'14 KY DT Matt Elam (Kentucky Verbal)

[ShakeDown]

Dead serious. It's happened before.

Just to clear things up, you are questioning the staff's offer, which may have conditions you have no idea about, based on academics that you again have no idea about?

Yea people have fallen out academically. ND is an elite academic institution. That doesn't mean we stop pursuing top talent that could be a fit. If the staff is willing to give Elam a go, I sure as hell am too.

 

[BGIF]

I think I'm off the Elam bandwagon until I see him perform against elite competition at the Army game. I just watched some of John Hardin's film and he isn't very impressive in plays that don't show up in his highlights. Lazy, plays WAY too high, etc. He flashes some elite athleticism for a guy that big, but it disappears for stretches. I'm certainly not expecting him to come in and take over for Nix in '14.

Also, I still have academic concerns with him. Apparently Elliott called him up one day and offered. He had never heard from ND prior to the call. That tells me they probably didn't do their homework on his academics. I hope I'm wrong.

Should we be expecting him to be a plug in as a freshman?

Nix was something like the 7th or 8th ranked HS DL and he didn't see the field his freshman year.

Similar story with Big Ced. DNP as a freshman despite the swooning by recruitniks when he chose ND.

There aren't a lot of Div 1 true freshman that play interior DL much less start 12 games. Most seem to be big but lack the strength, stamina, and technique necessary to play regularly against 21 - 23 year old Div 1 OLs.

 

[STLDomer]

Should we be expecting him to be a plug in as a freshman?

Nix was something like the 7th or 8th ranked HS DL and he didn't see the field his freshman year.

Similar story with Big Ced. DNP as a freshman despite the swooning by recruitniks when he chose ND.

There aren't a lot of Div 1 true freshman that play interior DL much less start 12 games. Most seem to be big but lack the strength, stamina, and technique necessary to play regularly against 21 - 23 year old Div 1 OLs.

That's his point, we cant expect Elam to start as a freshman.

 

[NDWorld247]

Just to clear things up, you are questioning the staff's offer, which may have conditions you have no idea about, based on academics that you again have no idea about?

Yea people have fallen out academically. ND is an elite academic institution. That doesn't mean we stop pursuing top talent that could be a fit. If the staff is willing to give Elam a go, I sure as hell am too.

I never questioned the staff's offer. My trust in the staff from a talent evaluation standpoint is as strong as any of their supporters in the ND community.

I have questioned previously in this thread his academics. In today's post, I questioned whether or not the staff did their homework on his academics before offering. I suppose it's possible they got ahold of his transcripts before communicating with him, but I don't know. Based on what I heard, they had zero communication with him until Elliott got on the phone and offered him a 'full-ride scholarship'.

Should we be expecting him to be a plug in as a freshman?

No, we shouldn't, but there are A LOT of people that are.

 

[Luckylucci]

He'll play as a freshman, won't start very few freshman do, but he'll definitely play.

 

[STLDomer]

Khairi Clark IMO is the most ready NG prospect then Frazier, Elam, and finally Holley. All have 5 potential though.

 

[BGIF]

That's his point, we cant expect Elam to start as a freshman.

Yes, I know. He and I are on the same page here about unrealistic recruiting expectations.

 

[NDhoosier]

Khairi Clark IMO is the most ready NG prospect then Frazier, Elam, and finally Holley. All have 5 potential though.

At least one of those guys has to be looking at the ND roster and salivating at the possibility of plenty of PT their freshman year. Nix is almost guaranteed to go PRO next year, which means the NG position is wide open.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Wait...so will Elam be able to qualify?

 

[T Town Tommy]

Wait...so will Elam be able to qualify?

Last I heard was that he had some work to do in the classroom to get to ND.

And I don't think he sees the field his first year there. He needs some time in the weight room and some time away from the cafeteria. Once he does those two things he will be a beast on the field. Bama and UK still lead IMO and I think it comes down to them two in the end with UK having the edge due to his mother wanting him there.

 

[Rack Em]

Last I heard was that he had some work to do in the classroom to get to ND.

And I don't think he sees the field his first year there. He needs some time in the weight room and some time away from the cafeteria. Once he does those two things he will be a beast on the field. Bama and UK still lead IMO and I think it comes down to them two in the end with UK having the edge due to his mother wanting him there.

Truth. I saw Louis Nix in the dining hall when he was a freshmen at ND. He outgrew "husky jeans" long before he started school.

Elam will need to do the same. Though it's less about the weight they carry and more about their conditioning (but there definitely is a relationship between them).

 

[WestCoast]

At least one of those guys has to be looking at the ND roster and salivating at the possibility of plenty of PT their freshman year. Nix is almost guaranteed to go PRO next year, which means the NG position is wide open.

Which is pure trickeration by the coaching staff. "Silly recruits... they don't know about all the Cwynar/Williams NTs we have... they'll think we haven't recruited anyone to play NT the last few years... then they'll be ours... all your NTs will be ours.... muahahahaha."

Genius. Pure genius.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Also, I still have academic concerns with him. Apparently Elliott called him up one day and offered. He had never heard from ND prior to the call. That tells me they probably didn't do their homework on his academics. I hope I'm wrong.

Last I heard was that he had some work to do in the classroom to get to ND.

If these rumors are accurate, DO NOT WANT. Reminds me of Vanderdoes with eligibility concerns to boot.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

If these rumors are accurate, DO NOT WANT. Reminds me of Vanderdoes with eligibility concerns to boot.

Exactly how I feel. would rather concentrate on Holly and Clark.

 

[ND NYC]

cant project prior recruits issues/potential for drama onto him (or anyone else)

DO WANT

(but we probabaly WONT GET---just got in too late on this one IMO)

 

[stlnd01]

If these rumors are accurate, DO NOT WANT. Reminds me of Vanderdoes with eligibility concerns to boot.

What about him reminds you of Vanderdoes? (aside from them both being enormous, athletic, defensive line prospects)
As for eligibility concerns, obviously we've been burned with some borderline kids lately, and I hope we never repeat the Tee Shepherd situation of (apparently) provisionally admitting a kid who isn't qualified. But if he's willing/able to do the work to meet our requirements I don't know why we shouldn't keep talking with him.
That said, he probably has an easier path to schools that are higher on his list, so I'm not sure I like our chances.

 

[Fbolt]

Ha-Rumors aside. If the ND staff offered, I'm all in.

 

[Cpnd1]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Heading To Notre Dame Haha Should Be A Fun Trip <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FightingIrish&src=hash">#FightingIrish</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ND&src=hash">#ND</a></p>— Matt Elam™6⃣9⃣ (@FballIsLife69) <a href="https://twitter.com/FballIsLife69/statuses/348912109918236673">June 23, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Ha ha?

 

[DomeX2 eNVy]

They're coming to take me away, haha

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hnzHtm1jhL4?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Napolean XIV - They're Coming To Take Me Away - YouTube

Darn video didn't embed.

 

[GreenSox04]

Ha ha?

Upon sifting through his TL,

1) "haha" appears in more tweets then not
2) he RTs like nobody's business

 

[Cpnd1]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Quick <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NotreDame&src=hash">#NotreDame</a> visit update on 2014 five star DT Matt Elam <a href="http://t.co/RlJ5TwwBiA">http://t.co/RlJ5TwwBiA</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/BGInews">@BGInews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports">@247Sports</a></p>— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247/statuses/349216036303810560">June 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Irishnuke]

Says there isn't enough food on campus for him.

 

[ant80]

Says there isn't enough food on campus for him.

Why, was Hoke around too?

 

[Emcee77]

Loy says Elam is on campus today, currently meeting with Diaco. Will take a campus tour and then head out this evening.

 

[yankeeND]

Why, was Hoke around too?

Has anyone seen my zingers?

 

[Bogtrotter07]

No, where did you lose them at?

 

[STLDomer]

 

[Sherm Sticky]

That's a big boy!

 

[arrowryan]

Those plade shorts are boss