Montana Enrolled in JC

NDinL.A.

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Young Nate Montana, according to the South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen, is enrolled at Pasadena City College and plans on playing there this fall, then returning to ND in the spring. It has nothing to do with anything negative at ND; he just wants to play football and get some live snaps in. I'm not into JC football, as I haven't been to a game since my buddies played 15 years ago, but I might have to check out PCC, as they are not too far from where I live. Good luck to him, and you never know, if he tears it up he might earn a scholly to play somewhere.

Thank God Sharpley came back (although maybe Sharpley coming back played into his decision)...
 
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BGIF

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This does ding him for a year of his eligibility, right? I'm pretty sure I'm right...

I don't think it costs him on his 4 years of Div 1 eligibility but it does count against his 5 years. Five years to play 4 in Div 1.

Countdown starts with the year of graduation so he's already burned 1 year of the 5 with the '08 season. So a redshirt year at ND and a year at Pasadena would leave him with only 3 years left to play 4 years fo Div 1 ball. So he would forfeit a year of Div 1 PT anyway.

If he had gone straight to Pasadena last year he could be at ND now with 4 years of eligibility.

The NCAA waives time (5 year window) on mission's like Te'o might take but not for a sidetrip to JUCO.
 

IrishAddiction

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That sucks. So hes not coming back to ND i take it? ND doesnt accept JUCO football players i thought.
 

jason_h537

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Montana is coming back. Notre Dame accepts JC transfers they just don't recruit JC football players. I think Weis was asked about this after last season.
 

Junkhead

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If he is really that worried about playing time, he won't have much chance at that at ND with the depth. Just a feeling.
 

IrishAddiction

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Alright, seen a write up on this on the rivals site. Hes already talked it over with Weis, and weis approves of it now, though he didnt intially. Just going to make himself a better football player.
 

BGIF

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That sucks. So hes not coming back to ND i take it? ND doesnt accept JUCO football players i thought.

The problem with JUCOs is that most of the talented athletes that end up there are there because they have deficient academics. They're trying to get up to speed to get into college. When they transfer to an academic school like ND, they're not equivalent to ND juniors. They're more like incoming freshman.

At ND all freshman take the First Year of Studies.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]First Year of Studies Curriculum[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 semester of a University Seminar
1 semester of First Year Composition
2 semesters of Mathematics
2 semesters of a Natural Science
2 semesters of Physical Education or ROTC
1 additional university requirement
3 additional courses (program requirements or electives)
[/FONT]
Most of those course "Titles" can be found in a JUCO but they're not the elementary level courses in JUCO, they'd be among the more difficult courses. JUCOs offer associates degrees not Bachelor Degrees.

So a guy with a 2.2 GPA and a 15 ACT in HS isn't likely to be taking Calculus as a freshman at JUCO. He's likely taking Algebra, Trig or Geometry to make up for the courses he missed cruising through HS on the jock program. His JUCO English class is more likely a remedial English class trying to get him to the level where he could pass a ACT test and participate in a college level class.

Guys like Bemenderfer can transfer in because he probably was in more rigorous courses at NW than most football JUCOSs take. Transfers aren't automatic they still have to clear Admissions.

As for Montana, he just completed Freshman Year of Studies with no academic concerns according to the articles. Why wouldn't he be able to come back? He left in good academic standing. Several players over the years like Julius Jones have been sent home because of academic deficiencies but readmitted when they demonstrated they can do the coureswork.
 

BGIF

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I consider him gone.

I afraid you're right. In essence Montana has been sitting at the far end of the bench on a major league team and he's asked the coach to volutarily ship him back to the minors so he can acquire the skills to succeed at the top level.

In pro baseball you can do this as a rookie as you're looking at a 10 or 20 year career - if you improve your game.

In Div 1 sports you've got a 5 year window and when he comes back - he's still a walk-on. Will his skill set improve to unseat Crist? Will his skill set improve enough to beat out Hendrix? Will his skill set improve to the level of the stud ND will sign in '11.

Good for him for wanting to better himself. I wish him well. My gut feeling is he won't be back.
 

BGIF

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A couple of questions answered.

A couple of questions answered.

South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football: Montana headed to junior college

Bob Wieneke 7/25

This is a short-term stop," Pasadena City College coach James Kuk said Friday afternoon. "I guess you could say he's taking a step back to take two steps forward in this case."

"He's looking for an opportunity, the best opportunity to get on the field and play," Kuk said of the sophomore from Concord, Calif. "He just wants to be on the field, and so wherever that opportunity will present itself, I'm sure that's where he'll entertain."

By transferring to a junior college, Montana is open to being re-recruited by other schools, and Kuk mentioned Arizona State has already expressed an interest in the Irish walk-on. But that doesn't mean Montana will necessarily entertain the offers. Montana will have three years of eligibility remaining after the upcoming season.
 

NDOM

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I think it would be good for him because there's no way in hell he would even sniff playing time UNLESS Clausen AND Christ both got hurt. I believe he will be back.
 

Junkhead

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I think it would be good for him because there's no way in hell he would even sniff playing time UNLESS Clausen AND Christ both got hurt. I believe he will be back.

I sure hope Christ doesn't get injured! :)
 

BGIF

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Comeback by the son of The Comeback Kid

Comeback by the son of The Comeback Kid

BlueandGold.com // A Different Comeback Story

Somogyi has lengthy piece on Nate's transfer, observations from Spring Ball including a comment from Joe, comments about Joe as a freshman, and the pluses and minuses of the transfer.


We all should know by now the story about how Joe Montana was the seventh-team quarterback at Notre Dame as a 1974 freshman. (For the record, those ahead of him were senior starter Tom Clements, Frank Allocco, Rick Slager, Kerry Moriarty, Gary Forystek and Mike Falash.) In fact, on the junior varsity team comprised mainly of freshmen and sophomores, Montana was the fourth team QB and completed only one of his six pass attempts (just think how Internet message board pundits might have opined then what a wasted scholarship this Montana kid was). But in the spring of his freshman year, Montana flourished, and when senior Allocco was slowed by a shoulder injury, Montana moved up to No. 2 by the start of the season, behind Slager. There was not going to be such a meteoric ascent this fall with Nate Montana

He might get PT at PCC but not in Weis system:
On the surface, Montana working on his game at a junior college doesn’t seem like a bad idea, but he will have to compete for a starting position there as well. The question is whether the benefits of potential playing time outweigh the drawbacks of not continuing to grow within the current system at Notre Dame.

IF Clausen Goes Early:
One other factor to consider is if by chance Clausen does throw his hat into the NFL ring next spring, Cryst could be the lone scholarship quarterback on the spring roster. If Montana’s game is nurtured and honed in the junior college ranks, he will have a chance to be better prepared to take on a role as a backup next spring

Hadn't given that a thought. Neither Hendrix or Rees are Early Entrance candidates.

The son of The Comeback Kid might have a comeback of his own to rival Rudy.
 

Bubba

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Yeah, but now you guys got His mom worried.

She might make Him switch to soccer.

His Mom was always worried; but, he was always the favorite son. She always had faith!
 

jason_h537

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I think he will be back. Walls, Julius Jones, and Gary Gray all left and returned. Granted those were academic but it appears he just wants to play the game and get some idea of what the live college game might be. Stop being so negative about every thing these kids say. He said he will be back i believe him until i hear otherwise
 

NDinNM

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I hope he comes back, we need the depth at QB. BGIF is right about how if Clausen leaves there will only be one scholarship qaurterback for next spring. Hopefully he comes back and develops into a reliable backup
 

jason_h537

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I'm not worried about Dayne im worried about Depth. Imagine if Sharpley did not return
 

BGIF

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I'm not worried about Dayne im worried about Depth. Imagine if Sharpley did not return

I can imagine Nate Montana still enrolled at ND. Starting Fall Camp as the #3 QB. Watching film of ND opponents, breaking it down with ND coaches. Taking snaps in Weis's System instead of somebody else's.
 

GO IRISH!!!

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I can imagine Nate Montana still enrolled at ND. Starting Fall Camp as the #3 QB. Watching film of ND opponents, breaking it down with ND coaches. Taking snaps in Weis's System instead of somebody else's.

I have to agree here. Not sure this is a great move. Plus, there is just a different mentality in the JUCO ranks both athletically and academically. Even if you have that mind set to develop your skills, it will be a different adjustment going to classes at a JUCO rather than at ND.

Don't get me wrong, I wish the kid all the best, but driving go karts at Boomers doesn't necessarily get you more prepared to race at Indy (bad analogy, but it was all I could come up with this early on a Monday).
 
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