Notre Dame back in recruiting game
Weis has made Fighting Irish a threat in Ohio
By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS | When Bob Crable was a two-time All-American linebacker at Notre Dame in the early 1980s, he could look around the locker room and find dozens of players from his native Ohio.
TOP CLASSES
Current ranking of top recruiting classes for 2006.
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame
5. LSU
Source: Rivals.com
But while the Irish's influence in the state has waned over the years, Crable believes charismatic new coach Charlie Weis has given the program the mojo it needs to gain a foothold again.
"They have a football team that's winning games, and you can see there's something there," said Crable, who led Cincinnati Moeller to three mythical state titles in the 1970s and has been head coach at the school for the past five years. "The belief is there. The confidence is there. And people are attracted to that."
Four Super Bowl rings have given Weis instant credibility, too.
"One nice thing Charlie has done — and it's probably because he's a Notre Dame guy — is that you don't hear him complain about the high academic standards," Crable said. "He just says, 'Give me what (players) I can get, and I'll do what I need to do.' "
The former New England Patriots and New York Giants assistant has already picked up 24 commitments among high school seniors, and his 2006 recruiting class is currently rated fourth nationally by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.
Three of the players are Ohioans: Cleveland St. Ignatius receiver Robby Parris and defensive end John Ryan and Cincinnati Withrow defensive end Kallen Wade.
And while Ohio State, which has 11 commitments so far, didn't offer the trio scholarships, coach Jim Tressel and his staff are getting fierce competition from the Irish for Ohio's top juniors.
Duane Long of Scout.com said Weis' impact in the state has been "enormous and immediate," surpassing the efforts of any ND coach since Gerry Faust, who made the jump from Moeller in 1981.
"The real shocking part is that even though Lou Holtz had Ohio roots and the school is right next door in Indiana, we never saw Notre Dame coming into Ohio that much — and it's one of the five most recruited states in the country," Long said. "But (Weis) has jumped on it like an 800-pound gorilla."
The Irish haven't won a bowl game in 12 years, and they've gone through three coaching changes since their last national title in 1988. But their name still carries plenty of clout — especially in Catholic households.
Ohio State receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who played at St. Ignatius, said word spreads quickly through the school when ND coaches visit. He believes his alma mater could supply the Irish with a steady stream of talent.
"I know Ignatius has two very good players going there this year, and it wouldn't surprise me if that was a trend that started to develop," Gonzalez said.
"For a lot of kids at Ignatius, their parents have always been big Notre Dame fans. They say Notre Dame has been down during my generation ... but the parents of these kids might put pressure on them."
The Buckeyes haven't lost a significant in-state recruit to ND in Tressel's five years. But OSU's stronghold is under siege.
Cincinnati LaSalle defensive end Ben Martin, Massillon linebacker Andrew Dailey and Copley defensive back David Arnold — who are among the top-rated juniors nationally — have all said they're seriously considering the Irish.
Bill Kurelic, Midwest recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, believes Buckeye fans have reason to be alarmed.
"Even if Notre Dame makes itself a bigger presence, it's not like they're going to come in and get the top eight kids in Ohio. That's just not going to happen," he said. "But if Notre Dame comes in and gets three of the top-10 kids, then they're really hurting Ohio State — and Michigan, for that matter."
But most of the state's high school coaches don't expect that to happen with any regularity. The Buckeyes have built up ample good will because of their winning ways and Tressel's personable style.
"They really know how to treat Ohio high school coaches," Massillon coach Tom Stacy said. "He'll come up to me and say, 'Tom, how are you doing?' And it may have been two or three years since he saw me last. That's impressive. (Building relationships) is something he spends a lot of time on, and his staff is the same way."
Stacy believes the Irish ultimately could pose a threat, but they have much ground to make up.
"They're going to have a difficult time — and not because of any fault of their own," he said. "I have great respect for Charlie Weis and Notre Dame and their tradition. But Ohio State has such a strong influence on high school football in the state, and it's going to be hard to break through that barrier
Weis has made Fighting Irish a threat in Ohio
By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS | When Bob Crable was a two-time All-American linebacker at Notre Dame in the early 1980s, he could look around the locker room and find dozens of players from his native Ohio.
TOP CLASSES
Current ranking of top recruiting classes for 2006.
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame
5. LSU
Source: Rivals.com
But while the Irish's influence in the state has waned over the years, Crable believes charismatic new coach Charlie Weis has given the program the mojo it needs to gain a foothold again.
"They have a football team that's winning games, and you can see there's something there," said Crable, who led Cincinnati Moeller to three mythical state titles in the 1970s and has been head coach at the school for the past five years. "The belief is there. The confidence is there. And people are attracted to that."
Four Super Bowl rings have given Weis instant credibility, too.
"One nice thing Charlie has done — and it's probably because he's a Notre Dame guy — is that you don't hear him complain about the high academic standards," Crable said. "He just says, 'Give me what (players) I can get, and I'll do what I need to do.' "
The former New England Patriots and New York Giants assistant has already picked up 24 commitments among high school seniors, and his 2006 recruiting class is currently rated fourth nationally by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.
Three of the players are Ohioans: Cleveland St. Ignatius receiver Robby Parris and defensive end John Ryan and Cincinnati Withrow defensive end Kallen Wade.
And while Ohio State, which has 11 commitments so far, didn't offer the trio scholarships, coach Jim Tressel and his staff are getting fierce competition from the Irish for Ohio's top juniors.
Duane Long of Scout.com said Weis' impact in the state has been "enormous and immediate," surpassing the efforts of any ND coach since Gerry Faust, who made the jump from Moeller in 1981.
"The real shocking part is that even though Lou Holtz had Ohio roots and the school is right next door in Indiana, we never saw Notre Dame coming into Ohio that much — and it's one of the five most recruited states in the country," Long said. "But (Weis) has jumped on it like an 800-pound gorilla."
The Irish haven't won a bowl game in 12 years, and they've gone through three coaching changes since their last national title in 1988. But their name still carries plenty of clout — especially in Catholic households.
Ohio State receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who played at St. Ignatius, said word spreads quickly through the school when ND coaches visit. He believes his alma mater could supply the Irish with a steady stream of talent.
"I know Ignatius has two very good players going there this year, and it wouldn't surprise me if that was a trend that started to develop," Gonzalez said.
"For a lot of kids at Ignatius, their parents have always been big Notre Dame fans. They say Notre Dame has been down during my generation ... but the parents of these kids might put pressure on them."
The Buckeyes haven't lost a significant in-state recruit to ND in Tressel's five years. But OSU's stronghold is under siege.
Cincinnati LaSalle defensive end Ben Martin, Massillon linebacker Andrew Dailey and Copley defensive back David Arnold — who are among the top-rated juniors nationally — have all said they're seriously considering the Irish.
Bill Kurelic, Midwest recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, believes Buckeye fans have reason to be alarmed.
"Even if Notre Dame makes itself a bigger presence, it's not like they're going to come in and get the top eight kids in Ohio. That's just not going to happen," he said. "But if Notre Dame comes in and gets three of the top-10 kids, then they're really hurting Ohio State — and Michigan, for that matter."
But most of the state's high school coaches don't expect that to happen with any regularity. The Buckeyes have built up ample good will because of their winning ways and Tressel's personable style.
"They really know how to treat Ohio high school coaches," Massillon coach Tom Stacy said. "He'll come up to me and say, 'Tom, how are you doing?' And it may have been two or three years since he saw me last. That's impressive. (Building relationships) is something he spends a lot of time on, and his staff is the same way."
Stacy believes the Irish ultimately could pose a threat, but they have much ground to make up.
"They're going to have a difficult time — and not because of any fault of their own," he said. "I have great respect for Charlie Weis and Notre Dame and their tradition. But Ohio State has such a strong influence on high school football in the state, and it's going to be hard to break through that barrier
