Enjoy today, folks.
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jiggafini19
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Copious Credit Due Weis, Ianello
Pete Sampson
Notre Dame football works better when the head coach doubles as a full-time salesman.
A recruiting coordinator so detailed-oriented that some might consider him both obsessive and compulsive doesn't hurt either.
As much as Notre Dame got a re-education in the effect winning makes on a recruiting class, the work of Charlie Weis leading the charge and Rob Ianello organizing it are both stories worthy of headlines today when Notre Dame expects to receive signed letters of intent from 27 prospects. That group should slot the Irish firmly in the nation's Top 10, but more importantly address Notre Dame's shortcomings on the offensive line and defensive back, two spots that needed immediate recruiting attention this year.
"The biggest reasons why Notre Dame moved up the charts this year can be seen by the jobs Charlie Weis and Rob Ianello did," said Rivals.com national analyst Jeremy Crabtree.
While Notre Dame won't sign a pure defensive tackle today, it plans to bring in a class of six offensive linemen and five defensive backs, throwing quantities of quality at two recruiting blind spots in recent years. The Irish boast just four offensive linemen in their junior, sophomore and freshman classes combined, a factoid most Notre Dame recruitniks can recite in their sleep by now. There's more depth in the secondary, but that group ranked among the nation's most porous this season.
"Raeshon McNeil was a player the Irish coveted from Day One and even though his recruiting got a little interesting down the stretch, he's the type of player that should see the field quickly," Crabtree said. "Then when you add in others like Darrin Walls, who might be the nation's top corner, and the others that they landed it's an impressive group no question."
Notre Dame capped its haul of defensive back commitments with three safety prospects: Jashaad Gaines, Leonard Gordon and Sergio Brown. The Irish signed three safeties last year in David Bruton, Ray Herring and Kyle McCarthy.
As important as the Irish group of future defensive backs might be for the program's depth chart, no position topped the offensive line in terms of need. The Irish entered offensive line recruiting with a sense of desperation, although it never showed in how the staff went about targeting prospects. Notre Dame didn't get an offensive line commitment until Bartley Webb pledged in early August. The next commitment didn't come until four games into the season.
"It had to be tempting for the coaching staff to panic a bit and perhaps reach on a guy or two but they held fast," said Rivals.com national analyst Mike Farrell. "When Eric Olsen came on board and following the USC weekend, I could tell they were going to hit a home run on the offensive line. That was the weekend Matt Carufel committed and the coaches knew they could be patient because they had so many guys interested.
"To cap it off with Sam Young the way they did – it couldn't have been written any better for Charlie Weis."
Or Ianello.
"Coach Ianello is one of the best if not the best recruiting coordinators in the business," Crabtree said. "His efforts alone accounted for eight prospects, but he also organized and guided the Irish every step along the way."
Pete Sampson
Notre Dame football works better when the head coach doubles as a full-time salesman.
A recruiting coordinator so detailed-oriented that some might consider him both obsessive and compulsive doesn't hurt either.
As much as Notre Dame got a re-education in the effect winning makes on a recruiting class, the work of Charlie Weis leading the charge and Rob Ianello organizing it are both stories worthy of headlines today when Notre Dame expects to receive signed letters of intent from 27 prospects. That group should slot the Irish firmly in the nation's Top 10, but more importantly address Notre Dame's shortcomings on the offensive line and defensive back, two spots that needed immediate recruiting attention this year.
"The biggest reasons why Notre Dame moved up the charts this year can be seen by the jobs Charlie Weis and Rob Ianello did," said Rivals.com national analyst Jeremy Crabtree.
While Notre Dame won't sign a pure defensive tackle today, it plans to bring in a class of six offensive linemen and five defensive backs, throwing quantities of quality at two recruiting blind spots in recent years. The Irish boast just four offensive linemen in their junior, sophomore and freshman classes combined, a factoid most Notre Dame recruitniks can recite in their sleep by now. There's more depth in the secondary, but that group ranked among the nation's most porous this season.
"Raeshon McNeil was a player the Irish coveted from Day One and even though his recruiting got a little interesting down the stretch, he's the type of player that should see the field quickly," Crabtree said. "Then when you add in others like Darrin Walls, who might be the nation's top corner, and the others that they landed it's an impressive group no question."
Notre Dame capped its haul of defensive back commitments with three safety prospects: Jashaad Gaines, Leonard Gordon and Sergio Brown. The Irish signed three safeties last year in David Bruton, Ray Herring and Kyle McCarthy.
As important as the Irish group of future defensive backs might be for the program's depth chart, no position topped the offensive line in terms of need. The Irish entered offensive line recruiting with a sense of desperation, although it never showed in how the staff went about targeting prospects. Notre Dame didn't get an offensive line commitment until Bartley Webb pledged in early August. The next commitment didn't come until four games into the season.
"It had to be tempting for the coaching staff to panic a bit and perhaps reach on a guy or two but they held fast," said Rivals.com national analyst Mike Farrell. "When Eric Olsen came on board and following the USC weekend, I could tell they were going to hit a home run on the offensive line. That was the weekend Matt Carufel committed and the coaches knew they could be patient because they had so many guys interested.
"To cap it off with Sam Young the way they did – it couldn't have been written any better for Charlie Weis."
Or Ianello.
"Coach Ianello is one of the best if not the best recruiting coordinators in the business," Crabtree said. "His efforts alone accounted for eight prospects, but he also organized and guided the Irish every step along the way."
Irish Legend
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I noticed some teams on Rivals already have most of their players listed as signed their LOI with a few still listed as verbals. When will ND start getting signed LOI's? Or is Rivals a little bit behind?
Is there a certain time?
Thanks.
Is there a certain time?
Thanks.
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scooper said:
Thanks for the scoop, Scoop!
J
jkmoline
Guest
Weis state on the Herd on espnradio that all 27 faxes have been recieved, which is all the verbs
W
weisfaninmass
Guest
This class is outstanding: as good a Lemming states; better than this bullcrap of #7 from other services.
* 5 Parade All Americans
* 2 USA Today 1st Teams
* 4 USA Today 2nd Teams
* 9 Gatorade Player of the Years in their States
* 12 Invited to US Army All American Game
* 10 In the TOP 100 USA Today
Pretty Powerful.
* 5 Parade All Americans
* 2 USA Today 1st Teams
* 4 USA Today 2nd Teams
* 9 Gatorade Player of the Years in their States
* 12 Invited to US Army All American Game
* 10 In the TOP 100 USA Today
Pretty Powerful.
jiggafini19
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They'll be back with a top ten class in 2007....that includes a lot of awesome defensive players.
No let downs this time around. 2002 was a stellar class while 2003 and 2004 were not.
No let downs this time around. 2002 was a stellar class while 2003 and 2004 were not.
jiggafini19
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One mediocre class can put a program into a tailspin. TWO and you're pretty much screwed.
Weis has one big ACE up his sleeve: Rob Ianello. He is organized, far ahead of the curve and is the best recruiting coordinator in the business in the eyes of many. As long as Rob Ianello is at Notre Dame, Top Ten classes will continue to roll in.
Weis has one big ACE up his sleeve: Rob Ianello. He is organized, far ahead of the curve and is the best recruiting coordinator in the business in the eyes of many. As long as Rob Ianello is at Notre Dame, Top Ten classes will continue to roll in.
W
weisfaninmass
Guest
scooper said:
Amen.
I don't think you will see many players leaving the program a la Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen either......and most will stay academically solid.
Follow-on to my previous post, one of the best quotes I heard today from C-Dub:
“Either I’m in cahoots with Gatorade or we got a lot of good football players,” Weis said.
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