'14 CA TE Tyler Luatua (Back in Blue)

[md_bennett]

I hope we drop him and Juju takes his spot.

IF we drop him Schultz better be on the way in. Juju has his own spot to take.

 

[GoIrish41]

IF we drop him Schultz better be on the way in. Juju has his own spot to take.

Personally, I don't think we need him. Already have a better TE in the fold, and if we grab Schultz, too, all the better. Juju might have his own spot to take, but if Luatua gets into USC and Juju bolts for his old team, that would be terrific.

 

[md_bennett]

Personally, I don't think we need him. Already have a better TE in the fold, and if we grab Schultz, too, all the better. Juju might have his own spot to take, but if Luatua gets into USC and Juju bolts for his old team, that would be terrific.

I love the poetic justice in this scenario but consider this: we drop him and he goes to USC, gets coached up, becomes a thorn in our side while playing for our rivals while maybe putting the nail in the coffin of our chances with Juju. I think our staff wants him, but we also want to make sure he doesn't go to a team we WILL face every year. There needs to be a really good reason to pull the offer from him if that is what the staff chooses to do - that's the only point I am really trying to make.

 

[gkIrish]

I love the poetic justice in this scenario but consider this: we drop him and he goes to USC, gets coached up, becomes a thorn in our side while playing for our rivals while maybe putting the nail in the coffin of our chances with Juju. I think our staff wants him, but we also want to make sure he doesn't go to a team we WILL face every year. There needs to be a really good reason to pull the offer from him if that is what the staff chooses to do - that's the only point I am really trying to make.

It's been a long time since any player was coached up at USC.

 

[stlnd01]

It's been a long time since any player was coached up at USC.

They do have a new coach. Who knows.

 

[ThePiombino]

The whole "I want to be with my friends" thing speaks to his maturity. I'm ok with him considering other schools (it's a big decision) but choosing a school because of your friends is kind of lame IMO. Yes...I was 18 at some point but holy crap...grow up!

Yet we all want Juju that to be a reason that helps us land Juju...

 

[stlnd01]

Yet we all want Juju that to be a reason that helps us land Juju...

Get out of here with that logic.
And remember, we don't like decommits like Everett Golson or "I want to stay close to home" guys like Jaylon Smith, either.

 

[palinurus]

When you see the spirit of guys who are really Irish (e.g., Jaylon or Barnett or Tillery), it's hard to get excited for a guy who doesn't seem to have the chest to go all in.

 

[NDdomer2]

long time to go on tillery and barnett

 

[ThePiombino]

Get out of here with that logic.
And remember, we don't like decommits like Everett Golson or "I want to stay close to home" guys like Jaylon Smith, either.

Seriously lol

When you see the spirit of guys who are really Irish (e.g., Jaylon or Barnett or Tillery), it's hard to get excited for a guy who doesn't seem to have the chest to go all in.

Amen to this

 

[palinurus]

long time to go on tillery and barnett

This is true, but I'll still be surprised if they flip, barring a coaching change. My point, I guess, is, not that kids don't change their minds -- and maybe these guys will -- but you can see their hearts are in their commitments -- they have enthusiasm and even a joy about their verbals -- and it just makes a big difference.

 

[Buster Bluth]

When you see the spirit of guys who are really Irish (e.g., Jaylon or Barnett or Tillery), it's hard to get excited for a guy who doesn't seem to have the chest to go all in.

So you'd want Folston to go to Auburn? Tuitt to go to Georgia Tech?

This fanbase, and with good reason, has Vietnam Syndrome when it comes to recruits who aren't 100% Irish. You don't need to be 100% when you commit, not everyone is. They just need to be 51%.

 

[NDdomer2]

This is true, but I'll still be surprised if they flip, barring a coaching change. My point, I guess, is, not that kids don't change their minds -- and maybe these guys will -- but you can see their hearts are in their commitments -- they have enthusiasm and even a joy about their verbals -- and it just makes a big difference.

i agree they have a different feel and i absolutely hope they are locks like Jaylon. but both are from states that are going to give them a lot of close to home options

 

[Kak7304]

When you see the spirit of guys who are really Irish (e.g., Jaylon or Barnett or Tillery), it's hard to get excited for a guy who doesn't seem to have the chest to go all in.

You mean like Justice Hayes and Elijah Hood?

 

[Emcee77]

'14 CA TE Tyler Luatua (Notre Dame Verbal)

'14 CA TE Tyler Luatua (Notre Dame Verbal)

So you'd want Folston to go to Auburn? Tuitt to go to Georgia Tech?

This fanbase, and with good reason, has Vietnam Syndrome when it comes to recruits who aren't 100% Irish. You don't need to be 100% when you commit, not everyone is. They just need to be 51%.

I totally agree.

I really didn't see anything in Luatua's interview with Bartow that made me think less of him or want him less or really think he's going elsewhere. One thing to keep in mind is that even though Loy posted the article, Bartow, a national reporter, not a ND reporter, was the one conducting the interview. Tyler is at a national event with players being recruited by everyone and he is being interviewed by a national reporter. I can def see why he would want to puff himself up a bit by trying to make himself seem like more of a national recruit. It's something to take note of but I am not sweating it.

 

[palinurus]

So you'd want Folston to go to Auburn? Tuitt to go to Georgia Tech?

This fanbase, and with good reason, has Vietnam Syndrome when it comes to recruits who aren't 100% Irish. You don't need to be 100% when you commit, not everyone is. They just need to be 51%.

I totally agree.

I really didn't see anything in Luatua's interview with Bartow that made me think less of him or want him less or really think he's going elsewhere. One thing to keep in mind is that even though Loy posted the article, Bartow, a national reporter, not a ND reporter, was the one conducting the interview. Tyler is at a national event with players being recruited by everyone and he is being interviewed by a national reporter. I can def see why he would want to puff himself up a bit by trying to make himself seem like more of a national recruit. It's something to take note of but I am not sweating it.

No, I want Folston and I want Tuitt. But there's sure a difference in chemistry and value to the overall recruiting effort when verbals are invested and when they aren't. I don't know about Tuitt, but I know Folston had a thing for Auburn. But that had a distinctly different feel than a guy who was dragging his feet, publicly playing Hamlet for weeks -- delay for this, waiting for his sister's birthday, wants to visit Bama, etc. -- finally verbals, then instantly starts advertising for a So Cal offer. If he is what's advertised, I hope he comes and becomes an ND guy and a star, but this guy seems more flighty and egocentric than Folston ever was. But maybe I'm wrong.

 

[irishandy]

FYI:
Notre Dame football recruiting - Luatua still firm with Irish - South Bend Tribune: Recruiting

 

[NDinL.A.]

From a west coast Rivals analyst:

Dixon is a better player and more athletic. Luatua needs to show more motivation to play the game. He has been quiet during two days of Under Armour practices so far.

From a USC Rivals mod this morning:

Jahlani Tavai would be more of a second tight end target for USC for me, personally. Luatua just disappears too much against good competition. He needs Tony Robbins as a position coach.

These are some of the things I was telling Lax in that PM a month or so ago. It's been out there since the summer. Not saying what I've been hearing or what these guys said is Gospel, but it is out there. If he ends up signing here, hopefully someone can light a fire under him. Unfortunately, in my experiences, that usually doesn't last...it has to some from within, and here's to hoping Luatua has that internal fire to be the best he can be...

 

[STLDomer]

Loy spoke to the commits at the UA game about the event. Except one of them could not be reached for comment.....


Fuel meet fire

 

[tko]

Loy spoke to the commits at the UA game about the event. Except one of them could not be reached for comment.....


Fuel meet fire

popcorn gif

 

[IrishLax]

Loy spoke to the commits at the UA game about the event. Except one of them could not be reached for comment.....


Fuel meet fire

hahaha, to be fair though, maybe he just didn't want to answer his phone and do another interview with the shit storm his comments kicked up earlier in the week. Just sayin'... if I was in his shoes, I wouldn't be talking to anyone.

 

[Emcee77]

Lol. Juju did tell Loy that Luatua and the other ND commits were all teasing him (Juju) about committing to ND. (Or at least I think that's what Juju was saying ... the quote was a little vague. He might have meant that Luatua and the other UA game kids were teasing him about committing to any of their schools.)

 

[woolybug25]

haha... I wouldn't want to talk to that jackass either.

 

[Irish YJ]

From a west coast Rivals analyst:



From a USC Rivals mod this morning:


These are some of the things I was telling Lax in that PM a month or so ago. It's been out there since the summer. Not saying what I've been hearing or what these guys said is Gospel, but it is out there. If he ends up signing here, hopefully someone can light a fire under him. Unfortunately, in my experiences, that usually doesn't last...it has to some from within, and here's to hoping Luatua has that internal fire to be the best he can be...

So Tony Robins as a position coach? Or maybe a non-coaching position like Alabama has? I could dig it.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Dixon picked SC, if he sticks then SC won't be pursuing Luatua

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>S/O to <a href="https://twitter.com/Obey_Pride">@Obey_Pride</a> new ND commit&#55357;&#56396; <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GoldenArmy14&src=hash">#GoldenArmy14</a> &#55356;&#57152;&#55356;&#57152;&#55356;&#57152; <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23armyallamerican&src=hash">#armyallamerican</a></p>— T.L. (@Luatua9) <a href="https://twitter.com/Luatua9/statuses/419562371225378816">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[yankeeND]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>S/O to <a href="https://twitter.com/Obey_Pride">@Obey_Pride</a> new ND commit�� <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GoldenArmy14&src=hash">#GoldenArmy14</a> ������ <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23armyallamerican&src=hash">#armyallamerican</a></p>— T.L. (@Luatua9) <a href="https://twitter.com/Luatua9/statuses/419562371225378816">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Like seeing that! Got a great class this year, hoping for it to stay intact.

 

[pumpdog20]

How did he do this week?

 

[peoriairish]

How did he do this week?

From what was televised... meh.

 

[NDhoosier]

to be fair, none of the ND commits got mentioned even though Morgan, Yeargin, and Nelson had a pretty good game. Morgan had 8 tackles at the time of his announcement and they never mentioned him once. Yeargin was always around the ball and made some nice tackles himself.