'23 FL DE Keon Keeley (Prodigal Son)

[INLaw]

And also probably should avoid making the notre dame should do all this or all that over one recruitment that went sideways

 

[WilliamWallace]

Here's the problem. You just defined Keon Keeley.

He was overlooked until late last year and then everyone began to see what ND saw, that the kid was a legit star in the making with NFL upside. Then once the teams understood the caliber of player he was, that's when the heat turned up and then eventually, money began to talk.

There's just no way to look at this positively. There's no replacing Keeley. It is a catastrophic loss and ND has no one to blame but themselves for pretending they could just play by "the rules" when everyone else isn't.

That’s just one example of ND identifying top notch talent that isn’t working out in our favor. Usually (and I hope it changes) when we get a commitment they don’t rise in the rankings. It’s a monkey on our backs. But it still proves the point that the coaching staff has a keen eye. You win some you lose some. But again, until the powers that be find a way to “level the playing field” we’ve got what we can find and develop.

 

[General Colon Bowel]

That’s just one example of ND identifying top notch talent that isn’t working out in our favor. Usually (and I hope it changes) when we get a commitment they don’t rise in the rankings. It’s a monkey on our backs. But it still proves the point that the coaching staff has a keen eye. You win some you lose some. But again, until the powers that be find a way to “level the playing field” we’ve got what we can find and develop.

Kyle Hamilton had a similar trajectory, and we landed him. I wonder if we would have in the NIL era. I think yes, because he seemed to really value all ND had to offer but it was a thought I had after seeing how Keeley's recruitment is playing out.

 

[Crazy Balki]

That’s just one example of ND identifying top notch talent that isn’t working out in our favor. Usually (and I hope it changes) when we get a commitment they don’t rise in the rankings. It’s a monkey on our backs. But it still proves the point that the coaching staff has a keen eye. You win some you lose some. But again, until the powers that be find a way to “level the playing field” we’ve got what we can find and develop.

Okay, but this is year 1 of a different staff. So who's to say they have a similar eye for under the radar talent, and even if they do, as I said before, you can't just rely on diamonds in the rough. For every 1 guy that turns out to outplay his ranking, there's 4-5 that don't.

And on top of that, it's a lot easier for diamonds in the rough to rise above their rankings when they have to earn their spot against players who were ranked higher than them. Jordan Davis had to beat out several elite caliber players at UGA to become who he was. But if ND is just landing diamonds in the rough, they can't ALL be hits, and if they're not all hits, that's less overall competition that helps development.

And as others have said, it's a new era of CFB, where these top notch talents will be identified and if they're worth their weight, programs who have the will to sick their collectives on them will do it to nab that talent.

 

[Irishdrunk]

The solution is to get Freeman the cash. White Ferraris and fake gold brick thrones are poor substitutes for real greenbacks

 

[INLaw]

The solution is to get Freeman the cash. White Ferraris and fake gold brick thrones are poor substitutes for real greenbacks

The solution is to name your driskell

 

[ulukinatme]

The solution is to name your driskell

Only my wife is allowed to do anything with my driskell.

 

[INLaw]

I mean u cant claim to know the ie driskell then keep it hush this is worse than naked lap and what did davonte do

 

[du Lac]

Freeman at Cincinnati is all the proof I have. Hopefully that’s enough.

Great point!

 

[INLaw]

I mean u cant claim to know the ie driskell then keep it hush this is worse than naked lap and what did davonte do

Come on lets get the peer pressure going

 

[INLaw]

Ok i gotta stop beating the dead horse but my official position is now Irish Drunk doesn’t actually know the Driskell and I got 5 whole dollars on it. (If proven wrong bet will be paid by Whiskey as I get the impression he is a much better counselor than I am)

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

I'm starting to tire of the catch term "bags". Can we think of another word to use instead, like briefcase or wire transfer?

 

[INLaw]

I'm starting to tire of the catch term "bags". Can we think of another word to use instead, like briefcase or wire transfer?

ie poster Jerryrice’s day job

 

[BobbyMac]

Been way busy at work but just wanted to go on record:

Worst day in ND recruiting since I realized what missing on Mr Moss really meant.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I'm starting to tire of the catch term "bags". Can we think of another word to use instead, like briefcase or wire transfer?

I live in Knoxville.

Here they call them, Happy Meals

 

[IrishLax]

Here's the problem. You just defined Keon Keeley.

He was overlooked until late last year and then everyone began to see what ND saw, that the kid was a legit star in the making with NFL upside. Then once the teams understood the caliber of player he was, that's when the heat turned up and then eventually, money began to talk.

There's just no way to look at this positively. There's no replacing Keeley. It is a catastrophic loss and ND has no one to blame but themselves for pretending they could just play by "the rules" when everyone else isn't.

In actuality, it's only the SEC plus Oregon, Miami, and USC that are really thumbing their nose at the NCAA guidance. Maybe I'm omitting a few schools, but those are the brazen ones. And each one of those schools has had a relatively recent scandal that caused major sanctions.

I get the frustration, and it sucks that it is knee capping us with a great recruiter like Freeman putting in the work, but we should recognize that ND is not an island here with some fake moral high ground. Cheaters are just cheating more under the assumption the NCAA won't do anything because their rules have giant loopholes in them.

Even Ohio State is mainly doing things through a "collective" targeted at enrolled players not prospects.

 

[INLaw]

In actuality, it's only the SEC plus Oregon, Miami, and USC that are really thumbing their nose at the NCAA guidance. Maybe I'm omitting a few schools, but those are the brazen ones. And each one of those schools has had a relatively recent scandal that caused major sanctions.

I get the frustration, and it sucks that it is knee capping us with a great recruiter like Freeman putting in the work, but we should recognize that ND is not an island here with some fake moral high ground. Cheaters are just cheating more under the assumption the NCAA won't do anything because their rules have giant loopholes in them.

Even Ohio State is mainly doing things through a "collective" targeted at enrolled players not prospects.

So far the B1G is holding the shield wall. Lets see how long that lasts and if it changes when USC joins

 

[Dale]

The SEC during most of their prime of this millennium has had a gentleman’s agreement on cheating and not telling on each other which is why the A&M/Bama spat was pretty seismic. For OSU not to be cheating (at a large scale) the B1G either has a gentleman’s agreement not to or they don’t trust someone won’t try to blow them up if they begin to.

 

[INLaw]

The SEC during most of their prime of this millennium has had a gentleman’s agreement on cheating and not telling on each other which is why the A&M/Bama spat was pretty seismic. For OSU not to be cheating (at a large scale) the B1G either has a gentleman’s agreement not to or they don’t trust someone won’t try to blow them up if they begin to.

I think osu is so far holding the line and has lost one or more prospects over it. If it holds the line for a conference that becomes the new monolith that can financially piss on the sec then in the long run will be worth it

 

[Blazers46]

If there will ever be some super conference or the Big5 or Big3 splitting from the NCAA they will have to agree on how to compensate and how to and who will govern or police the rules. With the way things are going I don’t see the Alabamas or A&Ms of the world agreeing to any sort of rules that would restrict their current system… which is why I could just see the sport completely falling apart in the coming years.

Rules need adjusted or at least put in place. What will this all look like in 3-5 years? We can all assume what the super conferences might look like but Pandora’s box has been opened. Who is going to agree to disband from the NCAA (potentially) and join a league plagued with so much dysfunction?

 

[Dale]

If there will ever be some super conference or the Big5 or Big3 splitting from the NCAA they will have to agree on how to compensate and how to and who will govern or police the rules. With the way things are going I don’t see the Alabamas or A&Ms of the world agreeing to any sort of rules that would restrict their current system… which is why I could just see the sport completely falling apart in the coming years.

Rules need adjusted or at least put in place. What will this all look like in 3-5 years? We can all assume what the super conferences might look like but Pandora’s box has been opened. Who is going to agree to disband from the NCAA (potentially) and join a league plagued with so much dysfunction?

I think the reason for hope is the coaches and most in the industry don’t want to continue at this speed. Zero chance in hell Saban or anyone at the top wants the current recruiting calendar, the NIL stuff, any of it. It’s a complete tax on the coaches and results in lost coaching talent to the NFL. At the same time, they want to win so Saban, Kirby etc try to be the best at whatever the current game is. I think most schools would love for Sankey or whomever to set more guardrails than currently is in place on a broken off league. They’ll go back to the bags of cash still but that’s way less time, effort and BS than their current lives.

 

[Blazers46]

I think the reason for hope is the coaches and most in the industry don’t want to continue at this speed. Zero chance in hell Saban or anyone at the top wants the current recruiting calendar, the NIL stuff, any of it. It’s a complete tax on the coaches and results in lost coaching talent to the NFL. At the same time, they want to win so Saban, Kirby etc try to be the best at whatever the current game is. I think most schools would love for Sankey or whomever to set more guardrails than currently is in place on a broken off league. They’ll go back to the bags of cash still but that’s way less time, effort and BS than their current lives.

What makes you think it’s sped up? I legit think this is just how it’s always been in some places but now there is no need for cover or denial. Saban publicly throws AM under the bus for “buying classes” but was just publicly and somewhat cryptically calling out how own donors for getting out spent. You could also assume Saban was using that platform to solicit more bag men.

If you are Freeman you have to be in the ear of Swarbrick and he’s just repeating what Kelly was saying/complaining about for years. Notre Dame either has to find their own bag men or they have to refuse to enter into some league or super inference with a league full of bag men.

 

[Dale]

What makes you think it’s sped up? I legit think this is just how it’s always been in some places but now there is no need for cover or denial. Saban publicly throws AM under the bus for “buying classes” but was just publicly and somewhat cryptically calling out how own donors for getting out spent. You could also assume Saban was using that platform to solicit more bag men.

If you are Freeman you have to be in the ear of Swarbrick and he’s just repeating what Kelly was saying/complaining about for years. Notre Dame either has to find their own bag men or they have to refuse to enter into some league or super inference with a league full of bag men.

The recruiting calendar is out of control I think that’s a big problem for many. SEC have always spent $ but having it out in the open disrupts the top more than helps it. So many more kids are sticking out their hands because it’s “legal”. More meddling boosters. IMO they’d much rather go back to the classic cheating because being in the shadows means not having to confront public deals, more parents spooked by shady deals. In short, governance is just less work. No rules = arms race.

Saban, Kirby all of them will win at whatever costs at the current game, I just think the old game or a guardrail version of the NIL era they’d prefer than this current version

 

[GATTACA!]

The SEC during most of their prime of this millennium has had a gentleman’s agreement on cheating and not telling on each other which is why the A&M/Bama spat was pretty seismic. For OSU not to be cheating (at a large scale) the B1G either has a gentleman’s agreement not to or they don’t trust someone won’t try to blow them up if they begin to.

OSU doesn’t need to cheat right now because they basically don’t lose recruiting battles within the BIG10. They get who they want.

 

[T-Boone]

Hopefully Kelley hangs out with those Bama kids for a while and then realised they are idiots and thinks again

 

[Irish#1]

Regardless of the NIL's, Keeley just needs to stand his ground and tell his family that it's his life and choice and they should respect that.

Who was the kid about 4-5 years ago, that signed and his mom came flying in and grabbed his commitment paper because he was choosing the school he wanted and not what his mom wanted? That was a classic.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I still think ND's best model would basically be a BK 2.0 approach (I'm going to get killed for this but hear me out, please focus on the 2.0, lol). Prioritize fit, development, and experience but push much harder (which Freeman does) to ensure you are not missing on the Burnham, Sneed, Ford's of each class. In reality, I think BK was only 2-4 guys each class and an elite QB away from a legitimately competing for playoff wins. Freeman is knocking on that door. The only problem is see is if we go too far down the path of prioritizing stars over fit which creates significant roster gaps and/or an inexperienced roster/position groups at the wrong time.

Elite QB and Elite pass rusher of the first round NFL variety eluded him.

I agree with you.

 

[NDMD]

Regardless of the NIL's, Keeley just needs to stand his ground and tell his family that it's his life and choice and they should respect that.

Who was the kid about 4-5 years ago, that signed and his mom came flying in and grabbed his commitment paper because he was choosing the school he wanted and not what his mom wanted? That was a classic.

Circumstances change. You or I have no idea what kind of numbers are being offered. ISD suggested today that Bama has started dropping bags that would put A&M to shame. We dont need to rehash the debate, but if the report is true then you can't blame a parent for wanting their kid to have a huge head start/security blanket.

 

[Irishdrunk]

I mean u cant claim to know the ie driskell then keep it hush this is worse than naked lap and what did davonte do

My Driskell is long and lean unlike the one on here. Trust me I know Driskell and I think he knows I know. But no, I am not going to publicly out him - everyone denies the shit.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Circumstances change. You or I have no idea what kind of numbers are being offered. ISD suggested today that Bama has started dropping bags that would put A&M to shame. We dont need to rehash the debate, but if the report is true then you can't blame a parent for wanting their kid to have a huge head start/security blanket.

There’s not enough money in the entire state of Alabama to outbid A&M. They’re not even in the same zip code.