'24 OH S Taebron Bennie-Powell (Notre Dame Signee)

[IA4irish]

Safety recruiting IS desperate. Hit and hustle called it a “shit show” the other day

 

[Crazy Balki]

That they are already offering him this early.

He thinks that there are a lot better prospects in the class they could offer & thinks it’s a sign Safety recruiting is desperate.

Yeah, because getting him to camp and drilling him for hours is nothing compared to BD's expert analysis...

I'd be skeptical of this, but this is the same situation that ND had last year when they offered Otting. People thought it was a reach, then he ended up rising late.

 

[Reaper97]

I can't say I disagree.

If this kid is a November offer because of better film senior season (like Hillman was), fine. But a guy with that offer list in June?

I'm now all of a sudden concerned we don't get Tae, Ziglar or Beasley.

Tae committed already. He’s just announcing the 22nd.

 

[IA4irish]

Tae committed already. He’s just announcing the 22nd.

Yeah, and he’s played like 1 game at safety in high school…

 

[irishff1014]

Defensive recruiting issues wasn’t on my my bingo card.

 

[Reaper97]

Yeah, and he’s played like 1 game at safety in high school…

If I remember correctly, Jalen Elliott was a HS QB who never played a down of defense.
After playing Safety at ND he has been a Safety in the NFL for 3 seasons.

 

[FWIrish4]

Yeah, and he’s played like 1 game at safety in high school…

It’s a consensus between the ND staff and Tae’s training staff (which includes an elite WR developer) that his highest upside is safety. So I will certainly trust that combo.

 

[Crazy Balki]

It’s a consensus between the ND staff and Tae’s training staff (which includes an elite WR developer) that his highest upside is safety. So I will certainly trust that combo.

I imagine the same logic applies here with Bennie-Powell.

He was on the staff's radar, but his film at safety is very limited because his school had 2 really good safeties last year in Minich and Hartford. So they wanted to get him in camp and see how he'd perform in front of them. Apparently, he performed very well.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

Safety recruiting IS desperate. Hit and hustle called it a “shit show” the other day

No they didn't, that's what a source called it.

 

[IrishLion]

 

[Reaper97]

Watch ND finish with Tae, Ziglar & Beasley.
O’Leary actually is a really good coach & developer in my opinion.
And 3 years from now we forget any of this happened & are talking about how great the Safety play has been.
Kind of like with Gilman & Elliott. A 2 Star & a HS QB. Both in the NFL now.

 

[Reaper97]

On a sidenote, Gallegos announced a commitment date & listed ND as one of the finalists.

Ryan Roberts says most teams cooled on him & backed off, even most of his Finalists.
Thinks Oregon is the best guess because they pushed for him.

 

[IA4irish]

No they didn't, that's what a source called it.

Isn’t that even worse that someone within the gug called it a crap show?

 

[ColinKSU]

Safety recruiting IS desperate. Hit and hustle called it a “shit show” the other day

But I’ve been told how good a job O’Leary is doing!

We’re going to find out how good a coach he is because he sure hasn’t shown any ability to recruit elite talent.

 

[Reaper97]

But I’ve been told how good a job O’Leary is doing! I hope he can turn subpar talent into something that can impact a game, because he sure can’t beat anyone out for elite talent.

He is doing good, at actual coaching.

 

[ColinKSU]

He is doing good, at actual coaching.

We’re going to find out how true that is because he’s going to be the reason he has the least talented unit on the team every season he’s at Notre Dame.

 

[Reaper97]

We’re going to find out how true that is because he’s going to have the least talented unit on the team every season he’s here.

ND made the CFP and sent two Safties to the NFL who were a 2 Star & a HS QB.
The starter this year and expected to be the best is a converted WR, the other a 2 Star.
ND Safties played very well for half a season after losing Hamilton.
Safety play has been good. And a bright spot since O’Leary took over.

 

[ColinKSU]

ND made the CFP and sent two Safties to the NFL who were a 2 Star & a HS QB.
The starter this year and expected to be the best is a converted WR, the other a 2 Star.
ND Safties played very well for half a season after losing Hamilton.
Safety play has been good. And a bright spot since O’Leary took over.

I have no idea what you’re talking about with the 2020 CFP run. He was a graduate assistant who worked with the rovers. He became safeties coach in 2021 when they didn’t make the CFP and didn’t send any safeties to the NFL not named Kyle Hamilton that he shouldn’t get credit for developing in the seven games he played that year.

He did do a great job of getting underwhelming results out of Brandon Joseph in 2022 though.

O’Leary has had zero hand in developing Antonio Carter. The safeties coach at his old school did, though. Maybe he’s looking for a step up in level?

Safety play has been fine. And it will probably continue to be fine because he isn’t recruiting players to raise its level. Autry Denson was a fine coach. The RB position became a real strength when they brought in a coach who knew what he was doing as a coach *and* a recruiter.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Safety recruiting IS desperate. Hit and hustle called it a “shit show” the other day

No they didn't, that's what a source called it.

To piggyback on this a little. If Christian is citing a source who is claiming this, I think it's worth noting that someone relevant to the program is upset about the lack of star talent coming to ND at the S position. Christian is as well-respected as they come on the recruiting trail for ND. I don't think he makes a public comment like that on a whim, especially when Hit & Hustle is an off-shoot of his boss at ISD. Just saying.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Could it be possible we are offering these guys now because we know how often a November offer works out if our top prospect doesn't choose us/decommits? They could be not committable.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Could it be possible we are offering these guys now because we know how often a November offer works out if our top prospect doesn't choose us/decommits? They could be not committable.

I've heard it mentioned a few times that the staff is bringing guys on OVs this summer because they want them (offers are committable). If they miss, likely we'll see a reset once these kids get into their senior seasons (Minich, Hillman, Mukam for example if memory serves me correctly). Someone correct me if I misunderstood what's been said on some of these podcasts.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Sounds like a commitment is imminent. Next week or so, according to ISD.

 

[NDPhilly]

feels like a guy you can offer later in the process and still get, idk.

 

[NDohio]

Lakota West is an interesting school for recruiting. Their previous coach (Larry Cox) put a lot of kids into D1 programs but never took his teams as far as the talent should have gone. When he retired there was a lot of interest in the position but NO one expected them to get Tom Bolden. Tom is a legend in SW Ohio because of his success at Colerain. Colerain is on the west side of Cinci and have regularly gone toe-to-toe with the big boy Catholic schools in Cinci (St X, Moeller, etc). Tom Bolden worked under Kerry Coombs and took over for him when he went the collegiate route. He has seen and coached a lot of great HS football players. I know he is speaking about one of his guys here, but if TB is giving his endorsement that means something.

 

[NDMatt91]

Sounds like a commitment is imminent. Next week or so, according to ISD.

Considering that Ziglar likely won't commit to ND (as of the moment) and they need a 3rd Safety, this doesn't surprise me.

 

[Sea Turtle]

This guy is a winner. Good offer.

 

[Reaper97]

Driskell clarified his problem with him.

Said he expected him to look lost since he is transitioning positions, said his speed is average (4.58), but said he is really tight & lacks loose hips. Even learning proper technique can’t fix that.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Driskell clarified his problem with him.

Said he expected him to look lost since he is transitioning positions, said his speed is average (4.58), but said he is really tight & lacks loose hips. Even learning proper technique can’t fix that.

Does he really think that the ND staff wouldn’t consider speed, hips, overall flexibility and length when doing an in-person evaluation? If I remember correctly, his film doesn’t even show him playing in the secondary.

 

[NDpendent]

No one on here and no one on the beat saw these staff evaluations so I find it very hard to judge this offer right now. We will have to wait for the 2023 football season to really criticize the staff on this offer.

 

[Reaper97]

No one on here and no one on the beat saw these staff evaluations so I find it very hard to judge this offer right now. We will have to wait for the 2023 football season to really criticize the staff on this offer.

There were beat people there.
Driskell was there in person.