'13 CA DT Eddie Vanderdoes (UCLA)

[arrowryan]

Yes they stayed. Was it for the degree or unfinished business on the field?

This reason always makes me laugh. That's what Matt Barkley said last year and looked what happen. His stock dropped like 4 rounds

 

[pkt77242]

Yes they stayed. Was it for the degree or unfinished business on the field?

I highly doubt CJ Mosely has unfinished business on the field.

 

[DCIrish]

Um I count 5 signed and 6 if Okwara grows into a DL. (Matuska, Vanderdoes, Rochell, Jones, and Day). Unless you are already subtracting Vanderdoes?

Didn't count EV because there is a slim chance he ever plays for ND.

 

[Rhode Irish]

It would definitely explain the hard feelings from Eddie's camp. I wish I knew more about how the staff goes about vetting the high school transcripts of recruits. For some (like Clifton Garrett), we hear very early on that academics are an issue, and the staff wisely looks elsewhere.

But then we get the Shepard fiasco. How did he manage to EE and start taking classes before his transcript problems were discovered? And there were apparently major problems, as he couldn't even pass the NCAA clearinghouse, let alone ND admissions.

And now something similar seems to have happened with Vanderdoes. Was it simply an oversight by the staff? By ND Admissions? By his high school? There's so much riding on those transcripts, but the process appears to be wildly unpredictable from one recruit to another.

I feel like one way to minimize this kind of a problem is to make admissions clearances during the recruiting process final and binding. The staff should not be able to accept a commitment unless and until the recruit has been cleared by admissions, and once that happens then it should be case closed and transcripts should be a non-issue. That obviously isn't a silver bullet because it doesn't help you where the NCAA clearinghouse is an issue, but we really should be able to spot potential clearinghouse issues pretty easily and steer clear of anyone for whom that could be a problem.

 

[Anchorman]

I feel like one way to minimize this kind of a problem is to make admissions clearances during the recruiting process final and binding. The staff should not be able to accept a commitment unless and until the recruit has been cleared by admissions, and once that happens then it should be case closed and transcripts should be a non-issue. That obviously isn't a silver bullet because it doesn't help you where the NCAA clearinghouse is an issue, but we really should be able to spot potential clearinghouse issues pretty easily and steer clear of anyone for whom that could be a problem.

Also have the issue of classes taken during the last semester of high school that are anticipated to complete a requirement, then don't either due to the grade received in the course or the ability of the course to fill a Clearinghouse/ND requirement. If a kid flunks a class or two after he signs, not much ND can do about that.

By all accounts EV is a good student, so not saying that applies here.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Yeah, any kid that throws their life away by failing a class in the spring of their senior year after getting into ND gets what he deserves and doesn't really have anything to be upset about.

 

[IrishFan4L]

Is there no chance he comes to Notre Dame?

 

[pkt77242]

Is there no chance he comes to Notre Dame?

I wouldn't call it zero, but it is pretty damn close to that.

 

[Emcee77]

So disappointing that he likely won't be Irish. Not quite the gut punch that Anzalone was, as our DL depth is better than our ILB depth, but still a real gut punch. I was so psyched about having EV. In his film I saw an even stronger, quicker and more athletic Sheldon Day. UGH.

 

[Irish YJ]

It would definitely explain the hard feelings from Eddie's camp. I wish I knew more about how the staff goes about vetting the high school transcripts of recruits. For some (like Clifton Garrett), we hear very early on that academics are an issue, and the staff wisely looks elsewhere.

But then we get the Shepard fiasco. How did he manage to EE and start taking classes before his transcript problems were discovered? And there were apparently major problems, as he couldn't even pass the NCAA clearinghouse, let alone ND admissions.

And now something similar seems to have happened with Vanderdoes. Was it simply an oversight by the staff? By ND Admissions? By his high school? There's so much riding on those transcripts, but the process appears to be wildly unpredictable from one recruit to another.

With the resources that ND has at its disposal, I find it hard to believe this crap happens. How hard should it be to A) review past preformance, B) inspect current situation, C) communicate to the recruit/commit what he has to accomplish, and D) document the specific requirements for that individual and provide a clear roadmap to admission.

Post D), it's pretty darn easy to check in with guys to see if they are checking their boxes. If they are, great. If not, nobody to blame. I just can't fathom that this is such a grey area that it can't be managed appropriately.

Whiskey, you and I are both Type A, fact and data guys. Let's go start a new department at ND. Geesh. I'd even take a salary cut so long as decent season tix are part of the package.

 

[tadman95]

Seems like this story is over save the epitath. Too bad.

 

[Irish YJ]

So disappointing that he likely won't be Irish. Not quite the gut punch that Anzalone was, as our DL depth is better than our ILB depth, but still a real gut punch. I was so psyched about having EV. In his film I saw an even stronger, quicker and more athletic Sheldon Day. UGH.

You kiddin me?
Comparing the loss of Analzone to EV?

 

[KyfightingIrish36]

I'm surprised we haven't been recruiting dline better. We've got 2 fist rounders in our line right now. You would think kids would take note of that. Other than just EV.

 

[NDdomer2]

I'm surprised we haven't been recruiting dline better. We've got 2 fist rounders in our line right now. You would think kids would take note of that. Other than just EV.

DONT SLEEP ON ISAAC. everyone not in the PAC12 wanted this kid. who knows how many offers would have rolled in had he not committed so firm to us.

he may need a year but he will be a stud.

however, we will be missing a true NT. not that EV would have been that guy but maybe by his junior year.

 

[stlnd01]

Yeah. This sucks.
On one hand I'm glad Kelly's being aggressive and going after kids we might not have in the past. On the other, damn we seem to lose a lot over transcript issues. Not just commits like Tee and EV, but guys like Standifer last year and AQM this year, who are all but committed and then get tossed on course requirements.
Not saying we should lower our standards, but maybe we should be clearer in communicating expectations and save everyone a lot of heartache.

 

[NDdomer2]

who is to say we aren't and these kids are just bailing on doing the work

 

[chicago51]

Any new developements in the last 7 hours?

 

[ulukinatme]

I'm a little disappointed. Was really happy when I saw the video of him choosing ND, but if it doesn't end up that way it's not the end of the world by any means. We lost Tee, Lynch, and some others before that. We still went 12-0 in the regular season. We may not do that again this year, but I'm confidant in the staff that they'll have the right guys on the field and we'll get it done. Just hope we land a monster or two on the DL this year to help prepare for the loss of Tuitt and Nix.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Any new developements in the last 7 hours?

Earlier this evening

Hopkins from 247 talked to his dad but didn't glean much as to what the riff is about. He speculated that it could have been a missing class or test that ND wasn't upfront about originally but again just speculating. EV does only want to go to UCLA and there is virtually no chance he ends up at ND. He is willing to sit out a year just to not go to ND. Also mentioned that ND has zero intentions of letting him out of his LOI.

 

[ThePiombino]

I'd bet it's a missing class. Say... EV found out he'll have to take summer school after he signed his LOI, balks and wants to go to UCLA now. That he's prepared to just eat the penalty for breaking his LOI still boggles my mind though.

If that's the case, we may be better off without him. As I mentioned previously, being a student athlete at ND isn't easy; bailing at the first sign of adversity doesn't bode well for his future development.

Edit: I'd love to know what kind of flexibility Kelly is getting with admissions. Several of our insiders have mentioned it, and he's clearly getting some marginal kids past admissions (see: Tee Shepard), but to lose a 5 DL over a couple missing credits... Does he get slack on GPA and test scores, but not on core class requirements?

Hoping it was something more serious than a foreign language class.

So help me God if this is in any way related to a foreign language class! I will lose my shits!

 

[Rudy89]

Does this cost us anything big or will we still be ok?

 

[greyhammer90]

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Do we have to release him to UCLA? Is there any way to prevent it?

 

[pkt77242]

Do we have to release him to UCLA? Is there any way to prevent it?

There is no way to stop him from going to UCLA if he is willing to sit out the year, pay his own way and have 3 years to play 3 seasons.

 

[irishog77]

Hopkins from 247 talked to his dad but didn't glean much as to what the riff is about. He speculated that it could have been a missing class or test that ND wasn't upfront about originally but again just speculating. EV does only want to go to UCLA and there is virtually no chance he ends up at ND. He is willing to sit out a year just to not go to ND. Also mentioned that ND has zero intentions of letting him out of his LOI.

I'd bet it's a missing class. Say... EV found out he'll have to take summer school after he signed his LOI, balks and wants to go to UCLA now. That he's prepared to just eat the penalty for breaking his LOI still boggles my mind though.

If that's the case, we may be better off without him. As I mentioned previously, being a student athlete at ND isn't easy; bailing at the first sign of adversity doesn't bode well for his future development.

Edit: I'd love to know what kind of flexibility Kelly is getting with admissions. Several of our insiders have mentioned it, and he's clearly getting some marginal kids past admissions (see: Tee Shepard), but to lose a 5 DL over a couple missing credits... Does he get slack on GPA and test scores, but not on core class requirements?

Hoping it was something more serious than a foreign language class.

Suppose this is true (or a similar version). It becomes even tougher then to imagine the quagmire that could be going on with both sides-- Eddie signs his LOI and it is accepted by ND; sometime around then he is told he has to go to summer school and/or make up a class; Eddy says, "screw it, not only do I not want to go to summer school, but you already accepted my LOI. You (ND) deal with it and make it right."; ND keeps pressuring him to take the class; Eddy keeps refusing; Eddy can't actually report to ND because he isn't actually accepted by admissions; ND still holds his LOI; Eddy is now ultimately screwed because he can't go to the school that holds his LOI, and he can't go to another college because a different college holds his LOI

It seems somewhat logical that some version of the story could be what happened. It would explain the bad blood on both sides, why he's hired lawyers to assist him in his fight to get out of his LOI, why either side isn't really talking, and why there seems to be a lot of confusion out there. The only thing it wouldn't explain are some of the reports that it isn't academics. So there's that. But as of now, this theory holds the most water for me.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

bump

 

[BeauBenken]

They had a pretty good streak going with Harbaugh as coach...Harbaugh was a very impressive and charismatic guy...The new coach, Shaw, has been riding a bit on Harbaugh's coat tails...but things are working well for him...Chip Kelly leaving Oregon helps him a bit with the Northern Division (though, in the North, you are still working a bit against Oregon's Nike money!)...Washington is a team most of us discount a bit...because Sarkissian isn't all that good a coach...Oregon State has the better coach, but has trouble attracting talent...

Colorado? They can ONLY go up...
But they have a long way to go up just to get into NEXT-TO-LAST...
Not only are they BAD, their recruiting classes have been laughable...

This is what I'm seeing whenever I see one of your posts.

Can you use periods? Or is everything you say one long sentence with several pauses? You are seriously making your self type 3x the amount of punctuation necessary. Does law school take so much out of you that you forget how to use a period?

 

[BeauBenken]

It would definitely explain the hard feelings from Eddie's camp. I wish I knew more about how the staff goes about vetting the high school transcripts of recruits. For some (like Clifton Garrett), we hear very early on that academics are an issue, and the staff wisely looks elsewhere.

But then we get the Shepard fiasco. How did he manage to EE and start taking classes before his transcript problems were discovered? And there were apparently major problems, as he couldn't even pass the NCAA clearinghouse, let alone ND admissions.

And now something similar seems to have happened with Vanderdoes. Was it simply an oversight by the staff? By ND Admissions? By his high school? There's so much riding on those transcripts, but the process appears to be wildly unpredictable from one recruit to another.

When talking with Alford, he said there are some guys you kinda wait until as late as you can to give their stuff to admissions. I wouldn't have assumed that meant as far as letting guys into school before checking everything, but who knows.

 

[vmgsf]

He is lawyered up. Take everything said by his camp with not a grain of salt but with a ton of salt. I believe if Notre Dame had misled him about something he needed to do academically, he would have been released from LOI with no questions. Let's wait to see what are these vague, unspecified, but totally compelling reasons he has to break his commitment and to renege on his LOI.

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Combine and draft are moved a month to allow more time going fwd.

Or they were moved to spread the NFL's exposure into another month. But yea the result is the same for players.

ND should have done a better job of recruiting DL in the 2012 and 2013 classes. If they did then the potential loss of Tuitt and Nix next year wouldn't be as bad. Only 4 DL in the past two classes is not how you build a championship team.

DAMNIT!! Why didn't the staff think of that?!

And the 2013 DL class was sick, but a decided to bail. So yea...