'15 IN LB Josh Barajas (Notre Dame Signed NLI)

[EuropeanDomer]

Shocked! I think Bilal is better but i thought Barajas was 100% Irish.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

WTF?

 

[ryno 24]

exactly, I want at least two great inside linebacker types this year.

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

Seriously I hate this kid.

@Jake_Brown: In other news, big day. Curling league and an important fantasy baseball draft. Getting my draft board together.

 

[Luckylucci]

Seriously I hate this kid.

@Jake_Brown: In other news, big day. Curling league and an important fantasy baseball draft. Getting my draft board together.

I can't believe the shit he says on twitter. If I was his employer he's fired a long time ago. Guys a joke. #cupcakes!

 

[IrishLax]

I agree, but this is out of left field. IMO.

But that's how Franklin does things. He's like a Vulcan mind-meld of the best qualities of Urban Meyer, Tony Alford, Tosh, and Greg Mattison. He's also a grade-A arrogant SOB and a pretty huge jerkoff... and he's not exactly a great "in game" coach. But there was a part of me that hoped he'd be next in line after Kelly, even with all of his flaws, because of what he's capable of in recruiting.

There was a time that I scoffed at all the people fellating Franklin, but then I got better informed by people who had seen him in action and the 'miracle' work he did at Vandy. Let's all ask ourselves a question... before 2011, did we EVER compete with Vandy for players? And after 2011, how frequently were we in wars with a school that has never, ever been relevant in football? Kiel, Morgan, etc. all came down to battles with Vandy, not to mention some races we lost to them for mid-rated prospects.

Franklin has more energy, confidence, and charisma than just about any coach in college football. It's infectious, and almost reminds me of Shaka Smart at VCU. You talk to kids, and they're coming to play for Shaka because they believe in him... not VCU. Same things applies to Franklin, as was obviously showcased in the historic collapse of the last Vandy recruiting class.

He has the pressure sell ability of Urban, the hustle of Tosh, the relatability/connection of Alford, and the neg recruiting ability of Mattison. Just look at Barajas... ND as clear leader, has some good visits. Says in article ND is "neck and neck" with PSU... yet decides to commit and cancel upcoming visit. Why? Because Franklin was kicking the recruiting into overdrive and sure talking about spots filling up and how their class is like #1 right now and boom. Sealed deal.

 

[IrishLax]

Another quote from the Wiltfong piece:

Barajas's coach told 247Sports on Thursday morning that he thought the Irish were still in front. Another huge win for Penn State on the recruiting trail.

So in 3 days, he went from Irish out front to committed to PSU and shutting down recruiting. No visit or anything inbetween. That's simply being outrecruited.

 

[Luckylucci]

I agree.

 

[Luckylucci]

Another quote from the Wiltfong piece:

So in 3 days, he went from Irish out front to committed to PSU and shutting down recruiting. No visit or anything inbetween. That's simply being outrecruited.

Yes but C'mon the staff want expecting this. IMO, they did what they thought was right. Respectin time decisions and all. This is pressure recruiting at its best and it wins out. I don't think the staff feels they need to do this. Id like to hear your thought on this?

 

[GoIrish41]

Good pickup for PSU. Next.

 

[IrishLax]

Yes but C'mon the staff want expecting this. IMO, they did what they thought was right. Respectin time decisions and all. This is pressure recruiting at its best and it wins out. I don't think the staff feels they need to do this. Id like to hear your thought on this?

Yeah, I'm not saying they did anything wrong. I'm just saying they got out hustled. Like when Diaco out hustled PSU for Ishaq Williams.

Right now we don't pressure recruit. All of our main regional recruiting foes do (OSU, Michigan, Penn State). Sometimes it blows up in their faces, sometimes it doesn't. I don't know what the best tactic is.

IMO, it gives you a higher risk of decommit... at the same time, Michigan lucked out last year that they went so all-in early with guys as they held it together through a horrible season (even though they didn't add anyone to the class down the stretch). Their early recruiting with '15 guys, Campbell and Harris, did blow up in their face though... but they probably would've lost them anyways, so....

It's an interesting question to debate. Personally, I just wish kids and their parents were willing to slow down the process more. They aren't though.

 

[Rocket 94]

I can't believe the shit he says on twitter. If I was his employer he's fired a long time ago. Guys a joke. #cupcakes!

My problem with him is he admitted he wasn't an ND fan when someone asked him if he would follow ND football if he didn't work for Rivals. The only guy on Rivals that is a true ND fan is Prister as Sampson really is not a fan either. This is why I prefer 247 as you have Lou Somogyi who is a true diehard fan along with Dan Murphy who is an ND grad.

Very stupid of him to admit he would not follow ND football if he wasn't the recruiting reporter.

 

[IrishLax]

Christian on ISD also said that he recently talked to his dad and coach and they both thought ND.

 

[RuntheBall]

PSU has the resource to be BETTER than UM and about even with OSU in my mind. A "healthy" PSU is just adding another BCS-caliber team into the mid-west recruiting. And PSU is the best Mid Atlantic team by far... its not even close. So many of the NJ/NY/Philly kids that we have picked up the last couple of year will flock to PSU because of its location and football tradition/atmosphere. Throw in the Western PA and Ohio kids... PSU has a great recruiting base, unfortunately in one of our hotbeds. A strong PSU may hurt UM and OSU more than us, but it certainly is not good news for us either.

 

[TheChosen1]

I'm saying this is far from over.

 

[Luckylucci]

Yeah, I'm not saying they did anything wrong. I'm just saying they got out hustled. Like when Diaco out hustled PSU for Ishaq Williams.

Right now we don't pressure recruit. All of our main regional recruiting foes do (OSU, Michigan, Penn State). Sometimes it blows up in their faces, sometimes it doesn't. I don't know what the best tactic is.

IMO, it gives you a higher risk of decommit... at the same time, Michigan lucked out last year that they went so all-in early with guys as they held it together through a horrible season (even though they didn't add anyone to the class down the stretch). Their early recruiting with '15 guys, Campbell and Harris, did blow up in their face though... but they probably would've lost them anyways, so....

It's an interesting question to debate. Personally, I just wish kids and their parents were willing to slow down the process more. They aren't though.

That's pretty much how I feel down to the "I'm not sure what the answer is." I like the staff telling kids how much thy want them but not pressuring for commits too much. It makes for a better decision for the kids. With that said there are examples to where we may not have been aggressive enough. I'm not actually sure there is a right answer, maybe more just preference. I really wanted this kid and I know the staff did as well. I wonder if his mother did have something to do with this. Wiltfong did leave it open to that being a possibility. With all that said I'm not that worried about LB recruiting because we're pretty stockpiled for the most part.

 

[GBdomer]

Good get Penn State I really wanted this kid to be Irish. It was a position of need on the top state in state target. Kelly and the staff was out recruited. We still need ILB and this one blows to lose.

 

[ndfi78]

I can't believe the shit he says on twitter. If I was his employer he's fired a long time ago. Guys a joke. #cupcakes!

It's his personal account, dude can say whatever he wants.

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

It's his personal account, dude can say whatever he wants.

Not quite but ok.

 

[GBdomer]

It's his personal account, dude can say whatever he wants.

I'm not a big jake brown fan either but this is what I was thinking.

 

[GBdomer]

Plus we have been snagging penn state top targets for years. It's about time they got us back.

 

[CanadalovesND]

Plus we have been snagging penn state top targets for years. It's about time they got us back.

True.

We "stole" away Ishaq in 2011. Got Jones to flip in 2012, and ripped McGlinchey from them in 2013.

Eventually, they were going to get us back..

 

[IrishLax]

True.

We "stole" away Ishaq in 2011. Got Jones to flip in 2012, and ripped McGlinchey from them in 2013.

Eventually, they were going to get us back..

And flipped Fuller. And... I think there were one or two more.

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

Plus we have been snagging penn state top targets for years. It's about time they got us back.

True but I also think Lax is on to something. I don't think I fully appreciated what Franklin is capable of.

 

[stlnd01]

Wow. A Penn State that actually puts some effort into recruiting for a change could be tough for us (and Ohio State). We've beaten them to lots of eastern kids over the years, and some from Pennsylvania. Now they pluck a kid from our backyard.
That said, I wouldn't be surprised if this one's not quite over. Hard sells can wear off, and I hope we stay in touch.

 

[IrishLax]

Something else to think about... it'll be shocking if Penn State doesn't win at least 8 games this year, and doesn't win 9+ every year after that. He's going to have a good product to sell with their joke of an out-of-conference schedule.

UCF, Temple, Akron, UMASS. I mean... seriously? 4 free Ws. And then they get Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, and Indiana. All teams we'd expect to beat by double digits. Then Northwestern, Michigan, MSU, OSU... 4 teams that are varying levels of legit. I don't know how you don't win 8.

It sets up perfect for a slow build and PSU eventually becoming a power. I don't know if Franklin has aspirations of being a pro coach... he's had a relatively meteoric rise from Maryland OC in 2010 to now... and PSU threw a lot of money at him. I think he might be there for the long haul and be a serious thorn.

 

[stlnd01]

Lol Saban and Jimbo say hi. Great job from Franklin tho.

Saban and Jimbo have way more to offer program-wise, and way more talent in their backyard, than Franklin ever has.

 

[gkIrish]

Something else to think about... it'll be shocking if Penn State doesn't win at least 8 games this year, and doesn't win 9+ every year after that. He's going to have a good product to sell with their joke of an out-of-conference schedule.

UCF, Temple, Akron, UMASS. I mean... seriously? 4 free Ws. And then they get Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, and Indiana. All teams we'd expect to beat by double digits. Then Northwestern, Michigan, MSU, OSU... 4 teams that are varying levels of legit. I don't know how you don't win 8.

It sets up perfect for a slow build and PSU eventually becoming a power. I don't know if Franklin has aspirations of being a pro coach... he's had a relatively meteoric rise from Maryland OC in 2010 to now... and PSU threw a lot of money at him. I think he might be there for the long haul and be a serious thorn.

I bet they lose one of those

 

[irishff1014]

True but I also think Lax is on to something. I don't think I fully appreciated what Franklin is capable of.

With the way that Franklin can recruit he is going to take some kids that we might be after. But that also means look out MD,VA,NJ,PA,NY,OH. A good amount of talent in that region that may end up at Penn State.

 

[irishff1014]

Something else to think about... it'll be shocking if Penn State doesn't win at least 8 games this year, and doesn't win 9+ every year after that. He's going to have a good product to sell with their joke of an out-of-conference schedule.

UCF, Temple, Akron, UMASS. I mean... seriously? 4 free Ws. And then they get Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, and Indiana. All teams we'd expect to beat by double digits. Then Northwestern, Michigan, MSU, OSU... 4 teams that are varying levels of legit. I don't know how you don't win 8.

It sets up perfect for a slow build and PSU eventually becoming a power. I don't know if Franklin has aspirations of being a pro coach... he's had a relatively meteoric rise from Maryland OC in 2010 to now... and PSU threw a lot of money at him. I think he might be there for the long haul and be a serious thorn.

Isn't he from PA?