'08 CA DE Datone Jones (UCLA Verbal)

[irishunclebill]

Datone Jones - DE (6'4"/235lbs)
Compton HS (Compton, CA)

Combine
Forty: 4.8
Bench Reps:
Bench Max:
Squat Max:
Shuttle:
Vertical:
GPA:

Star Ratings
Rivals.com:
Scout.com:

Rankings & Accolades
Ranked #136 on the ESPN 150 as of 3/31/2007
Scout 300
Rivals 250

Statistics
2006- 60 Tackles, 4 Sacks
2007- 110 Tkls, 36 TFL, 13 Scks, 1 INT

Schools of Interest
Arizona
Arizona State
Ole Miss
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Oregon
UCLA (Soft Verbal)
USC
Fresno State

 

[irishunclebill]

 

[irishunclebill]

Rivals listed Datone Jones as an ND offer yesterday. At the time, I thought it was just an error because Jones who had verbally committed to UCLA on March 10, was still listed as a UCLA “Solid Verbal” by rivals. Solid Verbal does not really meet the “If they are looking, we are looking” philosophy of CW, because the inference seemed to be that ND would not offer recruits who had verbally committed, and were not at all looking elsewhere. If Datone Jones was still in that second category, it would indicate a change in recruiting philosophy that every recruit regardless of status was a potential Offer. In any case Rivals did later change the status of Jones to a “Soft Verbal” which would indicate that he along with Josh Jenkins, and Gerrell Robinson all now fall into “If they are looking, we are looking” category. Scout has now also added Datone Jones to their ND offer list. I have not seen anything to indicate what specific action Jones has taken to indicate that his commitment to UCLA is no longer solid, but it appears something must have happened to precipitate an ND offer. However, until we see what actually occurred, Jones will not be added to the Irish Envy Official Offer list.

I could not find the reference but wasn’t Datone the recruit who was the subject of a lot of bad blood between USC and UCLA before he actually committed to UCLA.

 

[Pete]

The "if you are looking, then we are looking" policy pertains to our verbals, not theirs.

 

[rockne19]

charlie and the gang are not playing around with recruiting urban liar better look out!

 

[Irishknight1023]

i like the no holds barred throw offers out nonstop...get some

 

[irishunclebill]

The "if you are looking, then we are looking" policy pertains to our verbals, not theirs.

I didn't know that, then who is the "you", and who is the "we" in that case. Do you mean to say that when CW said that, he meant that if a recruit who has verbally committed to ND starts looking after the commit, then ND is looking also, to do what? Rescind their scholarship? I don't understand, could you please explain further.

If you are correct, then I guess I completely misunderstood what CW meant, I thought it meant that ND (we) would look at any recruit (you) who indicates that they are still open to offers, even if they have given a verbal to another school.

 

[goldenlid]

I think what CW was saying was that we're not going to be nice anymore, and we will play the way all the other guys are.

 

[irishunclebill]

I think what CW was saying was that we're not going to be nice anymore, and we will play the way all the other guys are.

That is my understanding too which is why I don't see how the "looking" statement applies to our verbals.

 

[Pete]

hypothectial you would be: Cave, Randolp, Golic, Goodman, or Cwynar. The us would be ND. If one of these guys goes out looking, then ND will recruit somebody for their place.

Is it kind of hypocritical, yes, but thats how it is.

 

[Pete]

I don't think that he would rescind the offer, but lets say that ND is taking 5 LBs. We have 5 commits, A, B, C, D, and E. Now, lets say that C goes on a visit to another school, then Charlie would probably offer another LB, or get back in contact with a prior offer. Now lets say prospect F go aheads and commits. The way that I understood the presser, was that our 5 LBs would then A, B, D, E, and now F, and prospect C would be SOL.

Thats the way that I interpreted the signing day presser.

 

[irishunclebill]

You're right Shamrock. I just re-read the transcript and that specific "looking" quote was in reference to ND recruits. Here is the paragraph:

COACH WEIS: I just listen to you guys. You say you know where all these kids are going (laughter). With the Internet, I mean, you know where everyone is. Sometimes unfortunately that's how you find it out. The Internet is just like everyone else. If some kid is going to go visit to a school that's committed to us, that school wants, for some reason, to get that out, okay? Regardless of how that ends up getting on the street, whether it's the kid saying it, however it ends up happening, once it's out there, then it's an issue. There's nothing to hide in this thing. There's too many people in today's age with the Internet, too many people involved in this where they know things that are going on.

Hey, it isn't like we don't know about them. A lot of times people think we're stupid, we don't know about them. It's just how you're going to deal with them. I think you have to be ready to make a stand in recruiting. The stand has to be, you know, like a couple coaches I know actually have, if they want to go visit somewhere, you got if you're looking, we're looking. That's the way it's got to be.

The comment that I was confusing it with is here:

The other thing is, for all those other people who are silent verbals, silent commits, to me they're fair game, just the way my guys are fair game, because that's the way the game is obviously played.

It is clear from ND's continued recruitement of Jenkins & Gerrell Robinson that CW is also including "Soft Verbals" as well, and he probably meant them anyway when he made this statement. What will be interesting to see is if Datone Jones commit to UCLA does turn out to be still "Solid", and an Official Offer is confirmed, that would mean that the staff is really playing extreme hard ball this year.

 

[johnnd05]

I didn't know that, then who is the "you", and who is the "we" in that case. Do you mean to say that when CW said that, he meant that if a recruit who has verbally committed to ND starts looking after the commit, then ND is looking also, to do what? Rescind their scholarship? I don't understand, could you please explain further.

If you are correct, then I guess I completely misunderstood what CW meant, I thought it meant that ND (we) would look at any recruit (you) who indicates that they are still open to offers, even if they have given a verbal to another school.

I think the quote you give below clears this up, but I take it the point was that if a recruit looks elsewhere, then he has to be open to the possibility that his spot might be given away. This isn't the same as pulling an offer, though ...

 

[Freeman Ara]

I think our future policy can best be summed up ironically, through the Brian Smith situation. When Smith told Iowa he wanted to take a look at ND they basically told him if you go you might as well take it because we are going to replace you. I think thats the new deal. If say, Goodman called and said he was going to visit UM, i honestly think that Weis would pull the schollie. There's no more bullshittin around with these kids, once your in your in. Don't commit until your 100% sure you want to be here. Mack Brown has the same rule at UT. Thats why no one leaves Texas, he straight up tells them that if they start looking around after they commit, that they no longer have a scholarship there. I think if kids are going to go back on their on their word Weis has to have the stones to follow through and pull schollies, that way the defections won't happen anymore.

 

[irishunclebill]

Although I have yet to find any info that verifies that Datone Jones withdrew his committment to UCLA, (Rivals lists him as a "Soft Verbal") he has been on the Rivals offer list for almost a month now, and Scout/Irish Eyes has now confirmed that he has an ND offer. So Datone Jones becomes the 63rd member of the 2008 Irish Envy Official Offer List. For the time being he will be listed as a "Soft Verbal" on our Offer List as well.

 

[Irishknight1023]

He should be visiting South Bend in the near future....


http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=...dURL=http://notredame.scout.com/2/647929.html

 

[Junkhead]

He looks pissed off. Just what we need.

 

[rontdtarchala]

I like the policy...if you're lookin see ya...gotta love it!

 

[rontdtarchala]

yeah he doesn't look like he's in the best of moods does he

 

[Irishknight1023]

Thats because he's from Compton. Can't be happy there.

 

[notredomer23]

Do we really have a shot with this guy? I just dont see him decommiting from ucla

 

[IrishCalves]

Considering we have offers for Aghayere, Lewis-Moore, E. Johnson, Forston, Hunter, and Goebel, I don't see Datone Jones being a viable option at this point either. But I'm pretty sure there were people who didn't think we would land Gary Gray last year after he committed to South Carolina, so what do we know?

 

[knute]

Considering we have offers for Aghayere, Lewis-Moore, E. Johnson, Forston, Hunter, and Goebel, I don't see Datone Jones being a viable option at this point either. But I'm pretty sure there were people who didn't think we would land Gary Gray last year after he committed to South Carolina, so what do we know?

We have a shot with any guy who takes the time to come to campus. Especially now with Corwin Brown recruiting defense. Look what happened with Armando Allen last year, I thought he was a lock for Florida, but after he visited campus and started thinking about the depth chart, talking with Weis, Clausen, etc. he was sold.

 

[Irishknight1023]

Anybody who is commited somewhere else and is taking visits, like the entire UCLA commit list so far(whats that about?) At ND this year for recruiting it's first come first served. Mitch Mustain? Blake Ayles? it happens. If Datone wanted to come here tomorrow Weis will not turn down his commitment like Urban the douche.

 

[johnnd05]

According to IUB he may be making an official visit to ND this fall. Hmm ...

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

More defensive lineman?

 

[johnnd05]

More defensive lineman?

Sorry - didn't read what you said. Just kept staring at that nice round bunda. Mmm, bunda ...

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

Yea, I'm never changing my picture. But I said, MORE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN?

 

[johnnd05]

Yea, I'm never changing my picture. But I said, MORE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN?

More bunda? Sure, I'm always up for some more bunda.

 

[GoshenGipper]

Yea, I'm never changing my picture. But I said, MORE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN?

I wouldn't be suprised if they were looking at him at OLB rather than DE, or maybe it's an either/or situation because they know they like him as a defensive player and now they know that they are now out of the running for Sabino.