Why do they need him to camp? He either has it or he doesn't. Hell, just offer the kid because by the time he camps, he's going to be tired of waiting for an offer.
How do they know "he either has it or he doesn't"?
Based on limited film of an interior DL?
Based on offers from other programs?
Check his list, OSU, UM, PSU, UF, USC, OU etc aren't beating down his door. He's got some solid offers but he's not drawing the primetime crowd - at least yet. Interestingly his first three, MIN, WIS, and IOW all came AFTER he camped at those schools in '08.
In a writeup last June it was noted that he was 255. Someone raised concern in this thread a couple of months ago that he was "light" for a DT. Now he's listed at 300.
Impressive weight gain 45 pounds in 11 months. Is it maybe too impressive? Too much too soon?
Wouldn't a first hand look make sense - a look by the current ND DLine coach?
Allen got Honorable Mention at the US Army Combine last January. Only 4 DTs were ranked higher. ND DLine Coach Jappy Oliver was fired about 4 days earlier so he didn't eyeball Allen at that Combine. A couple of weeks later Allen came to ND's Junior Day. Met with Tenuta and raved about Mendoza and the weight program/facilities. Allen also noted he didn't meet with the DL coach as ND didn't have one. Randy Hart wasn't hired until 3 or 4 weeks later.
In Mike Frank's Master Defense List on his new site he comments that ND might only take 1 DT this year. McCoy was supposed to be the guy but he jumped at GT. ND has since offered Nix, a Miami verbal, and two Deep South kids Calvin and Garrison Smith. Meanwhile they continue to evaluate - and camp is a great way to due that. It's also a way for prospects to meet and work out with their prospective position coach. The recruit can eyeball the mentor while the mentor's assessing the student.
Camp provides an opportunity to see technique, physique, attitude, development Were those 45 pounds muscle or a pus gut? Since Allen is benching 385 they probably good pounds. And since he plays lacrosse ala Will Yeatman, chances are he's got a motor and stamina. Camp can demonstrate that.
Camp also provides a kid a chance to see the campus. He can meet an admissions counselor or a professor in his field of interest. More mutual eyeballing. Checkout classrooms, facilities, dorms. Academically with a 3.3 and offers from SU and VU, Allen will probably pass Saracino's eyeball test.
If Allen had come to an ND camp in '08 (or earlier) he might not still be waiting for an offer. But considering the Oliver departure I'd suspect not. Makes sense for the new guy to make those decisions. Likewise with Tenuta role expanding.
Current ND verbals Lombard and Smith both camped at ND last summer as did WR/ATH McCay, DE Chance Carter, CB Riggs, WR/S Corey Cooper, OT Hurst, LB Max Bullough.
OT Betancourt camped at ND which might explain why he didn't get an ND offer. ND did offer a plethora of OT's. Some other ND campers that haven't received ND offers to date include QB Robert Bolden, RB Austin White, RB LaSteven KcKinney, TE Pierce Richardson (who has ND listed "High" on his Scout profile), OL Zach Fulton (who might be back this summer), LB Sam Bergen (who might have had an offer if he hadn't sustained an ACL injury his junior season), and a couple of DTs Jeff Uher and Josh Davis.
Camps weren't utilized well as a recruiting tool under Holtz. Lou had UberScout Vinnie Cerrato to the NCAA abolished the full time Recruiting Coordinator position. Vinnie's last class graduated in '93. Check ND's won/loss record and players taken in the NFL Draft since '93 (regardless of who was head coach - 3 of those years were Lou's).
For all his faults, Bob Davie is the ND head coach that developed camp as a recruiting tool. Joe Pa was reaping the benefit of camp as a recruiting tool for more than a decade before ND got on board.
