B&G Recruiting Rumblings

[jonesman]

I just saw that there is some recruiting info on B&G. I do not get B&G online premium. I get the paper which is pretty frustrating because it used to show up on Friday in time for the upcoming game, but now it arrives after the game that week has been played. I was wondering if there are any good tidbits about our key recruits in this article by Sapp??????

 

[ColonialHead]

the quick skinny:

* Crum and Vernaglia are likely to be back as 5th years.

* Justin Brown and Terrail Lambert are also strong possibilities.

* Cwynar is trying to enroll early.

* ND is trying to land just one WR out of: Deion Walker, Jonathan Baldwin, and Gerell Robinson.

* Sapp also mentions that he thinks the Irish have a good shot at both Kenneth Page and Trevor Robinson.

 

[ChicagoIrishfan]

Crum is coming back for a 5th year, his father has already said this

 

[ColonialHead]

Crum is coming back for a 5th year, his father has already said this

After his father had said that, Crum said:

"Well that's my father's opinion. He's certainly entitled to that opinion, but I'm just going to focus on these last few games and then decide after the season what I want to do."

 

[ChicagoIrishfan]

oh, my bad.

 

[rockne19]

why would we take any of them back,except maybe crum?

 

[ColonialHead]

why would we take any of them back,except maybe crum?

I'd be fine with bringing Justin Brown back for a 5th year.
You have to remember, he got started late. He's only got 4 years of organized ball under his belt.

I agree though that nobody else (sans Crum) should be considered. I really like Lambert as a player and person, but he and Wooden both suffer from the same problem, neither turn and spot the ball. I believe Walls, McNeil and (coming soon) Blanton will make Lambert expendable.

 

[jonesman]

I will gladly take any of the 5th year guys back. I love how people are so quick to think every highly rated guy coming in is going to be an instant all-american. Just remember folks, Vernaglia and Lambert were just as highly rated as many of our young prospects. You are quick to throw them out, but if recruiting was followed as closely 5 years ago as today, you would all be thinking these guys are going to save the world. take off the freaking kool-aid glasses. I will be glad to have Vernaglia, Crum, Lambert, Brown, Jabbie all back in the fold.

 

[piyachi]

I'm not thrilled about Lambert, but he has a lot of physical ability and at the least will provide decent depth. I hope the young guys like Gray can beat him out, or at least that he learns how to rotate that head.

 

[ColonialHead]

Brian Smith, Kerry Neal, Toryan Smith, Morrice Richardson, Aaron Nagel and Steve Paskorz are all current roster players. Nagel and Paskorz will both redshirt. Crum will likely return for a 5th year. So that is 5 linebackers who have started at least one game this year.

Then you consider Anthony McDonald, Steve Filer, David Posluszny and Darius Fleming on there way in and I just don't see where Vernaglia fits. I like Vernaglia as much as anybody, but I don't feel that he has been particularly strong this year or at any point in his Notre Dame career. I think he's a good character kid, but not a great player and just wouldn't bring him back personally. But that's just my opinion.

Jabbie is a no brainer. I appreciate your enthusiasm Jonesman, but you may just be the only guy on the planet that thinks ND should bring Jabbie back for a 5th year.

Terrail Lambert probably would get mixed results if you polled the fan base. Maybe even a 50/50 split. It would be interesting to see what % of ND fans want Terrail back.

 

[jonesman]

Colonial,
Of the linebackers you just listed. Only 1 has seen any time at an inside LB position. As for Paskorz and Nagel, neither has seen one down of true college football game experience. That means we go into 2008 with ONE experienced ILB. I will be glad to have Vernaglia for his experience. Paskorz will most likely be a contributor, but Nagel is most likely a special teams only player. He did not impress me one bit on film or at the AA game last year. He is way out of his league at ND. He is more of a MAC level player.

 

[SoCalDomer]

I say bring Vernaglia back for another year. Of course, I'm biased, we went to the same high school. I want to see him do well and light up Aaron Corp and Blake Ayles who also went to our highschool but sold out and went to USC.

 

[johnnd05]

why would we take any of them back,except maybe crum?

Because if the scholarships are available, we can use their talents and leadership. And because they've busted their asses for four years and don't deserve to be sent packing unless it's specifically to make room for someone else. That's why.

 

[fitz_bu47]

If they want to come back I think its awesome, and a testament to the University and welcome all of them. ND is special guys, why else would guys like T-Laws, and Zibby come back, and I know draft status plays a role, but at most places guys want to get out asap to avoid injury and hurting their pro chances. I love that these guys want to come back.

 

[kmoose]

Because if the scholarships are available, we can use their talents and leadership. And because they've busted their asses for four years and don't deserve to be sent packing unless it's specifically to make room for someone else. That's why.

Bingo!!

 

[JeremyND07]

I say everyone but Jabbie....I would really like to see Lambert gone but I agree CB depth is huge and no matter how bad he has been for us...he should become a strong leader in the locker room!

 

[notredomer23]

Crum, but I think Brown is the biggest Neccessity to come back as a 5th year.

I say Crum, Brown, and POSSIBLY lambert, but i really hope he doesnt.

 

[goldenlid]

Laws was not as good last year as he is this year. He worked hard and got better maybe the guys they bring back can and will do the same as Laws did. ND is young and bringing guys back do not hurt, BTW most of the guys that we are talking about coming back are
1st team guys.

 

[GoIrish41]

I'd have to say it would depend on how strong the prospects are in recruiting. I'd rather have Baldwin than Brown, T. Robinson than Lambert, Walker than Jabbie, etc.

 

[goldandblue]

JohnnD said it. The experience and leadership coming back will help alot. That is one of our problems now, there aren't hardly any upperclassmen and we lack leadership. If these guys can come back and help fire the team up, I'm all for it.

 

[GoIrish41]

If these guys can come back and help fire the team up, I'm all for it.

I'm with you if that's the case. But if they didn't do it this year as seniors, what makes you think they will do it next year?

 

[SoCalDomer]

Laws was not as good last year as he is this year. He worked hard and got better maybe the guys they bring back can and will do the same as Laws did. ND is young and bringing guys back do not hurt, BTW most of the guys that we are talking about coming back are
1st team guys.

Excellent point. Since Weis arrived we've seen players break out from not much production the year before. Hopefully any that come back for another year will want it bad enough to work hard and improve their game to step up and stand out.

 

[Clausen2Kamara]

I say we bring Crum, Lambert, and or Vernaglia back. Crum is the biggest one to be getting back though. He is the leader of the defense and is the backbone of the team. If we lost him, well, we'd be expecting waaaaay too much out of our young kids. We have to realize that the D is going to have to carry this team for at least the 1st couple of games next year. I think all of them would provide the type of leadership at key positions in which the offense lacked this season. I don't think the latter 2 will start but they will see time and their value to us will be much more that just gameday.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

I will gladly take any of the 5th year guys back. I love how people are so quick to think every highly rated guy coming in is going to be an instant all-american. Just remember folks, Vernaglia and Lambert were just as highly rated as many of our young prospects. You are quick to throw them out, but if recruiting was followed as closely 5 years ago as today, you would all be thinking these guys are going to save the world. take off the freaking kool-aid glasses. I will be glad to have Vernaglia, Crum, Lambert, Brown, Jabbie all back in the fold.

Vernaglia & Lambert were both highly rated. The problem was that Willingham didn't have more highly rated HS players in the mix. The reason being is that recruiting is an inexact science especially when projecting what a 17 or 18 yr old kid will turn into.

That's why Weis looks to be in good shape w/ the last 2 classes & the current one. You have to know not all of them are going to pan out, but the more you sign, your odds increase of getting some keepers. Unfortunately, Vernaglia & Lambert haven't panned out. That being said, I'd take Vernaglia back. Lambert: 50/50. But mostly for the experience/leadership. I don't see either being difference makers.

As far as receiving your BGI before the game, I would suggest paying for first class mail. That's what my dad had to do.

 

[kjones]

Jabbie is a solid special teams contributor, he's a very good blocker and he's pretty fast as well. It would be a shame to not allow him to come back if we have the room to spare. Of course he ain't getting much time at RB, but ST is a vital part as well. I know just this past game he had one really great tackle on a punt/kickoff. Besides, you don't throw away experience that can be passed on to younger guys unless you HAVE to. He might not be as talented as some of those guys, but that doesn't mean he can't help teach them in practice.

Also, when/if he leaves, the quality of our player's names reduced dramatically