'08 GA DT Omar Hunter (Florida Verbal)

[johnnd05]

From Mike Farrell, in this (non-premium) Rivals piece:

Notre Dame has its nose tackle: Arguably the hardest position to recruit in college football is a nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. That was the challenge ahead of the Notre Dame coaching staff when new defensive coordinator Corwin Brown installed such a scheme in South Bend.

Based on early returns, Buford, Ga. defensive tackle Omar Hunter is the perfect fit. Hunter plays low with excellent leverage, he's surprisingly athletic for a big man and he's quick off the ball. And most importantly, Hunter occupies blockers and demands a great deal of attention from the offensive line.

 

[johnnd05]

From an article previewing Omar's game tonight (I'll hopefully have the results tomorrow morning):

In last week's win, Notre Dame recruit Omar Hunter was a force, logging seven tackles, one sack, nine quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles.

 

[IrishRamMan10]

three forced fumbles????? some sort of crazy misprint???? lol Man he is a beast

 

[rockne19]

omar is the man! can we suit him up tommorrow?

 

[GoshenGipper]

There is no need to worry about Omar, as he says he is still 100% with ND right now and he is going to stay with them as long as the coaching staff remains there.

However he did mention that Georgia and USC were pushing him really hard and that recruiters have been telling him that Weis is going to be fired at the end of the year, and then others are telling him that Weis plans to leave ND for the NFL.

 

[Irishknight1023]

USC as in South Carolina right?

 

[GoshenGipper]

USC as in South Carolina right?

Not sure, he just said USC. I don't even think of S.Carolina as USC, so I assumed is was Southern Cal.

 

[piyachi]

I wouldnt put it past Butch or the Poodle. Recruiting sure is a diiiirty business.

 

[KamaraPolice]

There is no need to worry about Omar, as he says he is still 100% with ND right now and he is going to stay with them as long as the coaching staff remains there.

However he did mention that Georgia and USC were pushing him really hard and that recruiters have been telling him that Weis is going to be fired at the end of the year, and then others are telling him that Weis plans to leave ND for the NFL.

In my opinion, this is the #1 target for this class. If Omar jumps ship it's bad bad news. There will also be an innumerous amount of self-proclaimed experts screaming "I TOLD YOU SO"; so it would be exponentially painful.

 

[Z-Bo]

The DL we have coming in is just unreal. I am certain that if no one bails on their commitment we will have a national championship to play for within the next four years.

 

[johnnd05]

Via BGI:

Omar Hunter (NT): Nobody has gained more momentum nationally than Buford (GA) High School’s Omar Hunter. Since the season began, he has not only shown that his leg has recovered from an injury last year, but he has shown the ability to absolutely dominate top opponents. He has five sacks on the season already and is just a disruptive force in the middle. Many schools are in hot pursuit of Hunter despite his verbal commitment to Notre Dame, but he has been ignoring the calls and is very much a Notre Dame man, as long as the coaches stay in place, which is probably true of every recruit in the nation. One interesting side note is that Hunter actually continues the New Jersey-Weis-ND connection, as he grew up in Jersey.

 

[mikejND]

Omar excited about USC offer

Jackson eliminates Penn State; Southern Cal offers Hunter | Football recruiting | ajc.com

 

[johnnd05]

Omar excited about USC offer

Jackson eliminates Penn State; Southern Cal offers Hunter | Football recruiting | ajc.com

Ugghhh ...

Notre Dame-bound Hunter offered by the USC Trojans

When Pete Carroll talks, recruits listen. Even ones already committed to Notre Dame.

Buford’s Omar Hunter visited with Carroll over the phone Tuesday and received an offer from the coach of top-ranked Southern Cal.

“It was pretty exciting. Southern Cal, that’s pretty big,” said Hunter, who verbally committed to Notre Dame in June.

That doesn’t mean the blue-chip defensive tackle has changed his mind about heading to South Bend.

“I’m sticking with Notre Dame for right now,” Hunter said.

Buford coach Jess Simpson said several schools, including Florida, Tennessee and Auburn, still contact Hunter, who is ranked as the sixth best defensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com and the No. 78 prospect overall.

The 6-0, 300-pound Hunter, who can dunk a basketball, leads No. 1 Buford with 19 quarterback pressures and three forced fumbles.

Charlie's not going to be happy when he sees this one ... I imagine Big Omar's going to have to sit down for a little talk.

 

[GoshenGipper]

Ugghhh ...



Charlie's not going to be happy when he sees this one ... I imagine Big Omar's going to have to sit down for a little talk.

I don't think that there's too much to be concerned about, especially if he's being so open about it to ND recruiting sites.

There is no need to worry about Omar, as he says he is still 100% with ND right now and he is going to stay with them as long as the coaching staff remains there.

However he did mention that Georgia and USC were pushing him really hard and that recruiters have been telling him that Weis is going to be fired at the end of the year, and then others are telling him that Weis plans to leave ND for the NFL.

It was also mentioned on this weeks's Power Hour that he told the guys at Irish Eyes that since the start of the season the recuiting process has really started picking up again and many teams are acting like he is uncommited. They also said that because of that he'll rarely anwser the phone for anyone, but if he does he'll politely tell them thanks for the offer but he is going to ND.

To me one sign of trouble is when recruits stop talking/contact to the recruiting services from a commited school and when they start trying to decieve the coaches they are commited to. From what I've heard Omar has done neither, and in the last week or so he has been in contact with multiple recuiting sites and his story doesn't vary from site to site. I think as long as ND stays in contact with him, and CW and CB remain there Omar will sign the dotted line come Feb.

 

[littlerick77]

I don't think that there's too much to be concerned about, especially if he's being so open about it to ND recruiting sites.

F&@K!!!!!! I hope you're right GG.....i just don't like to hear comments like that.

 

[KamaraPolice]

I just don't get it. If you aren't 100%, don't verbal. If you are 100%, then don't entertain new offers. Maybe its easier said than done.

 

[GoshenGipper]

I just don't get it. If you aren't 100%, don't verbal. If you are 100%, then don't entertain new offers. Maybe its easier said than done.

I don't think it's really entertaining them if you say thanks and then tell them that you are going somewhere else. Besides he knows people are trying to feed him crap about the coaching situation to get him to change his mind.

 

[KamaraPolice]

I don't think it's really entertaining them if you say thanks and then tell them that you are going somewhere else. Besides he knows people are trying to feed him crap about the coaching situation to get him to change his mind.

True, and True.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

I'm not worried. I'd still be excited to get an offer from UF or FSU, even if I wasn't going there. Any kid would appreciate love from a top program.
They are just trying to kick us when we are down. Paybacks are a bitch.
I'm not worried at all at Hunter, he has been pretty consistent.

 

[goldenlid]

Get use to this guys even if ND was winning other coaches would be going after CW's guys. It's just like CW said last year all the players have to do is say no I am going to ND.

 

[johnnd05]

GG, I hope you're right. I agree with you that what he said to Rivals (or whatever) is definitely a good sign. I just didn't like the "For now ..." part of what he said to the AJC, but maybe that was just a slip on his part.

 

[HeavenKnows]

I was waiting for Pete Carroll to offer him. Omar is a man child. It is just natural that everyone is going to want him. We have him. We will do our best to keep him. But, Omar is going to be hounded in a big way until national signing day. All of our recruits are going to be similarly tested. We have studs that every other stable wants.

 

[mikejND]

Maybe this will help settle everyone down.

*Pleas don't link premium articles*

 

[mikejND]

My bad GG

 

[johnnd05]

The AJC has a piece about this weekend's Georgia Tech-Clemson game, and it says this:

Huge combination of players making official and unofficial visits to Tech, including (but not limited to) Thomasville defensive tackle Brandon Thompson (a tremendous player), Fresno safety Brandon Leslie, Miami linebacker Malcolm Munroe, Chamblee offensive lineman Omoregie Uzzi, and Columbia, S.C., offensive lineman Kenneth Page.

Also, a lot of players who’ve already committed will be at the game, including defensive backs Jon Lockhart and Kamaron Riley, running back Richard Watson, wide receiver Chris Jackson, linebackers T.J. Pridemore and Steven Sylvester, offensive lineman Nick McRae and safety/quarterback Cooper Taylor.

I think Buford defensive tackle Omar Hunter, who has committed to Notre Dame, will be at Tech as well. Washington County linebacker Brandon Watts, a junior, is going to be there too.

Not to start another worry-fest, but ... HUH?!?!

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

The NCAA really needs to add that early signing period.

 

[mikejND]

I don't think we should worry, Newman has visited elsewhere. I don't think it's a big deal unless it's out of state. Who would'nt want to see a game like that for free.

 

[GoshenGipper]

The AJC has a piece about this weekend's Georgia Tech-Clemson game, and it says this:



Not to start another worry-fest, but ... HUH?!?!

There's rumors swirling all over the place that Omar maybe settting up visits to different schools. USC, Florida, and Georgia all being places that I've heard as possibilities. Although I haven't been able to confirm anything definite on any of them. At this point the only fans that seem to be making claims that Omar will be visiting for sure are USC guys.

Once again, I haven't seen anything for sure one way or the other so lets not all go into a meltdown.

 

[johnnd05]

There's rumors swirling all over the place that Omar maybe settting up visits to different schools. USC, Florida, and Georgia all being places that I've heard as possibilities. Although I haven't been able to confirm anything definite on any of them. At this point the only fans that seem to be making claims that Omar will be visiting for sure are USC guys.

Once again, I haven't seen anything for sure one way or the other so lets not all go into a meltdown.

Yuck. That is really bad. Omar's in deep crap with Weis if this is true, right?

 

[Guest]

If he commits, this means our future NT runs a 4.7 40. Or he could play DE. Either way, that is some serious quicks in the middle of the line.