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With clock ticking, Weis hustling to salvage class
January 7, 2005
BY TAYLOR BELL
Charlie Weis is so busy with recruiting chores in his new role as Notre Dame's football coach that it is hard to imagine how he has enough time to devote to New England's offense in a bid for another NFL championship.
In the last two weeks, Weis has personally called more than 200 senior prospects from coast to coast -- even players who are committed to other schools -- in a frantic attempt to persuade them to reconsider Notre Dame and visit the South Bend campus this weekend.
"No Notre Dame head coach has made so many calls since Gerry Faust,'' said Chicago-based recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of ESPN.com. "Kids tell me that he has a real passion for football and Notre Dame, and he conveys it well. He has fire and drive and the kids are very impressed, enough so that many of them are taking a second look at Notre Dame.''
With New England enjoying a bye week in the NFL playoffs, Weis will be on campus this weekend to greet at least 15 blue chippers. With the Feb. 2 signing date looming around the corner, time is of the essence and he can't wait until students return next week.
Weis already has lost one of Notre Dame's top early commitments, defensive back Brandon Harrison of Dayton, Ohio, to Michigan. He hopes to reconfirm commitments from defensive end Lawrence Wilson of Akron, Ohio, and wide receiver David Nelson of Wichita Falls, Texas, who are visiting other schools. Weis made a recent in-house visit to Wilson and offensive coordinator Mike Haywood visited Nelson.
Wilson and Nelson are key players in Weis' plan to sign a strong class. Others are two USA Today All-America selections, linebackers Brian Cushing of Oradell, N.J., and Ryan Reynolds of Las Vegas, Nev., defensive tackle Pat Kuntz of Indianapolis and running back R.J. Jackson of Houston, Texas.
Weis visited Cushing on Monday. Cushing had dropped Notre Dame from consideration but was persuaded to reconsider the Irish with USC, Florida and Louisville. Kuntz, one of the top five players in Indiana, was ready to decide between Boston College, Michigan State and Louisville, but put his decision on hold when Weis called to offer a scholarship.
Kuntz will visit this weekend, along with wide receiver D.J. Hord of Kansas City, offensive linemen Rafael Eubanks of St. Paul, Minn., and Paul Duncan of Atlanta, Ga., and running back Montario Hardesty of Newbern, N.C.
Hord is one of the best wide receivers in the country. Eubanks has committed to Iowa but Notre Dame was his favorite before coach Tyrone Willingham's firing, and he has three good friends on the Irish roster.
Duncan is one of the two best offensive linemen in Georgia. Hardesty is one of the premier ball carriers in the nation.
Highland Park linebacker Scott Smith remains firmly committed to Notre Dame. But all other Chicago area products had turned down Willingham's overtures and Weis wasn't able to change any minds.
"Originally, after Willingham's firing, I predicted a disaster year for Notre Dame recruiting,'' Lemming said. "But now I feel they have a shot at a top-25 finish. Weis has the ability to become one of the top five recruiters among all of the head coaches in the nation.''
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January 7, 2005
BY TAYLOR BELL
Charlie Weis is so busy with recruiting chores in his new role as Notre Dame's football coach that it is hard to imagine how he has enough time to devote to New England's offense in a bid for another NFL championship.
In the last two weeks, Weis has personally called more than 200 senior prospects from coast to coast -- even players who are committed to other schools -- in a frantic attempt to persuade them to reconsider Notre Dame and visit the South Bend campus this weekend.
"No Notre Dame head coach has made so many calls since Gerry Faust,'' said Chicago-based recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of ESPN.com. "Kids tell me that he has a real passion for football and Notre Dame, and he conveys it well. He has fire and drive and the kids are very impressed, enough so that many of them are taking a second look at Notre Dame.''
With New England enjoying a bye week in the NFL playoffs, Weis will be on campus this weekend to greet at least 15 blue chippers. With the Feb. 2 signing date looming around the corner, time is of the essence and he can't wait until students return next week.
Weis already has lost one of Notre Dame's top early commitments, defensive back Brandon Harrison of Dayton, Ohio, to Michigan. He hopes to reconfirm commitments from defensive end Lawrence Wilson of Akron, Ohio, and wide receiver David Nelson of Wichita Falls, Texas, who are visiting other schools. Weis made a recent in-house visit to Wilson and offensive coordinator Mike Haywood visited Nelson.
Wilson and Nelson are key players in Weis' plan to sign a strong class. Others are two USA Today All-America selections, linebackers Brian Cushing of Oradell, N.J., and Ryan Reynolds of Las Vegas, Nev., defensive tackle Pat Kuntz of Indianapolis and running back R.J. Jackson of Houston, Texas.
Weis visited Cushing on Monday. Cushing had dropped Notre Dame from consideration but was persuaded to reconsider the Irish with USC, Florida and Louisville. Kuntz, one of the top five players in Indiana, was ready to decide between Boston College, Michigan State and Louisville, but put his decision on hold when Weis called to offer a scholarship.
Kuntz will visit this weekend, along with wide receiver D.J. Hord of Kansas City, offensive linemen Rafael Eubanks of St. Paul, Minn., and Paul Duncan of Atlanta, Ga., and running back Montario Hardesty of Newbern, N.C.
Hord is one of the best wide receivers in the country. Eubanks has committed to Iowa but Notre Dame was his favorite before coach Tyrone Willingham's firing, and he has three good friends on the Irish roster.
Duncan is one of the two best offensive linemen in Georgia. Hardesty is one of the premier ball carriers in the nation.
Highland Park linebacker Scott Smith remains firmly committed to Notre Dame. But all other Chicago area products had turned down Willingham's overtures and Weis wasn't able to change any minds.
"Originally, after Willingham's firing, I predicted a disaster year for Notre Dame recruiting,'' Lemming said. "But now I feel they have a shot at a top-25 finish. Weis has the ability to become one of the top five recruiters among all of the head coaches in the nation.''
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