All subsequent "Smiths" references, -1. Sorry, Binny beat you all to the punch.
Nate | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 5:20 pm | #

Penn State ran a 3-4 this year and had one of the top defenses in the country (the ND game notwithstanding). And they didn't have any stars on the d-line. Their biggest weakness was their linebacker's ability to cover quality tight ends (struggled with ND, Wisconsin, and Minnesota: all had quality tight ends), and the fact that their offense couldn't generate enough first downs to keep them off the field.
david | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 5:20 pm | #

I think WR will be an exciting competition this year.

Grimes is definitely in, and Hord's ability to contribute will depend directly on his recovery from his injury, which I haven't heard anything new on in some time.

I think that we will probably see Richard Jackson, Robby Parris, and Kamara contributing heavily. Parris and Kamara are both 6'5 or so, and we've seen what Charlie can do with big targets. It'll be fun.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 5:24 pm | #

Brad - you are right. Big targets, along with big RBs, are good for 15 play, 6:00 TD drives. And long, clock-gouging drives will be a good part of our "defense" next year if things go well.
Thundershaker | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 5:46 pm | #

Here is something to keep in mind when thinking about where our recruiting classes rank:

The University of Miami ('98 class) was ranked No. 37 by Lemming and No. 31 by SuperPrep. This is the same class that as seniors in 2001 romped to the national title. Would you believe that schools such as Indiana and Iowa State, Northwestern, Stanford and Mississippi State were ranked ahead of the 19-man Hurricane class inked by Butch Davis? The previous year’s class at Miami wasn’t in the top 20 either, nor was the 1999 haul in the top 10."

And this is the team that was one of the best in CFB history. UCLA was No. 2 that year and they never finished in the top 25 with that class. Do not forget what good coaches can do to good players and a couple great players. And we have a great coach
PM | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 6:08 pm | #

Here is something to keep in mind when thinking about where our recruiting classes rank:

The University of Miami ('98 class) was ranked No. 37 by Lemming and No. 31 by SuperPrep. This is the same class that as seniors in 2001 romped to the national title. Would you believe that schools such as Indiana and Iowa State, Northwestern, Stanford and Mississippi State were ranked ahead of the 19-man Hurricane class inked by Butch Davis? The previous year’s class at Miami wasn’t in the top 20 either, nor was the 1999 haul in the top 10."

And this is the team that was one of the best in CFB history. UCLA was No. 2 that year and they never finished in the top 25 with that class. Do not forget what good coaches can do to good players and a couple great players. And we have a great coach
PM | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 6:08 pm | #

Just look at all the good players Illinois is getting this year. Chances are Zook will zook it up with this great class. Look at what he did with UF.
GB | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 7:01 pm | #

Barry Gallup has got to be getting into the mix at WR as well. Not to mention Darrin Bragg. There's not going to be as big a drop off at that position next year as people would expect.

And while I agree with the point about UCLA and Miami and coaching, let's not forget that the schools with classes ranked ahead of us include Florida, USC, and Texas.

While people will still come out of the woodwork to say Meyer and Brown aren't as good as advertised (regardless that they've one the last 2 championships - Brown with his own recruits even!), everyone should agree that Carroll isn't exactly known for having teams that don't live up to expectations.

Good coaching can turn a middling class into superstars, but don't look for any major collapses in the programs ahead of us. It'll still be an uphill battle.
imposs1ble | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 7:11 pm | #

MMM,
So you say "The NT in a 3-4 is supposed to be the most ridiculously enormous and athletic person you can find. Someone who is bigger than offensive lineman is not uncommon."

Check out my homepage link for an example of what I think you're talking about.
jc_angelo | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 7:26 pm | #

Keeping on the Morrissey/Johnny Marr track, how about Fat Bob (Robert Smith) as our next NT? Have you seen him lately?

He can fill a hole and we can add another Smith to the defense.
JLH | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 7:28 pm | #

Nate: Actually, Fightinamish over at the House Rock Built beat us all to the punch on the Smiths very early this morning. Check out his latest. +1 for the amish.
Anon | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 7:45 pm | #

Southside, I feel ya. That's the one aspect about 'decommitting' which is 'unethical,' which is that programs can get screwed thinking they have a position filled and pass on other players, or guys will commit elsewhere with an unrealistic assessment of depth at the position. As far as our situation this year though, we are thin enough at end/tackle it seems unlikely we passed on anyone because we thought we had Justin in the bag. Still hurts o'course. Where's the love, Joisey? Florida is strange people. And talk about flat...
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 9:27 pm | #

yes, everyone knows chris stewart is enormous. He has actually lost a lot of that weight, mostly so he can walk. I definitely dont see him being fast or athletic enough to play the position of NT...he may not even see the field as an offensive lineman in his career.
And about the recruiting classes....all of that is true, but I guarentee that those classes that you spoke of at the respective schools included Defensive Lineman of some kind, we still dont have any.
morrissey mustache month | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 10:04 pm | #

Hey Pangborn, know any big phoxes?
indy | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 10:25 pm | #

I remember this kid's dad. I believe he was #32 in the Faustian years. Actually, a real nice guy. Not much of a racquetball player, but nice guy.

He was always the guy going to pick up Pinkett at the end of the play.

If this kid is anything like his dad, he'll be a fine representative for the ND Family.
Big Tobacco | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 10:27 pm | #

Yeah, yeah, I know....Chris Stewart, while of good size--ok, great size--will not make a quality nose tackle.

Although, it seems reasonable there's an offensive lineman or two who could make the switch to NT. As long as you have acceptable size and foot speed and are willing to be part of a Tenacious D, the coaching staff should be able to finish the conversion.

Alan Branch came out of HS as an OL and was projected the same. Look how he turned out.

JC
jc_angelo | Email | Homepage | 01.31.07 - 11:27 pm | #

I think that Trevor Laws will make an excellent NT. I think that Williams will be an excellent backup. Laws is 6-1 or 6-2 good height to get under the center, 285, they can get him to 295 with no problem, great strength and he was a great wrestler in high school. Williams is along the same mold. I know that it was a different time, but Zorich wasnt a monster size wise. A good quick NT can frustrate the center which disrupts the offensive flow, then he will occupy one of the guards. Chris Stewart at NT is a bit ludicrous.
Doug | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 7:28 am | #

I routinely hang onto Lemming's high school rankings when I see them....He's on the money with some and I am not a draftnik, so I don't know a lot of lineman names but here is a list of some of 2002 top 25

QB Ben Olson
Reggie McNeal QB
Tyler Palko
Chris davis QB
James Banks QB
Jerious Norwood Running back
Nick Turner RB
Matt Gutierrez QB
jake | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 10:06 am | #

Notre Dame - what a classy place. Once a kid has committed, and especially after being rejected, it is real "Jesus" like to go banging on his door when your target recruit turns you down. Charlie Weis is a real class act - what a hero.
Kevin | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 12:24 pm | #

Come on Kevin, if anyone was a persistent recruiter, it was Jesus. Peter turned him down three times and he stayed after him.

"Jesus was no sissy. He was tough, he was a he-man. If he played football, you'd be slow getting up after he tackled you."

- Jerry Falwell.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 1:05 pm | #

Kiper projected Jesus as a consensus top 3 pick in his day.
morrissey mustache month | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 2:18 pm | #

and for the record, both of the new recruits de-committed before accepting the offer. When White told Ferentz that he was going to look at ND, Iowa withdrew the offer. When Petrino left Lousiville, Walker opened up his recruitng again and was listenting to his other top choices again before he even got an offer to ND. Having said that, Trattou is disappointing but that is what happens in recruiting. What was more disappointing is that ND couldnt hold on to him and I can only imagine what Mattison & Meyer were telling Trattou about ND. Mattison's a bitch, Meyer's a bitch, but C.Brown's cool cause he was out gettin' a 4star running back. Kevin is a clown.
morrissey mustache month | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 2:25 pm | #

Don't know how much to read into this but apparently CW and CB are going to go back out after Trattou.
PM | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 2:32 pm | #

Jake - thanks for listing the 'Top 25 of 2002.' I think that CFB works out a tad better than when MLB drafts, but not by much. Remember when Lorenzo Booker was going to be the greatest RB of all time, and then some? All you need do is look at the Hurricanes in their glory years ...seldom were they Top 20 in recruiting, but they played for a NC every year. Attitude and coaching keyed those teams. Also, the type student-athlete (ahem!) that we usually don't want matriculating in South Bend.

IF we 'up' our coaching skills, we'll be playing for a NC in '08 (IF is the biggest word in the language, though).

Go Irish
Bill H | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 2:34 pm | #

PM, I had not heard that. Would be awesome to get him back, but seems doubtful unless they can convince him that ND will not run a 3-4 defense. That appeared to be the driving factor in his decommitment.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 2:42 pm | #

C. Brown texted all of the recruits over the past couple of days, "What can you do today to help Notre Dame win a national championship?" I kinda dig this guy now. kevin is still a clown.
morrissey mustache month | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 2:44 pm | #

Good one, Pat. Charlie, make 'em fishers of men.
indy | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 2:56 pm | #

This current nine to 18 month speed dating and "will you wear my pin" is a horrendous waste of time, jet fuel, agnst, testosterone and time. It enriches a few lemmings and is a major distraction to 17 and 18 year olds that should be enjoying their final high school year, trying to score and, maybe, studying.

It's worse than a "screw your roomate dance."

Early letters of intent. Works in b-ball, it'll work in f-ball.

"When you are sure, sign your name, until then, keep shopping. When all the scholarships are gone, they are gone. Best of luck."
Yago | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 3:21 pm | #

I think Southern Cal runs a 3-4 with a NT, Sedrick Ellis, who is in the 305 neighborhood.
Alex | Email | Homepage | 02.01.07 - 3:52 pm | #

My question is why do we only have 20 recruits? I get that we could only get 20 3+ star recruits in the time we had, but if the clock is running out can't we just pick up some 2 stars or low 3 stars and see if we can find a diamond in the rough? Is there any reason to not fill those scholarships?
Irish4eva | Email | Homepage | 02.02.07 - 1:34 pm | #

Save them for next year?
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 02.02.07 - 1:45 pm | #

We can only carry 85 schollies. If we were getting 25 every season, we'd have 100 plus fifth years. So it's not worthwhile to take "filler", especially since if they don't work out, you either have to be slimy and pull their scholarship or else carry the dead money that could go to a better recruit or a deserving walk-on the next season.
Mr. Wednesday | Email | Homepage | 02.02.07 - 6:22 pm | #

To clarify, this is not the Kevin writing the whole Jesus-remark insulting ND.

I'll admit, I originally thought it was bad form for any coach to target a verbally committed recruit, basing this disdain mainly on Urban trying to get McNeil last year and getting Trattou this year. The more I think about it, though, the more it makes sense for a coach to opt for this strategy, as well as for a player to remain somewhat open to suitors. Not to say that it is ideal for any school, as they are left spending time and resources on kids they thought were in the bag and on kids already committed to other schools so as to make up for any potential losses through decommits...it's just a part of the recruiting game.

However, this acceptance of the new trend in recruiting does not imply any agreement with tactics. Who's to say what exactly Urban told Trattou to get him to switch. But we should question his tactics as possibly entailing some ND-denouncing, especially when the only 2 assistants he brought with him happen to be ex-ND men themselves. Clearly, they weren't there to sing our praises or share any experiences of ND that would shed us in a positive light. Credit Meyer for a slick move and adapt your own program to the changing nature of recruiting, but by no means buy into the disturbing trend of negative recruiting tactics. Sell a player on your merits, not trumped up faults and conclusions about how the other school's changes will negativeky impact the player. Jeers to Urban if he took this road, because it will come back to bite/CHOMP him in the ass one day.

And by the way, as a recent alum, I absolutely loved the "Screw Your Roommate" comment earlier, yago. I would be in favor of earlier letters of intent, if for nothing else than to limit the visibility and volume of recruitniks like Lemming. Funny how big name players we sign only drop in status according to gold old Tom once we get them. What a massive tool.
Kevin | Email | Homepage | 02.06.07 - 12:21 pm | #

I just saw a great movie you guys might be interested in called "Black Irish".

Check it out. Here's a link to the trailer:
http://one.revver.com/watch/2370...affiliate/ 72549
Michael Nease | Email | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 8:19 pm | #