2026 ND Portal Targets

I

IrishInOntario

Well-known member
Messages
643
Reaction score
1,088
RudyVerse said:
Do people around ND really realize how much of a unicorn Marcus Freeman is? I don't think they do. There is not another out there and he has more positivity and alleged buy in than Hotlz even did.
Click to expand...
I think the people around Notre Dame approach approach it differently than you and I do.

We think... You have a potentially elite coach, for a likely limited time, pay him what you have to in order to keep him and give him every resource necessary in order to be successful, then get out of the way.

They think... We reportedly just made you one if the 5 highest coaches in the sport and spent a lot of money making that the case. If you're really as good as we're paying you to be, build a winner with what you have and overcome the hurdles we put in front of you.

This is the program we choose to cheer for guys. One that is reactive, rather than proactive. One that is more worried about it's image than the results. And above all else, one that is extremely fiscally prudent as it's a key component to maintaining the independence they they hold so dear.
 
GrangerIrish24

GrangerIrish24

I bring nothing to the table
Messages
6,974
Reaction score
14,637
IrishTusker said:
I mean, that's just sports for 99% of fans. None of us have any control over this stuff. I assume you were upset when we were left out of the CFP.
Click to expand...

Huntr said:
ehh, I do a great job of being pissed when they play like shit and lose or when they get screwed by a ref.
Click to expand...
Sure I’ll get upset about outcomes of the games but acquiring talent is not something I want to waste my emotions on. Not judging those that do, just how I’ve always viewed things.
 
calvegas04

calvegas04

Well-known member
Messages
11,856
Reaction score
8,435
Just pour all the money into Hockey, clearly ND isn't serious about winning a football championship
 
P

peadeam

Active member
Messages
172
Reaction score
232
IrishInOntario said:
It is absolutely reasonable to suggest that you should build your roster through recruiting at the high school level, but be ready to use the Portal to augment positions of need as they arise. I didn't see many people complaining when Freeman used the portal to bring in Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard to help ND through a period where they were lacking talent and experience in the QB room. Neither of those guys came cheap.

Most of us aren't asking ND to land 15+ Portal guys and reshape their roster. We understand that ND has a ton of internal talent. All we're looking for is ND to compete in compensation at positions that we have obvious need and where there are players available that would be obvious upgrades / needed injections of talent.

In one cycle ND lost Gabriel Rubio (graduation), Jason Onye (graduation, maybe), Jared Dawson (graduation), Donovan Hinish (injury retirement) and Armel Mukam (transfer). That's 5 of their top 6 defensive tackles, unless the NCAA does them a favour with Onye. We're not asking for ND to bring 5 defensive tackles in replaces the losses and bury the kids on the roster, we're looking for 2 quality guys, ideally with multiple years of eligibility, to backfill the room and compete for starting spots, while the remaining 3 spots are filled internally. What people are looking for (assuming Onye doesn't get an extra year) is something like...

NG: Xavier Gilliam
2. Davion Dixon
3. Sean Sevillano

DT: Francis Brewu
2. Elijah Hughes or Chris Burgess
3. Elijah Hughes or Chris Burgess

Four of the 3-deep spots at DT / NG would be filled internally, while two would be filled via the transfer portal.
Click to expand...
I agree that there’s a huge need at DT and somewhat at boundary receiver but you glazed over my main point and I can make the argument that relying on the portal for WB’s for three years hurt ND’s WR recruitment.
 
BeauBenken

BeauBenken

Shut up, Richard
Staff member
Messages
16,041
Reaction score
5,491
Smells of agents playing a game.

Which is what this wild west world of portal recruiting has become.

This version of college football is so damn ugly when you pull back the curtain. Hell, the curtain is barely hanging at this point.
 
W

WildMan1

Well-known member
Messages
859
Reaction score
1,335
notredomer23 said:
Gilliam is still at ND per Singer. This is driving up the price. ND can and needs to still get this done
Click to expand...
We’re going up OVER over pay for mid play.. 😩

I don’t think I can do this every year.. What a shit show.

If I’m Freeman I’m off to the NFL next year if this isn’t on a path to some sort of regulation.
 
BleedBlueGold

BleedBlueGold

Well-known member
Messages
6,265
Reaction score
2,489
WildMan1 said:
We’re going up OVER over pay for mid play.. 😩

I don’t think I can do this every year.. What a shit show.

If I’m Freeman I’m off to the NFL next year if this isn’t on a path to some sort of regulation.
Click to expand...
Said this to a friend last night. 0% chance I'd want to continue coaching in CFB if this is what it boils down to. No amount of money is worth that headache, especially when the NFL is just sitting there waiting.
 
R

RudyVerse

Well-known member
Messages
414
Reaction score
779
If everyone’s over paying, is it really over paying?

It’s like how we at top coaches are over paid but their ROI is way better than getting a bargain and winning 9 games.
 
NDMatt91

NDMatt91

Well-known member
Messages
3,533
Reaction score
3,453
WildMan1 said:
We’re going up OVER over pay for mid play.. 😩

I don’t think I can do this every year.. What a shit show.

If I’m Freeman I’m off to the NFL next year if this isn’t on a path to some sort of regulation.
Click to expand...
If Al Washington could actually recruit and evaluate Defensive Tackles out of High School then we wouldn't be in this position.
 
W

WildMan1

Well-known member
Messages
859
Reaction score
1,335
NDMatt91 said:
If Al Washington could actually recruit and evaluate Defensive Tackles out of High School then we wouldn't be in this position.
Click to expand...
I actually just think the vast majority of 5* prima donna WRs & massive meathead DTs are just either dumbasses or don’t want to go to class for even one second 😂

ND thrives on the occasional Jerry Tillery’s or Tuitts but most of the time these kids just want a football factory & that’s it.
 
I

IrishInOntario

Well-known member
Messages
643
Reaction score
1,088
WildMan1 said:
We’re going up OVER over pay for mid play.. 😩

I don’t think I can do this every year.. What a shit show.

If I’m Freeman I’m off to the NFL next year if this isn’t on a path to some sort of regulation.
Click to expand...
If ND thinks that Xavier Gilliam or Francis Brewu are multi-year starters and impact players the likes of some of the players that they already paid to retain, then at some point they're to have to be willing to bite the bullet pay what the market demands that they do... Unless one of three things.

1). They are extremely confident that they'll get a similar player for cheaper later in the cycle.

2). They are extremely confident that they have players developing internally that will have a similar impact for cheaper.

3). They're ok fielding an inferior team than they could have otherwise fielded had they spent the necessary cash to make it better.

That's why I don't get too worked up about these things. We don't control the finances. We don't coach the kids. We're not in charge of roster construction. So there's no point getting spun up about something I can't control. Surely I'll opine about what I think might be happening and I'll analyze the outcome, but I'm not going to get attached to it emotionally.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top