'12 WA RB Keivarae Russell (Notre Dame Signed LOI)

[Who'saWildManNow]

I absolutely love how the coaches tell him "we can get anyone we want".. I think in years to come this staff will be legend.

 

[Sweetness34]

Maybe it's the number, but I see a little Reggie Bush in his running style!!
Go Irish

That's funny because that's who I thought of when I watched him. He has a little Reggie Bush in him. He has almost the galloping running style that Reggie has. He isn't as explosive as him.

 

[NCDomer]

That's funny because that's who I thought of when I watched him. He has a little Reggie Bush in him. He has almost the galloping running style that Reggie has. He isn't as explosive as him.

That's what concerns me. Reggie Bush's running style doesn't work so well when you aren't a lot quicker than everyone else. I think that's largely why RB's talent doesn't translate quite as well to the NFL--the speed of the NFL minimized the gap so much that RB couldn't be nearly as effective.

 

[koonja]

That's what concerns me. Reggie Bush's running style doesn't work so well when you aren't a lot quicker than everyone else. I think that's largely why RB's talent doesn't translate quite as well to the NFL--the speed of the NFL minimized the gap so much that RB couldn't be nearly as effective.

If he runs like Reggie Bush I have zero concerns. Sign him up.

 

[IrishLax]

I don't see the Reggie Bush comparison at all. To me, his highlights are very similar to Armando in HS with maybe a little less strength and a little more top end speed.

I love this kid's take on college football and what he needs to do to earn PT. Not an entitled brat like a lot of guys.

 

[Rhode Irish]

He looked faster than 4.6 in the video I watched. Obviously his elusiveness in close quarters was impressive, but I thought he did a good job running away from people once he got into space. Obviously it is difficult to gauge how much of that is due to the relative athleticism of the competition, so without knowing much about the league he plays in it is hard to draw a definitive conclusion. But based on what I saw I don't have major concerns about his speed. I'd be more concerned with his size for the time being. All in all, I liked what I saw.

 

[woolybug25]

I love this kid's take on college football and what he needs to do to earn PT. Not an entitled brat like a lot of guys.

This kid is the anti-Keith Mashall. He seems to be truly evaluating his weakenesses and pro-actively trying to improve them. That is skill set in its own right. He will be successful in whatever h does.

btw, Not trying to dog The Truth, I would love for him to join our squad.... but K Marsh loves himself some K Marsh.

 

[beryirish]

This kid is the anti-Keith Mashall. He seems to be truly evaluating his weakenesses and pro-actively trying to improve them. That is skill set in its own right. He will be successful in whatever h does.

btw, Not trying to dog The Truth, I would love for him to join our squad.... but K Marsh loves himself some K Marsh.

Paul Pierce is playing football????

 

[NDIrishlover3]

This kid might be the most down to earth recruit I have ever read about in the way that he knows his talents and what he needs to improve. His knowledge of the different colleges that are recruiting him impresses me to and shows that he does his research

 

[IrishLax]

He looked faster than 4.6 in the video I watched. Obviously his elusiveness in close quarters was impressive, but I thought he did a good job running away from people once he got into space. Obviously it is difficult to gauge how much of that is due to the relative athleticism of the competition, so without knowing much about the league he plays in it is hard to draw a definitive conclusion. But based on what I saw I don't have major concerns about his speed. I'd be more concerned with his size for the time being. All in all, I liked what I saw.

Not so sure. I thought so as well, but I just looked him up and he has some pretty slow track times. I'm going to have to take back my comment about top end speed... I ran a much faster 200m than him lol.

 

[woolybug25]

I ran a much faster 200m than him lol.

fast don't lie

 

[koonja]

I don't see the Reggie Bush comparison at all. To me, his highlights are very similar to Armando in HSQUOTE]

I think most of us compared Armando to Reggie coming out of HS, didn't we? I know I did and the announcers during Armando's first game ever said Weis compares him to "Another #5 at USC". Doesn't matter, though. I'd love to have him.

 

[Ironman8]

I don't see the Reggie Bush comparison at all. To me, his highlights are very similar to Armando in HSQUOTE]

I think most of us compared Armando to Reggie coming out of HS, didn't we? I know I did and the announcers during Armando's first game ever said Weis compares him to "Another #5 at USC". Doesn't matter, though. I'd love to have him.

Have to remember that Armando was never really the same player in terms of speed after his injury in HS. I am inclined to believe that he would have had a more dynamic impact had he not gotten hurt, although I certainly do not discount what he still did for us in his great career at ND. He was our most complete offensive skill player last year (outside of Floyd), and gave us everything he had. I for one will miss him greatly this year.

 

[koonja]

Have to remember that Armando was never really the same player in terms of speed after his injury in HS. I am inclined to believe that he would have had a more dynamic impact had he not gotten hurt, although I certainly do not discount what he still did for us in his great career at ND. He was our most complete offensive skill player last year (outside of Floyd), and gave us everything he had. I for one will miss him greatly this year.

Yeah, I loved Armando. I believe he's our all-time leading all-purpose yardage man, right? Or maybe just from the RB position, I'm not sure.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I don't see the Reggie Bush comparison at all. To me, his highlights are very similar to Armando in HS with maybe a little less strength and a little more top end speed.

I love this kid's take on college football and what he needs to do to earn PT. Not an entitled brat like a lot of guys.

LAX I completely agree with you. I don't see Bush in his film at all. I've been saying for a while now that this kid looks exactly like Allen.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

And what happened to the discussion about who is the best all purpose player in NCAA in recent memory? Where did that get moved to or did it get deleted?

 

[koonja]

If Allen reminded everyone of Reggie Bush and this kid reminds everyone of Allen, doesn't he too, resemble Bush? Call me crazy but I don't see the logic, lol.

 

[woolybug25]

If Allen reminded everyone of Reggie Bush, and this kid reminds everyone of Allen, doesn't he resemble Bush, too? Call me crazy but I don't see the difference, lol.

I was thinking the same thing.

Maybe they mean that he reminds them of the post-injury (the one he got in hs) Armando.

 

[GBdomer]

If Allen reminded everyone of Reggie Bush and this kid reminds everyone of Allen, doesn't he too, resemble Bush? Call me crazy but I don't see the logic, lol.

in all honesty Reggie Bush is one of a kind in high school.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

If Allen reminded everyone of Reggie Bush and this kid reminds everyone of Allen, doesn't he too, resemble Bush? Call me crazy but I don't see the logic, lol.

IDK guys...Armando's high school tape was good, but it wasn't overly impressive. Bush was on a totally different level. I can't really see the High School comparison between Allen and Bush. But, I def see the comparison between Allen and Russell.

 

[IrishLax]

IDK guys...Armando's high school tape was good, but it wasn't overly impressive. Bush was on a totally different level. I can't really see the High School comparison between Allen and Bush. But, I def see the comparison between Allen and Russell.

Agreed.

 

[woolybug25]

I think we keep going in circles with this. No one is saying that Armando looked like Reggie skill-wise. The comparison is on running style only.

For instance, my batting stance always looked similar to Albert Pujols' stance. No one is trying to say that I was a similar player to him though.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I think we keep going in circles with this. No one is saying that Armando looked like Reggie skill-wise. The comparison is on running style only.

For instance, my batting stance always looked similar to Albert Pujols' stance. No one is trying to say that I was a similar player to him though.

I still don't think Armando and Reggie Bush ever had the same running style...That's what I was trying to imply

 

[Praytorian]

in all honesty Reggie Bush is one of a kind in high school.

Not that I respect his ethics. Reggie Bush was one of a kind in college as well. He did win the H.

 

[Grahambo]

That dang injury during his senior season in HS really took away from Allen. He was still a helluva player. Just wish we saw him at 100%.

 

[woolybug25]

Not that I respect his ethics. Reggie Bush was one of a kind in college as well. He did win the H.

Weeeellll.... technically, he didn't....

 

[Riddickulous]

In other news, making his Top 3 is a good thing for us.

 

[Ironman8]

Tidbit on Russell from The Opening day one notes on ESPN (more general recruiting info at the link):

While other players had reporters hovering around them peppering them with questions, Everett (Wash.) Mariner running back KeiVarae Russell stood alone by himself taking in the scene. Eventually he walked up to a reporter and introduced himself.

"I'm KeiVarae Russell, and I'm here to make a name for myself," said Russell, a 6-foot, 175-pound three-star recruit.

"I want to make it where everywhere I go, people know who I am," he said. "Coming from Washington, you tend to get overlooked, so I want to come here and prove I'm one of the best. I'm going to be going against the best linebackers, D-ends, defensive backs; whoever I go against, I want to show that I'm one of the best in the country.

"There is a difference between being cocky and being confident. I'm confident in what I can do. I love my ability, but I'm going to keep working hard to get even better with all I do."

Russell might not be as widely known nationally as some of the other players at The Opening, but plenty of schools are well aware of him. He has scholarship offers from every program in the Pac-12, except for USC and Oregon, and Notre Dame, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Idaho and Wyoming also have offered.

"The schools I want to take visits to for sure are Cal-Berkeley, U-Dub [Washington] and Notre Dame," Russell said. "The Notre Dame visit is already set for Oct. 22 when they play USC. I already told U-Dub it would get my last visit because of the hometown, and I told Cal they would get one as well.

"I already have an idea on those three, but the other two are still up in the air. That way I can still wait and see what other schools come hard at us, and then I might take some unofficials, too."

The Opening notes: Bri'onte Dunn still a Buckeye ... for now - ESPN

 

[BGIF]

The recruited become the recruiters - ESPN

By Corey Long
ESPN Recruiting
7/7/11

"A lot of the players from the Southeast haven't really talked to me because I guess they think I'm too far," Russell said.

However, Notre Dame is in Russell's top three, and the six Notre Dame commits have definitely taken notice.

"The Notre Dame recruits are coming at me pretty hard," Russell joked. "They are coming from all directions really. They are definitely getting some athletes."

 

[Ironman8]

I think Ferguson is the one really going after him. Apprently they have been hanging out together in the early parts of the week. Perkins is a major recruiter for us as well.