Pregame

Offense: Lo Styles Jr. (honorable mention: Chris Tyree)

Defense: Marist (honorable mention: Ramon Henderson)

Known entities that I’m excited to watch but there’s little to no doubt they’ll be awesome- Foskey, Jayson Ademilola, Michael Mayer. 

this thread title makes me laugh every time it comes up, so at least I have that. 

3 minutes ago, SDIrishFan said:

So I could be wrong on this but he was supposed to visit ND this weekend. Does this mean ND has movement with Moore and told Viz were locked up at Qb?

That's probably the positive outlook on this. 

1 hour ago, 4thand1 said:

On3 bumped ND to 74% (approx) today.  Yes, still early but that's really good news.

Mike Singer, the on3 ND reporter, put in a prediction for Dante to ND. I believe it's the first prediction and their model weighs predictions fairly heavily, I presume. But, it seems like things are trending for ND from a few different sources. 

3 hours ago, tneun89 said:

It's hard to look at ND's roster and see a real national title contender when you compare it to Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, etc. I'm of the opinion that ND will not be able to duplicate those programs for various reasons (i.e., geography, academics, social life, etc.), but I think ND can model Clemson. In the last four cycles, Clemson has finished in the Top 10 each time and the Top 5 twice. That is very do-able. The way ND is trending, 2023 SHOULD BE a Top 5 class. As Big said in another thread, look at the target list - it is littered with 5-stars and 4-stars, including a ton of Top 100 recruits. 

ND's recruiting at certain positions has been lacking the last few cycles: QB, WR, CB, S. Those positions can all be addressed in 2023. Land Moore (#6) or Vizzina (#54) at QB - ND is leading or co-leading for both. At WR, land Carnell Tate (#13) - landing an elite QB would definitely help, along with Braylon James (#79) and/or Rodney Gallagher (#107). At CB, ND already landed Justyn Rhett (#53) and leads for Christian Gray (#102). ND can swing for the fences with Javien Toviano (#25). At S, ND landed Peyton Bowen (#83), but will need to hold on, and Adon Shuler (#206). Again, they can swing for the fences with Caleb Downs (#24) and Braxton Meyers (#138).

ND has elite talent at many positions, but they don't have elite depth. Our WR room is a joke compared to the elite schools. I think our QB room leaves a lot to be desired as well. The secondary is just not talented enough to battle WRs from Alabama or Ohio State right now. UGA was an outlier this year in terms of winning with an all-time elite defense and a solid offense that relied on great RBs. ND will need to have an elite offense to have a real shot at winning a title. Get a QB like Moore and a few dynamic WRs, and ND is looking a lot more like Clemson with Deshaun Watson and his surrounding talent.

 

Totally agree, especially re: depth of talent. You also mentioned some guys were still going after without mentioning Malik Muhammad or Micah Tease, both guys were in good position with and would normally be our best CB recruit. The level of recruiting is crazy right now and grabbing so many top line guys early will only help as a) we have momentum, b) recruits want to play w other great players, and c) it gives coaches more time to focus in on the biggest targets (and missing them won’t sink our class). 

3 hours ago, coltssb said:

Not to crap on guys, but I gave up on meter times. I have yet to see Lenzy really use his speed at all. Three has had two speed touchdowns that I can remember. Do they have wiggle with that speed?  Can they break tackles or get off the line? So many times you here about break neck speed guys who once they get on the football field they are slow as dog crap. Let’s hope for this kids sake that he has “football” speed and not just track speed. 

His track speed is world class and he’s potentially an Olympic caliber sprinter so I think he’d be just fine if his track speed is truly just track speed. 

2 hours ago, Rocketsan said:

Told ya this was a cash grab…

If it was, Harbaugh went full method actor (which...makes a ton of sense) because he was saying good bye to people at UM prior to going to the interview, every Vikings reporter said he wanted the job, etc. 

May have taken things too far and pissed off a lot of his coaching staff at UM, but I'm sure the ones that stayed will get over it. 

10 minutes ago, SDIrishFan said:

Not so much "sky is falling", just less "Jesus take the wheel", haha, I'll be here all week. 

Bank of the Vatican has a giant bankroll, maybe we can get some NIL deals for commercials with Keeley and the Pope promoting Vatican tourism. 

3 hours ago, SDIrishFan said:

I agree for the most part. 

I however do think there is an option 3 that will be sold to these kids (it would be ND's job to counter it as I'm sure they'll never do it).

I'm sure the Alabama's, USC's and Texas A&M's of the world don't tell 5 star kids they will sit (even if they have multiple in front of them). You'd hope a kid would be smart enough to see that and the competition at their position. 

I'm sure Texas A&M (and their boosters) will say, you're the next great player, best thing since sliced bread, those kids in front of your aren't better than you, you can beat them out, etc. Commit to us and you'll get a check for $$$ (however much they are paying 5-star talent, well into the six figures I'd imagine). When you do beat those kids out, you'll be so popular, and even more money will come your way. 

Essentially selling the idea of money now, and more money later.

Now, I agree, ND probably won't attract many, if any, of those players. It's just one more hurdle that ND has to jump in recruiting that other schools don't. And when we already jump through so many, it becomes tougher and tougher to compete in this day in age. 

Not saying it's right or wrong, but it does put a damper on the idea of ND signing top 5 classes on a regular basis. Until there are some bumpers to limit what these schools and boosters are clearly doing, it's going to be tough for ND. 

I do, however, wish they would figure out a way to back up the bank truck to 5-star QB's houses each year. 

 

On one hand, you make some good points that may be issues down the road.

On the other hand, ND has the #1 class in the country right now and is still recruiting a ton of high level, 5* caliber guys with real interest in ND. All of this "sky is falling" NIL narrative when it comes to recruiting is more fiction than fact, at least right now. 

Teammates with Brandon Joseph, he was 1,000 yd WR the last two years at Johns Hopkins. Offered as a preferred walk-on. Could be good for depth at worst. 

Well done, @Rocketsan

Don't get too into the weeds on what an NFT is, happy to explain offline (...actually, just Google it on your own). The important take away from this is that ND affiliated groups are focusing on getting NIL money to ND players thus helping our football team and other programs. 

2 hours ago, ndomer4 said:

ND is lacking elite offensive talent. The blame has to go on Rees. The offence is not exciting and recruits can see that. 

What would you like to see changed? 

Peyton Bowen reached out to Christian Gray:

56 minutes ago, Big23Head said:

 

 

Adon tweeted at Dante as well: 

It seems like Drayk and Adon are doing most of the in-class recruiting. 

34 minutes ago, SDIrishFan said:

I get that. Also get being patient isn’t a thing anymore. 

I mean, he was as patient as can be. Highly ranked guy that sat behind Tremble and Wright, and then Mayer. He has no eligibility remaining, he graduated. what exactly does he need to be patient for? 

39 minutes ago, jbrown_9999 said:

Sounds as if he wants to have a season as a team's #1 TE which would not happen at ND in 2022.

https://www.si.com/college/notredame/football/notre-dame-football-george-takacs-to-transfer-leave-program

 

I was surprised when he said he was coming back to be honest. 

George Takacs just entered the portal. 

1 hour ago, SDIrishFan said:

If nothing else we need the depth.

We have plenty of depth at CB. We lack experience and snaps, but not depth. 
 

Cam, Clarence, Riley, Barnes, Tucker, Bellamy (will likely play S), Morrison, Mickey, and likely Bracy all at Corner.

This is cool: https://www.on3.com/college/lsu-tigers/news/look-lsu-football-announces-first-of-its-kind-nil-deal-involving-customizable-jerseys/

Basically players will receive a portion of their jersey sales. If this were around for Manti, he would've retired off of all those stupid ND lei shirts they sold. 

17 minutes ago, Big23Head said:

Hopefully Sevyn Banks

Think ND has a chance with him? Couldn't hurt having a few familiar OSU names on the coaching staff at ND. 

The recruiting rankings that include incoming transfer portal players clearly does not account for players outgoing (nor should it, as HS recruiting rankings do not account for graduating players or players leaving for the NFL draft). 

That being said, LSU is losing a lot more than they are gaining in the portal. According to the 247 Transfer Portal:

LSU Lost (1 5*, 6 4*, 4 3*):

5* CB Elias Ricks, 4* Edge Landon Jackson, 4* STARTING QB Max Johnson, 4* WR Deion Smith, 3* WR Trey Palmer, 4* DL Eric Taylor, 3* WR Koy Moore, 3* LB Navonteque Strong, Unranked Nate Harris, 3* WR Alex Adams, 4* WR Devona Lee, 4* CB Dwight McGlothern

LSU Gained (4 4*; 7 3*, 1 2*): 

4* OT Miles Frazier, 2* LS Slade Roy, 3* S Joe Foucha, 3* S Mekhi Williams-Gardner, 4* CB Greg Brooks Jr., 3* RB Noah Cain, 3* WR Kyren Lacey, 3* ATH Wes Weeks, 3* P Jay Bramblett, 3* IOL Tremond Shorts, 4* DL Mekhi Wingo, 4* CB Jarrick Bernard. 

5 hours ago, FaithInIrishForever said:

Cool. Best of luck to both teams. Who is your favorite all time college football player?

The only correct answer is Vince Young imho. 

@SDIrishFanuse this as a cheat sheet. Anytime a recruit (or coach talking about recruiting) talks about pitching the value of the notre dame network can be in a recruits life, go ahead and assume that NIL is part of that conversation. 
 

And, to repeat what has been said often, notre dame cannot and won’t directly pay players. Nor can any other school. And notre dame isn’t going to openly direct boosters to pay kids. Will they? Absolutely, but you’re not going to hear much if anything about it because ND doesn’t move like that.