Recruiting Analysis

[iowadomer]

Counting DB Sergio Brown that now puts us at 18 verbals but only 17 counting towards next year (JAldridge to enroll early). That would leave us with 8 spots left. OL Aaron Brown who is to decide Oct 6th has ND among favorites and is a bigtime prospect who will enroll early. If we where to get him and TE Will Yeatman (he's a stud, I coach HS football and he plays for our rival) who would come in on a lax schollie, we could have 10 more prospects come in those 8 spots. Considering what we have done thus far in recruiting I would say this is the areas to address with the remaining 8 considering we don't get those 2.
WR-1 (Jackson or Austin)
OL-3 (Careful, Stadler, Elades, Stewart, Young, Rose, Wegner, Brown, Barrie)
DT-1 (Kates, McCoy, Lewis)
LB-2 (Smith, Wright) need more options
DB-1 (Walls come on down) that's almost a lock!!!!!

By the way S Jashad Gaines is 6'1 205 lbs before stepping on campus and with the additon of S Brown and Gordon he will be at Apache almost gaurenteed. Last year we brought in 3 s's Bruton (Staff loves him), Herring (great kid), and McCarthy (maybe never more then backup), to provide depth Tommie Z and Duke have 2/3 years left apiece so I feel comfortable at S for a while now.

 

[iowadomer]

Nationally, ND is looking great with several prospects already in Lemming's top 100
http://www.cstv.com/recruiting/recruiting.cgi?sort=rank&page=1

 

[Champion10]

Counting DB Sergio Brown that now puts us at 18 verbals but only 17 counting towards next year (JAldridge to enroll early). That would leave us with 8 spots left. OL Aaron Brown who is to decide Oct 6th has ND among favorites and is a bigtime prospect who will enroll early. If we where to get him and TE Will Yeatman (he's a stud, I coach HS football and he plays for our rival) who would come in on a lax schollie, we could have 10 more prospects come in those 8 spots. Considering what we have done thus far in recruiting I would say this is the areas to address with the remaining 8 considering we don't get those 2.
WR-1 (Jackson or Austin)
OL-3 (Careful, Stadler, Elades, Stewart, Young, Rose, Wegner, Brown, Barrie)
DT-1 (Kates, McCoy, Lewis)
LB-2 (Smith, Wright) need more options
DB-1 (Walls come on down) that's almost a lock!!!!!

By the way S Jashad Gaines is 6'1 205 lbs before stepping on campus and with the additon of S Brown and Gordon he will be at Apache almost gaurenteed. Last year we brought in 3 s's Bruton (Staff loves him), Herring (great kid), and McCarthy (maybe never more then backup), to provide depth Tommie Z and Duke have 2/3 years left apiece so I feel comfortable at S for a while now.

With your line backer you could add anthony Lewis.

 

[weisfaninmass]

Net Net bottom line girls and boys: TOP 3.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Nationally, ND is looking great with several prospects already in Lemming's top 100
http://www.cstv.com/recruiting/recruiting.cgi?sort=rank&page=1

Lemming believes Kates has All-American ability at OG

interesting

 

[jiggafini19]

I was looking over USC's offer list. Only two players had 3 star ratings. Everyone else was four or five. The best of the best. I see a lot of three star players that will develop and grow into the ND system. But the fact that the class has taken shape so quickly is the main point. ND has never seen recruiting quite like this.

Notre Dame is at the point now where they need to add as much value as possible on the offensive line and Darrin Walls. I think Austin and Jackson would be big pickups as well at receiver.

Alabama had a class of over 30 last year. So did Nebraska as I recall. I don't think ND is limited to taking just 25 guys. With the roster exodus being what it's been and lackthereof in recruiting over the past 2 years, there are plenty of scholarships available.

O linemen, defensive tackle, linebackers, a corner and two more receivers are needed in this group. Ten more players would make 28. Walls and Aldridge enroll early, there is room to breathe.

 

[Batch]

O linemen, defensive tackle, linebackers, a corner and two more receivers are needed in this group. Ten more players would make 28. Walls and Aldridge enroll early, there is room to breathe.

28 is the number I have in my head also.

Do we have a shot at the #1 recruiting class this year? If so what a coup by Coach Weis.

-Batch

 

[jiggafini19]

28 is the number I have in my head also.

Do we have a shot at the #1 recruiting class this year? If so what a coup by Coach Weis.

-Batch

It is doubtful they'll be number one, but they'll be top ten easy.

USC only offers four and five star guys. In fact, they've offered the top ranked player at EVERY position. It is unreal.

Usually by the end of Signing Day, the Florida State, USC, Miami and Texas-like people always come through at the 11th hour.

But ND could end up in there depending on who comes on in the end.

I'm guessing the top class will be USC again.

 

[weisfaninmass]

28 is the number I have in my head also.

Do we have a shot at the #1 recruiting class this year? If so what a coup by Coach Weis.

-Batch

If Aldridge (and Walls) enroll in January, Weis can apply the scholarship to "2005" if he wants to.

 

[BigIrish]

i'll be happy with a top 10 class. i'll be elated with a top 5 class. i really think that if a school is pulling top 10 recruiting classes, they're getting enough talent to compete for a NC. with top 10 talent, the intangibles like coaching, player development, and chemistry are the biggest keys to success. i think we're really well-positioned in that regard.

 

[jiggafini19]

i really think that if a school is pulling top 10 recruiting classes, they're getting enough talent to compete for a NC. with top 10 talent, the intangibles like coaching, player development, and chemistry are the biggest keys to success. i think we're really well-positioned in that regard.

Couldn't have said it any better myself. You get players that fit into your scheme, 3, 4 or 5 star. The more talent you have, the better, but it has to fit.

With a majority of this class verballed already, Weis and Ianello can start on the juniors even more than they have already.

 

[BGIF]

Do we have a shot at the #1 recruiting class this year?

No. Nor #3. The numbers aren't there. Or more correctly it's not in the stars.

Charlie may be getting all, or most of all of the players he wanted but the recruiting rankings are done by the recruiting gurus based upon the number of stars they assign to prospects.

The recruiting services essentially multiply the number of recruits times the number of stars for each of those recruits to get their point totals for ranking. Over the past few years the top ranked classes tend to have high numbers (25 or more in a class) and quite a few 5 star players, and a lot of 4 star players. The average stars/recruit is up around 3.7 plus or minus.

We all know that some of those recruits didn't get admitted but the rankings are done in February and recruits that actually end up on campus aren't a factor.

Currently ND is ranked 6th by Scout and has an average rating of 3.24 Three schools, OSU, UM, USC way down at #21 have an average rating of 4.00 or higher - an extraordinary number. I don't they'll maintain that level but it it's a number ND can't reach with the number of slots left. There are a dozen with higher average ratings that ND and another half dozen within striking distance.

Of ND's 17 recruits (Scout) ND has 1- 5 Star, 4 - 4 Star, and 3 - 10 Star, and 2 - 2 Star prospects. That's a total of 55 points yielding a 3.24 average.

ND's number isn't going to rise much.

Yesterday somebody posted a list of remaining ND prospects. I've added a few more names with their star ratings.

WR-1 (Jackson 3 or Austin 4) Moore 3
OL-3 (Careful 5, Stadler 4, Elades 4, Stewart 4, Young 5, Rose 4, Wegner 4, Brown 4, Barrie 3)
DT-1 (Kates 3, McCoy 5, Lewis 4)
LB-2 (Smith 3, Wright 3 Lewis 4) Goethel 3 Hunter 3
DB-1 (Walls 4)
TE Rueland 5, Yeatman 3

Now take the best case scenario for ranking - highest star players verbal to ND.

WR 1 Austin 4
OL 3 Carufel 5, Young 5, and any other 4
DT 1 McCoy 5
LB 2 Lewis 4, and any other 3
DB 1 Walls 4

Adding two more for early admissions at best would be a Rueland at 5 and a 4 as there are no more 5s on the list. That would give ND 5 - 5 stars in a 27 man class with an average of 3.62.

A very nice haul but it wouldn't be enough for Top 3. To get there, some of ND's current verbals need to raise their own star through on field performance in their senior season.

Rob Parris is an unranked 3 star WR that's having a record breaking receiving year.

Paddy McMullen was ranked a 3 star TE based on a season where he hardly caught a pass due to a broken hand.

Munir Prince is the #34 RB, 2 slots from the 4 star category.

Is Barry McNeil a 2 star WR because of lack of talent or because he was an unknown from New England?

Burkhart is ranked a 2 star kicker but Scout's top kicker is only a 3 star.

Supposedly McNeil was always an ND top target but he's an unranked 3 star CB.

Seven of ND's verbals are unranked at their positions. If they are the rising talents as judged by Weis, Ianello, et al perhaps their senior campaigns will demonstrate that and raise their star level. That would raise the ranking of this class by the recruiting services.

 

[jiggafini19]

BGIF is right.

Notre Dame is going to have a very strong class in terms of talent and numbers...better than they've had in a long time.

Clearly, the level of talent other schools are trying to acquire will be higher. The hot ticket right now is USC....if there is a stud at a position, they've offered him.

The star rankings are a barometer, but overall you have to look at ability and whether or not the guy can be plugged into what you're doing. Zach Frazer can't run Urban's offense ala Alex Smith, but Demetrius Jones could (Example). I would think with Weis' Patriot offense, they could attract a number of players with high ranking abiltiies. But grades and other circumstances may stand in the way of that.

Plus, some of these kids are high maintenance. I graduated high school in 1996. Locally, Kevin Garnett had a press conference at Home Run Inn Pizza to announce he was going to the NBA. Now, everyone has a press conference. I think it gets a little silly to be quite honest. Weis is not one to flame anyone's ego or kiss @ss.

At this point, I'm glad they are going to have close to 30 guys come in when all is said and done. That will double last year's group. ND just needs to fill roster gaps at this point, with guys who can play.

 

[WeisGuy05]

Couldn't have said it any better myself. You get players that fit into your scheme, 3, 4 or 5 star. The more talent you have, the better, but it has to fit.

With a majority of this class verballed already, Weis and Ianello can start on the juniors even more than they have already.

I am not buying too much into the stars ratings. After looking at some of the 3 star players on other teams...A.J. Hawk and Santonio Holmes for Ohio State were both three star recruits and one is arguably the best MLB in the nation and the other Ohio State's most polished receiver. I have all the confidence in the world with Weis and his assesment of talent and how it fits his systems.

 

[Batch]

I am not buying too much into the stars ratings. After looking at some of the 3 star players on other teams...A.J. Hawk and Santonio Holmes for Ohio State were both three star recruits and one is arguably the best MLB in the nation and the other Ohio State's most polished receiver. I have all the confidence in the world with Weis and his assesment of talent and how it fits his systems.

Oh, well I don't put much stock int he star raitings either...especially when you take a site like scout and then compare their star rankings with rivals and you arrive at a completely different number.

I just thought it would be funny to see us get a top 3 class in Coach Weis's first year of recruiting, when their were so many people saying Coach Weis woudl not be able to recruit.

-Batch

 

[bigdon]

When someone asked Lou Holtz about his recruiting class he always said " ask me in two years". No one knows how these recruits are going to pan out. Some are coming from better leagues and others are going to find out that college ball a lot tougher than high school. This is where we find out about the "heart" these guys play with.

 

[WeisGuy05]

I would like to know who said Coach Weis was not going to be able to recruit. I will say for those kids who have committed to ND it is refreshing to see there are actually kids who care about themselves beyond football. I bet we will be in the Top 6 for recruiting for 2006. Only because the USC and Texas' of the world will get the athletes who do not put much emphasis on their education because they are mostly likly flat out dumber than shit and are one major injury away from being a high school janitor at their local high school. Plus there meal ticket will be getting to the NFL as fast as they can. With the staff that is at ND right now player development will not be a problem. Would you guys say that heart and toughness go hand in hand?

 

[iowadomer]

This is very interesting. Aaron Brown, an OL from Ohio who just visited ND and loved it, scheduled an official visit to visit Purdue this weekend. This looks pretty fishy to me. What does everyone think about a recruit previously showing no interest in DuePur visiting when they play ND?

 

[kickerbg31]

hopefully he just wants to see his future team in action for the second time in 3 weeks

this makes it sound to me like he will be irish

 

[jiggafini19]

This is very interesting. Aaron Brown, an OL from Ohio who just visited ND and loved it, scheduled an official visit to visit Purdue this weekend. This looks pretty fishy to me. What does everyone think about a recruit previously showing no interest in DuePur visiting when they play ND?

They know one of the coaches personally. The visit almost sounds like a favor for a friend of the family.

I think it is between ND and Auburn. He liked Auburn a great deal and Brown's father raved about ND. VA Tech was impressive during his visit, but I haven't seen his feedback about the place.

I think it is important to play freshmen early. Having them sit for 2 years and not practice hurts their development. Quinn and Smith are second string this Saturday for Purdue. 10 of the 15 frosh have played this year already.

That is how USC is doing it. They get those guys on the field right away. Weis appears to be doing the same.

Heart and toughness are only two pieces of the pie. Now, give me heart, toughness and explosive talent...much better. Talent is the trump card.

 

[bigdon]

jiggs, you're right. To think 2/3 of the freshmen recruits are getting into the games has got to impress any of the current recruits.

When has this happened at ND? Not under Willingham, not Davie, not even Holts. These freshmen feel part of the team and not just fodder for the practices.