'14 CA ATH John (Juju) Smith (USC Signee)

[irishff1014]

Wow I want this young man to be Irish!!!!

 

[rtrn2glory]

i wish more recruits would understand this, you can use your scholarship to provide for your family WITHOUT neccessarily going to the NFL. You pick ND, graduate and get a job bringining home over 100k per annum then your family will be just fine.

I wish more recruits who say this actually took it seriously

 

[Domina Nostra]

i wish more recruits would understand this, you can use your scholarship to provide for your family WITHOUT neccessarily going to the NFL. You pick ND, graduate and get a job bringining home over 100k per annum then your family will be just fine.

I agree with all of this, but the truth of the matter is college academics are like college sports: no guarantees. No one gives you $100k a year just for attending ND!

You go to ND because you get the kind of top-notch education that prepares you for the marketplace PLUS a top-notch alumni network WHILE getting a top-tier football experience. After that, it's up to you.

But the point stands. If I get injured, or I have a little pile of cash and my whole life before me after an NFL career, do I want to have an ND diploma and all those connections with me, or do I want to see what the market is for sociology majors from Auburn? No brainer. If you are one of the few who make 20 million in the NFL, I guess its something of a wash!

 

[greyhammer90]

I agree with all of this, but the truth of the matter is college academics are like college sports: no guarantees.

You go to ND because you get the kind of top-notch education that prepares you for the marketplace PLUS a top-notch alumni network WHILE getting a top-tier football experience.

However, after that it's up to you. No one gives you $100k a year just for attending ND!

I was actually about to say this. Going to ND certainly helps put you on a better track to make that kind of money than most schools, but it's a disservice to how hard 100K-earners work (including the ones that come from ND) to suggest it's a guaranteed thing.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I was actually about to say this. Going to ND certainly helps put you on a better track to make that kind of money than most schools, but it's a disservice to how hard 100K-earners work (including the ones that come from ND) to suggest it's a guaranteed thing.

If I were a recruit, I would actually be most impressed by the fact that the administration at ND prioritizes my education so highly and takes concrete steps to ensure that I get one, more than the average salary statistics. They treat you like a person, not a roster number. At some of other schools (SEC, Ohio State, USC), you have access to a great education, but no one interested in your getting it. They may treat you like family, but not every family is healthy!

A lot of those kids go "all in" on the football, without realizing that they don't have to. I bet our hit rate (placement in NFL) with sure-thing prospects is every bit as high as Alabama's. Alabama is not putting its entire roster in the NFL every year, and a lot of the SEC-kids are serious headcases outside of the protection of the school.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I'm so happy I just fainted....

 

[woolybug25]

I hope the staff tells him he can play whatever he wants. I just rewatched his junior lightlights (the clips from playing in the dark rain are so bad@ss) and there isn't anything this kid isn't GREAT at.

From JuJu's side... I hope he has the correct self image of himself, and realizes that he will play on any team he goes to. Regardless of his position, he looks impossible to misuse.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I hope the staff tells him he can play whatever he wants. I just rewatched his junior lightlights (the clips from playing in the dark rain are so bad@ss) and there isn't anything this kid isn't GREAT at.

From JuJu's side... I hope he has the correct self image of himself, and realizes that he will play on any team he goes to. Regardless of his position, he looks impossible to misuse.

Wow. Agreed.

His recruitment is starting to remind me a little of Cole Luke's

 

[TomHaverford]

He has a USC offer. Was offered in February by the condoms, but apparently had the offer since grade 9 and didn't even know it.

he has a USC "offer" but it's not legitimate according to all the analysts. USC is his dream school, he grew up a huge fan of the school and his parents are diehard 'SC fans. Apparently though Kiffen and his staff just aren't recruiting Smith that hard and have other options higher on their board.

Wouldn't surprise me. Kiffin is an arrogant dolt. Kiffin probably just thinks because the kid is from the area and grew up a huge 'SC fan he can swoop in and land him whenever he wants so he's not putting in the effort to get him right now.

 

[irishff1014]

That's crazy USC isn't really going after him. But good for Kelly and staff go get him.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Can you even imagine John Smith, Quick, and Brent in the same class? My God.

Kiffin in many respects is my second-favorite coach, keep it up!

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Can you even imagine John Smith, Quick, and Brent in the same class? My God.

Kiffin in many respects is my second-favorite coach, keep it up!

Alternatively, imagine Redfield and Smith playing side-by-side at safety. I'll take either

 

[Luckylucci]

Alternatively, imagine Redfield and Smith playing side-by-side at safety. I'll take either

Thats what Denbrock has been pitching him.

 

[STLDomer]

He has a USC "offer" but it's not legitimate according to all the analysts. USC is his dream school, he grew up a huge fan of the school and his parents are diehard 'SC fans. Apparently though Kiffen and his staff just aren't recruiting Smith that hard and have other options higher on their board.

Wouldn't surprise me. Kiffin is an arrogant dolt. Kiffin probably just thinks because the kid is from the area and grew up a huge 'SC fan he can swoop in and land him whenever he wants so he's not putting in the effort to get him right now.

I haven't heard this, who has said this? The USC 247 board seems pretty confident he will be a Trojan.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

he has a USC "offer" but it's not legitimate according to all the analysts. USC is his dream school, he grew up a huge fan of the school and his parents are diehard 'SC fans. Apparently though Kiffen and his staff just aren't recruiting Smith that hard and have other options higher on their board.

Wouldn't surprise me. Kiffin is an arrogant dolt. Kiffin probably just thinks because the kid is from the area and grew up a huge 'SC fan he can swoop in and land him whenever he wants so he's not putting in the effort to get him right now.

Uh, 9 days ago:

“USC is on my list, I talk with coach Martin all the time. He's a good guy and keeps me going in a straight line,” Smith said. “I'm in contact with coach Kiffin too. The Trojans told me I can come in and contribute on both sides of the ball, right away, and that's a good thing

 

[ant80]

he has a USC "offer" but it's not legitimate according to all the analysts. USC is his dream school, he grew up a huge fan of the school and his parents are diehard 'SC fans. Apparently though Kiffen and his staff just aren't recruiting Smith that hard and have other options higher on their board.

Wouldn't surprise me. Kiffin is an arrogant dolt. Kiffin probably just thinks because the kid is from the area and grew up a huge 'SC fan he can swoop in and land him whenever he wants so he's not putting in the effort to get him right now.

Not buying it. Even Kiffin isn't that big of an idiot.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Not buying it. Even Kiffin isn't that big of an idiot.

think again...

 

[ulukinatme]

anyone telling him he will play both ways is just telling him whathe wants to hear.

At Notre Dame you could be the next Gipper!

 

[TomHaverford]

I haven't heard this, who has said this? The USC 247 board seems pretty confident he will be a Trojan.

Yeah, but that USC guy over at 247 seems to think they will get everybody.

Greg Biggins the head West Coast guy over at Scout is the one who said that about Smith and USC. One of the quotes from Biggins:

“He grew up an SC fan. I talked to (another recruit’s) dad after they were at the USC-UCLA game last year, which was at UCLA. He said JuJu was openly cheering like you would not believe for SC the entire game -- in the UCLA student section. So that's the school he grew up rooting for. He won't say that now, but I've had first-hand eye-witnesses telling me that he was cheering like he was the quarterback’s mom at the game last year. But I think right now, for whatever reason, USC is not really recruiting him as hard as other schools -- for whatever reason."

 

[texbender]

Tadman is right, need a miracle for this kid to bail out on the hometown teams. But, as long as he says he has interest we can show up at Poly and do the dance.

 

[TomHaverford]

Tadman is right, need a miracle for this kid to bail out on the hometown teams. But, as long as he says he has interest we can show up at Poly and do the dance.

Hey, it can happen.

Michigan beat Pete Carroll out for a 5* DB from LB Poly in Donovan Warren back in '07. Shouldn't be that hard to beat Lane Kiffin.

 

[Irishnuke]

Tadman is right, need a miracle for this kid to bail out on the hometown teams. But, as long as he says he has interest we can show up at Poly and do the dance.

I don't think the situation is as dire as you make it seem. He said he likes ND and mentioned ND as one of the schools he's likely to end up at. Plus he's going to OV. I don't get why we need a miracle. More and more kids are starting to see through Kiffin's bullshit.

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Opening Highlights

 

[NDinL.A.]

he has a USC "offer" but it's not legitimate according to all the analysts. USC is his dream school, he grew up a huge fan of the school and his parents are diehard 'SC fans. Apparently though Kiffen and his staff just aren't recruiting Smith that hard and have other options higher on their board.

Wouldn't surprise me. Kiffin is an arrogant dolt. Kiffin probably just thinks because the kid is from the area and grew up a huge 'SC fan he can swoop in and land him whenever he wants so he's not putting in the effort to get him right now.

Dude, I don't know where you get "all analysts" from, but that's just not true. A prominent USC analyst says that USC would take his commitment for sure; the only hold up would be in his position preference, not his talent level. They MIGHT want him only at safety (where he is elite), and he might want to play WR (where he could be elite), even though he says he realizes that his ceiling is higher at safety.

USC has arguably their top recruiter on him in Tee Martin. He keeps in constant contact with Smith. Thing is, Smith is a different kind of cat and while he used to say that USC was his dream school, now he talks about giving out of state schools a real chance, and he has shown that by already committing to taking an OV to ND.

We'll see what comes of it, buy from everything I have read, USC would take his verbal right now...

 

[STLDomer]

His 5 OVs:

Notre Dame
Ohio State
Michigan
Alabama
Ole Miss

 

[NDPhilly]

I like our odds with those 5. Ole miss will flop this year so they won't recruit like last year.

 

[Buster Bluth]

I like our odds with those 5. Ole miss will flop this year so they won't recruit like last year.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[dwshade]

I say it comes down to ND vs. staying at home at SC or UCLA.

 

[Irish Man3]

I say it comes down to ND vs. staying at home at SC or UCLA.

I'm worried about Michigan here. Peppers is recruiting like crazy. If he gets hand on board, I'd imagine Juju and Fournette get a lot of attention. Michigan is on their way to a lot 5 class.

Should be fun to watch what happens if USC actually makes a strong push.

 

[irishff1014]

I'm worried about Michigan here. Peppers is recruiting like crazy. If he gets hand on board, I'd imagine Juju and Fournette get a lot of attention. Michigan is on their way to a lot 5 class.

Should be fun to watch what happens if USC actually makes a strong push.

We just have to worry about us. Let our coaches get the recruits they think they can win with and drive on.

I know that we all want glorious recruits and some other recruits we question. All of us one here want this team to win. At the end of the day the coaches really don't care what we think.