Notre Dame set to allow spring freshmen enrollees
By Malcolm Moran, USA TODAY
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The construction of the Charlie Weis era at Notre Dame is expected to receive a boost that will allow the Fighting Irish to compete in a changing recruiting landscape.
A limited number of Notre Dame's freshman signees for 2006 are expected to enroll for the spring semester, according to a person familiar with the football program's recruiting policies.
Notre Dame has not yet allowed incoming freshmen to enroll in time for spring practice, an increasingly-used tool (around 35 a year in the six major conferences) that has helped competing schools accelerate development of players such as Ohio State's Maurice Clarett in recent seasons.
Notre Dame has been limited in the past by a careful response to trends in the industry. When other schools developed players through the widespread use of redshirting, the Irish created an application process for a fifth year of eligibility.
The number of early-arriving Irish players is expected to be small, according to the person. Weis was not available Sunday, the day after Notre Dame's 34-31 loss to top-ranked Southern California because his schedule was filled with meetings with recruits.
Reports have indicated that the Irish have already secured 19 oral commitments that will sign letters-of-intent in February.
By Malcolm Moran, USA TODAY
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The construction of the Charlie Weis era at Notre Dame is expected to receive a boost that will allow the Fighting Irish to compete in a changing recruiting landscape.
A limited number of Notre Dame's freshman signees for 2006 are expected to enroll for the spring semester, according to a person familiar with the football program's recruiting policies.
Notre Dame has not yet allowed incoming freshmen to enroll in time for spring practice, an increasingly-used tool (around 35 a year in the six major conferences) that has helped competing schools accelerate development of players such as Ohio State's Maurice Clarett in recent seasons.
Notre Dame has been limited in the past by a careful response to trends in the industry. When other schools developed players through the widespread use of redshirting, the Irish created an application process for a fifth year of eligibility.
The number of early-arriving Irish players is expected to be small, according to the person. Weis was not available Sunday, the day after Notre Dame's 34-31 loss to top-ranked Southern California because his schedule was filled with meetings with recruits.
Reports have indicated that the Irish have already secured 19 oral commitments that will sign letters-of-intent in February.
