‘23 VA ATH Brandyn Hillman (Michigan Verbal)

[ulukinatme]

Matt Freeman echoed this on the Power Hour pod. Even highlighted some of his first offers after his release were Michigan, Vanderbilt, BC, Virginia, etc.

I get we have standards that are communicated to kids they have to hit. But what is the hurdle ND has that these other above average academic schools don’t require?

It really is silly. If a kid can get into Michigan, Vandy, Virginia, etc then there's no reason ND should be denying them. People laugh if you point out that ND consistently hamstrings themselves when it comes to it's athletes and being able to compete with the football factories, but stuff like this is a big reason why we haven't won the big one since '88 and may never do it again. Self imposed restrictions aren't going to fly when you're trying to compete against the Alabamas of college football.

 

[stlnd01]

Yeah this is one where the more I marinate on it I need some answers too

Yep. If our admissions won't let a guy in but BC and Vanderbilt come calling the moment he's freed from his NLI, it seems like something went sideways under the dome.

 

[indianamouse]

Yep. If our admissions won't let a guy in but BC and Vanderbilt come calling the moment he's freed from his NLI, it seems like something went sideways under the dome.

Y’all need to RELAX. We don’t know the full story, and it’s all click bait and doom and gloom until we do

 

[ndfanatic78]

Y’all need to RELAX. We don’t know the full story, and it’s all click bait and doom and gloom until we do

Have you not paid attention to the past 30 yrs of ND football. They constantly do this shit to themselves, constantly. Look at Randy Moss and go from there. If this kid can get into Vandy then I t’s a fricking joke that they denied him acceptance. They constantly deny good kids because of stupid ass shit. I thought Christian’s were supposed to lift up and support the most disenfranchised of us. Not offer them a scholarship and then toss them aside the second the kid struggles to meet expectations. ND has become an elite institution that is taking a giant crap on its history and I’m not only talking about football here. It used take kids from northern Indiana who had made bad choices but showed great potential. They don’t do that anymore. They don’t do a lot of what used to make the institution great and it's just getting to be to much, at least for me.

 

[IrishTusker]

It really is silly. If a kid can get into Michigan, Vandy, Virginia, etc then there's no reason ND should be denying them. People laugh if you point out that ND consistently hamstrings themselves when it comes to it's athletes and being able to compete with the football factories, but stuff like this is a big reason why we haven't won the big one since '88 and may never do it again. Self imposed restrictions aren't going to fly when you're trying to compete against the Alabamas of college football.

Do those schools ever deny kids? Just because a school is "prestigious" doesn't mean that admissions has any role in athletic recruiting or that academics matters at all for athletes. UNC is a "prestigious" school and athletes famously didn't go to class.

 

[Irishdrunk]

Have you not paid attention to the past 30 yrs of ND football. They constantly do this shit to themselves, constantly. Look at Randy Moss and go from there. If this kid can get into Vandy then I t’s a fricking joke that they denied him acceptance. They constantly deny good kids because of stupid ass shit. I thought Christian’s were supposed to lift up and support the most disenfranchised of us. Not offer them a scholarship and then toss them aside the second the kid struggles to meet expectations. ND has been an elite at institution that is taking a giant crap on its history and I’m not only talking about football here. It used take kids from northern Indiana who had made bad choices but showed great potential. They don’t do that anymore. They don’t do a lot of what used to make the institution great and is just getting to be to much. At least for me.

It’s easy to relax if you don’t take the National Title Mandate seriously.

Unfortunately many ND fans and analysts think ND is a serious contender. This off-season has not been good for them.

 

[stlnd01]

Do those schools ever deny kids? Just because a school is "prestigious" doesn't mean that admissions has any role in athletic recruiting or that academics matters at all for athletes. UNC is a "prestigious" school and athletes famously didn't go to class.

It depends on the prestigious school. There are exceptions but in general I think the smaller/private schools that take academics seriously do so for football players as well. Northwestern does. Stanford does. Pretty sure BC does. Less certain about Vanderbilt but that's always been held up as a reason they can't compete in the SEC.
Time will tell with Hillman but if he winds up at a BC or Vandy and succeeds there, there'll be some questions worth asking about what ND Admissions had an insurmountable problem with.

 

[indianamouse]

It depends on the prestigious school. There are exceptions but in general I think the smaller/private schools that take academics seriously do so for football players as well. Northwestern does. Stanford does. Pretty sure BC does. Less certain about Vanderbilt but that's always been held up as a reason they can't compete in the SEC.
Time will tell with Hillman but if he winds up at a BC or Vandy and succeeds there, there'll be some questions worth asking about what ND Admissions had an insurmountable problem with.

Otoh, will these schools ever win a national title? He could have first round talent, but these schools are a 9 win team at best. It’s more about the team than the individual.

 

[ThePiombino]

I'm sure LAX will have the scoop by the end of the week.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Do those schools ever deny kids? Just because a school is "prestigious" doesn't mean that admissions has any role in athletic recruiting or that academics matters at all for athletes. UNC is a "prestigious" school and athletes famously didn't go to class.

Vanderbilt wouldn’t accept Ron Mercer. Hometown kid, too. He ended up helping Kentucky win a title instead.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

It depends on the prestigious school. There are exceptions but in general I think the smaller/private schools that take academics seriously do so for football players as well. Northwestern does. Stanford does. Pretty sure BC does. Less certain about Vanderbilt but that's always been held up as a reason they can't compete in the SEC.
Time will tell with Hillman but if he winds up at a BC or Vandy and succeeds there, there'll be some questions worth asking about what ND Admissions had an insurmountable problem with.

BC’s definitely taken some football players that couldn’t get into ND. His name escapes me but he was a really good RB from New Jersey, Catholic high school, parents died of AIDS. I think he was a 1st round draft choice in the ‘00s.

 

[MacIrish75]

ND Admin

 

[Crazy Balki]

Otoh, will these schools ever win a national title? He could have first round talent, but these schools are a 9 win team at best. It’s more about the team than the individual.

Well yeah, but that doesn't refute his point.

Louisville was never a title contender when Lamar Jackson was there, but you can bet your ass that if ND had Jackson in 2017, they'd be a legit playoff team.

The team absolutely matters, but you need talented individuals to make up the foundation of said team. So it doesn't help when you lose some of your most talented guys due to ND's admissions being utterly inflexible.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

BC’s definitely taken some football players that couldn’t get into ND. His name escapes me but he was a really good RB from New Jersey, Catholic high school, parents died of AIDS. I think he was a 1st round draft choice in the ‘00s.

William Green

 

[irishog77]

Vanderbilt wouldn’t accept Ron Mercer. Hometown kid, too. He ended up helping Kentucky win a title instead.

That was 28 years ago, there was a little more to the story, and Vanderbilt makes all kinds of “Duke-level basketball” exceptions for their football, basketball, and baseball teams. They have at least since the 1970’s.

Vanderbilt, when it comes to student-athletes and getting them in and through, is much closer to Miami and USC than it is Notre Dame.

Vanderbilt’s issues with competitiveness stem from their historic reluctance to spend any money on their football program (and their indifferent alumni and fan base continuing to allow it), not from academic restrictions.

Sure, Vanderbilt is a bit tougher to get into than the Kentucky’s, South Carolina’s, Auburn’s, and Miss St.‘s of the world, but not much so for football players.

While ND’s admissions could have truly screwed MF and the team over on Hillman, any academic consideration regarding ND being on some sort of even playing field with Vandy should be completely disregarded.

 

[Irish4life]

Sheesh guys lol. I like Hillman a lot but he wasn't going to see the field for at least a year. Just means we need to hit the portal for another safety. And take 3-4 in 2024.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

That was 28 years ago, there was a little more to the story, and Vanderbilt makes all kinds of “Duke-level basketball” exceptions for their football, basketball, and baseball teams. They have at least since the 1970’s.

Vanderbilt, when it comes to student-athletes and getting them in and through, is much closer to Miami and USC than it is Notre Dame.

Vanderbilt’s issues with competitiveness stem from their historic reluctance to spend any money on their football program (and their indifferent alumni and fan base continuing to allow it), not from academic restrictions.

Sure, Vanderbilt is a bit tougher to get into than the Kentucky’s, South Carolina’s, Auburn’s, and Miss St.‘s of the world, but not much so for football players.

While ND’s admissions could have truly screwed MF and the team over on Hillman, any academic consideration regarding ND being on some sort of even playing field with Vandy should be completely disregarded.

I’m interested in hearing the “more to the story,” considering my best friend from high school was a student at Vandy at the time.

 

[irishog77]

I’m interested in hearing the “more to the story,” considering my best friend from high school was a student at Vandy at the time.

Ok. I’ll consider your friend and the qualification given by your statement.

Now I’ll make a qualification. I grew up in Nashville and was here when all this occurred. My Mom worked at Vandy (I later worked at Vandy myself). I know hundreds of people that went to Vandy. I know people that taught at Vandy. I know people who played football at Vandy, I know people who currently coach football at Vandy, I am friends with 2 people in the athletic department, and I know 2 guys who were playing basketball at Vandy when the Mercer stuff occurred.
But more so, I grew up playing against Ron and Drew Maddux and knew Drew’s family (I guess I know 3 guys who were playing basketball at Vandy then, including Drew).
A good friend of mine talks to Ron regularly and works with him some in the present day.

But you do you, and go with the ol’ “but my friend from high school” was a student there.

 

[Sea Turtle]

That was 28 years ago, there was a little more to the story, and Vanderbilt makes all kinds of “Duke-level basketball” exceptions for their football, basketball, and baseball teams. They have at least since the 1970’s.

Vanderbilt, when it comes to student-athletes and getting them in and through, is much closer to Miami and USC than it is Notre Dame.

Vanderbilt’s issues with competitiveness stem from their historic reluctance to spend any money on their football program (and their indifferent alumni and fan base continuing to allow it), not from academic restrictions.

Sure, Vanderbilt is a bit tougher to get into than the Kentucky’s, South Carolina’s, Auburn’s, and Miss St.‘s of the world, but not much so for football players.

While ND’s admissions could have truly screwed MF and the team over on Hillman, any academic consideration regarding ND being on some sort of even playing field with Vandy should be completely disregarded.

So ND is more hard core on admissions than Vanderbilt, Duke, etc. That's comforting. I guess ND needs to feel superior.

And this is either supposed to make us feel superior, make us feel like ND truly doesn't care about winning or.............explain why this program hasn't won shit since 1994?

 

[Sea Turtle]

BC’s definitely taken some football players that couldn’t get into ND. His name escapes me but he was a really good RB from New Jersey, Catholic high school, parents died of AIDS. I think he was a 1st round draft choice in the ‘00s.

BC, Vanderbilt, Duke, basically everybody except Notre Dame has sold their souls according to some on here.

 

[Sea Turtle]

The depression levels are deep in here. What happened to Lax, Dale, Whiskey, Grey, and more of the vets? We got the Luccis and the Lions which is cool, but too many Turtles, Drunks, and Giddyups on the loose.

It's not depression. We're just tired of the same old bullshit with this university. It never misses an opportunity to screw its football program over while it's academic peers work with theirs and try to help them.

 

[Irish#1]

First, let me say I would love for admissions to relax some. However, I find it's interesting many complain about the standards, yet these have been in place prior to most everyone on here becoming a fan of ND.

 

[Irishjig78]

I come to this site every morning to get caught up on recruiting but what i get more often is whiney the sky is falling posts. Admissions needs to let up I agree, to act like this is the end of ND world is crazy. Add a transfer, recruit one more safety it will all work out.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

I come to this site every morning to get caught up on recruiting but what i get more often is whiney the sky is falling posts. Admissions needs to let up I agree, to act like this is the end of ND world is crazy. Add a transfer, recruit one more safety it will all work out.

Amen brother. The amount of whining and complaining on this board from the same people over and over again is borderline unbearable at times. I’m just glad that for me personally this isnt supposed to be one of my escapes from a complaining, nagging wife.

 

[notredomer23]

I come to this site every morning to get caught up on recruiting but what i get more often is whiney the sky is falling posts. Admissions needs to let up I agree, to act like this is the end of ND world is crazy. Add a transfer, recruit one more safety it will all work out.

Didn't see this post, but timely as I updated a bunch of the threads this morning as I felt the same.

 

[SoIll]

Amen brother. The amount of whining and complaining on this board from the same people over and over again is borderline unbearable at times. I’m just glad that for me personally this isnt supposed to be one of my escapes from a complaining, nagging wife.

The last 2 months hasn't warranted this behavior?

For me personally, shit like this makes it harder and harder to care.

Hoping I would see the changes necessary for this program to take the next step. Not happening. Hoping I'd see a national title in my lifetime. Not happening. Hell, I'm simply hoping I would just see a playoff win at some point. Likely not happening.

I am disappointed? yes

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Ok. I’ll consider your friend and the qualification given by your statement.

Now I’ll make a qualification. I grew up in Nashville and was here when all this occurred. My Mom worked at Vandy (I later worked at Vandy myself). I know hundreds of people that went to Vandy. I know people that taught at Vandy. I know people who played football at Vandy, I know people who currently coach football at Vandy, I am friends with 2 people in the athletic department, and I know 2 guys who were playing basketball at Vandy when the Mercer stuff occurred.
But more so, I grew up playing against Ron and Drew Maddux and knew Drew’s family (I guess I know 3 guys who were playing basketball at Vandy then, including Drew).
A good friend of mine talks to Ron regularly and works with him some in the present day.

But you do you, and go with the ol’ “but my friend from high school” was a student there.

I just wanted to hear what happened. I’m sorry that I offended you by stating that my friend went to Vandy.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I come to this site every morning to get caught up on recruiting but what i get more often is whiney the sky is falling posts. Admissions needs to let up I agree, to act like this is the end of ND world is crazy. Add a transfer, recruit one more safety it will all work out.

It's disappointing for sure, but I think there needs to be some level of perspective when digesting the news. The line between frustration and hyperbole just seems really blurred. Then you have the deep dives into the vortex of why Kelly left, Freeman's going to adios, etc. etc. It's college football. Sometimes it sucks and you just have to chill the fuck out.

I like Hillman a lot but six months ago nobody here knew who he was. He's a three star athlete and things didn't work out. I'm somewhat surprised at some of the reactions to the news, though maybe I shouldn't be.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

It's disappointing for sure, but I think there needs to be some level of perspective when digesting the news. The line between frustration and hyperbole just seems really blurred. Then you have the deep dives into the vortex of why Kelly left, Freeman's going to adios, etc. etc. It's college football. Sometimes it sucks and you just have to chill the fuck out.

I like Hillman a lot but six months ago nobody here knew who he was. He's a three star athlete and things didn't work out. I'm somewhat surprised at some of the reactions to the news, though maybe I shouldn't be.

I'm a fairly positive poster but I understand the consternation. Hillman is not a three star athlete, he's a 4+ star athlete and you can assign whatever stars you want to give him in football. I think this one will sting in 2-3 years because his athleticism gives him massive upside. Couple that with losing a top level safety on signing day and it hurts a little more. Hillman is built for nickel defense or 4-2-5 or 3-3-5. He's a hybrid S/LB and everyone wants one of those.

The sky isn't falling, but it does feel like we have issues other programs don't often experience. I mean, if he gets offers from 10 other top programs immediately upon opening it back up, something seems off. Maybe the ND staff will find a baller to transfer in or an immediate difference maker in the next class but the more Hillman-type athletes in the program, the better.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I'm a fairly positive poster but I understand the consternation. Hillman is not a three star athlete, he's a 4+ star athlete and you can assign whatever stars you want to give him in football. I think this one will sting in 2-3 years because his athleticism gives him massive upside. Couple that with losing a top level safety on signing day and it hurts a little more. Hillman is built for nickel defense or 4-2-5 or 3-3-5. He's a hybrid S/LB and everyone wants one of those.

The sky isn't falling, but it does feel like we have issues other programs don't often experience. I mean, if he gets offers from 10 other top programs immediately upon opening it back up, something seems off. Maybe the ND staff will find a baller to transfer in or an immediate difference maker in the next class but the more Hillman-type athletes in the program, the better.

I'm taking into consideration that at the end of September of his senior year he had a moderate blow up of offers. They invested a lot more time and resources into Bowen, yes, but there was a lot more baggage there and of a completely different sort.

I'm going to assume ND has issues most other programs do not, but I also don't follow other programs as closely, so I can't really speak to that with certainty. I look at TAMU, Michigan, etc. or even Stanford and Northwestern from afar, however, and don't know if I'd want to trade hurdles with them at the moment.

My consternation is reserved in many other aspects of my life that directly impact me day to day, week to week. 15 years ago, I'm probably out here pant peeing with the rest. In fact, I think I was. Holtz once said life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond. This recruiting business really isn't happening TO me. It's hardly even happening among me. I take comfort in knowing that 50% of the time, life works out every time. With real bits of panther, so you know it's good.