Credit to Notre Dame Weekly.

 

 

Irish Recruiting Class of 2008 Looks Strong

 

 

 

By Brian Smith

 

 

 

It is early for fans to be talking about the class of 2008, but not for college coaches. Here are a few of the top names for 2008 to remember.

 

At this point of the recruiting process for the class of 2008 there are only so many recruits that are well known. With that concept in mind, the following recruits are good bets to receive stern evaluations from the Notre Dame coaching staff.

 

Tauren Poole, TB, 5-10, 200-pounds, Toccoa, Ga., (Stephens County) - Poole is not only a top tailback, but a top student. Poole has a self-reported 3.6 GPA. Notre Dame is one of many schools he is interested in visiting. Here is a link to an audio interview with Poole where he mentions Notre Dame and the other schools he is interested in: Poole

 

Justin Johnson, TB, 6-1, 210-pounds, Gilmer, Texas - Johnson will be in contention for the best player in Texas next season. Johnson is a big play threat with a big body to boot. Texas and Oklahoma are the best bets early on within the recruiting race.

 

Michael Floyd, WR, 6-3, 195-pounds, St. Paul, Minn., (Cretin-Derham) - Notre Dame fans should now know who young Mr. Floyd is. Floyd averaged 31 yards per reception as a sophomore for one of Minnesota's top prep programs. Cretin-Derham has sent players to Notre Dame such as Ryan Harris, Marcus Freeman and Matt Carufel in the past. Floyd attended the Notre Dame Football Camp this past June and has been officially offered by Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis. Notre Dame needs a deep threat badly. Floyd would be an excellent addition to the Notre Dame program.

 

Trevor Robinson, OL, 6-4, 280-pounds, Elkhorn, Neb. - Few programs have the power to pull elite recruits from the state of Nebraska, but Notre Dame is one such program. Robinson attended the Notre Dame Football Camp, and has been offered a scholarship by coach Weis. Robinson is truly interested in Notre Dame. Do not be shocked if he ends up in South Bend.

 

Marcus Forston, DT, 6-2, 290-pounds, Miami, Fla., (Northwestern) - Forston was one of the dominant players at this past summer's Miami Nike Camp, and that was before he played a down of his junior year.

 

Tony Gillespie, DT, 6-1, 300-pounds, Jenks, Okla. - Jenks is one of the traditional powerhouses within the state of Oklahoma. Notre Dame signed the Wisne brothers from Jenks, as well as Jason Beckstrom and Sean Mahan. Gillespie will be difficult to lure away from the Sooners, but he will be one of the nation's top defensive tackles for ext season. Having a massive 300-plus-pound defensive tackle within the middle of the defensive line is a good way to keep opposing offenses from running the football.

 

Jeremy Coleman, DE, 6-3, 237-pounds, Missouri City, Texas, (Marshall) - Pass rushers are always a priority. Coleman will be one of the best the state of Texas will have to offer next season. Programs from across the country are inquiring about Coleman already.

 

R.J. Washington, DE, 6-2, 225-pounds, Fossil Ridge, Texas - Washington will challenge Johnson and a handful of other players for the state's Mr. Football award. Washington is known an athlete first and foremost, and that has drawn the attention of the who's-who of college football programs, Notre Dame included.

 

Steve Filer, LB, 6-3, 220-pounds, Chicago, Ill., (Mt. Carmel) - Filer is much like Floyd, he is a well-known recruit for Notre Dame fans even at this early juncture of his recruitment. Filer will be able to pick his school.

 

Arthur Brown, LB, 6-3, 225-pounds, Wichita, Kan., (East) - Athletic linebackers are a must for the style of play employed in college football. Brown has the quickness and speed to play sideline-to-sideline.

 

Kris Johnson, CB, 6-1, 180-pounds, Texas City, Texas - Notre Dame is finally beginning to land the select few cornerbacks from the prep ranks that can make an immediate impact. Johnson will be one of the best cornerbacks Texas has to offer next season and he has already taken an unofficial visit to South Bend.

 

Will Hill, S, 6-3, 195-pounds, Jersey City, N.J., (St. Peter's Prep) - New Jersey has been good to Notre Dame this year with three prep stars already committing to the Irish. Hill will be one of the best New Jersey has to offer for 2008. Notre Dame will be one of many college football programs knocking on Hill's door.

 

Rahim Moore, S, 6-2, 190-pounds, Los Angeles, Calif., (Dorsey) - It is not often that Notre Dame takes a recruit from right under the noise of Southern California. That does not mean the Irish will not be trying to recruit Moore. He is one of the best athletes California has to offer for 2008.

R.J. Washington Clip-CLICH HERE

he looks like an absolute beast if we could pull him out of texas, yikes.

nice russ, he's for real!

Nice post Jersey. I'm glad to see our name in there with those big names for 08. I think that we will land a top 3 class this year, and follow up with a #1 class next year.

From what I have seen and heard, Charlie is really looking to get into Texas next year and beyond. If we can start landing some top players from Texas, that would be amazing. Charlie is the man and will go anywhere and everywhere to get the best talent around.

Nice post Jersey. I'm glad to see our name in there with those big names for 08. I think that we will land a top 3 class this year, and follow up with a #1 class next year.

 

no problem and I have to say I think you might be right

Add.

 

5'9 205 Rb Jonas Gray Detroit (Country Day)

TJ Bryant DB 6'0 190 Tallahassee, FL (Lincoln)

Chaz Washington LB 6'3 200 Columbia, SC (Richlands Northeast) Gary Gray's school

Stephen Good OL Paris, Texas

JB Shugars OL Texas (Chris Stewart's school)

Shayne Hale LB Pennsylvania

Jake Stoneburner TE Dublin Coffman, OH

 

I believe Ohio State will clean up Ohio except for maybe Brandon Moore TE from Trotwood, OH.

 

But I think the biggest need or get would be Ben Buchanan from Westerville, OH... The guy can absolutely kick... He's got power, accuracy and toughness like Vinateri...

He kicked a 52 yarder in the same storms that hit us in the Michigan State game that weekend... Now thats strong. If we get a kicker like that we'll even be more dangerous on offense. I know Charlie knows about him... He actually practiced with Nugent and Vinateri... So Charlie knows. People are saying this kid could a get a scholarship offer from major schools all over. Svoboda over at IE has film + he gets weekly email updates on how Ben is doing.

That's great Jersey. I was especially happy to see that the article was from Brian Smith. For those who have been on II for years, you know who Smitty is. He was awesome at following recruiting for ND but left II. What is the site that this came from?

 

Also, Tauren Poole committed to Tennessee today.

That's great Jersey. I was especially happy to see that the article was from Brian Smith. For those who have been on II for years, you know who Smitty is. He was awesome at following recruiting for ND but left II. What is the site that this came from?

 

Also, Tauren Poole committed to Tennessee today.

 

Broke, I got it off of B&G message board, I have no clue what site it's from, there was no link provided.

 

Hey, Aaron's brother Brett is a soph correct?( Nagel )

here are the three WRs i'd love to see ND bring into next years class.

 

Michael Floyd - 6'3 190 lbs.

Kenny Tate - 6'4 195 lbs.

Dan Buckner - 6'4 200 lbs.

since DB stud Will Hill is from Jersey one would think that CW is all over him.

As for OSU cleaning up Ohio, I have seen a couple of rumors floating about that NFL teams are looking at Tressel. I'm not sure the one on II was real credible because I do not think Cleveland will fire Crenel after only two years but there are a number of NFL teams looking already.

As for OSU cleaning up Ohio, I have seen a couple of rumors floating about that NFL teams are looking at Tressel.

i heard something on the radio yesterday saying how a team was looking at jim tressel, i didn't catch all of it but by what you said i assume it was an NFL team like you said. i think the only way tressell leaves OSU would be to take a NFL head coaching job but im not sure how interested he would be.

Gang, Jag I've seen two Chicago Newspapers recently talking about Tressel, h'e a Chicago guy. Coach Dan said prior there was quite a few runors within Chicago. And you know the Bears SUCK

This is an article from yesterdays " Cleveland Plain Dealer".

 

Tressel's content in his job at OSU

Coach sees nothing to make him leave

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Columbus -- John Geletka wondered sometimes what Jim Tressel was doing when he stayed put as Marshall, Michigan State, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Miami expressed interest in hiring Tressel during his time at Youngstown State.

"He turned down five major-college jobs," Geletka, Tressel's agent, said Tuesday. "I always said, I don't think you can get to Ohio State from Youngstown State.' I obviously didn't know much. Ohio State was the only job he would leave for."

That's why Geletka said he can't imagine Tressel ever leaving the Buckeyes now.

A story Sunday by The Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi, in which a source said that the Browns were the only NFL job that could lure Tressel away from Columbus, sparked that discussion this week. Geletka said Tressel has never been contacted by an NFL team. But while Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis last week said, when asked about NFL possibilities, that he's with the Fighting Irish "until they fire me or I die," Tressel didn't go that far. Clearly uncomfortable with the topic during his Tuesday news conference, Tressel, in his style, affirmed his position in Columbus.

When asked if he'd be satisfied to stay at Ohio State for the rest of his coaching career, Tressel said, "Absolutely."

"I've not spent one day playing in the NFL or coaching in the NFL," Tressel said, "and I've got my hands full doing what I'm doing."

Asked whether he could be enticed by big money and a long-term contract, Tressel said, "I've got money and I've got a contract."

In May, Tressel agreed to a new seven-year deal that averages $2.45 million a season, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. That's more than the average salary of Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who's averaging just over $2 million a year in the second year of a five-year contract worth between $10 million and $11 million.

While his father, Lee, coached at Baldwin-Wallace, Tressel grew up a Browns fan. Yet asked whether he could imagine anything that would lead him to the NFL, Tressel said, "Don't know. Can't think of a thing."

Of course, no coach in the middle of a season like this would stand at a podium and admit to NFL dreams. Tressel did agree with the perception that his coaching approach is best geared toward college football.

"I don't know anything about fitting at a different level," Tressel said. "I don't know how I'd do coaching high school, teaching math five periods and then coaching them. I don't know how I'd do coaching in the pros, where it's a whole different world.

"So, I hope I fit well in this environment. And I do consider myself a teacher, and love the collegiate environment - I've been in it virtually my whole life. We moved to Baldwin-Wallace when I was 5, so nearly 50 years I've been in this environment and happen to like it."

And it likes him. Now in his sixth season, Tressel is 58-13, with one national title in hand and another potentially on the horizon for the No. 1 team in the country. At the age of 53, he might be a Buckeyes legend in the making, if that's what he desires.

"The feeling he's always conveyed to me is that this is the job he's always wanted," Geletka said. "He feels it's the best job in the country right now. The way he's going, someday he might be right up there with Woody Hayes."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479