'14 KY DT Matt Elam (Kentucky Verbal)

[Irish#1]

You bite your tongue!




My alma mater plays in the Kentucky 2A state championship this weekend, so I'm obligated to defend the quality of Kentucky football.

Isn't that like saying Curly is the best looking of the Stooges?

Just messing with ya. Good Luck.

 

[Emcee77]

What is Alabama going to do with all of their DTs between now and August?

I've heard rumors that Bama doesn't expect all the committed newcomers to qualify academically. Maybe Tommy can confirm or deny.

 

[irishog77]

I've heard rumors that Bama doesn't expect all the committed newcomers to qualify academically. Maybe Tommy can confirm or deny.

Isn't this the case, more or less, every year at Alabama...and the ess eee cee? Hence, the oversigning.

 

[T Town Tommy]

I've heard rumors that Bama doesn't expect all the committed newcomers to qualify academically. Maybe Tommy can confirm or deny.

Three are definite possibilities and are expected not to make it - Williams, Jackson, and McBride. Two are still not there but have improved their standing - OJ Smith and Johnny Dwight. The last two are DL so that may impact Elam's thinking.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Isn't this the case, more or less, every year at Alabama...and the ess eee cee? Hence, the oversigning.

The staff should know if a player is gonna make it or not long before they do actually sign. If not they aren't doing their job. If they know they aren't going to make it then why stop recruiting?

 

[irishog77]

The staff should know if a player is gonna make it or not long before they do actually sign. If not they aren't doing their job. If they know they aren't going to make it then why stop recruiting?

If they know they're not going to make it, then why even sign the kid in the first place?

 

[T Town Tommy]

If they know they're not going to make it, then why even sign the kid in the first place?

If they don't have the grades they won't get signed. As of now, they are only commits which means they have a spot IF they do make it.

 

[Cackalacky]

If they don't have the grades they won't get signed. As of now, they are only commits which means they have a spot IF they do make it.

Interesting methodology. Why are we not doing this?

 

[T Town Tommy]

Interesting methodology. Why are we not doing this?

Notre Dame actually teaches math... Alabama does not. Hence the ability to make 29 = 25. Smashing isn't it?

 

[irishog77]

If they don't have the grades they won't get signed. As of now, they are only commits which means they have a spot IF they do make it.

Roger. Thanks. And just so we're clear, I'm not trying to start a whole "oversigning" argument with you here. Just looking for clarification. So you're saying that of 28 guys verballed (just throwing a number out there for discussion sake), maybe only 25 will actually sign a LOI?

 

[pkt77242]

If they know they're not going to make it, then why even sign the kid in the first place?

Actually a lot of schools do it and the. They place the players who can't qualify at JUCOs that are friendly to them so that in a year or two they can sign the player again if they qualify.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Roger. Thanks. And just so we're clear, I'm not trying to start a whole "oversigning" argument with you here. Just looking for clarification. So you're saying that of 28 guys verballed (just throwing a number out there for discussion sake), maybe only 25 will actually sign a LOI?

If the coaches know for sure the recruit won't make it they won't sign them. I don't think that is a written in stone rule and am sure it does happen sometimes with those who are on the fringe of making it and needs a class or two in the summer to qualify. The difference is that Bama has the luxury of waiting on a recruit to see if he can make the grades. If not, the the recruit is destined for the JC route. Notre Dame, on the other hand, doesn't have it as lucky. If a recruit doesn't make it in for the Irish, there is still a very high probability they can go to almost any other D1 school. That is a huge disadvantage as the recruit would probably go ahead and commit to the school he knows he can play at. This may be an example of the whole Bo ordeal.

 

[Cpnd1]

@TomLoy247: Five-star DT Matt Elam discusses #Alabama, #NotreDame, #Kentucky and commitment plans Notre Dame Visits Five-Star Recruit Matt Elam @CharlesGPower @JEdwar247

@BGI_DanMurphy: Not a surprise, but #NotreDame assistant coaches told a recruit that Louis Nix is gone($): Five Star Defensive Tackle Matt Elam Talks Notre Dame Recruiting (via @TomLoy247)

 

[Cackalacky]

Roger. Thanks. And just so we're clear, I'm not trying to start a whole "oversigning" argument with you here. Just looking for clarification. So you're saying that of 28 guys verballed (just throwing a number out there for discussion sake), maybe only 25 will actually sign a LOI?

No they will sign all 28 in February. Then by early August, Bama will pare the team down to 85.

 

[T Town Tommy]

No they will sign all 28 in February. Then by early August, Bama will pare the team down to 85.

Three are bound to tear ACLs' while walking to... uh... class this upcoming summer.

 

[Ndaccountant]

@TomLoy247: Five-star DT Matt Elam discusses #Alabama, #NotreDame, #Kentucky and commitment plans Notre Dame Visits Five-Star Recruit Matt Elam @CharlesGPower @JEdwar247

@BGI_DanMurphy: Not a surprise, but #NotreDame assistant coaches told a recruit that Louis Nix is gone($): Five Star Defensive Tackle Matt Elam Talks Notre Dame Recruiting (via @TomLoy247)

I am happy for Big Lou if that is the case. He and his family deserve it and he upholds everything that ND stands for.

 

[Luckylucci]

@TomLoy247: Five-star DT Matt Elam discusses #Alabama, #NotreDame, #Kentucky and commitment plans Notre Dame Visits Five-Star Recruit Matt Elam @CharlesGPower @JEdwar247

@BGI_DanMurphy: Not a surprise, but #NotreDame assistant coaches told a recruit that Louis Nix is gone($): Five Star Defensive Tackle Matt Elam Talks Notre Dame Recruiting (via @TomLoy247)

They've been telling Elam this since day one. Not sure why, now that the season is over, we are acting like this is new. We told Frazier that last spring.

 

[Emcee77]

[/B]

They've been telling Elam this since day one. Not sure why, now that the season is over, we are acting like this is new. We told Frazier that last spring.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. We've been selling playing time to prospective NTs this whole cycle. Nothing has changed except that Nix insists on being coy with the media. Or maybe he really hasn't decided, who knows.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Three are bound to tear ACLs' while walking to... uh... class this upcoming summer.

Hand Tommy the 2013 Envy for "Best Rival Fan" right now.

 

[ulukinatme]

Hand Tommy the 2013 Envy for "Best Rival Fan" right now.

I thought he had it wrapped up months ago? Really, who is the competition? I think everyone else has been driven off

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I thought he had it wrapped up months ago? Really, who is the competition? I think everyone else has been driven off

Last man standing!

 

[Luckylucci]

For a conversation topic. The distance between 247's rating and Rival's just got a little bit wider. Elam dropped from #18 DT to #26 and they have him as a 5.7 3 star.

 

[Irish#1]

I am happy for Big Lou if that is the case. He and his family deserve it and he upholds everything that ND stands for.

We all knew this for a lonnnng time.

 

[stlnd01]

For a conversation topic. The distance between 247's rating and Rival's just got a little bit wider. Elam dropped from #18 DT to #26 and they have him as a 5.7 3 star.

Well I'd still take him.
It is odd, though, for probably the two best rating services to have a guy that far apart. He's 7th overall on 247.

 

[IrishLax]

For a conversation topic. The distance between 247's rating and Rival's just got a little bit wider. Elam dropped from #18 DT to #26 and they have him as a 5.7 3 star.

In my uneducated opinion, I think Rivals is a lot closer to being accurate after watching how his senior year played out. Elam has a ton of upside, but he also has one of the lowest floors out there. Serious bust potential for a number of reasons.

I see him signing with Bama and then trying to transfer to Kentucky by year 2.

 

[Booslum31]

In my uneducated opinion, I think Rivals is a lot closer to being accurate after watching how his senior year played out. Elam has a ton of upside, but he also has one of the lowest floors out there. Serious bust potential for a number of reasons.

I see him signing with Bama and then trying to transfer to Kentucky by year 2.

LOL. I too, thought he'd go to Bama...and long for kentucky. Agree.

 

[Kak7304]

He's definitely raw and a project but he has the physical attributes to be a top 10 draft pick. Also has the chance to never see the field in college. It'll be interesting to see where he goes and how he develops over the next few years because right now, he dominates by just being so much bigger than everyone else.

 

[Irish#1]

He's definitely raw and a project but he has the physical attributes to be a top 10 draft pick. Also has the chance to never see the field in college. It'll be interesting to see where he goes and how he develops over the next few years because right now, he dominates by just being so much bigger than everyone else.

That's where the ceiling and floor come into play. If he realizes that he is currently dominating simply because of size and wants to work, he should go up. If he just thinks he's better than everyone else, then he'll make a quick trek to the basement.

I'd love to know what his coach says about his work ethic and how he attacks the weight room.

 

[dublinirish]

That's where the ceiling and floor come into play. If he realizes that he is currently dominating simply because of size and wants to work, he should go up. If he just thinks he's better than everyone else, then he'll make a quick trek to the basement.

I'd love to know what his coach says about his work ethic and how he attacks the weight room.

pretty sure all Elite High school Defensive/Nose Tackles are like this really though. Big kids who have it easy because of their size.

 

[Pachuco]

Wasn't IrishChocolate soft at first when he came to ND? Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it all about potential at first, which evolved into questioning if the will was there, rumors about wanting to leave, and soon the great turnaround....?

Elam is his own person, and hasn't had the opportunity to display the loyalty of Nix, but great things can happen when you take the ND route and see it through. If he isn't looking at Nix, a potential top 10 pick with a world-class degree, and thinking incredibly positive things about his possible future, then I'm not quite sure what he is looking for...

Nix lit the torch for Elam to run with. He would be making a mistake if he didn't choose ND. I mean that respectfully...