'22 CA WR C.J. Williams (Southern Cal Verbal)

[BobbyMac]

Hire a better recruiter and position coach?

What WR coach could ND hire to beat Hartline for a kid who openly admitted OSU is his dream school?

Bama, Clemson and everyone else is having the same problem. He's so good, his cast off is leading the SEC in receiving.

ND's doing the right thing here with Tommy taking the lead, trying to play the Chicago angle but... it's a Cubs fan recruiting a Sox fan so it will never work.

 

[ThePiombino]

What WR coach could ND hire to beat Hartline for a kid who openly admitted OSU is his dream school?

Bama, Clemson and everyone else is having the same problem. He's so good, his cast off is leading the SEC in receiving.

ND's doing the right thing here with Tommy taking the lead, trying to play the Chicago angle but... it's a Cubs fan recruiting a Sox fan so it will never work.

My bad, I'm referring to Walker and Williams who are both admittedly trending away, Walker for some time now. No?

 

[BobbyMac]

My bad, I'm referring to Walker and Williams who are both admittedly trending away, Walker for some time now. No?

Sorry, thought I was in Tate's thread.

There's question marks with both but you're in print saying they will not sign with ND and you can't know that right now. Now one does.

I don't know if either are trending away? Walker's been in this uncommitted state forever. And who knows where CJ's head's been the entire process? He may have saved his spot and been shopping the entire time?

 

[FWIrish4]

Would be a great time to break Del’s 3 per class rule especially after witnessing our WR literally become stretched as thin as possible. I’m surprised there aren’t any names out there that we’re circling back to at this point.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Hire a better recruiter and position coach?

I'd love for us to poach Marion from Pitt. Dude does pretty well

 

[GoldenAura]

Is Del coming back next year? What do you guys think?

 

[Rogue219]

I have a feeling if they hire a big name coach like Franklin their chances of poaching get better.

"Big name" coach who has never won a big game. I want SC to hire Franklin. Being good six days a week and crap on Saturday is just what SC needs.

Honestly, Williams visiting a school that currently has no coach and has been dysfunctional for many years out of concern about ND's offense seems rather interesting to me.

 

[Irishize]

Hire a better recruiter and position coach?

Overall? Yes, probably a solution. For this particular kid? No, if (and it’s all speculation at this point) truly doesn’t want to be at ND, no WR Coach is going to change his mind. The recruiter & the fanbase can’t want it more than the actual kid who has to live w/ the decision.

 

[ThePiombino]

Overall? Yes, probably a solution. For this particular kid? No, if (and it’s all speculation at this point) truly doesn’t want to be at ND, no WR Coach is going to change his mind. The recruiter & the fanbase can’t want it more than the actual kid who has to live w/ the decision.

I dunno, maybe if we had a position coach worth his salt he would be able to establish a better relationship with this kid. Maybe then Notre Dame wouldn't seem so far away...

I'm sorry, maybe it's not fair, but I will never forget the fact that Colzie didn't even know his position coaches name when he first decommitted last year.

 

[Rogue219]

When I look at the big powers over the years, they have the big gun behind center for sure, but they also have explosive playmakers at the WR position. Ohio State had a guy transfer out to Alabama and he's Alabama's guy this year. WR is as important as QB and LT now.

It feels, from our point of view, like a change needs to be made but Alexander has been here for five seasons. That's evidence of some sort of comfort level between him and employer.

Marion from Pitt would be a great hire, but he's also a future OC and HC in the making according to most, so for any ND fans that just expect him to stay you're likely going to be disappointed because he's likely not content with being a WR coach forever. There are other fish in that pond like Trey Holtz and Nathan Scheelhaase. You wish for Brian Hartline and piss in the other, then see which one fills up first.

 

[NDdomer2]

Del is an interesting position coach to judge. results arent fantastic in total or in general "feel" but certainly not terrible.

"As it stands" were looking at maybe having back to back best two wr classes of Kelly's tenure.

The development of Chase Claypool, Javon McKinley and Miles Boykin into NFL draft picks all occurred under his watch iirc. Avery Davis seemed like he was on an ascent into NFL draft pick too. Where does Ben Skowronek fall into this. He had some solid years at NW pre-ND but might have had his best season here as well.

Del likely maximized some of our receiver groups but was also likely the culprit in the need to maximize poorer talented groups.

Certainly couldn't blame Kelly if he felt there was a better coach out there as it is part of his job to put the best coaching staff available together.

If he stays another year it is likely because he holds current group of commits together. (who knows how likely with current state)

The coaching carousel is just getting started so the list of names that could be options will be interesting.

However, I do think Del will be moving on after this year.

 

[BrownerandFry]

"Big name" coach who has never won a big game. I want SC to hire Franklin. Being good six days a week and crap on Saturday is just what SC needs.

Honestly, Williams visiting a school that currently has no coach and has been dysfunctional for many years out of concern about ND's offense seems rather interesting to me.

Check your hole card here. Be extremely judicious about getting what you ask for.

Do you remember the weeping and gnashing of teeth from Trojan fat cats when they hired Pete Carroll? He had a lackluster NFL coaching career. What happened next?

Speaking of Trojan fatcats, I would be remiss in not noting that some are so arrogant that they funded this:

https://housing.usc.edu/index.php/buildings/usc-village-building-9/

There is a saying about having "bleep you" money and the next level up which is "Bleep EVERYBODY" Money

The guy that funded the Cowlings building had the later.

Hmm, let me check my crypto account

The only way to one up the Al Cowlings building would be to build the

"Jerry Dominiack/Kim Dunbar Accounting Center"

on ND's campus.

that would draw a few flies........."

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I'm assuming we offered USCs QB in hopes of getting him to secure CJ?

 

[Rogue219]

I'm assuming we offered USCs QB in hopes of getting him to secure CJ?

Not exactly "on brand" for ND, but I get what you're saying here.

The post before yours....that I don't get. At all.

 

[NDdomer2]

I'm assuming we offered USCs QB in hopes of getting him to secure CJ?

that may be a by product if he were to flip to ND but I would imagine this is more just about upgrading the position period.

 

[ab2cmiller]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/TomLoy247/status/1463237955250708488[/TWEET]

 

[stpeteirish]

Biggins story has some direct quotes from C. J. so everybody should check it out and try to read the tea leaves. My takeaway is he's naive (like most kids his age) in buying the pitch the the SC guys recruiting him are going to be on the new coaches staff. They have no freaking way of knowing that at point. I would have to think that Williams might but Keary Colbert?

The average number of coaches retained in an external "big boy" hire is about 1.5. The new guy is going to bring in "his guys" ; he's a fool not to.

I suppose SC could do some bullshit delayed hire move here. But the transfer portal is karma these days. He's naive, but he'll learn quick if they lie to him.

 

[Crazy Balki]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/TomLoy247/status/1463237955250708488[/TWEET]

Bruh, nuh.

 

[NDPhilly]

Would be great if our star WR commit was recruiting SC's QB commit and not the other way around.

 

[Trait Expectations]

I'd say a good indicator of washout is being partially committed before signing day. The fact that NDs program stability isn't a strong deciding factor for CJ (or so it would appear) is really all I need to know. He could've come in and gotten early snaps and been on a winning football team but he wants to check out USC/UCLA to be closer to home.

I'd put a 25% chance he signs with the Irish. No insider info, no paid subscriptions.

 

[greyhammer90]

I'd say a good indicator of washout is being partially committed before signing day. The fact that NDs program stability isn't a strong deciding factor for CJ (or so it would appear) is really all I need to know. He could've come in and gotten early snaps and been on a winning football team but he wants to check out USC/UCLA to be closer to home.

I'd put a 25% chance he signs with the Irish. No insider info, no paid subscriptions.

I'd agree. The level of mental gymnastics you'd need to be doing to open your recruitment back up to look at USC tells me he has gotten major cold feet and doesn't want to leave Cali.

 

[ThePiombino]

I'd say a good indicator of washout is being partially committed before signing day. The fact that NDs program stability isn't a strong deciding factor for CJ (or so it would appear) is really all I need to know. He could've come in and gotten early snaps and been on a winning football team but he wants to check out USC/UCLA to be closer to home.

I'd put a 25% chance he signs with the Irish. No insider info, no paid subscriptions.

I'd agree. The level of mental gymnastics you'd need to be doing to open your recruitment back up to look at USC tells me he has gotten major cold feet and doesn't want to leave Cali.

Or maybe, just maybe, we're being out-recruited here...

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Just from the blurb it seems he’s taking multiple OVs?

It’s not great but it seems better than if he were just zeroing in on USC.

 

[Trait Expectations]

Or maybe, just maybe, we're being out-recruited here...

lol

 

[IRISHMAN]

Just from the blurb it seems he’s taking multiple OVs?

It’s not great but it seems better than if he were just zeroing in on USC.

has williams been back for a ND game since he committed.

 

[greyhammer90]

Or maybe, just maybe, we're being out-recruited here...

Del being a mediocre recruiter and being the weak link of the staff is a freezing cold take. If the Irish Illustrated guys are openly saying on their podcast that they don't expect a coach to be retained, that's a pretty good sign that you're not particularly clever for bagging on him. The point is that this was all true when the kid committed the first time. The only thing that changed is that USC is now even less desirable, and that it's getting closer for the 18 year old to leave home. I'd say him getting cold feet is probably the biggest motivating factor here. The fact that he's OVing with both USC and UCLA is another good sign. Two schools that can't put together a winning football team to save their lives, but they both have one thing in common.

 

[ThePiombino]

Del being a mediocre recruiter and being the weak link of the staff is a freezing cold take. If the Irish Illustrated guys are openly saying on their podcast that they don't expect a coach to be retained, that's a pretty good sign that you're not particularly clever for bagging on him. The point is that this was all true when the kid committed the first time. The only thing that changed is that USC is now even less desirable, and that it's getting closer for the 18 year old to leave home. I'd say him getting cold feet is probably the biggest motivating factor here. The fact that he's OVing with both USC and UCLA is another good sign. Two schools that can't put together a winning football team to save their lives, but they both have one thing in common.

You know both things can be true, right?

Williams can have cold feet AND Del could suck at a part of his job.

Maybe a better recruiter would know how to better assuage Williams's fears.

 

[fightingirish26]

Del being a mediocre recruiter and being the weak link of the staff is a freezing cold take. If the Irish Illustrated guys are openly saying on their podcast that they don't expect a coach to be retained, that's a pretty good sign that you're not particularly clever for bagging on him. The point is that this was all true when the kid committed the first time. The only thing that changed is that USC is now even less desirable, and that it's getting closer for the 18 year old to leave home. I'd say him getting cold feet is probably the biggest motivating factor here. The fact that he's OVing with both USC and UCLA is another good sign. Two schools that can't put together a winning football team to save their lives, but they both have one thing in common.

Also, you know, Helton getting fired. Which clearly makes them more desirable to CJ.

 

[BoredIrish]

I think the Mater Dei - USC connection is being overlooked here. It wouldn't surprise me if his high school coaches are pushing strongly to keep him local. They may be recruiting him harder than the actual USC staff.

Gerard Martinez was on the Peristyle podcast recently and he was mentioning how it might make sense for USC to add an HC of one of the southern cal high school power programs (i.e. Mater Dei) to the staff for recruiting purposes. There is a reason that Mater Dei has long been considered a USC pipeline.

He also mentioned how USC had been planning on a big recruiting weekend for Dec 4... but then the Cal game got rescheduled for that weekend. They have also been telling kids that they will have a new coach in place by then... but if Fickell makes the CFP, it wont be him.

In many ways, this situation is similar to Billy Schrauth... alot of pressure to stay home.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Just from the blurb it seems he’s taking multiple OVs?

It’s not great but it seems better than if he were just zeroing in on USC.

Says he will visit UCLA as well, possibly as early as this weekend. Williams added he's taking the visits because both staffs have spent a lot of time recruiting him so he feels its right to give them a shot.

“It’s nothing against Notre Dame, I still feel good there,” Williams said. “I just want to keep my options open and take these last visits since I have two left and hear what these schools have to say."