Recruiting Thoughts
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Brian Smith
With the banquet weekend closing in, Urban Meyer taking over at the Ohio State University, and a plethora of recruits still on the board, it’s time for some quick points about each matter.
The banquet weekend could be very important to Notre Dame. It’s been a long time since that’s been the case.
Irish commitment Taylor Decker and other committed recruits will likely take official visits to Notre Dame, and of course uncommitted recruits will attend the banquet as well. Some of the names expected to be in (this list will change) include Josh Garnett, Gunner Kiel, Davonte Neal, and Schyler Miles. Keep in mind that this list could grow in numbers or decrease in numbers at a moment’s notice.
From this list of prospects, all of them are important, but it’s hard to go against the elite signal caller if Irish fans could just wish for one player to jump onboard. Garnett, however, is an elite offensive tackle. Those are rare, too. Neal brings that gamebreaker speed to the table, and Miles could play fullback or possibly linebacker in conjunction with helping to recruit his teammate Nelson Agholor.
Personally, I like Notre Dame’s chances with Kiel the best, but that’s still a tough call. He’s not easy to read. Louisiana State? Vanderbilt? Garnett appears to be leaning towards Stanford (allegedly), and Neal is still attempting to set up visits. What the banquet means is an opportunity for Notre Dame. It could go well or be a disaster. If the Irish earn a couple of big-time commitments it helps build momentum with other recruits. The opposite is also true if nobody jumps on board.
Meyer to OSU: ND fans should not be worried
Notre Dame will still get some of the Catholic school recruits from Ohio. Notre Dame always did, and that trend will continue. Very few of the public school players from Ohio attended Notre Dame in the past twenty years, however, at least not the ones coveted by Ohio State. With Meyer in Columbus expect more of the same.
The good news stems from Meyer keeping some of those public school recruits away from Ann Arbor. The biggest loser, by far, will be Michigan with Meyer’s hiring. Michigan will lose several recruits that it would have signed if Meyer decided to stay in the broadcast booth.
The one area that Meyer could do damage to any program is down in Florida and Dixie in general. He’s well known in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and of course the state of Florida. Notre Dame will butt heads with Meyer far more often south of the Mason Dixon Line than it does within the state of Ohio, or at least it will in terms of competitive recruiting battles. Notre Dame is simply not going to land many recruits that grew up in Ohio if the Buckeyes offer. That state holds a very strong bond to its premiere state institution.
Best Bets
Just talking out loud, here are three players I feel good about Notre Dame signing, as it stands today anyway. I believe Notre Dame will push the eighty-five scholarship limit with this recruiting class combined with the returning fifth-year players.
Brian Poole
Schyler Miles
Marcus Rios
We’ll see how well I do on national signing day. Notre Dame will probably sign a few other recruits as well.