'14 FL WR Isaiah McKenzie ( Georgia ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

[RyCo1983]

Yes, you are right about taking chances, and they've been taking that chance from the get.

Yet, a gamebreaking returner isn't going to do much for the team if he can't cut it academically and/or doesn't have the preparedness to compete for his grades throughout the long haul.

My point is that the staff must be taking an educated risk here, as it doesn't make practical sense for them to make a last push solely on his athletic talent.

I just don't think he's worth the egg on the face at this point for the program, considering the gauntlet that is ND admissions and past experience.

With that said, putting aside his recent flirtation with other colleges that never truly cared about him in the first place, it's possible the kid might have made some important strides...

At least, the optimist in me hopes so... but my hopes are tempered as well.

Right on man. I'm really hopeful that it works out. But being and ND fan and following recruiting the past 5 or 6 years has really tempered my expectations!

 

[PANDFAN]

what was his "change of heart" as loy wrote

 

[greyhammer90]

Anyone want to make a vbet?

I'll pay anyone 500 mill if he makes it to campus, I want 1 billion if he doesn't make it to campus.

That's as high as I'll go, anyone wants to go lower and keep the ratio the same Ill consider it.

 

[woolybug25]

Anyone want to make a vbet?

I'll pay anyone 500 mill if he makes it to campus, I want 1 billion if he doesn't make it to campus.

That's as high as I'll go, anyone wants to go lower and keep the ratio the same Ill consider it.

$1B to $1B.

[/spits in hand]

 

[lcaps20]

IMO the fact that he is coming for an official is a very good sign for us. Also, the fact that we get the last shot at him is a very positive sign. We will be able to remind him why he worked so hard to get into ND in the first place. If he signs with us i think he is definitely worth the risk academically, especially after watching his performance in the UA game.

 

[greyhammer90]

$1B to $1B.

[/spits in hand]

Hell no. He just scheduled it and it's two weeks away. I deserve much better odds.

 

[woolybug25]

Just a thought for those that may not have got my Tony Rice comparison.

Tony Rice scored a 690 on his SAT. He was rumored to have had a gpa just north of 2.0. He was in the first class of Prop 48. Which madated he sat his first season, as his SAT was under 700.

Many here question Isaiah's ability to handle the course load. Which may be very well founded. That being said, there are exceptions to the rule in life. If this is a guy that indeed chooses Notre Dame for the opportunity. The opportunity to better his life and become the man he envisions himself capable of, then maybe... just maybe he can achieve it.

Tony Rice had a lot of similarities to McKenzie. Both slight of frame, both from underprivileged south. Both with poor academic standing.

Tony Rice did not only succeed on the football field. He graduated from Notre Dame. When his football career ended, he became a risk manager in corporate america.

Tony Rice acheived his dream... maybe Isaiah can as well...

 

[woolybug25]

Hell no. He just scheduled it and it's two weeks away. I deserve much better odds.

 

[fightingirish26]

Just a thought for those that may not have got my Tony Rice comparison.

Tony Rice scored a 690 on his SAT. He was rumored to have had a gpa just north of 2.0. He was in the first class of Prop 48. Which madated he sat his first season, as his SAT was under 700.

Many here question Isaiah's ability to handle the course load. Which may be very well founded. That being said, there are exceptions to the rule in life. If this is a guy that indeed chooses Notre Dame for the opportunity. The opportunity to better his life and become the man he envisions himself capable of, then maybe... just maybe he can achieve it.

Tony Rice had a lot of similarities to McKenzie. Both slight of frame, both from underprivileged south. Both with poor academic standing.

Tony Rice did not only succeed on the football field. He graduated from Notre Dame. When his football career ended, he became a risk manager in corporate america.

Tony Rice acheived his dream... maybe Isaiah can as well...

never knew that..very cool. hopefully Isaiah follows the same path

 

[Pachuco]

Just a thought for those that may not have got my Tony Rice comparison.

Tony Rice scored a 690 on his SAT. He was rumored to have had a gpa just north of 2.0. He was in the first class of Prop 48. Which madated he sat his first season, as his SAT was under 700.

Many here question Isaiah's ability to handle the course load. Which may be very well founded. That being said, there are exceptions to the rule in life. If this is a guy that indeed chooses Notre Dame for the opportunity. The opportunity to better his life and become the man he envisions himself capable of, then maybe... just maybe he can achieve it.

Tony Rice had a lot of similarities to McKenzie. Both slight of frame, both from underprivileged south. Both with poor academic standing.

Tony Rice did not only succeed on the football field. He graduated from Notre Dame. When his football career ended, he became a risk manager in corporate america.

Tony Rice acheived his dream... maybe Isaiah can as well...

You said it, right here, brother. This will make all the difference... the road less traveled, the big IF for McKenzie, especially when other recent pathways might be whispering a different message, that there are shortcuts someone of his athletic ability deserves to take...

 

[greyhammer90]

.

Fine. Wooly doesn't want on the ride of pain. Anybody else feeling vlucky?

 

[scUM Hater]

Wasn't Chris Zorich also a Prop 48 student? And to think he is a lawyer now.

 

[woolybug25]

Wasn't Chris Zorich also a Prop 48 student? And to think he is a lawyer now.

Zorich did graduate... but might be a bad example of succeeding in life right now. Just sayin'...

 

[Pa Golden Tate Fan]

Wasn't Chris Zorich also a Prop 48 student? And to think he is a lawyer now.

John Foley was the other Prop 48. He is now working on wall street.

 

[scUM Hater]

Zorich did graduate... but might be a bad example of succeeding in life right now. Just sayin'...

Yeah......

 

[greyhammer90]

Zorich did graduate... but might be a bad example of succeeding in life right now. Just sayin'...

What're you saying about lawyers??

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

'14 FL WR Isaiah McKenzie (Offer)

'14 FL WR Isaiah McKenzie (Offer)

What're you saying about lawyers??

Well look at Whiskey and Emcee too....

 

[GreenSox04]

John Foley was the other Prop 48. He is now working on wall street.

as a wolf?

 

[NDinL.A.]

The thing about the Prop 48 kids...they had a mandated redshirt year where they could get acclimated to the rigors of college academics. That's all they focused on really, was academics.

McKenzie just isn't going to want to sit out a year. He was ticked that he wasn't starting a meaningless all-star game and let everyone know it...you think a kid that competitive and that far away from home is going to want to redshirt and focus solely on academics? I think not. He would have a mammoth, mammoth task adjusting to the rigorous course load at ND while devoting so much time to football, especially considering how much he struggled in just high school.

That's not to say he couldn't make it here. Lots of kids redshirt at ND from all over the country. But not all those kids have struggled so mightily in high school, both grades-wise and test-wise. And not all those kids have his talent, where (if healthy), he could contribute right away.

I hope he makes it, and I hope he kicks major ass here, a la Tony Rice. But unfortunately, he won't have that year to focus solely on academics. He has a tough road ahead of him, no doubt, especially if he were to choose the road less traveled...

 

[irishfan]

Wasn't Zorich just academically ineligible in 1987? Didn't think he was a Prop.

 

[Cali_domer]

what was his "change of heart" as loy wrote

....

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

what was his "change of heart" as loy wrote

Doesn't really say. Just that he is looking forward to the trip now that there will be students on campus and people around unlike last time.

 

[Irishnuke]

Like the song says......"wake me up when it's all over".......I have to disengage from recruiting it's maddening yet I need something to quench my ND thirst this time of year!

Isn't it "wake me up before you go-go. Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo.?"

Kuehnja, you're terrible at quotes. What do you say?

 

[greyhammer90]

Isn't it "wake me up before you go-go. Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo.?"

Kuehnja, you're terrible at quotes. What do you say?

 

[Buster Bluth]

Isn't it "wake me up before you go-go. Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo.?"

...Orange Mocha Frappuccino!!!

 

[BGIF]

Just a thought for those that may not have got my Tony Rice comparison.

Tony Rice scored a 690 on his SAT. He was rumored to have had a gpa just north of 2.0. He was in the first class of Prop 48. Which madated he sat his first season, as his SAT was under 700.

Many here question Isaiah's ability to handle the course load. Which may be very well founded. That being said, there are exceptions to the rule in life. If this is a guy that indeed chooses Notre Dame for the opportunity. The opportunity to better his life and become the man he envisions himself capable of, then maybe... just maybe he can achieve it.

Tony Rice had a lot of similarities to McKenzie. Both slight of frame, both from underprivileged south. Both with poor academic standing.

Tony Rice did not only succeed on the football field. He graduated from Notre Dame. When his football career ended, he became a risk manager in corporate america.

Tony Rice acheived his dream... maybe Isaiah can as well...

There is no comparison with Tony Rice. None.

Tony Rice's HS academic credidentials would make him INELIGIBLE for a FBS Scholarship today.

He would be a non-qualifier.

A 690 SAT would require a 2.825 GPA on the NCAA Sliding Scale. Conversely, a 2.0 would require an SAT of 1010.

A 700 would require 2.80 while a 2.05 (a little North) would require a corresponding 990.

Oh and he would have to take an additional 4 core courses.

Yes, he was in the first Prop 48 class but 1986 was the only year ND took any Prop 48's. It was Holtz's first year and he had a lot of leverage following the Faust Era. He pushed for the exception and got it from Hesburgh on a trial basis. In 2010 I posted the following about ND's Prop 48s:

Does anyone know how many Prop 48 players ND has taken in its history. I thought it was only Tony Rice and Chris Zorich. Someone recently told me that Rocket Ismail was one and that there were others. Thanks for your help. Go Irish!

Three and Zorich was NOT a Prop 48.

In 1986 ND admitted Tony Rice, John Foley, the USA Defensive Player of The Year, and Keith Robinson for basketball. They were the first an only Prop 48s at ND. There have been none since at ND. Under the terms of Prop 48 they could neither play NOR practice. They were fulltime students. And while they were forbidden to participate in sports during their freshman year it cost them a year of eligibility.

Rice played in '87, '88, and '89 and was out of eligibility.
Foley only played the '87 season. He had a career ending injury in the Cotton Bowl.
Robinson played 3 seasons for the Irish.

All 3 graduated. Despite the pain from his playing days injury Foley used his ND degree and drive to build a highly successful and lucrative business career.

 

[BGIF]

Somebody raises the "humanity" issue every year or two that ND should admit the severely unqualified (providing they run 4.25, or throw a pass further than Clausen, or or pancake a DL like Nix ... "his HS coach said he could. I read it on the Internet.) Funny but those same humanitatian advocates of the academically challenged are never calling for ND to admit more QB with weak arms and immobile feet even if they fill the record books and win more games than all but 6 QBs in ND history. We all know it's not about humanity, they just want to win and are willing to do what FSU, Auburn, and Bama do.

The post below was a follow post to the previous Prop 48 Post. It was posted on 1/15/10, 3years and 1 day ago.

One of the principal reasons ND never went the Prop 48 route again was that those 3 students were isolated from the rest of the student body by their need to "catch up". They didn't share the same academic environment the ND believes is essential to developing the complete student. That was a major objection to admitting mid year freshman, the EEs (Early Entrance) for many years.

Keep in mind that Fr Hesburgh years earlier had started upgrading ND's academic reputation. Monk was on a mission to make ND the Princeton/Stanford of the midwest. ND was no longer the blue collar school of Gip, Krause, and Hornung. The ND student body was changing as a consequence.

This contributed to another problem/concern as the Prop 48s were treated as pariahs by some/many of their fellow students. The other athletes at ND while not necessarily scholars had still met minimum Admission Requirements like the other students. The Prop 48s didn't. The Prop 48s got a waiver that nobody else had.

... and no one else has gotten at ND since.

Rice, Foley, and Robinson came to ND 28 years. Almost 3 decades. More than a generation ago.

The ND student body has gotten considerably smarter and tougher to compete against in that generation. The average ND freshman graduated with an SAT "somewhat North" of 1350 and their GPA was in the Top 5% of their HS Class.

Unlike the state schools with students bodies over 40,000 and hundreds of majors in which to hide "jocks", and classes just for jocks, ND athletes have to compete in the classroom with real courses, real classwork, and real students.

Now ND has an excellent tutorial program that has helped a lot of academically challenged students succeed by teaching them how to be a student, how to study, how to take notes, how to take a test, how to write a paper, how to focus. The exceptional graduation rate for athletes regardless of race or gender testifies to that success AND that ND Admissions understands the type of student that can flourish in ND's academic environment.

 

[rtrn2glory]

i'm pretty skeptical if he would end up signing....not to sell a kid short, but it's starting to almost be a pass for me at the moment.

two weeks ago i wouldn't have thought this for a second, but things have changed quite a bit since then.

imo if he makes it to campus he's ours....if not he goes help "build" what muschamp is building

 

[Grahambo]

Just curious where the pessimistic attitude is coming from? People just tired of recruiting games?

I ask because the updates have been positive for some time. I believe it was Loy who hinted not to get distracted by the offers coming in and IM having fun because he's never had the chance until recently. I think its IM creating drama just to have his chance to truly commit.

The kid has busted his ass in the classroom and now is reaping what he has sown through hard work. I'm glad he's having fun.

Loy/Wiltfong expect him to be apart of the class and with ND getting the last official, I see little reason to think otherwise.

And the off chance he does go elsewhere, I'll still root for him because he worked hard to get his chance playing at D1. He took the road less traveled and for that I salute him.

 

[rikkitikki08]

Just curious where the pessimistic attitude is coming from? People just tired of recruiting games?

I ask because the updates have been positive for some time. I believe it was Loy who hinted not to get distracted by the offers coming in and IM having fun because he's never had the chance until recently. I think its IM creating drama just to have his chance to truly commit.

The kid has busted his ass in the classroom and now is reaping what he has sown through hard work. I'm glad he's having fun.

Loy/Wiltfong expect him to be apart of the class and with ND getting the last official, I see little reason to think otherwise.

And the off chance he does go elsewhere, I'll still root for him because he worked hard to get his chance playing at D1. He took the road less traveled and for that I salute him.

Look at that, common sense and positivity....interesting concept you have