No reason to worry about our committed players

[johnnd05]

From the Observer:

Firm commitments
Strong recruiting class appears to be stable despite on-field struggles

By: Chris Hine
Posted: 9/20/07

After an 0-3 start to the season, Notre Dame is searching for positives.

One good sign for the future of the Irish is the strong recruits coach Charlie Weis has lined up for the class of 2012. And even after a sluggish start to the season, those verbals seem as solid as ever.

"I've spoken with a number of [recruits], and all of them were very much behind Notre Dame and the coaching staff," said Mike Frank, who covers Notre Dame recruiting on Irisheyes.com. "I think they realize this is a young team that's going through some growing pains and they also realize there's a very good chance that they'll be able to come in and play early and be part of the solution."

The Irish have 19 verbal commitments, including Sherman Oaks, Calif., quarterback Dayne Crist and Chicago linebacker Steve Filer. The Irish also hold the No. 1 rated class in the country according to both rivals.com and scout.com.

So far, recruits such as Chicago linebacker/defensive end Darius Fleming, still have faith the Irish can turn this season around.

"I wouldn't say I'm worried about it, but it's shocking," Fleming said. "I didn't expect anything like this."

Fleming said he has talked to defensive coordinator Corwin Brown and wide receivers coach Rob Ianello frequently since the beginning of the season. He plans to attend this weekend's game against Michigan State, and he's confident the team will improve. He is not having second thoughts about attending Notre Dame, he said.

"They're struggling right now and they're trying to fix some things. I'm not sure what needs to be fixed," Fleming said. "But I'm pretty sure they'll get it together."

Frank said Fleming's attitude reflects that of most of the recruits.

"We've spoken with almost all of them in the last week or so and they're all very much behind the coaching staff and they seem really firm in their commitment," Frank said.

Frank said recruits like the fact that Weis is not afraid to play some of his younger talent even though the team is struggling. Recruits are also attracted to the non-football facets of the University, Frank said. But without improvement in the next couple of weeks, those commitments may be hard to maintain.

"He will play the best player and that has been a big selling point," Frank said. "In the end, the recruits are very excited about the opportunity to come play at Notre Dame. I'm sure they'll be looking for improvement throughout the season. But I think as long as Weis and the staff can show they're improving and getting things done, they should be pretty good."

Former quarterback Demetrius Jones' transfer to Northern Illinois could also represent a stumbling block for Irish recruiting.

Jones, a highly touted prospect from the Chicago Public League, was unhappy with how Weis handled the team's quarterback situation. There is some speculation that his transfer could make recruits from the Chicago area reluctant to come to Notre Dame, but Frank said it should not be much of a problem.

"I think that first of all, there are some good football players in the Chicago Public League, but a lot of the better players are actually in the Catholic League," Frank said. "I don't think it's going to affect Notre Dame in any way - maybe a player or two - but I just highly doubt it. I think Corwin Brown is a great recruiter and he's in charge of recruiting that area and he will overcome any questions anybody would have regarding why Jones left."

[Newc]

Wow...that is really good news to hear. Thanks for the update John.

[johnnd05]

Originally Posted by newc122

Wow...that is really good news to hear. Thanks for the update John.

Sure thing. I figure you Sox fans can use some good ne ... oh, what the heck, it's just too easy!

[johnnd05]

(Via the Roundup. I don't know if there's anything to the Hunter/UF rumors; if so, count me as a little less confident than I come across here ...)

Via the Chicago Tribune's Brian Hamilton, here's some great stuff about the strength of the commitments among ND's 2008 recruiting class:

Dayne Crist is a part-time Christmas tree salesman in Southern California and a full-time committed recruit for the Notre Dame football team. This means his hour-long break from hawking evergreens is a rare escape from needles, of any kind.

"You know who you're talking to," Crist said. "You're talking to a kid from Los Angeles that's sitting in the heart of USC country."

The breadth and depth of the Irish's miseries this season spared few from collateral damage, and indeed Notre Dame's ballyhooed recruiting class endured more than a few caustic barbs.

Despite the slings and arrows that accompanied Notre Dame's outrageous misfortune, though, that class so far is undeterred. Not a single component of what is widely considered the nation's top talent haul has wavered publicly after the implosion of 2007.

Of course, some fallout zones were more toxic than others.

"It was just non-stop, people in my ear 'Oh my God, you're an idiot, why would you do that?' " Crist said. " 'You better get on the phone with [USC] coach [Pete] Carroll, I can't believe you made a decision like this, you're going to be terrible for the next four years.' I heard it all."

Similarly, here's superstar Chicago linebacker Darius Fleming:

"We know what Notre Dame is all about," said St. Rita linebacker Darius Fleming, who committed to the Irish in April. "We know that everyone has a bad year every now and then. Lately, Notre Dame hasn't had that bad year. Unfortunately, this year was it. But we're not going to let that continue."

And Ohio's Kyle Rudolph:

Never has one profession offered such compassion and selfless thinking, as coaches called Rudolph with the same refrain: It's a big decision. We don't want you to rush into it. We want you to check out all your options.

"They try to play that card," Rudolph said. "Then they'll be like, 'Are you sure that's what you want to get into?' They always pull that. I tell them, I'm solid with my commitment and I'm happy with my decision."

How has the staff managed to keep these kids on board despite the awfulness of the 2008 season?

"The majority of guys landed before Notre Dame even started its season," national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. "They had built up a relationship for a full year, so these kids seem almost like kin to the coaches, they're tied in to what they're saying and buy into being able to play right away."

...

The Irish's plan to match the recruits' commitment apparently was a successful ploy. Notre Dame didn't fax over game plans, but the staff apparently offered just enough of a taste, to where Crist felt "as if we were sitting in a meeting with the rest of the guys."

"In some instances, they asked me to evaluate the game, they asked me what I think I can add to the program," [Steve] Filer said.

The high level of camaraderie among the recruits hasn't hurt, either:

... [Charlie] Weis even remarked on the class essentially re-recruiting itself this season.

The running joke has offensive lineman Braxton Cave of Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind., as the "East Coast Ambassador" while Crist monitors things from the West Coast.

"We're always texting each other back and forth," Crist said. "We feel it's important to have that chemistry before getting into the school environment and team environment. Just getting a jump-start on what we're going to be doing up there anyway."

Said Fleming: "We just have a bond like crazy. I trust those guys like I've known them since I was born."

Good, good stuff, and it fits 100% with everything else we've been hearing all year. Read the whole thing.

[kjones]

Great Post Johnboy, I doff my reps to yours.