'19 FL RB Cesare 'Chez' Mellusi (Clemson Verbal)

[Luckylucci]

Lucky, love you brother, but almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The staff getting interest from recruits is nice and such. But the product on the field is what counts. So a bunch of near misses is still a miss and leaves a gap from being a championship team.

The product on the field is coming off a 10 win season where we bitch slapped USC and MSU, both long time rivals. The reason that happened is because we won recruiting battles for players on our current roster. The same happened last cycle, and will happen this cycle. However there is a reality that, yes, we will lose recruitments. In fact, we will lose quite a bit, and so will ALL programs, that’s just how it goes. It doesn’t mean we are getting our asses kicked. It’s what happens when you offer 100 players and can only sign 25. There are going to be more misses than hits, that’s just simple math. Though, for whatever reason, every time a prospect we were recruiting commits elsewhere, now our recruiting sucks.

Also, of the prospects mentioned in that post, only Melusi has committed and nobody has signed. So how many misses truly is that. We missed on Houston Griffith at one point, and now he’s in the Gug sporting a golden helmet. We missed on Brandon Wimbush at one point, he’s currently doing the same. Don’t need to go on with more examples because that’s clealry not difficult to grasp. It’s April, and that will always be relevant or at least until prospects can sign LOI’s instantaneously. Which isn’t right now.

USC HAS 1 COMMIT RIGHT NOW! And he’s a 3 star WR. So if we are getting our asses kicked on the trail, then they might want to consider reclassifying to Division II.

If we are in this position come ESP, then certainly we can make those proclamations, but it’s not even remotely close to December.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

We are two months removed from one of the most exciting finishes to a recruiting class. We signed a number of great prospects on the final day to put the finishing touches on a top 10 class that was as complete as any Kelly has brought in and now we suck at recruiting in April?

It'd be nice to wrap up a few more prospects before the season begins but this is a brand new model for recruiting. We don't know how it'll play out with the new rules in place.

I'm guessing there is more pressure on recruits to 'save spots' so we'll also likely see more decommits/recommits/etc. The intensity has been turned up a notch, so to speak.

We really don't need to worry because we don't get paid to worry. I'm just looking forward to celebrating the next victory.

 

[Big23Head]

The product on the field is coming off a 10 win season where we bitch slapped USC and MSU, both long time rivals. The reason that happened is because we won recruiting battles for players on our current roster. The same happened last cycle, and will happen this cycle. However there is a reality that, yes, we will lose recruitments. In fact, we will lose quite a bit, and so will ALL programs, that’s just how it goes. It doesn’t mean we are getting our asses kicked. It’s what happens when you offer 100 players and can only sign 25. There are going to be more misses than hits, that’s just simple math. Though, for whatever reason, every time a prospect we were recruiting commits elsewhere, now our recruiting sucks.

Also, of the prospects mentioned in that post, only Melusi has committed and nobody has signed. So how many misses truly is that. We missed on Houston Griffith at one point, and now he’s in the Gug sporting a golden helmet. We missed on Brandon Wimbush at one point, he’s currently doing the same. Don’t need to go on with more examples because that’s clealry not difficult to grasp. It’s April, and that will always be relevant or at least until prospects can sign LOI’s instantaneously. Which isn’t right now.

USC HAS 1 COMMIT RIGHT NOW! And he’s a 3 star WR. So if we are getting our asses kicked on the trail, then they might want to consider reclassifying to Division II.

If we are in this position come ESP, then certainly we can make those proclamations, but it’s not even remotely close to December.

I get where you are coming from but USC is a poor comparison overall. They are one of the best closing teams in recruiting and in a recruiting hotbed so they have much less to worry about if start slower.

I don't think recruiting it terrible but ND has taken some lumps lately for whatever reason. The Mellusi recruitment is odd to me that ND finished third and was essentially dismissed. Reading Anna and Ivins comments they are seemed skeptical, like what is going on that ND seemed to have just disappeared.

 

[BobbyMac]

Apparently ND wasn't as high on Chez as we thought and his OV was canceled because they knew he would commit and they were after others first.

Bummer (or feel free to substitute any number of other words you feel are more applicable in place of bummer) if true, but it's happened before...


.

 

[OCIrish]

Can we come up with a "sky is falling" thread so anyone who cares to piss and moan about recruiting can go there instead of clogging up recruits threads, especially in April!!! Just asking for a friend.......

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Can we come up with a "sky is falling" thread so anyone who cares to piss and moan about recruiting can go there instead of clogging up recruits threads, especially in April!!! Just asking for a friend.......

The sky isn’t falling. But we were Mellusi’s purported leader for months and then he up and commits to Clemson out of the blue. The course of his recruitment is consistent with what we’ve seen with other recruits we apparently led for at some point this cycle, including Ellison, Watson, Nana, Hunter Henry, Maguire, Mazi, Nick Cross and others. It is certainly possible that we’ve never been in as good a shape with some of these guys as we were led to believe, it just seems that this cycle, more so than others, we’re losing traction with our top guys a lot faster than other years.

Finally, I apologize for discussing my recent disappointment with recruiting in a thread about a player that we are all disappointed about missing out in recruiting. I’ll stop clogging up the thread so you can discuss what number Mellusi will wear for Clemson in 2019.

 

[IrishLion]

ND was worried that Mellusi would commit on a visit, apparently, so they backed off and didn't schedule a visit with him.

That is... an interesting gamble.

 

[Luckylucci]

I get where you are coming from but USC is a poor comparison overall. They are one of the best closing teams in recruiting and in a recruiting hotbed so they have much less to worry about if start slower.

I don't think recruiting it terrible but ND has taken some lumps lately for whatever reason. The Mellusi recruitment is odd to me that ND finished third and was essentially dismissed. Reading Anna and Ivins comments they are seemed skeptical, like what is going on that ND seemed to have just disappeared.

Isn't that actually the point. Recruiting titles and/or top 5-10 finishes are not achieved in April. They are achieved in the fall and winter. Just ask Miami or Oregon last year. What matters is what happens on and after Sept. 1st. If ND comes out and lays an egg this year, it's not going to matter what happened in April. If ND comes out and beats USC in Cali, VT in Blacksburg, FSU/Stanford at home (in front of high profile OV's), then it also won't matter what happened in April. Anybody that thinks April recruiting is somehow the pinnacle is just being lazy and refusing to pay attention to past cycles, or information currently starring us in the face.

 

[beryirish]

So does ND just want 1 RB this cycle or are there 2 RB's they have ahead of Chez that they feel good about. Like IL said, this is a big gamble.

 

[Luckylucci]

ND was worried that Mellusi would commit on a visit, apparently, so they backed off and didn't schedule a visit with him.

That is... an interesting gamble.

Certainly a gamble and not one I agree with.

But, to the point that is being made by the ND folks in the know, which is similar to my feelings on April recruiting, we won't know until December or February.

 

[NDMIA]

So does ND just want 1 RB this cycle or are there 2 RB's they have ahead of Chez that they feel good about. Like IL said, this is a big gamble.

If it is true that Deon McIntosh & CJ Holmes are not coming back (seems more and more likely there definitely gone), then ND would be stupid to not take 2 RB's. Next season we have Tony Jones Jr, C'Bo Flemister, and Jahmir Smith. ND does have some options though to get to two RB commits...

.9677 4* Austin Jones
.9064 4* Zach Charbonnet
.8950 3* Steele Chambers
.8839 3* Kyren Williams

I think ND being higher on other guys than Chez Mellusi is fake news and way to soften the blow of the fact that ND straight up lost a 9 month recruitment in 7 days since Clemson offered. There's no reasonable explanation that ND has several higher guys on their board unless Devyn Ford or Kenny McIntosh surprisingly come to ND which ain't happening. Ideal repair to this Mellusi loss would be Jones & Chambers/Williams.

 

[NDMIA]

Oh & btw, an NDCrusader favorite Jirehl Brock (and my favorite) was just offered by Northwestern. So time to get an offer out before the kid drops his Top 7 in the next couple days.

 

[IrishLion]

There's no reasonable explanation that ND has several higher guys on their board unless Devyn Ford or Kenny McIntosh surprisingly come to ND which ain't happening. Ideal repair to this Mellusi loss would be Jones & Chambers/Williams.

I would absolutely buy that Steele Chambers is higher than Mellusi... but I don't buy that there are two or three other guys so much better than Mellusi that they would also be so confident in landing.

I think I agree that some of the guys in the pay industry are softening the blow to keep the customer base AND their staff sources from getting too riled up.

 

[BobbyMac]

IF the source is who I think it is, it's not fake news to soften the blow because that's the exact opposite of his style.

As for the RB's:

Austin Jones is not happening, even if he takes in the Michigan Swag trip.

Zach Charbonnnet has a lot going on behind the scenes.

Steele Chambers is an enigma to me and all I want him for is to convert him to LB when the inevitable happens, Brandon Smith doesn't come to ND

K Williams might show up this weekend and commit. Who knows?

Do WHATEVER it takes to land Kenan Christon. I'll be in San Diego next month and I have plenty of bags. Just need a card carrying bag stuffer from ND to swing by the crib before I depart.

It's time to expand the board:

1. John Bivens
2. Jirehl Brock
3. Breece Hall
4. Pat Garwo

And keep a close eye on Delbert Mimms in Indy. He's gonna be a 6-0/230 back w/ wheels.

 

[Irish#1]

The sky isn’t falling. But we were Mellusi’s purported leader for months and then he up and commits to Clemson out of the blue. The course of his recruitment is consistent with what we’ve seen with other recruits we apparently led for at some point this cycle, including Ellison, Watson, Nana, Hunter Henry, Maguire, Mazi, Nick Cross and others. It is certainly possible that we’ve never been in as good a shape with some of these guys as we were led to believe, it just seems that this cycle, more so than others, we’re losing traction with our top guys a lot faster than other years.

Finally, I apologize for discussing my recent disappointment with recruiting in a thread about a player that we are all disappointed about missing out in recruiting. I’ll stop clogging up the thread so you can discuss what number Mellusi will wear for Clemson in 2019.

ND was worried that Mellusi would commit on a visit, apparently, so they backed off and didn't schedule a visit with him.

That is... an interesting gamble.

There's always the possibility the staff found out something that turned them off. Not everything is divulged to reporters.

 

[Irish#1]

And keep a close eye on Delbert Mimms in Indy. He's gonna be a 6-0/230 back w/ wheels.

He's listed at 5'11" 200lb right now. I haven't seen him, but his offer list is mostly low level FBS & FCS offers.

 

[BobbyMac]

He's listed at 5'11" 200lb right now. I haven't seen him, but his offer list is mostly low level FBS & FCS offers.

I gotta source. He's drinking milk and his last 3 offers are Wazzu, UK and Vandy.

 

[Irish#1]

I gotta source. He's drinking milk and his last 3 offers are Wazzu, UK and Vandy.

Thanks for making my point. Although I might give you WSU. :zthinking

 

[IrishLion]

Thanks for making my point. Although I might give you WSU. :zthinking

UK knows two things really well: RB's and CB's.

Sometimes LB.

 

[Irish#1]

UK knows two things really well: RB's and CB's.

Sometimes LB.

D2 teams put players in the NFL all the time. Thanks for seconding my point!

 

[NDohio]

We are two months removed from one of the most exciting finishes to a recruiting class. We signed a number of great prospects on the final day to put the finishing touches on a top 10 class that was as complete as any Kelly has brought in and now we suck at recruiting in April?

It'd be nice to wrap up a few more prospects before the season begins but this is a brand new model for recruiting. We don't know how it'll play out with the new rules in place.

I'm guessing there is more pressure on recruits to 'save spots' so we'll also likely see more decommits/recommits/etc. The intensity has been turned up a notch, so to speak.

We really don't need to worry because we don't get paid to worry. I'm just looking forward to celebrating the next victory.

Yes. Remember how late in the cycle the angst about DB recruiting was last year? There was major concern deep into October that ND was going to walk away with zero to one quality DB's, look how that turned out.

 

[NDMIA]

Per ISD’s Mike Frank, Denson cancelled Mellusi’s OV to ND because they thought Mellusi would commit during his visit and ND was not ready to accept his commitment. Frank also added that ND likes Kyren Williams more than Mellusi

 

[BobbyMac]

Per ISD’s Mike Frank, Denson cancelled Mellusi’s OV to ND because they thought Mellusi would commit during his visit and ND was not ready to accept his commitment. Frank also added that ND likes Kyren Williams more than Mellusi

You on a week long bender? We went over this last week when it happened.

I'm calling your sponsor!

 

[ab2cmiller]

You on a week long bender? We went over this last week when it happened.

I'm calling your sponsor!

Maybe that’s the explanation, because last week he was calling it fake news and now he’s posting it as fact. What sad times are these ......

 

[NDMIA]

I heard it was mentioned but didn’t know if it was official or just rumor. Heard it on ISD podcast that came out today. So sadly I’ll have to take another swig of the tummy buster.

 

[NDMIA]

And I called it fake news cause I couldn’t believe that ND has 2-3 RB spots in this class and Mellusi wasn’t good enough to fill on of them. Guess crazy things happen in recruiting.

 

[irish o'phile]

Per ISD’s Mike Frank, Denson cancelled Mellusi’s OV to ND because they thought Mellusi would commit during his visit and ND was not ready to accept his commitment. Frank also added that ND likes Kyren Williams more than Mellusi

I feel like this kind of thing always bites ND in the rear towards the end of the cycle.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Watch we won’t end up landing a 4 Star back in this class

 

[ab2cmiller]

Watch we won’t end up landing a 4 Star back in this class

If they end up getting Williams, whom the staff likes better, then you would be absolutely correct.

The staff will be on cloud 9.

You, however, will be pissed that we didn't get a 4 star back.

 

[BobbyMac]

I'll take (per 247):

#42 Kenan Christon
#46 Daniel Carter
#47 Aidan Robbins

and shut it down with the REAL #1 RB class in the country.

Forget star ratings at RB, at least this cycle. Give me elite speed and size w/ wheels. The 3 above cover it in spades.