'20 IL OL Peter Skoronski (Northwestern Verbal)

[BobbyMac]

I'm not freaking out about this. It appeared, based on Intel from the recruiting sites and people on this board, that he was an ND lock. What changed? Given his background I figured someone would know definitvely.

He was until he wasn't. Word out now is his recruitment was done in spurts. If true, that's unfortunate. ND should have a lead pack of 5-7 interior line guys and go after all of them until they fill up. There are no golden tickets at OG. But if you are slow playing or low playing a Catholic kid from Chicago with football royalty in his veins for kids from Colorado or Washington, that is flawed... until you land them, then it's a "genius move" like the Buchner/McCarthy scenario.

As of late we did, but we didn’t throughout the entirety of his recruitment. And ultimately, I think that’s what won out. Familiarity and comfort with NW’s staff.

Quinn has certainly taken a couple of big L’s here recently but I don’t think panic mode is needed.

Is Quinn taking the L's? Quinn's probably the sales guy on the road while reading from a script that he, Kelly, Long & the entire recruiting staff have authored.

'20's a tough year for ND OL recruiting. Everyone not named Tosh Baker has to look at the depth chart and the '21 traction and ask, "where do I fit in?" I've loved Jimmy Christ from the get go but Jimmy Christ at ND had a very good shot at becoming Hunter Biven... everyone does.

I'm proud of Skoronski. He is who I thought he was. Smart & grounded. Chose a guaranteed path of life long success as well as a much better opportunity to get on the field early and work on his craft. Hopefully he develops into a guy who gets to the League.

 

[Luckylucci]

Yes, Quinn is most certainly taking the L’s. I don’t think it’s a big deal but if he’s going to get credit for personally recruiting the 19’ class then he should get blame for what looks like misses on the top targets. Again, I don’t think it ultimately is a big deal but they really wanted those 2. Especially Christ.

 

[Old Man Mike]

This is sort of repetitive, but I can't (personally) be persuaded that being in the back of the OLine room (re: chances to get on the field) is anything but a big neg-recruiting sledgehammer that any other school would use against us.

We have five monsters that we roll out there who all could play this year and next. Behind them there are three guys who have been around the team (Lugg, Gibbons, Dirkson) who Quinn played in the middle of the meathouse in the Spring game, and who did pretty well. Added to that are Correll, Kristofic, Carroll, and Olmstead, who as a group some consider the solidest haul yet --- two of whom were the second team Spring tackles.

That's TWELVE guys who would be veterans well schooled in ND OLine play. What opposing recruiter wouldn't use THAT vs us? It would take an awfully confident and/or patient player to want to come in and face that.

Admittedly, in ancient times (my day and earlier) there were lots of players who were willing to sit just to be the re-load guys for NOTRE DAME and the NFL pipeline that we were. I don't think that quite exists now. (though we may be reestablishing it.) Edit: by the way, back in those old "glory" days, the tendency was to have an "up" recruiting OLine class followed by a relatively thin one, then another "up" etc etc. Leahy didn't have to bother with that but the others did.

I'll give Quinn et al all the "pass" they need (and it's not obvious yet that there's any griping to be had anyway) if we're not the assembly-of-monsters this year that we're beginning to take for granted.

 

[NDMIA]

This is sort of repetitive, but I can't (personally) be persuaded that being in the back of the OLine room (re: chances to get on the field) is anything but a big neg-recruiting sledgehammer that any other school would use against us.

We have five monsters that we roll out there who all could play this year and next. Behind them there are three guys who have been around the team (Lugg, Gibbons, Dirkson) who Quinn played in the middle of the meathouse in the Spring game, and who did pretty well. Added to that are Correll, Kristofic, Carroll, and Olmstead, who as a group some consider the solidest haul yet --- two of whom were the second team Spring tackles.

That's TWELVE guys who would be veterans well schooled in ND OLine play. What opposing recruiter wouldn't use THAT vs us? It would take an awfully confident and/or patient player to want to come in and face that.

Admittedly, in ancient times (my day and earlier) there were lots of players who were willing to sit just to be the re-load guys for NOTRE DAME and the NFL pipeline that we were. I don't think that quite exists now. (though we may be reestablishing it.) Edit: by the way, back in those old "glory" days, the tendency was to have an "up" recruiting OLine class followed by a relatively thin one, then another "up" etc etc. Leahy didn't have to bother with that but the others did.

I'll give Quinn et al all the "pass" they need (and it's not obvious yet that there's any griping to be had anyway) if we're not the assembly-of-monsters this year that we're beginning to take for granted.

Championship teams stack talent on top of talent. I agree it is one of the most difficult things to do in recruiting but the top top teams bring in super talented dudes and follow that up with more talent. Clemson has like 10 4-5* receivers and they just reeled in two 5 star receivers this past cycle. They also convinced the top QB in the class to sit behind a Junior Trevor Lawrence instead of walking into a starting job at pretty much every other school in America

.9545 4* Hunter Bivin
.9467 4* Steve Elmer
.9330 4* John Montelus
.9280 4* Mike McGlinchey
.9209 4* Colin McGovern

.9707 5* Quenton Nelson
.9484 4* Alex Bars
.9123 4* Sam Mustipher
.8926 4* Jimmy Byrne

This is just an example from a ratings perspective as to what back to back epic classes can look like. 2019 was Part I of that trend and now stacking up back to back classes ensures talent, depth and competition. Getting some big time dudes on board is a must for ND this cycle and almost every cycle after that.

 

[IrishLion]

Clemson also convinced the top QB in the class to sit behind a Junior Trevor Lawrence instead of walking into a starting job at pretty much every other school in America

To be fair, that's probably an easy sell... hey, come sit behind Trevor for a year. You'll get to play in almost every game, because we're gonna blow everyone out, then the job is yours full-time for two years.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I think that QBs think differently than OLine, and WRs surely do.

 

[NDMIA]

To be fair, that's probably an easy sell... hey, come sit behind Trevor for a year. You'll get to play in almost every game, because we're gonna blow everyone out, then the job is yours full-time for two years.

Okay not the greatest one but there are countless other examples. Bama has 14 composite 4-5*’s at DB this upcoming season. They also have 14 4-5*’s at LBer (they play a 3-4). That’s definitely stacking talent. Bama convinced Ishmael Sophser, Antonio Alfano, Justin Eboigbe, DJ Dale, Byron Young and Braylen Ingraham to play defensive line in a 3-4 defense. That’s 6 freshman for a 3 position group! My general point is I don’t feel bad for Jeff Quinn having too much talent at ND but rather I expect him to be a dynamite recruiter and close the deal with some of these top kids.

 

[Old Man Mike]

... really hard to compare Bama to anybody as to the recruiting game --- so many of those studs leave early [for more than one reason] that the sit-and-wait thing is easy to reject [whether wishful thinking or not.] The skill position kids and defense for sure know that, plus no one else can offer a near sure title sometime.

I'm still giving our staff full marks for effort to a plan --- which is all I can ask.

 

[snoopdog]

Speaking of Bama, or Clemson, or Georgia, or Oklahoma or Ohio St...... why didn’t they offer Skoronski

 

[BobbyMac]

Speaking of Bama, or Clemson, or Georgia, or Oklahoma or Ohio St...... why didn’t they offer Skoronski

We have no idea the entire list of schools that offered him. He didn't announce them.

 

[dublinirish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Impressive pass set from PETER SKORONSKI 👀 <br><br>I think he’s been watching <a href="https://twitter.com/joethomas73?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@joethomas73</a> <a href="https://t.co/TI00mcYkOr">pic.twitter.com/TI00mcYkOr</a></p>— Duke Manyweather (@BigDuke50) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigDuke50/status/1142560944398188545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

sigh..

 

[jspags10pg]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Impressive pass set from PETER SKORONSKI 👀 <br><br>I think he’s been watching <a href="https://twitter.com/joethomas73?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@joethomas73</a> <a href="https://t.co/TI00mcYkOr">pic.twitter.com/TI00mcYkOr</a></p>— Duke Manyweather (@BigDuke50) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigDuke50/status/1142560944398188545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

sigh..

Is that epilepsy or just a glitch in a video game? Not sure what I'm watching here...

 

[Luckylucci]

Impressive footwork but terrible depth. Too deep.

 

[Henges24]

Impressive footwork but terrible depth. Too deep.

Was he not supposed to go around the cone markers?

 

[Irish#1]

Was he not supposed to go around the cone markers?

yep

 

[BobbyMac]

Bad year to be short on inside #'s. Elsewhere, I saw ND fans say, "The fact he went to NW and not OSU or Mich proves why he's not a take for ND."

No, it just proves how much of an education first, RKG he is.

I'm glad he's there. I can't help but pull for the Kitties. Saw a lot of their games from 1994-2000. I just have to filter out the periodic Fitz hate but that's ND's fault as much as his.

 

[BobbyMac]

Congrats to Pete. Had the staff needed an inside guy this cycle he'd be Irish and sitting outside the Top247 instead of:

A FIVE STAR

Meet 247's #29 OA player in 2020.

 

[IrishLax]

Congrats to Pete. Had the staff needed an inside guy this cycle he'd be Irish and sitting outside the Top247 instead of:

A FIVE STAR

Meet 247's #29 OA player in 2020.

Wow.

 

[Henges24]

NWs best recruit since the 24/7 era as long as he gets his 5th star by the end of the year

 

[Irish2155]

Congrats to Pete. Had the staff needed an inside guy this cycle he'd be Irish and sitting outside the Top247 instead of:

A FIVE STAR

Meet 247's #29 OA player in 2020.

In BK and Crusader we trust!!

Number 29, huh?

 

[BobbyMac]

In BK and Crusader we trust!!

Number 29, huh?

I say we circle back around and flip him. Gotta make up for lost rankings because of the LS'er.

 

[Irish2155]

I say we circle back around and flip him. Gotta make up for lost rankings because of the LS'er.

Lets flip, categorize him as a fullback, and tell everyone we're running the wish bone O. Fuck everyone up.....

 

[Crazy Balki]

Meanwhile, after dominating the Opening and winning the fastest man competition, Chris Tyree was rewarded with a gracious 10 spot drop.

I'm sorry, I like Skoronski and think he's a good player, but he is not even close to touching top 30 level.

247's quality of content continues to deteriorate by the year.

Don't want to rag on the kid, but his film was not warranting of such a ridiculous bump.

 

[arrowryan]

Notre Dame tried to flip him late. The depth chart played a factor in this one.

Per Loy

My take: If competition is going to scare you off, then no thanks.

 

[Domina Nostra]

My take: if you are confident to start as a freshman against OSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, not sure you’re trying to avoid competition.

 

[BobbyMac]

So...

ND made after season pushes for Skoronski and Monheim.

1. Too little, too late. Could have had both.

2. Would they've taken both? If so, that opens up some future discussions about the portal.

3. Were they offered as OG's only?

4. SC is starting Monheim outside. I have no idea where NW is starting Skoronski but I'd imagine he could be their version of Hainsey at ND being a 6-4 starting OT as a freshman.

5. Wanting to start as a Fr. or a Soph and knowing you will is a good reason to go to another school. That's why the NFL is full of former B1G OL's who were 85ish 3*'s coming out of HS. They go somewhere, become early starters and develop into professionals.
Snaps > Stars

6. My two favorite OG's were Quinn's. Rees Sr still has me on speed dial.

 

[rtrn2glory]

we'll hit the portal if we need someone that bad would be my guess.

that way we can use the extra scholly in next year's class.

 

[KizerWilhelm]

Well-deserved imo

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Northwestern signee Peter Skoronski now the nation's top center and a five-star in today's updated rankings. <a href="https://t.co/MctprqinI1">https://t.co/MctprqinI1</a> <a href="https://t.co/qdB8EAHvTF">https://t.co/qdB8EAHvTF</a></p>— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) <a href="https://twitter.com/AllenTrieu/status/1222245700437716995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[BobbyMac]

Would love to know why Quinn called off the dogs, seemed content with the two OT's and then went gonzo after Pete S and Monheim in the 11th hour, circle back?

Just feels like they found out late that they needed more butts in the OL room for next season or BK took away his spots for other positions only to give them back when it was too late. The one thing I have a hard thing accepting is Quinn dropped the ball all on his own.

I really believe if they had 4 spots open from start to finish, Quinn would have landed Baker, Carmody (in Christ's place), Skoronski and Monheim (IF he didn't take Zinter or Atteberry first) I think it's obvious at the end of the cycle, he liked Monheim more than those two but at one point he was more involved with Zinter / Atteberry.

Oh what could have been.

NOW, let's learn a lesson here and grab Pat Coogan. (that's the text I just sent Papa Reesus)

 

[NDIrish88]

So check it. Pete is starting for NW as freshman . . . at Left Tackle!

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Big-Ten-football-2020-depth-chart-analysis-153352508/