so word on the street is Charlie is giving up his play calling duties....
bubblyface | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 1:04 pm | #

KLM definitely has potential as a pass-rusher, and you can tell he has the frame to pack more pounds on. The problem I have when I watch his highlights is that he has no concept of how to tackle - it's as if his coaches haven't taught him any kind of technique at all.

Most of his tackles are just him grabbing at a guy, a lot of them almost getting away from him except he's 10x bigger than the guys he's trying to tackle in H.S. so he can just pull them down by their jersey or some other similar means, which won't be the case when he gets to ND. He's going to need a lot of time and is a big project IMO.
suave andrew | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 1:24 pm | #

Does anyone have any comment on the academic standpoint of this year's recruiting class? An anti-ND friend of mine was saying that ND must have stretched the academic standards a little bit in order to get the #2 class. I couldn't argue back because I didn't know.

Were there a lot more academically eligible star recruits this year? Did Charlie just know where to find them? I just hope we'll retain them once the Fall Midterms roll around...
Matt Z | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 1:24 pm | #

Matt, ND doesn't take non-quals like Alabama and the rest of the SEC. We also don't take JUCOs like Purdue, K-State, etc. We still have higher standards than the NCAA minimum, but they just aren't a night/day kind of distinction. That said, I think there were a few more "ND-type kids" in this year's pool of recruits. If you read the interviews of the kids we got, you'd be amazed. Not a single "University of LSU" kid - (snicker - Jos. Barksdale - snicker).
Thundershaker | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 2:04 pm | #

KLM made a great choice, but as for life after football, A&M wouldn't have been a bad choice either. I don't know the numbers, but I'd wager that A&M graduates the bulk of their players as compared to UTexas and Oklahoma.
Rome | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 2:19 pm | #

Good choice, kid. Good luck, and make the Aggies jealous.
Joe Subway | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 3:42 pm | #

Aggies do really well if they stay in Texas. Lots of jobs, lots of respect in state. If they leave, not so much.

As for the quality of students, we only need to land 23 players. We hunt down and find the best.
dbldomer7375 | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 5:57 pm | #

Pat,

You may want to add 'Super Bowl Champion' (badass, stud, etc.) to Justin Tuck.
ThE LoSt BoY | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 6:26 pm | #

as I trudged through all the highlight tapes (they look good), however KLM jumped out at me as a guy that has *cliche alert* motor that doesnt stop. If he can work on just a little techinique (like all of them can) he would be a monster hybrid DE/LB at about 255 of lean muscle
Gilligan28 | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 7:28 pm | #

I'm hoping he becomes the versatile and impactful "x" factor in the defense like Andre Jones (sans the #7 jersey).
18 moves | Email | Homepage | 02.11.08 - 11:01 pm | #

The 2nd Team All-District DE was a Rivals 4-star? Criminy, what was the 1st Team? And was that guy also the All-State selection?

I realize it's Texas, and that being 2nd Team in a district like Dallas or Houston might mean you're still a super stud, but dang.
Nate | Email | Homepage | 02.12.08 - 5:18 am | #

I felt Pat did an excellent job writing about the change-of-heart that KLM had. I am glad he is Irish.

Bubbly Face, where have you been for the past week?

I am pleased Suave Andrew is a great judge of talent...better than the defensive staff at ND.

Matt Z, I would think you would be pleased we got the outstanding recruiting class that we did.
Ted Eberle | Email | Homepage | 02.12.08 - 8:38 am | #

Johnson is a defensive end in a 3-4 or 4-3.
RJD | Email | Homepage | 02.12.08 - 10:49 am | #

Ted you nailed it.....Bubbly, you have got to keep up. I love adding a guy like KLM at the deadline. Go Irish!!! On a side note, I just received my boys Notre Dame bed set.....Nice.
Paul | Email | Homepage | 02.12.08 - 1:59 pm | #

I delved in a little deeper on the links Pat provided and I am super impressed by KLM's stats as a hoops player and even more by his ability to basically show up at the state indoor track meet and register a 54' effort in the shot put. The shot put is an excellent event to demonstrate explosiveness, quickness and power. I imagine that he'll probably toss it between 58' and 60' during the outdoor track season this Spring because he'll be lifting weights and practicing his SP technique instead of playing basketball every day. What a great "get" this kid appears to be!
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 02.12.08 - 7:29 pm | #