'13 PA ATH Alex Anzalone (Florida Early Enrollee)

[NDdomer2]

Personally, I would be more worried if you didn't hear anything about Anzalone visiting and then week of he showed up. This is weeks before and it is out. Sounds like a kid who knows what he wants to me.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Here's a different take. The kids parents went to Florida, no? They're going regardless for what, parents night? He gets a free trip? He gets to see what a #1 team looks like in person? Why wouldn't he go?? I would! If I were committed to ND and I could go with my parents to see the #1 team play their alma matter, I'd definitely go. I didn't read all of the posts so forgive me if my theory is misguided.

The thing is that there is absolutely an innocent explanation, but there is also absolutely reason to worry based on the recent history of every recruit from every school. I hope he ends up Irish, but the one thing I have committed to stop doing is counting on kids who are taking visits, even one's like this one that appear to be 100% legit.

As far as Allgator, I like having him around and do not really find him out-of-bounds obnoxious at all with one possible exception. However, I think we should be able to mock Florida endlessly while not tolerating anything negative about ND that we don't like (unless its really, really funny). This is not a nuetral site!

 

[koonja]

]The thing is that there is absolutely an innocent explanation, but there is also absolutely reason to worry based on the recent history of every recruit from every school. I hope he ends up Irish, but the one thing I have committed to stop doing is counting on kids who are taking visits, even one's like this one that appear to be 100% legit.[/B]

As far as Allgator, I like having him around and do not really find him out-of-bounds obnoxious at all with one possible exception. However, I think we should be able to mock Florida endlessly while not tolerating anything negative about ND that we don't like (unless its really, really funny). This is not a nuetral site!

I agree that this seems to be the recipe for a decommit. Visited Florida for that camp, parents are alums, it's his childhood favorite, and he's visiting with his parents for the LSU game. BUT, he seems to have made friends with his ND class (and more-so if Randolph commits... people underestimate how important the 'bond' is between commits due to social media... totally different recruiting world than it was 6 years ago), and he seems like a smart, well spoken kid. Not the type of kid who decommits twice without good reason (i.e., fired coach, sanctions, etc). I think we'll be alright. At the very least, we lead.

 

[rtrn2glory]

any veteran would know that something like this was going to happen with one of our commits...just with the way things unfolded last year makes us so paranoid. he seemed to be the most likely all along and now no one should be surprised here.

we just need to focus on having a solid year on the field and if that happens imo we have nothing to worry about on the recruiting front.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I was going to mention it after Randolph committs, but someone already got it. It is good logic. With Randolph, Smith, and Heurman, (as well as others) I think the chance of AA going anywhere else drops tremendously.

 

[NYMIKE6]

NyMike6 endorses this geniusness.

 

[nsisk157]

I was going to mention it after Randolph committs, but someone already got it. It is good logic. With Randolph, Smith, and Heurman, (as well as others) I think the chance of AA going anywhere else drops tremendously.

For some reason, and it may have been touched on in a prior post, I think the opposite. With all the talent already committed and the possibility of two more lads coming in, I would think that would give him an easy out to decommit.

Maybe I am a constant pessimist, and I certainly hope my logic isn't true, but if this class holds and we add the other two LB prospects........wowza.

 

[irishff1014]

WIN and the rest takes cares of its self.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

For some reason, and it may have been touched on in a prior post, I think the opposite. With all the talent already committed and the possibility of two more lads coming in, I would think that would give him an easy out to decommit.

Maybe I am a constant pessimist, and I certainly hope my logic isn't true, but if this class holds and we add the other two LB prospects........wowza.

Only one linebacker prospect that will be added. We have four. We need five? We can use five?

The thing is the one that is coming in is AA' s good friend along with the two other recruits I mentioned.

 

[irishfanjho15]

For some reason, and it may have been touched on in a prior post, I think the opposite. With all the talent already committed and the possibility of two more lads coming in, I would think that would give him an easy out to decommit.

Maybe I am a constant pessimist, and I certainly hope my logic isn't true, but if this class holds and we add the other two LB prospects........wowza.

Again, they don't play the same position.

 

[rtrn2glory]

For some reason, and it may have been touched on in a prior post, I think the opposite. With all the talent already committed and the possibility of two more lads coming in, I would think that would give him an easy out to decommit.

Maybe I am a constant pessimist, and I certainly hope my logic isn't true, but if this class holds and we add the other two LB prospects........wowza.

imo it would be silly to decommit b/cyou're afraid of competition, especially if he would go to Florida where i'm sure it is just as hard to crack the lineup.

bottom line is if you're a big time college football player, there's going to be tough competition where ever you end up

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Again, they don't play the same position.

Who does? Because, with respect, I have seen some stupid things on here about who is playing what position, that don't have anything to do with Kelly's staff and decisions.

And, then there is the personality Kelly recruits, and the way he plays players. Since more than one linebacker plays during the game (even witnessed against Navy), maybe these young ball players on their way to self actualization would rather sub in and out with their buddies, than worrying about being the only trick pony in town.

(Mixed metaphor on purpose.)

 

[Emcee77]

CAT OLB

Randolph or Anzalone? After watching his film, and the more I think about it, the more I like Randolph at CAT. He doesn't quite have Ishaq size but he has a long, loose frame and he looks like he could put on some serious weight.

Anzalone, I feel like he could realistically play any of the four linebacker slots if we needed him too. Better fit at ILB for us, but an athlete like him can play inside or outside.

 

[irishfanjho15]

Who does? Because, with respect, I have seen some stupid things on here about who is playing what position, that don't have anything to do with Kelly's staff and decisions.

And, then there is the personality Kelly recruits, and the way he plays players. Since more than one linebacker plays during the game (even witnessed against Navy), maybe these young ball players on their way to self actualization would rather sub in and out with their buddies, than worrying about being the only trick pony in town.

(Mixed metaphor on purpose.)

Anzalone and Randolph. Philosophically, with this defense, they would not be recruited to play the same spots. I was saying that a linebacker like Randolph should not deter Anzalone away in regards to PT or playing position.

I think from the post I quoted it would be easy to infer that the poster was saying that Randolph could scare Anzalone away. Since Anzalone and Randolph are considered buds and neither should be afraid of competition given their talents, one would fine it completely reasonable to infer that the poster believed they would play the same position. IMHO, which is not the coaching staffs, is that these guys are not going to play the same position.

Randolph looks to be a CAT while Anzalone looks to be an inside linebacker (at WILL or MIKE).

Randolph Deeb Anzalone Jaylon
CAT WILL MIKE DOG

Even though I think Anzalone and Deeb could be switched. Just IMHO though. I see Anzalone being the defensive leader at MIKE.

 

[Emcee77]

AA told Sapp that him and Deeb patrolling the middle, with Jaylon, Mattingly and Randolph on the edges, would be "DIRTY!!!" Let's not sweat an AA decommit on account of the Randolph commit.

 

[Ironman8]

Irish Sports Daily ‏@ISDUpdate

Alex Anzalone: "I'm committed to #ND for a reason. If I had doubts I wouldn't be committed because it wouldn't be fair to the coaches."

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

I love that statement.

Those backers are scary good.

 

[PraetorianND]

Irish Sports Daily ‏@ISDUpdate

Alex Anzalone: "I'm committed to #ND for a reason. If I had doubts I wouldn't be committed because it wouldn't be fair to the coaches."

This makes me happy.

 

[irishff1014]

AA is showing the real reason he chose ND. We are getting very good Young men to come to ND with the staffs coaching this defense is going to be exciting. Wow great job By the coaching staff.

 

[Old Man Mike]

This is a bunch of play destroyers, and Alex Anzalone is afraid of nothing. What a powerhouse electric bunch this crew is going to be. All we need to do is keep the line-of-scrimmage breaking monsters available in front of them. Day, Jones, and Okwara will be part of that story, and hopefully so too their own classmates Matuska and Rochell. [I want another D-Lineman here though to balance this out].

 

[irishfanjho15]

This is a bunch of play destroyers, and Alex Anzalone is afraid of nothing. What a powerhouse electric bunch this crew is going to be. All we need to do is keep the line-of-scrimmage breaking monsters available in front of them. Day, Jones, and Okwara will be part of that story, and hopefully so too their own classmates Matuska and Rochell. [I want another D-Lineman here though to balance this out].

Who do you like in this class at DL/DT OMM? Anyone we might have a legit shot at? I think Day ends up a NT before it's said and done, IMHO.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I don't see any DTs on the horizon for us this year unless we have an in on some hidden flip possibility --- of which i"ve heard nothing. "Wait till next year" I guess is the word. We can survive this hole in the recruiting especially if we hold Jarron Jones out --- but I'm not even sure if he played vs Navy at the moment --- practically everybody did. Rochell is going to be a fine D-lineman, but he doesn't look the part of the "space-eater" I'm talking about. Day can ultimately play NT and I think that he will. He and Jones could cover that until a 2014 got in and past his frosh year, a la Big Lou. But you can't count on every recruit, so that's why you take more of the bigs than the minimum. Lots of guys bust out on D-Line. Or are mediocre --- and we are finding out that you cannot be mediocre on the D-Line. Everything begins there.

Just imagine Big Lou leaving and Stephon thinking he's ready early. These linebackers we're talking about are sophomores and there is only Sheldon, Jarron, Romeo, and Isaac, with Chase and Tony as greybeards. Those guys are good, but it's not Lou, Stephon, KLM, with Sheldon, Chase, Kona, and Tony as back-ups. Particularly, there is no Lou. That guy stacks it up. End of story. He stacks it up and Manti et al clean it up. I want Lou-two. No one seems close to qualifying, Sheldon being the closest.

 

[irishfanjho15]

I don't see any DTs on the horizon for us this year unless we have an in on some hidden flip possibility --- of which i"ve heard nothing. "Wait till next year" I guess is the word. We can survive this hole in the recruiting especially if we hold Jarron Jones out --- but I'm not even sure if he played vs Navy at the moment --- practically everybody did. Rochell is going to be a fine D-lineman, but he doesn't look the part of the "space-eater" I'm talking about. Day can ultimately play NT and I think that he will. He and Jones could cover that until a 2014 got in and past his frosh year, a la Big Lou. But you can't count on every recruit, so that's why you take more of the bigs than the minimum. Lots of guys bust out on D-Line. Or are mediocre --- and we are finding out that you cannot be mediocre on the D-Line. Everything begins there.

Just imagine Big Lou leaving and Stephon thinking he's ready early. These linebackers we're talking about are sophomores and there is only Sheldon, Jarron, Romeo, and Isaac, with Chase and Tony as greybeards. Those guys are good, but it's not Lou, Stephon, KLM, with Sheldon, Chase, Kona, and Tony as back-ups. Particularly, there is no Lou. That guy stacks it up. End of story. He stacks it up and Manti et al clean it up. I want Lou-two. No one seems close to qualifying, Sheldon being the closest.

Who you like in '14 at NT specificially?

 

[Old Man Mike]

Dreaming?? If we have a good season we could have a shot a Khairi Clark from Florida, I suppose. There's a kid from Illinois who has far less "pub" but fits the NT body type and we seem to be interested. There's a Samoan-ethnicity big time strongside DE from California who probably could be a Tuitt type, and I like the Samoan hitting and toughness traditions. I'm not following 2014 closely yet.

 

[beryirish]

Irish Sports Daily ‏@ISDUpdate
Alex Anzalone: "I'm committed to #ND for a reason. If I had doubts I wouldn't be committed because it wouldn't be fair to the coaches."

alright everybody. Don't freak out!

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j6lV_Vmf938?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[IrishLax]

Recent comments from Alex per ISD:

LB commit Alex Anzalone on Randolph's decision:
"He's one of my really good friends. I'm really happy he joined the mob and I love what he stands for. Great fit at ND"

Anzalone on Randolph's decision possibly strengthening his own:
"I'm committed to ND for a reason. If I had doubts I wouldn't be committed because it wouldn't be fair to the coaches."

Like I said a couple pages ago, I don't really see the point in worrying over things. Right now it's much ado about absolutely nothing... things in recruiting are always subject to change, but that's my humble opinion of things in their current state.

EDIT: second quote is a repost, but wanted to get that in there because I think it also speaks to situation. He's got a good bond with many of the guys in this class and also has a number of non-football related reasons for being committed. Hard to envision things changing unless ND absolutely tanks from here on out *knock on wood*

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Our linebacker recruiting has been sick. Now the staff needs to land some studs in the secondary.

 

[irishandy]

I really trust this coaching staff and if I am a recruit (committed or being pursued by ND) I am pleased with seeing 10 freshman play against Navy last week.
1 word sums up keeping all of our recruits- WIN and also keeping a good relationship with them.
AA has a lot going for him-- enrolling early @ ND, taking over wearing #5, and being apart of an elite class. Also didn't Manti talk to AA personally??

 

[stlnd01]

He is taking an official to us, right? When?
Yesterday's quotes certainly don't sound like he's wavering.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

This kid's team is loaded. Probably won't be tested until district playoffs.

Ranked #2 in the state in AA ball