'23 FL ATH Jordan Faison (Notre Dame Signee)

[Irishdrunk]

I would be surprised if Merriweather stays.

 

[PutuporShutup]

I would be surprised if Merriweather stays.

My sense would be one of colzie/tobias leaves. Colzie would be closer to his degree.

Part of it could be who the QB is next year. Hard to trust a first time starting QB next year with little to no experience if we don't go portal.

 

[arrowryan]

My sense would be one of colzie/tobias leaves. Colzie would be closer to his degree.

Part of it could be who the QB is next year. Hard to trust a first time starting QB next year with little to no experience if we don't go portal.

Neither one of those players are in a position to make a decision based on who the QB is.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Neither one of those players are in a position to make a decision based on who the QB is.

If decisions were always made with logic regarding the portal, i'd agree.

They could make a decision based on playing time, if they feel they'll get it next year.

 

[arrowryan]

If decisions were always made with logic regarding the portal, i'd agree.

They could make a decision based on playing time, if they feel they'll get it next year.

I’d expect the staff to be pretty aggressive in the portal and try to get 2 wide receivers. If they want to leave, the WR room will be just fine.

 

[Irish#1]

Honestly I haven’t been too impressed with Rico’s athleticism yet. But it’s yr 1 and if he hits the squats hard his explosiveness can improve. Not sure what’s up with “Greenhouse” but he impressed me the most to start the year. We need 1 or 2 FSU types WR’s that can win on jump balls or separate.

Was hoping that was Colzie

Do you own a gym called "Squats R US", "Squat Gym" or "Squat House"?

 

[PutuporShutup]

I’d expect the staff to be pretty aggressive in the portal and try to get 2 wide receivers. If they want to leave, the WR room will be just fine.

I think so as well. IF they can get the majority of the D back for next year, we're maybe a left tackle, WR, QB away from being legit title contenders (similar to this year, maybe better with WR growth of current players/commits).

 

[ryno 24]

I think Merriweather stays (65/35) for his degree. I think he continues to develop no matter the coach. I think he needed a lot of development and is getting it

 

[Irishdrunk]

I think Merriweather stays (65/35) for his degree. I think he continues to develop no matter the coach. I think he needed a lot of development and is getting it

I think the split is the opposite. The PAC 12 is killing it and he might feel the siren call and NIL to go back home.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I think the split is the opposite. The PAC 12 is killing it and he might feel the siren call and NIL to go back home.

But PAC 12 is kill

 

[Irishdrunk]

But PAC 12 is kill

Fair point....I meant PAC 12 programs / Northwest programs. Oregon, Wash, WSU. ORSU

 

[arrowryan]

People keep bringing up going to the portal for WR. I doubt this happens unless we loose 3-4 WRs next year. We can't have 13-14 of our 85 scholarships be at the WR position. 10-11 is a healthy number

If my math is right, ND is sitting at 7 scholarship receivers (8 if you include Faison).

If no one leaves and Faison gets a scholarship, they’ll be at 11 next year. I would absolutely look for 1-2 transfer receivers that have established themselves in the college game. We saw what happened this year when a few of them get hurt.

 

[PutuporShutup]

If my math is right, ND is sitting at 7 scholarship receivers (8 if you include Faison).

If no one leaves and Faison gets a scholarship, they’ll be at 11 next year. I would absolutely look for 1-2 transfer receivers that have established themselves in the college game. We saw what happened this year when a few of them get hurt.

Faison is on scholarship

 

[luckofirish8]

Faison is on scholarship

Yep, as soon as he played a snap the lacrosse scholarship had to be converted to a football scholarship.

 

[T-Boone]

Yep, as soon as he played a snap the lacrosse scholarship had to be converted to a football scholarship.

I reckon that rule maybe shouldn’t apply to players who are unranked or ranked outside the top 1000 from high school.

 

[luckofirish8]

I reckon that rule maybe shouldn’t apply to players who are untangled or ranked outside the top 1000 from high school.

Get why this is in place, but I was shocked to see that it has an immediate effect. I assumed it would take hold the next year, but I see where that could be be exploited pretty easily.

 

[ab2cmiller]

For me, a more logical cutoff would be the same cutoff for using a year of eligibility. That's like 4 games.

 

[stpeteirish]

Get why this is in place, but I was shocked to see that it has an immediate effect. I assumed it would take hold the next year, but I see where that could be be exploited pretty easily.

Yeah designed to keep teams from escaping the 85 limit by putting FB recruits on scholarships in other sports. Really doesn’t make sense when you are under 85.

 

[arrowryan]

We have 9 scholarship (were you including Tyre?) on the roster right now all with eligibility remaining, plus the 3 coming in. I would expect they have 1-2 transfer out. I just don't see them adding a transfer or two from a numbers standpoint.

I forgot Tyree. When I say a transfer receiver, I don’t mean a Joe Wilkins type guy or that VT transfer. I’m talking about someone that will be a no brainer starter.

 

[Green Mountains]

I forgot Tyree. When I say a transfer receiver, I don’t mean a Joe Wilkins type guy or that VT transfer. I’m talking about someone that will be a no brainer starter.....a transfer at WR needs to be a day 2 or 3 draft pick who is coming back to college to improve his draft stock

Can I paraphrase how I read this?

ND needs a transfer WR who:

1. is a clear day 2 or day 3 draft pick who is coming back to school to improve his draft stock
2. is clearly better than Thomas, Greathouse, Tyree, Rico (and Cam Williams)
3. is ok jumping into an offense with its struggles particularly at WR
4. is ok jumping into an unknown NIL funding pool
5. is ok with an unknown entity as the starting quarterback; and
6. can clear the educational requirements at ND

I think that's a crazy high bar....when we detail exactly what a "no brainer starter" is at ND. This feels like a unicorn to me. But if he does exist, I think he has lots of other options with less question marks.

I'm not downplaying the upside of playing for ND. The transfer portal can be great for a few select peeps, especially QB. And NIL can be amazing if it's a Hartman like transfer. I just don't see that kind of guy at WR even when ND is humming along offensively. QB, yes (NIL opportunity). TE, yes (TE U).

 

[arrowryan]

Can I paraphrase how I read this?

ND needs a transfer WR who:

1. is a clear day 2 or day 3 draft pick who is coming back to school to improve his draft stock
2. is clearly better than Thomas, Greathouse, Tyree, Rico (and Cam Williams)
3. is ok jumping into an offense with its struggles particularly at WR
4. is ok jumping into an unknown NIL funding pool
5. is ok with an unknown entity as the starting quarterback; and
6. can clear the educational requirements at ND

I think that's a crazy high bar....when we detail exactly what a "no brainer starter" is at ND. This feels like a unicorn to me. But if he does exist, I think he has lots of other options with less question marks.

I'm not downplaying the upside of playing for ND. The transfer portal can be great for a few select peeps, especially QB. And NIL can be amazing if it's a Hartman like transfer. I just don't see that kind of guy at WR even when ND is humming along offensively. QB, yes (NIL opportunity). TE, yes (TE U).

If they can’t find a guy that’s an automatic starter, then I’m very content rolling with what we have. But let’s not act like someone coming in and being better than what we have is some daunting task.

-Jayden Thomas is made out of glass
-Jaden Greathouse is on the side of milk cartons right now
-Flores, Faison, Tyree are fine
-I’m as excited about Cam Williams as anyone, but I’ve learned not to put too much trust in someone who has yet to play a snap of big boy college football.
-Tobias and Colzie…lol

Does it have to be Keon Coleman? No. But it can be much better than Kaleb Smith.

 

[Green Mountains]

If they can’t find a guy that’s an automatic starter, then I’m very content rolling with what we have. But let’s not act like someone coming in and being better than what we have is some daunting task.

-Jayden Thomas is made out of glass
-Jaden Greathouse is on the side of milk cartons right now
-Flores, Faison, Tyree are fine
-I’m as excited about Cam Williams as anyone, but I’ve learned not to put too much trust in someone who has yet to play a snap of big boy college football.
-Tobias and Colzie…lol

Does it have to be Keon Coleman? No. But it can be much better than Kaleb Smith.

I think getting that guy to come here is a daunting task. He's got to get through admissions (which probably means grad transfer). And he's probably passing up a stack of NIL cash from someone else. Yes, ND got JJB on the DL and it's been awesome. But I don't feel like that's the norm. Maybe the JJB WR exists, but it's more daunting to get him in than to identify him.

 

[PutuporShutup]

I think getting that guy to come here is a daunting task. He's got to get through admissions (which probably means grad transfer). And he's probably passing up a stack of NIL cash from someone else. Yes, ND got JJB on the DL and it's been awesome. But I don't feel like that's the norm. Maybe the JJB WR exists, but it's more daunting to get him in than to identify him.

Much harder to get a top QB than WR and we've landed 2 in Coan/Hartman.

We have a clear path to very good NIL funds, it's not a cash to come operation.

It's not simple no doubt. I think ND needs to let it be known like they have with QB in the past and possibly will again.

 

[arrowryan]

I think getting that guy to come here is a daunting task. He's got to get through admissions (which probably means grad transfer). And he's probably passing up a stack of NIL cash from someone else. Yes, ND got JJB on the DL and it's been awesome. But I don't feel like that's the norm. Maybe the JJB WR exists, but it's more daunting to get him in than to identify him.

I’ve learned to not put anything past this staff, when it comes to roster improvement/management. There isn’t any “settling”, which I think we saw a lot of that in the last regime.

Example, did ND absolutely need Devyn Ford after Diggs left? Probably not, they still had four good RBs. This staff doesn’t leave a stone unturned. Are they guaranteed to get a WR? No, but I definitely think they’ll be shopping.

 

[Irish du Nord]

I’ve learned to not put anything past this staff, when it comes to roster improvement/management. There isn’t any “settling”, which I think we saw a lot of that in the last regime.

Example, did ND absolutely need Devyn Ford after Diggs left? Probably not, they still had four good RBs. This staff doesn’t leave a stone unturned. Are they guaranteed to get a WR? No, but I definitely think they’ll be shopping.

I think a lot of Devyn Ford’s appeal, besides being a depth piece after we lost Diggs, was his ability to be a contributor in multiple phases of special teams. Which has worked out pretty dang well, considering he has two forced fumbles on punt coverage

 

[notredomer23]

Much harder to get a top QB than WR and we've landed 2 in Coan/Hartman.

We have a clear path to very good NIL funds, it's not a cash to come operation.

It's not simple no doubt. I think ND needs to let it be known like they have with QB in the past and possibly will again.

For transfers it absolutely is.

 

[Lberry]

For transfers it absolutely is.

Is it? Did the FUND pay Hartman? Or did he just get an inevitable J4M sponsorship because he has the best hair in CFB ever. Curious if he got direct cash from FUND or ND booster.

 

[notredomer23]

Is it? Did the FUND pay Hartman? Or did he just get an inevitable J4M sponsorship because he has the best hair in CFB ever. Curious if he got direct cash from FUND or ND booster.

Certainly a combination of everything you said. Sam's got marketability. Vayner (Sam's management) knew going to ND would maximize his worth. FUND and Boosters also put together a package that was at least competitive enough with SEC suitors.

It's just the nature of the transfer portal right now. Every transfer on ND's roster got paid to come to some degree. It's something they won't do for high schoolers. I'd argue with how much of an impact Harper, JJB, Shrader, and Hartman have had, it's money well spent and use case for more of it going forward.

 

[Green Mountains]

I’ve learned to not put anything past this staff, when it comes to roster improvement/management. There isn’t any “settling”, which I think we saw a lot of that in the last regime.

Example, did ND absolutely need Devyn Ford after Diggs left? Probably not, they still had four good RBs. This staff doesn’t leave a stone unturned. Are they guaranteed to get a WR? No, but I definitely think they’ll be shopping.

Using Devyn Food as an example is moving the goal post. Running back is stacked...understood. But he's 4th on the depth chart (3rd? 5th?).

I understand bringing in a WR who can improve the talent pool .... I'm all in. But having that WR being "a no brainer starter" over the incumbents is where I'm having trouble. Could they bring in #4 from OSU/USC/OR who saw limited action and he be number 1 or 2? Sure, but I think that's not "no brainer starter"

I think we are closer to agreeing than not.

 

[arrowryan]

Using Devyn Food as an example is moving the goal post. Running back is stacked...understood. But he's 4th on the depth chart (3rd? 5th?).

I understand bringing in a WR who can improve the talent pool .... I'm all in. But having that WR being "a no brainer starter" over the incumbents is where I'm having trouble. Could they bring in #4 from OSU/USC/OR who saw limited action and he be number 1 or 2? Sure, but I think that's not "no brainer starter"

I think we are closer to agreeing than not.

I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibilities that ND can get a middling P5 team’s #1. Weren’t they close to getting Josh Downs to transfer over in 2022? I’m just not going to doubt this staff.