'14 TX DE Grant Blankenship (Oklahoma Transfer)

[Luckylucci]

I really like Grant's upside. As others have stated, if he can add significant weight (40-50lbs) after a year or two with Longo, without losing his athleticism, he could be a real solid player.

Also, I hope we can hang on to him. According to 24/7 recruiter rankings, Cooks beat out the #1 Big 12 recruiter, and #8 nationally, Jerry Montgomery from Oklahoma for Grant's commitment. Grant lives a short 100 miles from Norman, OK so I have a feeling this battle is not over. I'm basing that solely off of his previous comments re: Oklahoma. I haven't heard him say anything about ND so really looking forward to what the various sites report after they speak to Grant.

Valid points but I'll put a positive spin on it. He's been there so much that there isn't anything he hasn't seen or doesn't know and he made this decision with that information already.

 

[NDWorld247]

Little confused by this, are u saying the staff has known about Blankenship since Cam McDaniel's recruitment?

Can't speak for Irishman77 but apparently Grant started some games as a freshman (impressive!!) for The Colony, which was Cam's senior year at Coppell, only 11 miles down the road from The Colony. However, they didn't play each other so not sure what the connection between Cam and Grant is.

 

[ohara831]

Very nice! Welcome to the Irish!

 

[NDWorld247]

Valid points but I'll put a positive spin on it. He's been there so much that there isn't anything he hasn't seen or doesn't know and he made this decision with that information already. Also

You're right. Doesn't mean the battle is over though. And, as I said, I haven't heard Grant say anything about ND other than it's been reported he grew up an ND fan so I'm really looking forward to what he has to say about his decision.

 

[AdmiralBackhand]

awesome news to log into.

 

[Luckylucci]

You're right. Doesn't mean the battle is over though. And, as I said, I haven't heard Grant say anything about ND other than it's been reported he grew up an ND fan so I'm really looking forward to what he has to say about his decision.

Agree on all fronts. For some reason none of the ND sites have ever been able to catch up with him. The reporting has come from other teams sites which is weird, right? I guess II has talked to his coach a little. Hoping for some good stuff as well.

 

[Irishman77]

Solomon Thomas is from Cam's school not blankenship

Damn my bad. I am Slacking lately!

 

[arrowryan]

I love the pick up. Obviously don't expect much the first 1-2 years he is on campus but could be a real good player when he is put on the field.

Notre Dame football recruiting: Irish pluck DE out of Texas - South Bend Tribune: Recruiting

 

[NDWorld247]

Agree on all fronts. For some reason none of the ND sites have ever been able to catch up with him. The reporting has come from other teams sites which is weird, right? I guess II has talked to his coach a little. Hoping for some good stuff as well.

Very weird.

From Rivals $: Blankenship decides

 

[Old Man Mike]

Very good news!! Thank you young man for joining one of the country's great schools and football organizations. If you grasp the opportunities awaiting you, I, as an old alum, can promise you a wonderful "leg up" on a good life.




On the topic of "roster management" by Kelly vis a vis the DLine: {there's probably a better thread for this but it's been mentioned here}. I differ from Whiskey in counting the "ideal" year to year numbers for the DLine. My rule of thumb is that one recruits equal numbers of players for the actual playing slots on your team in the average year [an exception being OLine where you steal a position and go for four not five]. On the uber-critical DLine you try not to miss.

In theory this would seem to mean 12 DLine [three per year, since we run a 3-4]. Then Whiskey's "12" would be correct. But we run 4-3 too much for this to be legit. So my number is actually "14". That's three some years and four the next.

Secondly, I believe that Kelly/Diaco are viewing the so-called WDE/SDE as a meaningless distinction in every sense. They might use "The Tuitt Position" as a recruiting enticement, but they wouldn't mind Stephon Tuitt at both DEs doing just what he does now. If both DEs were equally facile stuffing runs, sliding inside, and pass-rushing, that's nirvana. Kelly/Diaco want both DEs to be powerful and dynamic men.

If 14 is the real number, then in 2014s roster count: Day, Springmann, Rochell, Matuska, Jones, Okwara, Hayes, Blankenship, Bonner, Trumbetti, and.......... Hounshell?, walk-on Dickerson?, Holley [let's hope and pray], Solomon Thomas? [similar prayers].........

I might easily be missing something, but I see room for Solomon Thomas and even another DLine if we could get another. As to Blankenship's position: His body type seems more DE-like than DT-like --- so who are going to be the 5 to 6 DTs on that roster? Day and Hayes, clearly to me. Probably Springmann full time. I'd shove Jones in there, and Dickerson looks like a DT-to-be. If Holley comes along, then he solves a lot of DT problems in my sight.

..... my several wooden nickels of analysis.

Either way, Grant, you have a LOT of opportunity to fit into those plans.

 

[Buster Bluth]

The last three commitments:

P - n/a .n/a
SDE - .8300
SDE - .8656

I have full trust in this staff, and there is a lot of evaluation by the services yet to be done (and summer, fall season, all-star games, etc to play)....but these haven't exactly been the type of commitments that make you brag to your friends about haha

 

[arrowryan]

The last three commitments:

P - n/a .n/a
SDE - .8300
SDE - .8656

I have full trust in this staff, and there is a lot of evaluation by the services yet to be done (and summer, fall season, all-star games, etc to play)....but these haven't exactly been the type of commitments that make you brag to your friends about haha

Look at his offer list. That is all you need to see

 

[Buster Bluth]

Look at his offer list. That is all you need to see

The Oklahoma and Oregon offers stand out, the rest do not blow me away.

And I'm not knocking the kid, I'm more or less impatient with the recruiting services. haha

 

[dwshade]

This staff couldn't give a rats *** about rankings. They do their own evaluations and trust what they see. Same with most every other staff around the country.

 

[NDWorld247]

The last three commitments:

P - n/a .n/a
SDE - .8300
SDE - .8656

I have full trust in this staff, and there is a lot of evaluation by the services yet to be done (and summer, fall season, all-star games, etc to play)....but these haven't exactly been the type of commitments that make you brag to your friends about haha

My friends are already sick of me bragging. By the time I get through our top 5 or 6 recruits they aren't listening to me anymore anyway.

However, if my conversation does last long enough for me to talk about Blankenship, I am going to tell my friends that we landed the #3 SDE in the entire state of Texas. If we get into a conversation about Bonner, I am going to tell them he is the best SDE in the entire state of Missouri.

 

[andre784]

Way to go Grant! Always nice getting dline commits

 

[Buster Bluth]

This staff couldn't give a rats *** about rankings. They do their own evaluations and trust what they see. Same with most every other staff around the country.

Well, duh.

 

[STLDomer]

New recruiting strategy a la other coaches like Sarkesian at UW? They didn't do this before IIRC

“@CoachKerryCooks: And the boat keeps filling up....stay tuned”

Tweeted 30 mins before commitment was announced.

"@coachmcdermott7: Lets GO IRISH! Got better today!”

“@MikeDenbrock: We continue to build. Foundation set, walls going up and by 2015 the Roof will be secure. Can't Wait! Why are you? #GoIrish ! #Family”

“@CoachSBooker: #goldenarmy14
Who's next????
Who's ready to compete at the highest level on the field and in the classroom? Who wants to chase greatness??”

 

[stlnd01]

The last three commitments:

P - n/a .n/a
SDE - .8300
SDE - .8656

I have full trust in this staff, and there is a lot of evaluation by the services yet to be done (and summer, fall season, all-star games, etc to play)....but these haven't exactly been the type of commitments that make you brag to your friends about haha

Yes. I trust the staff's talent evaluation and I'm glad to see us building depth on the front seven. But for the moment these strike me as "depth" players with potential more so than clear-cut game-changers (a la Tuitt and Lynch). If they want to be here I'm glad to have them, but I hope we still land a couple more full-blown d-line studs this cycle, like Thomas or Carter or Holley. We'll need 'em, and I think our system has enough flex that we can find ways to get talent on the field even if we're heavy at DE/OLB.

 

[STLDomer]

I don't believe Blankenship should be grouped with Bonner. Blankenship is a much much better prospect IMO

 

[Whiskeyjack]

In theory this would seem to mean 12 DLine [three per year, since we run a 3-4]. Then Whiskey's "12" would be correct. But we run 4-3 too much for this to be legit. So my number is actually "14". That's three some years and four the next.

Where is the 14 coming from? If we group Cats with the OLBs, then ideal OLB depth is 8/8. If we group them with the DL, then ideal DL depth is 16/16. Am I missing something?

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Welcome to Notre Dame Grant.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

The last three commitments:

P - n/a .n/a
SDE - .8300
SDE - .8656

I have full trust in this staff, and there is a lot of evaluation by the services yet to be done (and summer, fall season, all-star games, etc to play)....but these haven't exactly been the type of commitments that make you brag to your friends about haha

Biting my tongue...

 

[pkt77242]

The Oklahoma and Oregon offers stand out, the rest do not blow me away.

And I'm not knocking the kid, I'm more or less impatient with the recruiting services. haha

I generally agree, but as one of my brothers is a big Oklahoma fan, I love it. I get to gloat all weekend long.

 

[ACamp1900]

Every team needs quality depth and at worse that what this young man brings... I swear the star rankings **** me off at times if only b/c some see three stars as throw aways... Get over it, a service went through the trouble and our staff offered because the kid can ball... Also how many three stars does Bama have right now?? More than us, I know that.

Very happy to have him.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Every team needs quality depth and at worse that what this young man brings... I swear the star rankings **** me off at times if only b/c some see three stars as throw aways... Get over it, a service went through the trouble and our staff offered because the kid can ball... Also how many three stars does Bama have right now?? More than us, I know that.

Very happy to have him.

Yessir...

 

[Rhode Irish]

The last three commitments:

P - n/a .n/a
SDE - .8300
SDE - .8656

I have full trust in this staff, and there is a lot of evaluation by the services yet to be done (and summer, fall season, all-star games, etc to play)....but these haven't exactly been the type of commitments that make you brag to your friends about haha

You can look at it like building a house. First, you lay the foundation of good material (check). Then you put in the less glamorous stuff that ensures your structure won't fall down (an unglamorous but ultimately crucial step) (check), then you use your remaining budget to top it off with the niceties - granite counters, marble floor, crown molding, etc.

 

[WestCoast]

how many three stars does Bama have right now?? More than us, I know that.

they talk funny down there. and slow too. so what do they know.

 

[WestCoast]

Biting my tongue...

hungry? have a snickers.

 

[NDhoosier]

Alabama recruits 3* as well. Every team has a few 3*. Expecting a class of only 5* and 4* players will get you a losing team. Besides, I remember a TE that was a 3* and turned about pretty decent; I think his name was Eifert or something.