Pat,

I believe the hat color is more appropriately styled "bluegray."
DCDomer | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 11:08 am | #

I listened to an interview with Walker after his commitment, and he said he might continue to take visits to other schools.

Maybe he's just looking to get a few college trips out of this process (He said the visits would probably be "unofficial" trips to schools where he knows players). But it struck me as strange for a guy who just committed to sound so ... uncommitted at the end of the interview.

Then again, I heard a similar tone of uncertainty from Crist a few weeks back, and he's the most solid of solid guys right now.

So maybe it's just another example of why we shouldn't be dissecting the true intentions of 18 year olds.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 11:13 am | #

this class is amazing, and they are still in the hunt for about 6 more recruits, definitely the best class in about 15 years, now lets hope that everything sticks together as it looks it will. im excited about the future.
alberto | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 11:19 am | #

Sept 6 San Diego St will be puddin' time.
Jim 72 | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 11:26 am | #

What ever happened to that Quinn fellow?
Joe Subway | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 11:56 am | #

Subway--

Quinn has gone on to a fairly successful B-list athletic commercial career, putting all those good looks he sharpened during his time at ND to good use.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 12:03 pm | #

I've read stories tagging this class as "Charlie's Angels." Dayne Crist already named this class. They are the Band of Brothers.
DJ | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 12:03 pm | #

Wow, Quinn's last pass on that Rivals highlight real was pretty impressive.

Is it me or does that make Quinn look better than the 5 (Frazer, Jones, Sharpley, Clausen, Crist) guys ND has recruited since BQ?

Hmm . . . .

And he could run the option, too. . . I had no idea . . .
atepesm | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 12:11 pm | #

The difference between Quinn in the Army All-Star game and now is that it would take more than 1 guy to take him down on the option!
Golden Domer | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 12:39 pm | #

P.S. - I don't think Paris is going to see the field much anymore since he can't catch.

Whatever happened to George West? I thought he was going to be a star.... I think Paris, West, and Grimes has their chance and the next generation is going to be taking over!

Has anyone left ND since the end of the season? I heard a rumor that Munir Prince was going to transfer out but never heard another word.

Go Irish!
Golden Domer | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 12:42 pm | #

I wonder what Dick Winters of Easy Company would think of us nicknaming a bunch of 18 year old kids who haven't even spent a second in the same room together yet as a Band of Brothers.

It's fine for Crist to say it- he's an 18 year old kid. Most of the people who comment on BGS are not. I think a little perspective is in order.
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 12:58 pm | #

If the offensive line doesn't improve vastly next year, it won't matter if we have clones of Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Jerry Rice, eh?
c-stone | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 1:04 pm | #

Walker sounds like a great recruit. Welcome Deion!

Just a quick question about assistant coaches, particularly in light of c-stone's comment. Let's just use Latina as an example, since most people on this board are hoping to see him replaced. If CW waits until after signing day, are there going to be any qualified O-line coaches available at that time? And if he brings in someone from the NFL...one of "his guys"...will that person be adept at DEVELOPING young talent or will he be focused on blocking schemes?
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 1:18 pm | #

NavyJoe: lighten up. i don't think crist or anyone posting here is comparing the two. it's just a catchy phrase.
c-stone and erik: good points both. o-line is the key. the absolute key.
god they have to improve next year.

don't they?!?
M Jelic | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 1:39 pm | #

I'm not trying to be too serious, but I don't think you can call a group of guys A Band of Brothers without inviting comparisons (either consciously or subconsciously). Catchy or not, they certainly have done nothing to rate that nickname.

Imagine the outrage by ndnation if some other college started calling their backfield The Four Horseman. Now imagine if they hadn't even stepped on the field yet. You know it wouldn't be very pretty.

Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to seeing these guys play. It's just as far as nicknames go, in my mind, Band Of Brothers should have its number retired.
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 1:57 pm | #

Navy Joe, I have to agree with you on this one. If Crist wants to use that name, then so be it - he is actually part of that particular Band.

However, it is not our place or our right as fans and/or alum of Notre Dame to call that selfsame collection of HS Seniors "Band of Brothers". WE, not being a part of either the HS seniors or the Military Personnel who first coined the phrase, should not perpetuate a name that refers to soldiers who once protected our freedom to use such names in the first place.

If Crist wants to do it, then so be it. We should not.
chrisnd | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 2:07 pm | #

i will say the following:
1) all due respect to dick winters and the boys from easy company. true heroes that most of us in the modern world, myself included, will never touch in terms of duty, honor, bravery and sacrifice.
2) accordingly, there's no comparison b/w those airborne troopers and crist's bunch.
3) BUT, i repeat, i don't think anyone is implying there is. crist, i believe, just intended to mean they share a bond of kinship. no harm in that.
4) the term band of brothers incidentally, was coined by shakespeare. don't see the harm in dick winters stealing it 400 years later. nor in n.d. fans doing the same 60 years later (in a different context). everything is derivative.
5) i'll stop. go irish and best of luck in 2008.
M Jelic | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 2:12 pm | #

M Jelic,
Exactly right about Shakespeare, though he was using it in reference to a battle as well. But still, we use stuff like that all the time, like the Missouri-Kansas thing being the "Border War"...at least until this year. Of course, they're not equivalent, but similes are the spice of life.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 2:31 pm | #

"But we in it shall be remembered, we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. . . ."
Don E. Brook | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 2:41 pm | #

Be he never so vile, this day shall gentle his condition.
Anon | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 2:47 pm | #

I can't wait to add a couple of these guys to my ND Fantasy Team. So far I have Kamara and Walls. Perhaps my next two will be Crist and Cwynar.

What league you ask? How is it scored? Who else plays? Good questions....
Domer Guy | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 2:48 pm | #

For those of you who can remember- was Brady Quinn coming to ND considered a big deal?

I was a sophomore when he was recruited, and while I was obviously a big fan, I didn't really follow the recruiting aspect at the time. For the life of me, I just can't remember a big deal being made of it at the time, which is somewhat surprising, considering he obviously was thought to be one of the better QB's in the country since he was in the Army All American game.
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 3:13 pm | #

You people realize that 'Band of Brothers' is a term that derives from Shakespeare right? The actual soldiers of Easy Company didn't even come up with it for themselves, it came from Steven Ambrose who was the author of the book.

'Band of Brothers' has been used for HUNDREDS OF YEARS describing a group of young men who are real tight with each other.

"We few, we lucky few, we band of brothers."
jp | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 3:19 pm | #

NavyJoe,

I was on campus when Quinn was recruited as well, but I did not follow recruting as closely as I do know. I remember it being considered a big deal to get such a good QB recruit, that he was part of Ty's best recruiting class, and that we got him because "he always wanted to go to Notre Dame."

That's my recollection, though it might not be accurate.
JM | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 3:37 pm | #

I understand where the term comes from. I also understand that the "brothers" Shakespeare referred to were "brothers in arms."

Yes, the phrase has been around for hundreds of years. However, in society today, can you honestly name another group of people that have been dubbed a "Band of Brothers" other than those gentlemen of Easy Company. I can't.

I was simply expressing my opinion that we should probably let these guys do something on the field- you know, overcome some real adversity, before WE tab them with a nickname that has historical significance of legendary proportions (even Vince Vaughn made mention to it in a movie). As for the players themselves, they can call themselves whatever they want...
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 3:49 pm | #

JM, thanks. I vaguely remember it being newsworthy, but not much more. I was just wondering if it was on the same level of excitement when Crist committed ( I know it wasn't as big as when Clausen did).
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 3:55 pm | #

Wow.

The comments regarding the use of the terminology for a group of kids is strange to me. It shows how badly we need news without a bowl game to talk about.


The AA games really made me feel good. We've had nothing but bad news for some time, and finally something good happened. I can't remember ever being so excited about a class. We could still have 4-5 guys from this class decommit (knock on wood) and it would STILL be the best class we've had in forever.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 3:56 pm | #

Its rumored that Joe Paterno will be visiting Walker on January 13th. Anyone else hear this? and what will Weis do about it if its True?
bengalsfan8888 | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 4:21 pm | #

The Doobies are the only other "band" of "brothers" that come to mind.
Southside | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 4:22 pm | #

What about the Smuthers Brothers?
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 4:26 pm | #

Maybe they are a "duet" of Brothers and not a "band"...
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 4:26 pm | #

I believe I am remembering this correctly, but landing Quinn was, in fact, a huge deal. He was down to Michigan and ND, then visited ND during the ND-Mich game during TW's first year. ND upset Michigan, and Quinn comitted the next day.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 4:37 pm | #

I disagree with Anonymous's comment from 4:37 pm. Someone once commented on this site that Brady Quinn wasn't "landed" or "recruited." According to that commenter, he was only offered a scholarship after Ndukwe, who was being recruited by the school, pointed out that BQ was a pretty good QB and a huge ND fan. I think that would explain why so few people remember him getting the hype that our "Band of Brothers" (sorry, couldn't resist) is getting.
Robert Bolling | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 5:45 pm | #

There's also the Allman Brothers...I know they were definitely considered a "band".
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 5:51 pm | #

NavyJoe,

I'd expect a Navy mane to know that Admiral Nelson's captains from the Nile and Trafalgar were also referred to as a "Band of Brothers."

With that bit of condescension from me, I vote to put this ridiculous topic to bed.
DCDomer | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 5:54 pm | #

If the Spice Girls have all had children then I would call them a Band of Mothers. The Go-Go's are probaby a Band of Grandmothers by now.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 6:04 pm | #

Lynrd Skynrd had the Van Zant brothers.

And Voice, you are right, but Jane Wiedlin from the Go-Go's still looks pretty hot for a Grandmother!
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 6:14 pm | #

Robert, I heard the same story regardng BQ.

What about the Jackson 5?
OC mj | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 6:30 pm | #

Does anyone care to post a prediction on tonight's game? Actually, a better question is "Does anyone care?"
OC mj | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 6:52 pm | #

LSU 34, tOSU 17
Domer Guy | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 7:16 pm | #

I would care if they had a "brother's band" playing at the half time show.
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 7:31 pm | #

There's a game tonight?
Catz | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 7:33 pm | #

Maybe the "Bacon Brothers"...
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 7:34 pm | #

OCmj:
You are right--two schools whose combined graduation rate is lower than ND's. To give some perspective, LSU has won one national championship in the last 50 years, OSU has won two and needed a felon (Clarett) and favorable officiating to do it.
Lush | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 7:43 pm | #

Let's not forget the Brothers Gibb, more commonly known as the Bee Gee's or the Neville Brothers out of New Orleans.
Knoxville Irish | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 8:34 pm | #

Or the brothers Bachman, known as Bachman-Turner Overdrive out of Canada.

I see Cheaty MacSweatervest is making a new fashion statement. Maybe he feared having his face turn as red as his vest if he posts another loss like last year.
OC mj | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 8:44 pm | #

What about the Hanson Brothers? No, I don't mean that wussy little pop band, I mean the Hanson Brothers from the movie, Slapshot. ND Hockey has Christian Hanson playing and doing quite well for them and he is the son Dave Hanson (the blond Hanson Brother). Great article on him in Blue & Gold Illustrated.
GO IRISH!!! | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 8:57 pm | #

Can someone tell me what is an "Interdisciplinary Studies" major and what kind of courses does one take in this study?
Knoxville Irish | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 9:00 pm | #

Whatever class we get they'll be no Baldwin Brothers, even after Stephen found Jesus.
mark | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 9:47 pm | #

I had to deal w/ buckeye junk all day. One guy had a buckeye necklace on, the other was like "O.H" "I.O". 1/2 never played a down of football. All this Go Bucks nonesense, and then 10 text msgs in the 1st quarter. Don't hear anything now. Their fans are horrible. Go LSU. God bless the Irish.

P.s. We need a kicker to kick out of the endzone, and Weis needs to try and punt when on the 50 to pin opponents back.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:01 pm | #

Here is the description of Virginia Tech's Interdisciplinary Studies Program:

"By broad definition, Interdisciplinary Studies encompasses those endeavors that serve to explore how the natural, artificial, and cultural dimensions of our world "fit together." Blah Blah Blah..."concepts of social justice through lenses of diversity and difference"

Had I known there was a major that would allow me to analyze concepts of social justice through lenses of diversity and difference, well, things might have turned out much much differently for this regret-filled, internet blog comment section-posting Domer. Alas...
Alum Son | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:04 pm | #

I completely agree that osu fans are the worst. My phone was ringing off the hook at the beginning of the game. I hope LSU puts up 30 more so everyone realizes what a joke the buckeyes are.

1) Its easy to have the #1 D if you play a MAC schedule and D1-AA teams

2) Osu already has 3 unsportsmanlike penalties. I wonder if they will get into a fight after the game like they did vs. Illinois. thugs
mudomer | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:07 pm | #

What's with that drug rug Jamarcus Russel is wearing, and did he lose a bet with that chain?
mark | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:21 pm | #

GO IRISH!!!, I totally agree about Weidlin, but Belinda Carlisle has always put the giddy up in my go-go.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:25 pm | #

Jez, Crist was quoting Shakespeare's Henry V - not Easy company.
yago | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:30 pm | #

Lot of time left in the game but if tOSU goes on to lose, would it be fair to compare them to the Buffalo Bills of the early 90's?
Knoxville Irish | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:45 pm | #

As a Humanitarian, I certainly hope that the Columbus, Ohio Suicide Hotline is adequately staffed tonight. This will the third time in twelve months!
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 10:50 pm | #

Domers,

Where is Gators-and-Tigers-is-not-right?

Voice,

Agree on Belinda. She had a good set of (ahem)... lungs.
ThE LoSt BoY | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 11:03 pm | #

Not an interception. great. These boneheads are gonna start again. Hoping LSU can put them out of their misery, and I can see some crying OSU fans in the stadium. Total Thugs.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.07.08 - 11:04 pm | #

i used to hate osu fans until i met lsu fans.
me | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 12:12 am | #

Reality check boyz and girls:
How far away are the Irish to compete against the likes of OSU, LSU, USC, UM?
Thankfully for OSU fans, Miles won't be kicking their butts for the next decade or so.
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 12:18 am | #

The phone lines are blazing in Columbus!
OC mj | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 1:38 am | #

If anyone happens to find themselves on the tOSU campus during the next 12 months or so, and would like to gain entry into the football offices, the new passcode is 3824. FYI.
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 8:06 am | #

"Lot of time left in the game but if tOSU goes on to lose, would it be fair to compare them to the Buffalo Bills of the early 90's?"

No, it's not appropriate. The Bills had to beat some tough teams on their schedule to get there.
bgr | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 8:21 am | #

Let's not go overboard analzing a statement by an 18 year old (Dane Crist). Instead, let's just be grateful for the outstanding recruiting by CW and his staff and that the kid has chosen Notre Dame. That latter statement applies to the other 21 recruits (currently).

Could someone identify who the other uncommitted high school players are that ND is in the hunt for on national signing day? Also, what does the rumor mill say about commits to other programs who might be rethinking the Irish?
Ted | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 8:55 am | #

"The Bills had to beat some tough teams on their schedule to get there."

Oh how correct you are! I would add one more point in that former Bills coach Marv Levy was actually someone I respected unlike the vested wonder.
Knoxville Irish | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 9:10 am | #

For all the kudos and say hallelujahs that continue to find it's ways to Pete Carroll, U$C has one the same number of mnc's as OSU and one less than LSU.
Tressel has had OSU in three championship games in seven years, not a bad coaching resume.
Miles, not too shabby himself, 3 eleven win season in 3 attempts at LSU and beat OU two or three times in his five years at OSU.
LSU's last two BCS apperances, handy wins against the Irish and Bucks.
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 9:33 am | #

Jim Masterson,

Well said. Notre Dame is ways away from being a national championship caliber team. We should start playing some defense first, then we'll see if we can challenge for the golden ring. We are 2-3 years away from contending if things go right.

A 3-9 team's fan base should not be enjoying an all-you-can-eat shadenfruede buffet at OSU's expense if we care to remember last year's Sugar Bowl. Humility is a virtue, and virtue is its own reward.
Sean Fitzgerald | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 9:43 am | #

@ Domer Guy: Nice prediction! Hope you placed some money on it.

@ Knoxville: The Interdisciplinary Studies is the update of the General Studies crap from the late 80s. With the former, you took a huge batch of intro courses, and never went deep into anything. With the latter, you basically cobble together your own major around a "theme" that gets a blessing from an academic "advisor."
Pretty ridiculous all around.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 9:55 am | #

It's not so much schadefreude as a satisfaction that those who try to schedule their way to a championship game (Youngstown St, Akron, Kent St, etc) eventually, to paraphrase Forde, end up rising to the level of their incompetence. No doubt, the same can be said about ND since we regularly get into bowls that are better than our talent deserves, but that is more due to money and ratings than drifting up the rankings with wins over patsy schedules.
bgr | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 10:03 am | #

Completely out of context....I noticed a lot of LSU guys majoring Interdisciplinary studies....I hope they can spell that...It is a sort of self directed major, but the don't call it a major. You pick a topic you like, I guess like dancing or sandbox and they work some related courses into it. I'm not big on college training you, like a trade school but this is absurd. Google interdisciplinary studies and check out the description of what it is on the U CAl Long Beach campus.
captain jack | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 10:55 am | #

Lmao at the Bills trash talk. I believe Osu won a championship in 2002 so that wouldn't qualify them as "Bills". Hats off to Lsu just a better team.

Some things to remember:
1. Osu was supposed to be rebuilding this year with 3-4 losses dueling for a florida bowl game.
2. Return 19-22 starters
3. You still have Charlie Weis and the worst ND team ever to throw in Osu fans faces.
tOsu is Righteous | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 11:21 am | #

After watching rivals.com video of 1 on 1 pass pro....and watching him on his other films....Lane Clelland may be the best OL in the country. He is not as big as some of the other guys, but his footwork is out standing and he has attitude. That is one of the many things that we lacked on the OL this year......a little pride in playing with your hand in the dirt.
ZachBNC | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 11:21 am | #

Last night's game reminded me of the Fiesta Bowl two years ago, but with OSU recast as Notre Dame.

They scored first, but were thoroughly outclassed and never really in it, and the 14 point final spread was flattering.

And yet, that Fiesta Bowl seems like the good old days now.

I guess what I'm saying is: pull it together guys, my self-esteem is based largely on Notre Dame's football record.

Go Irish! Go me!
Joe Subway | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 11:38 am | #

ZachBNC -

Not to knock one of our own, but last week Clelland struggled against the competition at the AA game. When he's done wrestling and puts on weight and strength, he may well be a good one, but it's going to be a couple years based on what the recruitniks have been saying.

Maybe he can teach the others how to play with an attitude in the meantime, we could use it.
jaisn | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 11:41 am | #

um, i think the comparison of tOsu to the bills was made by the announcers on fox, not anyone on this thread.

and no matter who you root for, you have to admit the buck's sos this past year was a far cry from what it has been in recent memory, esp ooc, and as the big ten was 3-5 in bowl games (with one win coming against central mich - by 3), doesn't seem like the conference was that strong either.
yz | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 12:47 pm | #

tOSU is Righteous,
(1) Don't you have better things to do than sit around and troll ND boards?
(2) Yes, it was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but you play in a joke of a conference (see Forde's article on ESPN) with an even bigger joke of an out-of-conference schedule. So there are 20 other teams out there that could have posted a 10-1 record with that schedule.
(3) Really, we had a bad year? Wow, thanks for reminding us. We had almost totally forgotten. You'll notice that people here are pretty forthcoming about that including the fact that we, like the Big 10, frequently get put in bowl games over our head.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 12:47 pm | #

http://www.mnbc.msn.com/id/22548890

"You can call Buckeyes THE Buffalo Bills".
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 12:51 pm | #

sorry,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22548890
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 12:52 pm | #

You guys have no soul, no funk, nothin.' You forgot the Isley Brothers, The Brothers Johnson and about 5 Jacksons.
Tito | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 1:22 pm | #

I didn't see the AA game. But as a former collegge offensive lineman and hs OL coach, he has the footwork to handle playing.

Wrestling weight loss has probably killed him, however, his footwork is amazing...
ZachBNC | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 1:25 pm | #

You also have to remember, the kid hadn't played in nearly 2 months....that is a tough lay off, especially if he wrestled during it.
ZachBNC | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 1:33 pm | #

It has finally been confirmed that Munir Prince is in fact transferring to Missouri.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday...FB? OpenDocument

Best of luck to him.
Jade | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 1:34 pm | #

Good luck to Munir. Although I kinda wish we'd been able to hear that WOOSH Coach Weis talked about.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 2:03 pm | #

I would like to announce that I am still firmly committed to cheering for Notre Dame... forever. Thank you.
Fighting Binny | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 2:06 pm | #

LOL @ Binny, nice to hear. I am on board as well. Perhaps we can form our own Band of . . . blog commenters?
Domer Guy | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 2:15 pm | #

" Don't tase me bro."
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 2:32 pm | #

With Prince transferring to Mo. the jr. to be class is down from 28, to 23. That's a 20% attrition rate.
2 QB's
1 TE
1 OL
1 Db/RB.
CW was so upbeat about all 5 of these kids. Is it okay to have a 20% attrition rate, or is it something to be alarmed with?
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 3:32 pm | #

no kidding! I'm a little alarmed.
Shadow Hawkins | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 3:59 pm | #

People transfer when they can't play. Ask Dorsey Levens and Zak Kustok.
Bill | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 4:08 pm | #

Hindsight is 20/20 so let me put on my glasses. Weis prasied Prince for his 'whoosh' in practice yet no one ever saw that on the field. Makes you think about the level of talent he was whooshing against.

But all in all, I don't have a problem with the transfer. The secondary has depth as well as TB, so it is ok.
PM | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 4:34 pm | #

Bill; Zak and Dorsey went on to have stellar college careers.
Does the question become rhetorical: do you come to ND to primarily play football or to pursue a level of excellence in both academics and athletics?
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 4:46 pm | #

PM, I was thinking about that 'woosh' thing back in 2006 when both Aldridge and Prince ran the ball a few times. In drills at practice without full contact, I'm sure that Prince was (is) as fast as advertised. His problem at halfback was his size; when he got hit, he got hit hard and had little potential for yards after contact.

With the transfer to defense coming in 2007 when it did, I think the Irish already had their dance card filled at corner. Hopefully he will get his chance to shine at Missouri.

Best of luck Munir.
Don E. Brook | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 5:54 pm | #

A perspective:

OSU is the only Big 10 team in the last 40 plus years to win the NC outright i.e., not shared. They have done it twice--1968 and 2003, the latter with a criminal (Maurice Clarett). Two NCs in 40 plus years just about matches their graduation rate.
Lush | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 6:48 pm | #

Bruce Feldman ranks the 10 teams he thinks will make the biggest jump up next year. Guess who is #1?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/co...ruce& id=3171464
bgr | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 8:30 pm | #

20% attrition rate is not such a bad thing if have large talented classes that can obsorb the impact. Only the best players will play. The rest either play support roles or quit.
BigE | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 8:32 pm | #

I saw the writing on the wall for Munir the few times he carried the ball freshmnan year. His move to D was a move of desperation. The sad reality is that 2 out of 3 recruits don't meet their own expectations, let alone the coachs'. I always feel badly for the kids who all expect to be the next Rocket or Bus, and can't even get on the field.
Good luck to Munir.
canuck75 | Email | Homepage | 01.08.08 - 10:39 pm | #

FWIW; The AP is reporting that the two UM receivers, Manningham and Arrington are declaaring for the nfl draft, and Mallet is transferring. It sounds as if Rodriquez is non-pulsed by it all. Mallet to UCLA?
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 1:11 am | #

I don't find it strange that that would happen up at UM, and I doubt it suprised Rodriguez at all. Whole sale change, and loss of four year starters from QB, LT, and RB (not to mention to D players going pro) doesn't leave a whole lot to look forward to for those WRs. They have a better shot at going pro now than spending their senior year running around blocking all game long.

As for Mallet, I think he started looking for a chance to go somewhere else the minute he heard Rodriguez's name mentioned. Oddly enough, Mallet is a prototypical Michigan QB, huge, strong, and with a big arm. I'm sure his future is bright wherever he goes.

The question is, who plays QB for Michigan next year? Terrelle Prior is a possibility (wore a Michigan hoodie to the AA game) but other than that or maybe a JUCO, who do they have?
Brad | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 2:13 am | #

I see where Meat-chicken is losing Ryan Mallet to xfer, Manningham & Arrington to the NFL. Old Dick Rod is going to have a tugher job than he expected in year 1.
gwzimm | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 6:29 am | #

NBC has a good video on the upcoming Irish recruits from their Irish Live show. Hat tip to fighting doug over at Gold Helmet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/ 2113...493006#22493006
Eddie | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 8:42 am | #

Necroposting alert, but what about the Van Halen boys? They had a little band called...something...I can't quite remember...someone help me out.

I said aloud (with my six-year-old to witness it) that Mallet would transfer when I heard Rodriguez's name announced as the Michigan coach. The loss of the WRs makes sense, too, for the same reasons. Welcome to the spread offense, Wolverines. You, too, can now choke games down the stretch to your rivals...oh wait.

This does, of course, mean that when we beat them this coming year, the pundits will be like "yeah, but this is a team that is rebuilding...in a few years when Rodriguez has his people in place, they'll be a power". Just like they kept saying last night on the Michigan/Indiana basketball game as Michigan fired up yet another ill-fated and poorly-taken three-pointer. "Just you wait until Beilein gets his players in here". Ugh. Please.
Matt J. | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 9:01 am | #

We've been saying the same thing about CW for 3 years now, it's the same with every coaching change.

bgr, in order to make a big leap a team has to be really bad the year before. It doesn't get much worse than 3-9 (unless you're Duke, but there's no hope there). Either way, I'm looking forward to big gains next year as well. GO IRISH!
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 9:48 am | #

Erik 04:
I agree. I too look forward to improvemnt in 08, but after 3-9, how could we not improve?
Come to think of it, I'm a regular troller of this message board, and haven't yet seen much of any threads on the question "how many games does the team need to win next year for CW to be inviited back?"
I'll start the ball rolling with 7. Seven and he gets one more chance, to see if he can take it to 9 or more in 09. Anything less, and the gate will shut for the big man.
M Jelic | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 9:59 am | #

Of course, you're right that you have to be really bad, but you could be really bad and stay really bad. At least Feldman thinks that we're not just getting better, but that the improvement will be drastic rather than incremental. Looking at the schedule I think that 8 wins is quite reasonable: SDSU, Purdue (losing a bunch to graduation), Stanford, UNC, UW, Pitt, Navy, Syracuse. All those seem winnable to me, though of course they aren't "locks". As for the others, Michigan loses almost everyone on the O-side, BC gets hit by graduation, and MSU will be solid but not fantastic. So I expect us to be competitive in those three but wouldn't be surprised if we lost. Then we get the yearly beatdown by USC.
bgr | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 10:21 am | #

Jim Masterson,

I was just saying that you can't cite the transfers as reason to be concerned about ND football. Players transfer all the time and it happened under Holtz too. Gus Ornstein? I think all athletes want a chance to see the field and that is their primary concern. In this age where the NCAA can't limit the TV exposure of smaller programs, players will go where they can play rather than sit on the bench of a power school.
Bill | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 11:29 am | #

It may be a tad too early for me to guess at win #s for next year... I think I'll wait until after the Blue and Gold game to see how much improvement there might have been over the winter. That said, I agree with most of bgr's win picks, but find it interesting that three of them (UNC, UW, Pitt) are all on Feldman's list of teams that will be better next year. :)
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 01.09.08 - 11:36 am | #