'12 MD ATH Ronald Darby (Florida State Signee)

mriguy

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I am sure Darby will step back and do what is best for him and his family. I hope to see him in a Irish uniform next year but if not good luck to him. He is a stud and I am sure ND will be in it till the end of the recruiting cycle.
 

BeauBenken

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Beau says that this is his final comment. Set up a vbucks gambling thread for how long it lasts. :)

Ha.

[By the way, the very nice "soft philosophical" comments were in consciousness-splitting variance with the murderous dude pointing the gun at us. "If you don't get nicer, I'm going to kill you to teach you a lesson!!". Yep, I know, Whiskey, another one of the nicer guys on the board, started it. ].

lol I just meant regarding decommiting stuff. I guess maybe I should specify. Lord knows I can't stop posting on recruiting threads completely.

Also, nice catch on that two "nice guys" on here have avatars pointing guns. lol I didn't even really notice that.
 

tko

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lol I just meant regarding decommiting stuff. I guess maybe I should specify. Lord knows I can't stop posting on recruiting threads completely.

Also, nice catch on that two "nice guys" on here have avatars pointing guns. lol I didn't even really notice that.

you are simply part of a violent generation.
 

BobD

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lol I just meant regarding decommiting stuff. I guess maybe I should specify. Lord knows I can't stop posting on recruiting threads completely.

Also, nice catch on that two "nice guys" on here have avatars pointing guns. lol I didn't even really notice that.

Dang it! I was gonna bet you would post here again before noon:eek:grin:

Of course I have the avatar that has guns pointed at me.
 

IrishLax

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Has any reason been given yet as to why the decommit?

The more that comes out, the more confusing it is. Rumor out there right now that Cooks didn't meet with him after the UA AA game and he didn't like that. Has had a lot of quotes about the relationship with coaches "changing" but not wanting to elaborate. Then you have tools like Keith Marshall and Chad Kelly blowing up Twitter. I dunno. Very odd situation. He didn't all of a sudden just realize that ND isn't a super-elite track school... and he also isn't a track first guy/never has been.

I have a weird alternate theory from reading the tea leaves that our staff, with how very limited our spots remaining are and the amount of time they were investing in Darby, might have gotten tired of him holding a spot while practically being decommitted when they feel very confident that they could get a commitment from Davonte Neal or Yuri Wright. The last thing you want to do as ND is hold a spot for a kid who is very wishy-washy and have him bail at a position of great need right before NSD while you've just passed on two other elite prospects that could fill in for him. I'm wondering if an ultimatum of sorts (or if at least discussions were had) where ND coaches said they didn't want him taking other visits and 100% committed or they would consider him decommitted and would no longer hold his spot. I think it's entirely reasonable for coaches to say you will not use us as a reservation... you've already visited Clemson once and going back again isn't just to "see sights"... so if you still want to take these other visits we're going to consider you decommitted and your spot might not be here when you come back.

The deal is that we have only 4 spots open with Darby and we feel really good about landing Westerkamp, Armstead, and Armstead at this juncture. We also feel pretty darn good about landing Devin Fuller. So if Darby were to ditch at the 11th hour... we would have not only passed on Yuri and Davonte but come up with only 1 CB in a year where we REALLY need CBs. And if we were to take Yuri/Davonte right now (as insurance to Darby jumping ship) that would mean we either ditch Westerkamp (we really don't want to do that), the Armsteads (would CRAZY to do that) or Fuller (i.e. with him being the last recruit in the timeline to commit, we'd have no room for him and have to pass on a 5:s: QB/ATH for lack of room). Add to the mix that superior/underrated athlete Will Redmond (he's a poor man's Ronald Darby) is scheduled for a late cycle OV and on many levels you're better off taking your chances with an open scholarship but still in the race for Ronald than having him committed in name only. The big risk is that you **** off Ronald ruining your chances there, and then whiff on Neal and Yuri Wright, and then Redmond sticks with his commitment to Mississippi State because he hates the cold or something.

Anyways, that's just a theory from reading the quotes/articles and trying to put myself in the shoes of the coaches.
 

TerryTate

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I agree with most of what Lax said. However, the meeting with Cooks was probably just a formal "parting of ways." I don't see that meeting making or breaking the commitment.

"Coaching changes" is just an excuse. None of the departed coaches were his positional coaches. Cooks was the DB coach from 2011.
 

Ndaccountant

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The more that comes out, the more confusing it is. Rumor out there right now that Cooks didn't meet with him after the UA AA game and he didn't like that. Has had a lot of quotes about the relationship with coaches "changing" but not wanting to elaborate. Then you have tools like Keith Marshall and Chad Kelly blowing up Twitter. I dunno. Very odd situation. He didn't all of a sudden just realize that ND isn't a super-elite track school... and he also isn't a track first guy/never has been.

I have a weird alternate theory from reading the tea leaves that our staff, with how very limited our spots remaining are and the amount of time they were investing in Darby, might have gotten tired of him holding a spot while practically being decommitted when they feel very confident that they could get a commitment from Davonte Neal or Yuri Wright. The last thing you want to do as ND is hold a spot for a kid who is very wishy-washy and have him bail at a position of great need right before NSD while you've just passed on two other elite prospects that could fill in for him. I'm wondering if an ultimatum of sorts (or if at least discussions were had) where ND coaches said they didn't want him taking other visits and 100% committed or they would consider him decommitted and would no longer hold his spot. I think it's entirely reasonable for coaches to say you will not use us as a reservation... you've already visited Clemson once and going back again isn't just to "see sights"... so if you still want to take these other visits we're going to consider you decommitted and your spot might not be here when you come back.

The deal is that we have only 4 spots open with Darby and we feel really good about landing Westerkamp, Armstead, and Armstead at this juncture. We also feel pretty darn good about landing Devin Fuller. So if Darby were to ditch at the 11th hour... we would have not only passed on Yuri and Davonte but come up with only 1 CB in a year where we REALLY need CBs. And if we were to take Yuri/Davonte right now (as insurance to Darby jumping ship) that would mean we either ditch Westerkamp (we really don't want to do that), the Armsteads (would CRAZY to do that) or Fuller (i.e. with him being the last recruit in the timeline to commit, we'd have no room for him and have to pass on a 5:s: QB/ATH for lack of room). Add to the mix that superior/underrated athlete Will Redmond (he's a poor man's Ronald Darby) is scheduled for a late cycle OV and on many levels you're better off taking your chances with an open scholarship but still in the race for Ronald than having him committed in name only. The big risk is that you **** off Ronald ruining your chances there, and then whiff on Neal and Yuri Wright, and then Redmond sticks with his commitment to Mississippi State because he hates the cold or something.

Anyways, that's just a theory from reading the quotes/articles and trying to put myself in the shoes of the coaches.

It certainly is possible, but if this was the case, what a gamble.
 

Rocky2820

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Something about our track team and him not feeling it lately. I hope this is a tuitt situation

Yes, he did make a comment about ND football being a powerhouse but the track program is not. Don't know how significant that single factor could be in his decommitment, given that the track program wasn't a powerhouse for the past year either.

He's alluded to the relationship with ND's staff changing in recent months. He hasn't elaborated on that thought. There is speculation that he and Coach Cooks didn't exchange any more than a hello at the UA game and that perhaps he was upset about that. That has not been reported, just speculated by some folks on other boards.

My only thought is that perhaps our coaches were growing impatient with his drawn-out visits to other schools (September through January) given that he was maintaining his commitment to us. That, though, is the way the game is played sometimes, and the only thing I know for sure is that Darby is an absolute stud and he possesses a skill set that we desperately need. We still have an in-house at our disposal and Ronald has said that he'll still consider the Irish. Let's let the process play out from here.
 

Sherm Sticky

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The more that comes out, the more confusing it is. Rumor out there right now that Cooks didn't meet with him after the UA AA game and he didn't like that. Has had a lot of quotes about the relationship with coaches "changing" but not wanting to elaborate. Then you have tools like Keith Marshall and Chad Kelly blowing up Twitter. I dunno. Very odd situation. He didn't all of a sudden just realize that ND isn't a super-elite track school... and he also isn't a track first guy/never has been.

I have a weird alternate theory from reading the tea leaves that our staff, with how very limited our spots remaining are and the amount of time they were investing in Darby, might have gotten tired of him holding a spot while practically being decommitted when they feel very confident that they could get a commitment from Davonte Neal or Yuri Wright. The last thing you want to do as ND is hold a spot for a kid who is very wishy-washy and have him bail at a position of great need right before NSD while you've just passed on two other elite prospects that could fill in for him. I'm wondering if an ultimatum of sorts (or if at least discussions were had) where ND coaches said they didn't want him taking other visits and 100% committed or they would consider him decommitted and would no longer hold his spot. I think it's entirely reasonable for coaches to say you will not use us as a reservation... you've already visited Clemson once and going back again isn't just to "see sights"... so if you still want to take these other visits we're going to consider you decommitted and your spot might not be here when you come back.

The deal is that we have only 4 spots open with Darby and we feel really good about landing Westerkamp, Armstead, and Armstead at this juncture. We also feel pretty darn good about landing Devin Fuller. So if Darby were to ditch at the 11th hour... we would have not only passed on Yuri and Davonte but come up with only 1 CB in a year where we REALLY need CBs. And if we were to take Yuri/Davonte right now (as insurance to Darby jumping ship) that would mean we either ditch Westerkamp (we really don't want to do that), the Armsteads (would CRAZY to do that) or Fuller (i.e. with him being the last recruit in the timeline to commit, we'd have no room for him and have to pass on a 5:s: QB/ATH for lack of room). Add to the mix that superior/underrated athlete Will Redmond (he's a poor man's Ronald Darby) is scheduled for a late cycle OV and on many levels you're better off taking your chances with an open scholarship but still in the race for Ronald than having him committed in name only. The big risk is that you **** off Ronald ruining your chances there, and then whiff on Neal and Yuri Wright, and then Redmond sticks with his commitment to Mississippi State because he hates the cold or something.

Anyways, that's just a theory from reading the quotes/articles and trying to put myself in the shoes of the coaches.
Wow Lax that sounds plausible, I think you probably nailed it. Reps.
 

MNIrish14

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Obviously we don't like losing a talent like Darby but make sure you remember this game works both ways. We are in an excellent position to flip Westerkamp and it seems as though Poole (who also had an EXCELLENT showing at the UA AA game) is getting more interested by the day. ND is causing Nebraska and Florida fans too stress just like Darby is stressing us out. Just keep everything in perspective boys
 

rtrn2glory

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very curious if cooks' visit went down like that...not pointing fingers, but that would be very foolish if it turned out that way.
 

TerryTate

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I highly, highly doubt Cooks was at fault here. Darby had one foot out of the door since August.

That's why I said he was our "weakest" commit back at the beginning of the season.
 

BobD

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I have a weird alternate theory from reading the tea leaves that our staff, with how very limited our spots remaining are and the amount of time they were investing in Darby, might have gotten tired of him holding a spot

The old but highly effective "Sh!t or get off the (s)pot" strategy.

Sounds entirely possible.
 

Irish Insanity

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Has anyone been able to confirm whether or not Diaco was actually in-house with Darby's family last night? I can't tell if whomever said that last night was joking or reporting good info.

I posted it. It was a joke. I put it in italics to show sarcasm. My apologies.
 

jimmymac

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Darby's status "wise words from a wise man.
(dont worry about no one but yourself. it will be your life and no one elses. this decision is harder than what ppl think but you will be ok where ever you end up. just stay hungry!!!) lord bless u fam"
 

arahop

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Lax great job with the insight! It makes me feel better to think about the Irish coaching staff possibly going to Darby and saying You're one of us? or one of them? It hurts but Notre Dame will move on and has plenty of time to fill his spot with a quality corner.
 

tadman95

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I thought his commitment was soft, especially as time went by but he's such a quiet kid it was hard to tell. Kept hoping he was just being a kid with the visits but it grew a little tiresome, especially as early as he committed.

When the planned second trip to Clemson came out, I started mentally writing him off, that trip would be way beyond just checking things out. Lax's theory makes sense.

Hate to lose him because I do think he's a quality young man, sometimes it just doesn't work.
 

bigedefense

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Add to the mix that superior/underrated athlete Will Redmond (he's a poor man's Ronald Darby) is scheduled for a late cycle OV.

Your post makes a lot of sense and I lean toward your thinking on the situation. I just wanted to post that I do not think that we pull Redmond from MS State. I talked to my coaching buddy at State this morning and I asked him if they were nervous about his visit up to South Bend. According to him, Will spoke with Coach Mullen and told him that he was 100% commited to State. He wanted to go to South Bend because (I love this part) "that stadium is COLLEGE FOOTBALL." He is trying hard to get his high school team mate, who has verbaled to Vandy, to flip and come to Starkville. Now, as far as knowing what is being said in the Redmond family, I do not. I do know that the coaches at State feel confident in his commitment. I didn't say so to my buddy, but I am hoping that if Redmond put's ND on a pedistal like that, surely his visit will get some juices flowing and maybe we get him. I watched some film on him when I went down to visit my buddy and all I can say is WOW, this kid is fast and has great instincts. Never say never, and I don't think we can, but anything is possible and a man can hope.
 

Whiskeyjack

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If Lax's theory is correct, this was the result of a brave and laudable move by our coaching staff. Weis surely never would have done this.

Commitment goes both ways. It's one thing for a committed recruit to take his 5 OVs and enjoy the spotlight, but when Darby scheduled his 2nd visit to Clemson, it became clear that he had one foot out the door.

Our staff can't afford to be caught with their collective pants down on NSD, so they may have decommitted from Darby. If true... look at the balls on Kelly!
 
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