'23 MO CB Christian Gray (Notre Dame Signee)

[SoIll]

For the record, one of my basketball players transferred back from Desmet this past year. (football first kid) He and Chrsitian are best friends. He's coming unless something drastically changes.

 

[Luckylucci]

Premium from Christian at ISD.

2023 CB Christian Gray Talks Notre Dame & More | Irish Sports Daily


Decision could be coming soon

“It'll be between January and March,” he said

 

[Me2SouthBend]

“It'll be between January and March,” he said

so that leaves Feb right?

 

[EvilleIrish]

Wiltfong CB

 

[Dale]

I see Sinclair today not Fong soooo

Follow Sinclair

Rhett: CB on 12/06, Committed on 12/11
Irvin: CB on 9/21, Committed on 9/22
Shuler: CB on 8/10, Committed on 8/15
Flanagan: CB on 8/6 Committed on 9/2
Keeley: CB on 6/26, Committed on 6/28
P Bowen: CB on 12/18, 01/01

Gray: CB on 1/12, _________

 

[fightingirish26]

It's over, just need a commitment date. Could be a parents birthday in the next couple months, or maybe ND is waiting to see if anyone else jumps on board soon to do a timed announcement.

 

[stpeteirish]

Wiltfong CB (and Loy) was on 12/12/21 Sinclair's today. Trieu, a regional guy, was 1/6/22. No other picks, so its looks extremely good right now.

 

[Dale]

Some Holden Staes vibes maybe

 

[arrowryan]

Glad to see his frigid visit to South Bend in December paid off!

 

[Free Manera]

Obviously there is a long way to go to signing day for '23. But it is absolutely mindblowing that Freeman could flip a switch like this in recruiting. ND has struggled to recruit the secondary for like 20 years. He may sign a CB/S class with an average rating of .95. That is ridiculous.

 

[TP81989]

Obviously there is a long way to go to signing day for '23. But it is absolutely mindblowing that Freeman could flip a switch like this in recruiting. ND has struggled to recruit the secondary for like 20 years. He may sign a CB/S class with an average rating of .95. That is ridiculous.

Having a HC that cares about recruiting instead of one who is constantly looking for his next job makes a huge difference.

 

[NDdomer2]

Having a HC that cares about recruiting instead of one who is constantly looking for his next job makes a huge difference.

most of these guys committed pre coach change right?

 

[TP81989]

most of these guys committed pre coach change right?

Many of the 22 and 23 kids chose ND and stay committed after Kelly bailed because of Freeman.

There have been several of them who said they rarely talked to Kelly. Hard for me to give him credit for the talent they're getting when it's well known he didn't put in the work like he should've.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

Freeman is a MONSTER recruiter, it is a gift that you even with equal effort not everybody can do. With the impact 1 man has made, Imagine hiring someone else like him or having 1 or 2 other guys on staff step up their game to even 85% of his level.

 

[Reaper97]

Recruiting is great…but have to win football games first & foremost, just ask USC, FSU, A&M, Tenn, PSU, etc.

 

[FWIrish4]

Recruiting is great…but have to win football games first & foremost, just ask USC, FSU, A&M, Tenn, PSU, etc.

We’ve been doing that for the past 5 years while those schools have not…

 

[Reaper97]

We’ve been doing that for the past 5 years while those schools have not…

That’s my point.

They recruit better than ND over that time but don’t win.
I don’t care if ND recruits elite if they don’t win.
I will judge Freeman by wins & losses. Period.

 

[Dale]

That’s my point.

They recruit better than ND over that time but don’t win.
I don’t care if ND recruits elite if they don’t win.
I will judge Freeman by wins & losses. Period.

They have? ND is 12th in 247 team talent composite for 2021, the current roster.

PSU 16th, Tenn 19th, FSU 20th

USC is 10th. A&M is 8th.

This is with, until this year, a down turn in defensive recruiting. We have recruited better than most you listed and not many fit the “etc” added.

 

[TP81989]

That’s my point.

They recruit better than ND over that time but don’t win.
I don’t care if ND recruits elite if they don’t win.
I will judge Freeman by wins & losses. Period.

If they're serious about winning a title elite recruiting is absolutely needed.

Freeman also needs ND to do what's necessary to give him a more even playing field when it comes to the portal & NIL.

 

[Luckylucci]

VIP from Wiltfong. Could commit at anytime but plans to make two visits. So, it would seem likely to go public after those. Visiting USC this weekend and LSU later this month.

Four schools standing out for Top247 2023 DB Christian Gray (247sports.com)

 

[Reaper97]

They have? ND is 12th in 247 team talent composite for 2021, the current roster.

PSU 16th, Tenn 19th, FSU 20th

USC is 10th. A&M is 8th.

This is with, until this year, a down turn in defensive recruiting. We have recruited better than most you listed and not many fit the “etc” added.

All I’ve heard is how ND can’t get a top 5 class & you have to have one to win. Those teams have all had a top 5 class, but don’t win.

I guess I’m making this too difficult for some of you…
Let me explain it real slow…

I HAVE NEVER CARED ABOUT TOP 5 CLASSES OR STARS IF IT DOESNT TRANSLATE TO WINS.

Ive been defending ND winning actual football games over ND fans freaking out about USC’s recruiting classes for years. I value wins over recruiting.

Does that make sense?

 

[Dale]

All I’ve heard is how ND can’t get a top 5 class & you have to have one to win. Those teams have all had a top 5 class, but don’t win.

I guess I’m making this too difficult for some of you…
Let me explain it real slow…

I HAVE NEVER CARED ABOUT TOP 5 CLASSES OR STARS IF IT DOESNT TRANSLATE TO WINS.

Ive been defending ND winning actual football games over ND fans freaking out about USC’s recruiting classes for years. I value wins over recruiting.

Does that make sense?

No actually it doesn’t. Because it’s not completely true. Some of had Top 5 classes sure. FSU had one, USC a few. But over 5 years, none of those schools have recruited at a considerably higher level than ND.

USC followed Top 5 classes with classes ranked 20th and 63rd.

FSU following a #3 and #6 class, classes ranked 11th, 18th and 22nd.

So this idea that they had Top 5 classes so recruiting doesn’t matter is just not correct. That’s why I referenced the Team Talent Rankings. Surely it’s logical that those here that want elite recruiting classes don’t want that to then drop to 20th the next year. You know who has recruited at an elite level and it doesn’t drop off? The teams with the highest team talent ranks, cool right? Those are Bama, Georgia, Clemson, OSU, LSU. I think that kind of sums it up.

If ND can consistently recruit at a high level, it stands to reason they could be more successful.

 

[phillyirish]

No actually it doesn’t. Because it’s not completely true. Some of had Top 5 classes sure. FSU had one, USC a few. But over 5 years, none of those schools have recruited at a considerably higher level than ND.

USC followed Top 5 classes with classes ranked 20th and 63rd.

FSU following a #3 and #6 class, classes ranked 11th, 18th and 22nd.

This this idea that they had Top 5 classes so recruiting doesn’t matter is just not correct. That’s why I referenced the Team Talent Rankings. Surely it’s logical that those here that want elite recruiting classes don’t want that to then drop to 20th the next year. You know who has recruited at an elite level and it doesn’t drop off? The teams with the highest team talent ranks, cool right? Those are Bama, Georgia, Clemson, OSU, LSU. I think that kind of sums it up.

If ND can consistently recruit at a high level, it stands to reason they could be more successful.

I don’t disagree with you, but I think saying recruiting doesn’t matter is more that you can recruit elite but still be poor on the field with bad coaching (FSU, USC, Texas). Over the 2018 and 2019 seasons, both USC and FSU had top 5 composite rankings but still posted overall losing records. Those FSU classes you posted would be the best 3-4 year run of recruiting ND has seen since Charlie Weis.

So elite recruiting is needed to win a national championship, but it doesn’t by any means guarantee success. In 2019 specifically, USC had a higher composite ranking than National champions LSU.

 

[BobbyMac]

most of these guys committed pre coach change right?

Many would've decommitted if Harbaugh or Day go to the NFL.

 

[BobbyMac]

All I’ve heard is how ND can’t get a top 5 class & you have to have one to win. Those teams have all had a top 5 class, but don’t win.

I guess I’m making this too difficult for some of you…
Let me explain it real slow…

I HAVE NEVER CARED ABOUT TOP 5 CLASSES OR STARS IF IT DOESNT TRANSLATE TO WINS.

Ive been defending ND winning actual football games over ND fans freaking out about USC’s recruiting classes for years. I value wins over recruiting.

Does that make sense?

Did you follow football during the Lou era when he & Vinnie recruited like Saban? That's the chance The Freeman Show brings you. BK perfected the, "11 win w/ no hope for a natty" season. We did that, it was cool but time to go the Jimmy & Joe route.

You can say you don't care about Top 5 classes but until you start stackin em, have a Top 5 D... AND... get the right combo of 5* college O players like Shark, Golden, Jaylon, Fuller, etc... you ain't winning another NC. I would say we need a 6* QB but Stetson Bennett taught me a lesson.

 

[Calabrese's People]

Did you follow football during the Lou era when he & Vinnie recruited like Saban? That's the chance The Freeman Show brings you. BK perfected the, "11 win w/ no hope for a natty" season. We did that, it was cool but time to go the Jimmy & Joe route.

You can say you don't care about Top 5 classes but until you start stackin em, have a Top 5 D... AND... get the right combo of 5* college O players like Shark, Golden, Jaylon, Fuller, etc... you ain't winning another NC. I would say we need a 6* QB but Stetson Bennett taught me a lesson.

That the lack of a 6* QB can be overcome with just a historically dominant defence.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I would say we need a 6* QB but Stetson Bennett taught me a lesson.

I wouldn't read too much into that. This 'Bama team was super flawed, and they shouldn't have been able to hang with Georgia given the quality of its defense. But they outright embarrassed the Dawgs in the SEC CCG game, and still almost won in the title rematch only because they had a 6* QB and an NFL WR. If Williams doesn't blow out his ACL, Bama's redzone conversion rate surely improves, and that game likely turns out differently.

 

[BobbyMac]

That the lack of a 6* QB can be overcome with just a historically dominant defence.

Which Freeman may put together. His D held UGA to less points than Saban's band of merry 5*'s.

 

[BobbyMac]

I wouldn't read too much into that. This 'Bama team was super flawed, and they shouldn't have been able to hang with Georgia given the quality of its defense. But they outright embarrassed the Dawgs in the SEC CCG game, and still almost won in the title rematch only because they had a 6* QB and an NFL WR. If Williams doesn't blow out his ACL, Bama's redzone conversion rate surely improves, and that game likely turns out differently.

I don't disagree with any of that but maybe ND benefits from the same set of circumstances with their 4* QB who has just a very good night behind Freeman's historic defense of 2025?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I don't disagree with any of that but maybe ND benefits from the same set of circumstances with their 4* QB who has just a very good night behind Freeman's historic defense of 2025?

Maybe. All our best runs recently have come on the backs of a great ND defense. But with the way modern offenses are trending, it feels like investing in elite defense is akin to building castles after the invention of gun powder. Nice to have, sure, but not gonna win you any wars on its own anymore. It's all firepower now.