'15 LA OT/DT Jerry Tillery (Notre Dame Early Enrollee)

[Crazy Balki]

Or maybe....just maybe....the last 4 years of recruiting has taught us a valuable lesson:

ND commits who take visits are rarely 100% committed and almost always jump ship late in the cycle when pressure cranks up. Don't you guys think you're being a little naive about this?

Normally yes, but I'd have to say that a lifelong ND fan with both parents huge ND fans is an exception.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Or maybe....just maybe....the last 4 years of recruiting has taught us a valuable lesson:

ND commits who take visits are rarely 100% committed and almost always jump ship late in the cycle when pressure cranks up. Don't you guys think you're being a little naive about this?

I honestly don't think it is about naiveté with me as much as others. It just isn't worth me jumping a 17 year-old's shit, one that has given me no reason. Other than he has a colorful character. I think it is naïve to think that HH and BK aren't on top of this. And if it does go off the rocker, it is best that it gets handled up front. Either way, ND will come out on top.

I am just not looking for high-drama to enhance my entertainment experience.

(There is a marked difference between a kid who takes secret visits, visits to five different schools, and schedules five visits, three to the school he is committed to.)

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Normally yes, but I'd have to say that a lifelong ND fan with both parents huge ND fans is an exception.

This isn't the case. The mom wants him to go to LSU according to the latest reports.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

This isn't the case. The mom wants him to go to LSU according to the latest reports.

"Show me the money, Jerry!"

 

[IrishLax]

Normally yes, but I'd have to say that a lifelong ND fan with both parents huge ND fans is an exception.

His parents absolutely 100% want him at LSU.

 

[Irish#1]

I honestly don't think it is about naiveté with me as much as others. It just isn't worth me jumping a 17 year-old's shit, one that has given me no reason. Other than he has a colorful character. I think it is naïve to think that HH and BK aren't on top of this. And if it does go off the rocker, it is best that it gets handled up front. Either way, ND will come out on top.

I am just not looking for high-drama to enhance my entertainment experience.

(There is a marked difference between a kid who takes secret visits, visits to five different schools, and schedules five visits, three to the school he is committed to.)

I'll bet your kids feel you've made an exception to that rule more than once! lol

 

[Irishnuke]

I don't have any numbers to back it up, but I bet the percentage of kids that stick to their commitment to ND after taking visits elsewhere is pretty low.

 

[GoIrish41]

His parents absolutely 100% want him at LSU.

They don't want him to get distracted with no book learnin'.

 

[ThePiombino]

His parents absolutely 100% want him at LSU.

Best-case scenario is that this is a Chris Brown's dad-esque smoke screen. Anything else and the writing is one wall as far as I'm concerned.

 

[garyasher]

His parents absolutely 100% want him at LSU.

Hey LAX, just asking because I missed the 100% statement, did his parents say in an interview that they want him at LSU? I must have missed it. Can you point it out again please.

 

[garyasher]

I did reread the thread back to April 6 when we supposedly saw smoke. Well its now almost mid-June and no fire yet. You guys should just take a chill pill.

 

[Irishnuke]

I did reread the thread back to April 6 when we supposedly saw smoke. Well its now almost mid-June and no fire yet. You guys should just take a chill pill.

How long have you been following ND crootin?

 

[NDinL.A.]

I did reread the thread back to April 6 when we supposedly saw smoke. Well its now almost mid-June and no fire yet. You guys should just take a chill pill.

I'm completely chill. Recruiting doesn't bother me in the least anymore.

But I'm also not blind. It's simply amazing to me, after all the decommitments we've seen over the years, after all the commits that we've seen lie to reporters and to the coaches and decommit, after all the commits who are "98% committed" and want to take visits "just to enjoy the process because you only do this once", only to watch them decommit, that people STILL say certain recruits are solid and there is nothing to worry about. How can ANYONE think that? We've been burned numerous times, too many to count, and yet people still jump down our throats if we dare say a recruit might not be solid.

Lynch's grandpa had his ashes dropped at ND, so he won't decommit/transfer. Barnett bought a ND golf bag and wears ND clothes, so he won't decommit. Greenberry only took a visit to Houston, and no way does ND lose a recruit to Houston, so he won't decommit. Darby wants an education, and FSU's academics suck, so he won't decommit. Anzalone os best friend's with Devon Butler, so he won't decommit.

I could go on and on. We're always told by the NDSean's of the world not to worry, but reality is a bitter pill for some people to swallow. Decommits can and will continue to happen. Tillery might not decommit, but ND coaches better be recruiting another tackle because he sure as hell ain't solid.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I'll bet your kids feel you've made an exception to that rule more than once! lol

Missed this yesterday. With my kids, there is always a reason to jump their shit, if for no other reason than "because!"

I'm completely chill. Recruiting doesn't bother me in the least anymore.

But I'm also not blind. It's simply amazing to me, after all the decommitments we've seen over the years, after all the commits that we've seen lie to reporters and to the coaches and decommit, after all the commits who are "98% committed" and want to take visits "just to enjoy the process because you only do this once", only to watch them decommit, that people STILL say certain recruits are solid and there is nothing to worry about. How can ANYONE think that? We've been burned numerous times, too many to count, and yet people still jump down our throats if we dare say a recruit might not be solid.

Lynch's grandpa had his ashes dropped at ND, so he won't decommit/transfer. Barnett bought a ND golf bag and wears ND clothes, so he won't decommit. Greenberry only took a visit to Houston, and no way does ND lose a recruit to Houston, so he won't decommit. Darby wants an education, and FSU's academics suck, so he won't decommit. Anzalone is <sic> best friend's with Devon Butler, so he won't decommit.

I could go on and on. We're always told by the NDSean's of the world not to worry, but reality is a bitter pill for some people to swallow. Decommits can and will continue to happen. Tillery might not decommit, but ND coaches better be recruiting another tackle because he sure as hell ain't solid.

I agree with your sentiment, but there is not one player listed that I would want, on the basis of their own actions.

The difference between past years and this year is we have better choices this year, and massively better roster depth to fall back on.

The difference between the way Tillery and Barnett have handled this process is like night and day. Tillery does what he does and doesn't care what the ticket buying public thinks. Barnett plays some child's game including top secret visits and shining on the public? Barnett is moving himself over to the overly baked flake pile right quickly. If Tillery does that I am fine with accelerating Nelson, if we don't find a replacement. But so far I have seen nothing to indicate Jerry belongs in the group with the sex-taping, football talkers, that "can't walk the walk"-ers.

As opposed to a guy like Bonner who writes himself a letter from 8th grade inciting himself to get a football scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

And that is ironic because recruiting doesn't bother me any more either. Because I have great pills for that; better living through chemistry! And all that! What were we talking about? What day is it?

 

[NCND]

I'm completely chill. Recruiting doesn't bother me in the least anymore.

But I'm also not blind. It's simply amazing to me, after all the decommitments we've seen over the years, after all the commits that we've seen lie to reporters and to the coaches and decommit, after all the commits who are "98% committed" and want to take visits "just to enjoy the process because you only do this once", only to watch them decommit, that people STILL say certain recruits are solid and there is nothing to worry about. How can ANYONE think that? We've been burned numerous times, too many to count, and yet people still jump down our throats if we dare say a recruit might not be solid.

Lynch's grandpa had his ashes dropped at ND, so he won't decommit/transfer. Barnett bought a ND golf bag and wears ND clothes, so he won't decommit. Greenberry only took a visit to Houston, and no way does ND lose a recruit to Houston, so he won't decommit. Darby wants an education, and FSU's academics suck, so he won't decommit. Anzalone os best friend's with Devon Butler, so he won't decommit.

I could go on and on. We're always told by the NDSean's of the world not to worry, but reality is a bitter pill for some people to swallow. Decommits can and will continue to happen. Tillery might not decommit, but ND coaches better be recruiting another tackle because he sure as hell ain't solid.

+1111111111

 

[md_bennett]

Missed this yesterday. With my kids, there is always a reason to jump their shit, if for no other reason than "because!"

"Because" really just means I haven't figured out or heard what you did to deserve this yet....but you deserve it somehow!

 

[IrishLax]

Hey LAX, just asking because I missed the 100% statement, did his parents say in an interview that they want him at LSU? I must have missed it. Can you point it out again please.

It was per LSU 247 if you want to look it up... I don't think I can get to it now. Person noted that talking to Tillery's parents at track meet that they wanted him at LSU, and the LSU reporter followed up saying he had heard the same thing. The LSU reporter also said though that Jerry definitely really liked Notre Dame and was happy with his choice so he wasn't sure how good of a chance LSU would have for a flip, but his parents were saying publicly that they preferred LSU.

Jerry himself also has said that he made one of his visits to LSU "for his parents" but you always have to take statements like that with a grain of salt.

 

[GBdomer]

wait wait Bogs

So you wouldn't take Alex Anzalone, Ronald Darby, Blake Barnett, Aaron Lynch, Deontay Greenberry on this years team. I mean sure if you wanna keep winning 9 games a year

Would you take Tee Sheppard,Eddie Vanderdoes,Taylor Decker, Gunner Kiel, Davonte Neal?

But you would take- Max Redfield, Greg Bryant, William Fuller, Josh Barajas, Doug Randolph, Durham Smythe, Jaron Jones, Everett Golson?

 

[Bogtrotter07]

"Because" really just means I haven't figured out or heard what you did to deserve this yet....but you deserve it somehow!

Exactly! Just like the Uniform Code of Military Justice. 133 regulations cover everything under the sun. Just like old number 134 :

“Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special, or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.”

The UCMJ has Articles 1 through 133 that cover everything under the sun. And then they have the "General Article." My General Article covers time and space, as well as vague notions of what dad expects. My kids would say, "I don't know what you expect;" I would say, "Guess."

 

[Bogtrotter07]

wait wait Bogs

So you wouldn't take Alex Anzalone, Ronald Darby, Blake Barnett, Aaron Lynch, Deontay Greenberry on this years team. I mean sure if you wanna keep winning 9 games a year

Would you take Tee Sheppard,Eddie Vanderdoes,Taylor Decker, Gunner Kiel, Davonte Neal?

But you would take- Max Redfield, Greg Bryant, William Fuller, Josh Barajas, Doug Randolph, Durham Smythe, Jaron Jones, Everett Golson?

Anzalone - I agree with Diaco on this one; I don't care for him. His dad was throwing up red flags all over the place! How do you deal with that? And a lot of reports came out about his play and his ethic, I just lost my love . . . He had two tackles last year. He wasn't what he was billed, in my opinion.

Ronald Darby - As good a football player as he may be, there are enough other guys. I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pole. Dude is a scumbag. Would have preferred if we spent all our time on Brian Poole in the first place.

Do I wish Barnett would have stayed in the fold? Hail yes! But look at his recruitment! Do I want to waste time on a flake as a recruit at quarterback at ND? No. Show me where this isn't the case. James fucking Bond secret visits, and a final three of Oregon, Bama, and Old Miss. That's our guy a real ND man! This is where all the flakey recruit shit comes to play.

Greenberry and Shephard were a case unto themselves. They didn't have the classroom chops and the discipline to make it at ND. I kind of liked Greenberry because he was obviously coming for his cousin, and between you and me, Shepard still cannot qualify to go to college. Sometimes, handicaps are too great to overcome. Should we just make exceptions? I don't think so. Would I have it that Tee was able to do the work? In a heartbeat. This is one that covers both guys, and it was really no one's fault. Everybody tried really hard, but that peg just wasn't going to fit in the hole. Anywhere for Tee.

Eddie Vanderdoes is closely related to Tee. Eddie has a learning disability. He can get free assistance while in school at any public university, whatever he needs. He cannot at a private one. UCLA understood this. I believe this was what Eddie's parents were really mad about. And I do not blame our coaching staff for not understanding this. New territory and all. (Also why the real reasons never came out.) So I like Eddie, and never had a problem with him. Do I wish he was in a position where he could have thrived at ND? Hail yes!

Taylor Decker was just a sad case. He wanted ND his parents and family wanted OSU. When Urban hired away the two coaches at ND he had relationships with (underhandedly I might add) it was going to happen! I think of all the kids you listed, next to Anzalone, who may just turn out to be a total dud, this is the one that hurt ND the least. Because it allowed Harry to bring in the crew! One more space for a HH recruit!

Keil, okay - you tell me what went wrong there? He probably would have started last year if he stuck with it! If he couldn't have won the job against Tommy, he should have looked to another program against different competition, in my opinion.

Neil. Other than getting caught smoking dope on campus, which everyone knows not to do, what was it with him? His daughter? His dad? The flitting wings of a butterfly in the sunlight? I would love it if he stuck with his commitment. On every play. We will see what guy he turns out to be.

So I don't have problems with transfers. I don't have problems with guys mostly, (cept Anzalone, and Darby; maybe a bit Keil, Ferguson, and Neil, but mostly not), but I do have problems with situations. I think everybody should try to better their situation.

Remember, the main problem with ND during the bad years wasn't lack of talent, it was lack of guys with the right attitude. During the bad years ND only dipped to number six in producing NFL talent, from number one historically. It is the other guys that can't get with the program. And unfortunately, that is too many of the guys you listed in the first two paragraphs.

 

[garyasher]

How long have you been following ND crootin?

well, in earnest since 2011.

I do agree that when the smoke alarm goes off, fire happens right away as in Barnett and many others, but in this case, maybe we have a kid who knows what is the right thing to do. And, most of the comments here are speculation that has kind of gotten out of hand. Who really believed that Les' kid would come with Jerry to ND? Really? I remember when I was 17 and 18, I was all over campuses in the Midwest for fun. We were on road trips all of the time and I never waivered. I understand that I didn't have a following quite like Jerry, but come on, why can't a kid still root for his home state school and still be allowed to attend the greatest University. Maybe ole Jer is a very social kid.

 

[garyasher]

It was per LSU 247 if you want to look it up... I don't think I can get to it now. Person noted that talking to Tillery's parents at track meet that they wanted him at LSU, and the LSU reporter followed up saying he had heard the same thing. The LSU reporter also said though that Jerry definitely really liked Notre Dame and was happy with his choice so he wasn't sure how good of a chance LSU would have for a flip, but his parents were saying publicly that they preferred LSU.

Jerry himself also has said that he made one of his visits to LSU "for his parents" but you always have to take statements like that with a grain of salt.

Thank you. I don't do 247 anymore. I like the interaction of IE and only have limited blocks of time to follow.

I do think if he was going to flip to LSU, he would have and I think he seems to get Notre Dame and HH.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Thank you. I don't do 247 anymore. I like the interaction of IE and only have limited blocks of time to follow.

I do think if he was going to flip to LSU, he would have and I think he seems to get Notre Dame and HH.

Substitute marijuana, moonshine, and cocaine with "247." And then sing your heart out!

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jX6wabIss2U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[GBdomer]

Bogs that was a really good post. But there are current players on this football team who have problems and you can post about them which you did above. Every team in the country has them. I like players with an edge to them, you don't need 85 of them but you do need some if you want to play big time college football.

Ronald Darby also isn't a scumbag? What has he ever done? he is probably the 2nd best corner in the country. No way does every player on this roster have a perfect attitude and work ethic. Sure it needs to be different when you try to balance the athletics of Notre Dame with the education. "we are shoppin down a different alley"

Brian Kelly recruited them because he thought they could be successful and some of them tried to be at ND. I applaud BK for giving them a chance because they were really good football players. Someone on this current roster or recruiting class or next years class will get kicked out of school or transfer or deccomitt. It's just how it goes but you need players like this if you want to play big time football. If you want 85 Rudy's or Joe Schmidt's like some people want. Or the 3 star guy's who have a great highlight tape then that's fine but we won't win a lot of football games.

 

[connect the dots]

Anzalone - I agree with Diaco on this one; I don't care for him. His dad was throwing up red flags all over the place! How do you deal with that? And a lot of reports came out about his play and his ethic, I just lost my love . . . He had two tackles last year. He wasn't what he was billed, in my opinion.

Ronald Darby - As good a football player as he may be, there are enough other guys. I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pole. Dude is a scumbag. Would have preferred if we spent all our time on Brian Poole in the first place.

Do I wish Barnett would have stayed in the fold? Hail yes! But look at his recruitment! Do I want to waste time on a flake as a recruit at quarterback at ND? No. Show me where this isn't the case. James fucking Bond secret visits, and a final three of Oregon, Bama, and Old Miss. That's our guy a real ND man! This is where all the flakey recruit shit comes to play.

Greenberry and Shephard were a case unto themselves. They didn't have the classroom chops and the discipline to make it at ND. I kind of liked Greenberry because he was obviously coming for his cousin, and between you and me, Shepard still cannot qualify to go to college. Sometimes, handicaps are too great to overcome. Should we just make exceptions? I don't think so. Would I have it that Tee was able to do the work? In a heartbeat. This is one that covers both guys, and it was really no one's fault. Everybody tried really hard, but that peg just wasn't going to fit in the hole. Anywhere for Tee.

Eddie Vanderdoes is closely related to Tee. Eddie has a learning disability. He can get free assistance while in school at any public university, whatever he needs. He cannot at a private one. UCLA understood this. I believe this was what Eddie's parents were really mad about. And I do not blame our coaching staff for not understanding this. New territory and all. (Also why the real reasons never came out.) So I like Eddie, and never had a problem with him. Do I wish he was in a position where he could have thrived at ND? Hail yes!

Taylor Decker was just a sad case. He wanted ND his parents and family wanted OSU. When Urban hired away the two coaches at ND he had relationships with (underhandedly I might add) it was going to happen! I think of all the kids you listed, next to Anzalone, who may just turn out to be a total dud, this is the one that hurt ND the least. Because it allowed Harry to bring in the crew! One more space for a HH recruit!

Keil, okay - you tell me what went wrong there? He probably would have started last year if he stuck with it! If he couldn't have won the job against Tommy, he should have looked to another program against different competition, in my opinion.

Neil. Other than getting caught smoking dope on campus, which everyone knows not to do, what was it with him? His daughter? His dad? The flitting wings of a butterfly in the sunlight? I would love it if he stuck with his commitment. On every play. We will see what guy he turns out to be.

So I don't have problems with transfers. I don't have problems with guys mostly, (cept Anzalone, and Darby; maybe a bit Keil, Ferguson, and Neil, but mostly not), but I do have problems with situations. I think everybody should try to better their situation.

Remember, the main problem with ND during the bad years wasn't lack of talent, it was lack of guys with the right attitude. During the bad years ND only dipped to number six in producing NFL talent, from number one historically. It is the other guys that can't get with the program. And unfortunately, that is too many of the guys you listed in the first two paragraphs.

Eloquent post. I read it twice, the second time silently mouthing the words, as if it were poetry. I particularly find refreshing and welcome, your portrayal of the circumstances surrounding the Shepard, Greenberry, and Vanderdoes stories.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Ronald Darby also isn't a scumbag he is probably the 2nd best corner in the country.

Were you making two points (1. Darby isn't a scumbag 2. Darby is 2nd best CB), or one (Darby isn't a scumbag BECAUSE he's the 2nd best CB)?

 

[GBdomer]

I should have put a period after. I don't think Ronald Darby is a scumbag, why would he be?

Also I do believe he is the second best corner in the country.

 

[GBdomer]

So what did Darby do?

 

[Irish#1]

"Because" really just means I haven't figured out or heard what you did to deserve this yet....but you deserve it somehow!

Parenthood!

It was per LSU 247 if you want to look it up... I don't think I can get to it now. Person noted that talking to Tillery's parents at track meet that they wanted him at LSU, and the LSU reporter followed up saying he had heard the same thing. The LSU reporter also said though that Jerry definitely really liked Notre Dame and was happy with his choice so he wasn't sure how good of a chance LSU would have for a flip, but his parents were saying publicly that they preferred LSU.

Jerry himself also has said that he made one of his visits to LSU "for his parents" but you always have to take statements like that with a grain of salt.

I think there's a big difference in the parents preferring one school over another and parents pressuring him. I would love to know how much subtle pressure his parents put on him.

 

[Cackalacky]

Parenthood!



I think there's a big difference in the parents preferring one school over another and parents pressuring him. I would love to know how much subtle pressure his parents put on him.

Subtlety is not a speciality of Louisiana.