'23 FL DE Keon Keeley (Prodigal Son)

[du Lac]

2021: 9th - 89.7
2020: 18th - 90.7
2019: 15th - 90.6
2018 - 10th - 90.1
2017 - 10th - 89.4
2016 - 15th - 89.0
2015 - 13th - 90.5
2014 - 11th - 89.3
2013 - 5th - 92.3
2012 - 17th - 91.2
2011 - 9th - 90.0
2010 - 15th - 88.4

2022 (with Freeman): 7th - 91.8
2023 (current without Bowen & Keeley) - .924

2013 = 280.01
2022 = 276.7 (with Freeman)
2023 (No Bowen/Keeley) = 277.44

 

[HouseofPain]

Cons,

Has to play games and live around a bunch of hillsbills.

I have to ask...when was the last time you made a trip to Tuscaloosa? Or Birmingham (30 min away)? Because Ive been to quite a few college campus that were a lot worse. Just checking.
Not saying the education is any good, because it isnt unless you are going into Law. But the food is pretty good, the weather is great and the women are even better.
But again, you would know that already because you visited when?

 

[Dale]

2013 = 280.01
2022 = 276.7 (with Freeman)
2023 (No Bowen/Keeley) = 277.44

You’re saying we get two decommitments and don’t sign anyone else? Same answer as the team rankings, why use a volume based metric for no reason when a clear better alternative is there? 280 versus 276 versus 277 means nothing out of context

 

[notredomer23]

2013 = 280.01
2022 = 276.7 (with Freeman)
2023 (No Bowen/Keeley) = 277.44

And the 2013 class produced what would have been the best season of the Kelly era in 2015 if they had a defensive coordinator not named Brian Van Gorder. So that's the level it needs to be to compete. Stacking classes over 270 and getting an elite QB.

 

[du Lac]

You’re saying we get two decommitments and don’t sign anyone else? Same answer as the team rankings, why use a volume based metric for no reason when a clear better alternative is there? 280 versus 276 versus 277 means nothing out of context

2013 = 280.01
2021 = 277.17
2022 = 276.7 (with Freeman)
2023 (No Bowen/Keeley) = 277.44

True, context/volume matters and we are getting more quality per capita it seems. However, we can look at this in any context we'd like, but lets not pretend that team rankings haven't mattered in the championship game.

 

[T Town Tommy]

And the 2013 class produced what would have been the best season of the Kelly era in 2015 if they had a defensive coordinator not named Brian Van Gorder. So that's the level it needs to be to compete. Stacking classes over 270 and getting an elite QB.

The biggest reason Kelly struggled after the NCG was his flirtation with the NFL. He closed a solid class in 2013 but followed it up with a string of not so good classes AND missing on some key position groups. If he would have stayed focused on ND, he could have potentially had a great run of recruiting classes, Van Gorder be damned.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

The biggest reason Kelly struggled after the NCG was his flirtation with the NFL. He closed a solid class in 2013 but followed it up with a string of not so good classes AND missing on some key position groups. If he would have stayed focused on ND, he could have potentially had a great run of recruiting classes, Van Gorder be damned.

Please crush LSU. I expect to lose recruits to you, but at least allow me to live vicariously through you winning big games and humiliating Kelly.

 

[Dale]

2013 = 280.01
2021 = 277.17
2022 = 276.7 (with Freeman)
2023 (No Bowen/Keeley) = 277.44

True, context/volume matters and we are getting more quality per capita it seems. However, we can look at this in any context we'd like, but lets not pretend that team rankings haven't mattered in the championship game.

I’m not suggesting using averages instead of totals as a manner in which to shift the context, it simply makes more sense from really any POV. Same as the team rankings or NFL draft rate, ratio and averages are just more useful that raw totals sometimes.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Without NIL we would be bringing in an elite class. With it, the class will be strong, but far from elite. No QB and defensive cornerstone gone.

 

[ab2cmiller]

The biggest reason Kelly struggled after the NCG was his flirtation with the NFL. He closed a solid class in 2013 but followed it up with a string of not so good classes AND missing on some key position groups. If he would have stayed focused on ND, he could have potentially had a great run of recruiting classes, Van Gorder be damned.

Flirtation with the NFL was part of it, but the performance on the field the 2 years after the NCG had a lot to do with it. If BK could've put together back to back years of success, his recruiting wouldn't have suffered like it did.

 

[IrishLax]

At least we aren't Michigan. They are even more restrictive than we are with NIL (especially after promising Amorion Walker stuff last year and then not following through on it... stay tuned on that one...) AND they have a coach who is a buffoon AND the buffoon told everyone he was headed to the NFL before he actually had the job offer in hand. They are a case study in how not to recruit in the NIL era.

ND is positioned decently well overall, just not in spectacular position to deal with with what some SEC schools, Oregon, and Miami are doing to get their 5-stars. When/if congress legislates in some limits on NIL I could see ND being in great position or possibly worse because the cheaters will still cheat.

The #1 thing that has to happen for there to be any sort of healthy ecosystem with regard to teenagers and NIL is to ban agent involvement until players are enrolled in a member institution. 80%+ of the craziness is driven by 3rd parties looking to line their own pockets. It's sad.

 

[tussin]

Reason I'm not teeth gnashing is that this is likely the last cycle of this before Congress takes some action to standardize things.

What gives you confidence that this rises to the level of importance that Congress takes real action? If I am a random politician who doesn't care about sports, this is not a problem that needs to be addressed. The kids are getting paid!

 

[du Lac]

Georgia 2021 National Champions

2021 = 309.62
2020 = 319.08
2019 = 309.82
2018 = 322.74

Alabama 2020 National Champions

2020 = 310.59
2019 = 319.35
2018 = 287.8
2017 = 323.87


The two teams that recruited at a lower level than this that won a championship were LSU (2019) and Clemson (2018) and (2016). They won because they had Burrow and Lawrence/Watson. Consistent classes in the 270 range are going to get pounded unless they have the best QB in all of college football. We have 0 chance unless CJ Carr is a future top overall draft pick.

 

[notredomer23]

2016 Champions Clemson:
2016: 271.16
2015: 277.98
2014: 240.73
2013: 249.66

We just need Carr to be what we think he is.

 

[du Lac]

2016 Champions Clemson:
2016: 271.16
2015: 277.98
2014: 240.73
2013: 249.66

Trevor Lawrence.

 

[notredomer23]

Trevor Lawrence.

Trevor Lawrence was a junior in high school for 2016.

 

[du Lac]

Trevor Lawrence was a junior in high school for 2016.

Deshaun Watson.

 

[notredomer23]

Deshaun Watson.

Which goes back to the point you need to either consistently recruit in the top 3 OR recruit around top 10 level and hit on an elite QB.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Hate being this guy but I was out of town for the past 5 days and there is a LOT to catch up on here, and after looking through 3-4 pages of no tangible update and just guys bickering at one another, what is the spark notes latest on Keeley? I couldn't see anything for myself from looking him up outside of IE, either.

Is the Bama rumor heating up or just the same heated debate since he made his visit? Thanks gents. This is the Moore thread all over again

 

[T Town Tommy]

Georgia 2021 National Champions

2021 = 309.62
2020 = 319.08
2019 = 309.82
2018 = 322.74

Alabama 2020 National Champions

2020 = 310.59
2019 = 319.35
2018 = 287.8
2017 = 323.87


The two teams that recruited at a lower level than this that won a championship were LSU (2019) and Clemson (2018) and (2016). They won because they had Burrow and Lawrence/Watson. Consistent classes in the 270 range are going to get pounded unless they have the best QB in all of college football. We have 0 chance unless CJ Carr is a future top overall draft pick.

While I agree with this I also look back at the 2021 Rose Bowl and the score doesn’t necessarily reflect the fact that the game was more competitive. What hurt ND there was the lack of being able to stretch the field on offense. This was due IMO to BK missing out on the WR position group. Book played about as well as you could hope. Maybe a better QB with better WRs would have allowed a better run game. The Irish defense was solid except for the back half and again IMO due to misses in the secondary outside of Hamilton. Those two areas recruited a little better, along with a little better QB to go with the solid coaching the Irish had at that point, I think maybe the game becomes a fourth quarter game.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Hate being this guy but I was out of town for the past 5 days and there is a LOT to catch up on here, and after looking through 3-4 pages of no tangible update and just guys bickering at one another, what is the spark notes latest on Keeley? I couldn't see anything for myself from looking him up outside of IE, either.

Is the Bama rumor heating up or just the same heated debate since he made his visit? Thanks gents. This is the Moore thread all over again

He is gone.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Hate being this guy but I was out of town for the past 5 days and there is a LOT to catch up on here, and after looking through 3-4 pages of no tangible update and just guys bickering at one another, what is the spark notes latest on Keeley? I couldn't see anything for myself from looking him up outside of IE, either.

Is the Bama rumor heating up or just the same heated debate since he made his visit? Thanks gents. This is the Moore thread all over again

I heard he was working out an Oct visit to Bama. I also read that he was supposed to decommit yesterday. Neither of these have come to fruition yet.

 

[NDohio]

Hate being this guy but I was out of town for the past 5 days and there is a LOT to catch up on here, and after looking through 3-4 pages of no tangible update and just guys bickering at one another, what is the spark notes latest on Keeley? I couldn't see anything for myself from looking him up outside of IE, either.

Is the Bama rumor heating up or just the same heated debate since he made his visit? Thanks gents. This is the Moore thread all over again

Nothing has been officially stated yet but based on some comments made by Loy it seems a decommitment is going to happen sooner than later.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Thanks fellas

 

[Blazers46]

The biggest reason Kelly struggled after the NCG was his flirtation with the NFL. He closed a solid class in 2013 but followed it up with a string of not so good classes AND missing on some key position groups. If he would have stayed focused on ND, he could have potentially had a great run of recruiting classes, Van Gorder be damned.

A more recent case study… Michigan and Harbaugh. They make playoffs but Hairball had two feet out the door only to come crawling back. Their recruiting class is a disaster.

 

[GATTACA!]

Losing Keeley + Bowen and not landing Dante is terrible. Idc what spin you want to put on it.

ND administration needs to do better.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I'm always putting on a happy face, BUT
that last second offer to the three-star California Edge Rusher
was a Cannonshot blast which rattled my Green Koolaid Soul

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Losing Keeley + Bowen and not landing Dante is terrible. Idc what spin you want to put on it.

ND administration needs to do better.

The class will be disappointing at that point. Rose color glasses and all will not sugarcoat that turd.

 

[NDPhilly]

This will be the best class since 2008 regardless of Moore, Bowen, or Keeley. The sky is not falling.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

This will be the best class since 2008 regardless of Moore, Bowen, or Keeley. The sky is not falling.

I really don't care about ranking numbers. I care about impact players. Losing Keeley, Bowen and missing on Dante will make this class a GIANT letdown. No QB? Weis had some great classes, but they were uneven like this one.