Incoming Player Transfers (2023-24)

[mcgov12 1,237]

Hell of a start at that position 

[tneun89 979]

14 minutes ago, mcgov12 said:

Hell of a start at that position 

If they can get Josh Kelly (grad transfer from Washington State) to commit during his visit today, that would be an awesome 1-2 punch to compliment the guys still on the roster.

ND is also hosting Beaux Collins (Clemson) this week, but I'm not as high on his as the other two. Still, I'd take him in a heartbeat.

ND doing really well at WR in the portal. Should ease all the concerns from last week when they lost four guys.

[Jersey Irish 205]

FIU WR Kris Mitchell has committed to Notre Dame as a grad transfer,

Excellent bloodlines: One brother plays at Mississippi State and another at Penn State!

Great get for the Irish!

[NYGoldenDomer 2,046]

Notre Dame football is going to be just fine next season.

[InLikeFlynn 261]

3 minutes ago, NYGoldenDomer said:

Notre Dame football is going to be just fine next season.

IN FREEMAN WE TRUST!

GO IRISH!

[Baldy 1,244]

Dude, this is amazing!

Marcus Freeman is

…in the portal!! 😝

[NDhoosier 1,232]

2 hours ago, tneun89 said:

If they can get Josh Kelly (grad transfer from Washington State) to commit during his visit today, that would be an awesome 1-2 punch to compliment the guys still on the roster.

ND is also hosting Beaux Collins (Clemson) this week, but I'm not as high on his as the other two. Still, I'd take him in a heartbeat.

ND doing really well at WR in the portal. Should ease all the concerns from last week when they lost four guys.

Collins is a proven reliable receiver though. Is it going to be a stud that puts fear into the defenses, no. However, he can be a trustworthy target on 3rd down and has proven he can be consistent. I do wonder if ND would take all 3, but I would be happy if they at least got two of them.

[mcgov12 1,237]

2 hours ago, NYGoldenDomer said:

Notre Dame football is going to be just fine next season.

Hell yes. We have a head coach and most of a staff that have the skill set to do very well in the portal

[jimbo 377]

7 hours ago, mcgov12 said:

Hell yes. We have a head coach and most of a staff that have the skill set to do very well in the portal

Yes, very impressed with how MF and the staff have been handling things with the portal. 

[NDLincPark 28]

A former 3 star prospect - these guys are a dime a dozen. 

Non Power 5 offered (Duke, Tulane were his top choices).  Weak/Average Arm. 

This guy is exactly what keeps things at ND stagnant and a top 12-20th ranked team for the next few years.  No upside, decent floor, but he is not a difference maker - he is a status quo version of Andy Dalton in the NFL. 

He has one year of eligibility left, his accuracy has gotten worse every year, and he was by all measures a really bad passing QB in the 7 games he did play in 2023. 

He is mobile, which is by far the best part of his game, but Minchey and Carr offer so much more upside for the Irish.  This is not a 1 season decision.  This is a multi year decision, and the portal makes it even more important to get right. 

If you want another Pyne, or Buchner, or Book, or Coan - then Leonard is perfect. 

But if you want to have a QB like OSU has had for pretty much every season for 15 years (Less McCord), or a McCarthy - They need to go with youth and give the best upside QB the chance carry the team and be the ascending face of Irish football for the next 3 years. 

[mcgov12 1,237]

RJ Oben, DE from Duke visiting this weekend. FSU visit afterwards 

[tneun89 979]

First of all, I'm not sure what his recruiting ranking back in 2020 has to do with anything. Xavier Watts was a 3-star WR coming out of HS. Did that affect his ability to win the Bronko Nagusrski award given to the best defense player in college? Joe Alt? Ranked as a 3-star by a couple of services, but is about to be named a Unanimous All American. How about ND's last Butkus Award winner, Jeremiah Owusu-Karmoah? He was ranked a 3-star by every service. Should I go on? Recruiting rankings mean nothing for someone who is about to be a Senior in college. 

Riley Leonard is considered to be a Top 5 QB in the portal by everyone. Mel Kiper had him as a projected First Round NFL Draft pick before this season. The injury he suffered in the Notre Dame game obviously hindered him the rest of the season (and he got injured again against FSU a few games later). That happened in the 5th game of the season, before Duke began ACC play. It's not really fair to use this year's stats against him.

Go back to 2022, when he started every game for Duke. He did really well: 250/392 (63.8%), 2967 yards (7.6 yards/attempt), 20 TDs, 6 INTs; 124 carries, 699 yards (5.6 yards/carry), 13 TDs. So, in 2022, his only full season as the starter, he accounted for over 3,600 yards and 33 TDs. He did this as the QB of Duke, a team with very little talent, in the ACC. That is really impressive if you look at it objectively. For reference, this season, Sam Hartman was 191/301 (63.5%), 2689 yards (8.9 yards/attempt), 24 TDs, 8 INTs; 45 carries, 123 yards (2.7 yards/carry), 3TDs. So, Hartman accounted for just over 2,800 yards and 27 TDs. Draw your own conclusions.

Now, I'm not saying Riley Leonard is going to be the next version of Justin Fields or Joe Burrow. He definitely has some limitations, although, many assume his accuracy is bad, but it's actually better than Hartman's if you compare his 2022 stats with Hartman's 2023 stats (or any year for Hartman, as this year was his highest completion percentage in his career). But Leonard gives you a true dual threat at QB, he has experience, and he's considered a tough SOB and a leader. He will make Notre Dame better next season.

If you hand over the reins to Minchey or Carr (a true freshman), you are effectively punting on the 2024 season. Maybe those guys have higher upside over the long-term (I think Carr certainly does), but they would be liabilities next season. Would you rather start Riley Leonard at Texas A&M to open the season, or RS Freshman Minchey or True Freshman Carr? The answer is obvious.

The schedule is incredibly forgiving next season. Leonard gives ND the best chance to win. With Leonard, ND should win 10-11 games. Win 11 games, and ND is in the 12-team playoff. 

Freeman does not have time to mess around. He needs to show he can win in 2024. If he started Minchey or Carr, he's putting his entire career at Notre Dame in jeopardy. If ND won 7-8 games next year, you, me, and everyone else would be calling for his head.

Riley Leonard might not be a Heisman-caliber QB, but he certainly gives Notre Dame the best chance to win and make the Playoff next season. 

[Baldy 1,244]

Still not sure about the source, and especially since he’s taking his visit with Notre Dame today and tomorrow, but I saw this.

 

[nremdn 34]

21 minutes ago, tneun89 said:

First of all, I'm not sure what his recruiting ranking back in 2020 has to do with anything. Xavier Watts was a 3-star WR coming out of HS. Did that affect his ability to win the Bronko Nagusrski award given to the best defense player in college? Joe Alt? Ranked as a 3-star by a couple of services, but is about to be named a Unanimous All American. How about ND's last Butkus Award winner, Jeremiah Owusu-Karmoah? He was ranked a 3-star by every service. Should I go on? Recruiting rankings mean nothing for someone who is about to be a Senior in college. 

Riley Leonard is considered to be a Top 5 QB in the portal by everyone. Mel Kiper had him as a projected First Round NFL Draft pick before this season. The injury he suffered in the Notre Dame game obviously hindered him the rest of the season (and he got injured again against FSU a few games later). That happened in the 5th game of the season, before Duke began ACC play. It's not really fair to use this year's stats against him.

Go back to 2022, when he started every game for Duke. He did really well: 250/392 (63.8%), 2967 yards (7.6 yards/attempt), 20 TDs, 6 INTs; 124 carries, 699 yards (5.6 yards/carry), 13 TDs. So, in 2022, his only full season as the starter, he accounted for over 3,600 yards and 33 TDs. He did this as the QB of Duke, a team with very little talent, in the ACC. That is really impressive if you look at it objectively. For reference, this season, Sam Hartman was 191/301 (63.5%), 2689 yards (8.9 yards/attempt), 24 TDs, 8 INTs; 45 carries, 123 yards (2.7 yards/carry), 3TDs. So, Hartman accounted for just over 2,800 yards and 27 TDs. Draw your own conclusions.

Now, I'm not saying Riley Leonard is going to be the next version of Justin Fields or Joe Burrow. He definitely has some limitations, although, many assume his accuracy is bad, but it's actually better than Hartman's if you compare his 2022 stats with Hartman's 2023 stats (or any year for Hartman, as this year was his highest completion percentage in his career). But Leonard gives you a true dual threat at QB, he has experience, and he's considered a tough SOB and a leader. He will make Notre Dame better next season.

If you hand over the reins to Minchey or Carr (a true freshman), you are effectively punting on the 2024 season. Maybe those guys have higher upside over the long-term (I think Carr certainly does), but they would be liabilities next season. Would you rather start Riley Leonard at Texas A&M to open the season, or RS Freshman Minchey or True Freshman Carr? The answer is obvious.

The schedule is incredibly forgiving next season. Leonard gives ND the best chance to win. With Leonard, ND should win 10-11 games. Win 11 games, and ND is in the 12-team playoff. 

Freeman does not have time to mess around. He needs to show he can win in 2024. If he started Minchey or Carr, he's putting his entire career at Notre Dame in jeopardy. If ND won 7-8 games next year, you, me, and everyone else would be calling for his head.

Riley Leonard might not be a Heisman-caliber QB, but he certainly gives Notre Dame the best chance to win and make the Playoff next season. 

SHEESH. That's how you make a point about as thoroughly as possible.

Edited December 6, 2023 by nremdn

[NDLincPark 28]

1 hour ago, tneun89 said:

First of all, I'm not sure what his recruiting ranking back in 2020 has to do with anything. Xavier Watts was a 3-star WR coming out of HS. Did that affect his ability to win the Bronko Nagusrski award given to the best defense player in college? Joe Alt? Ranked as a 3-star by a couple of services, but is about to be named a Unanimous All American. How about ND's last Butkus Award winner, Jeremiah Owusu-Karmoah? He was ranked a 3-star by every service. Should I go on? Recruiting rankings mean nothing for someone who is about to be a Senior in college. 

Riley Leonard is considered to be a Top 5 QB in the portal by everyone. Mel Kiper had him as a projected First Round NFL Draft pick before this season. The injury he suffered in the Notre Dame game obviously hindered him the rest of the season (and he got injured again against FSU a few games later). That happened in the 5th game of the season, before Duke began ACC play. It's not really fair to use this year's stats against him.

Go back to 2022, when he started every game for Duke. He did really well: 250/392 (63.8%), 2967 yards (7.6 yards/attempt), 20 TDs, 6 INTs; 124 carries, 699 yards (5.6 yards/carry), 13 TDs. So, in 2022, his only full season as the starter, he accounted for over 3,600 yards and 33 TDs. He did this as the QB of Duke, a team with very little talent, in the ACC. That is really impressive if you look at it objectively. For reference, this season, Sam Hartman was 191/301 (63.5%), 2689 yards (8.9 yards/attempt), 24 TDs, 8 INTs; 45 carries, 123 yards (2.7 yards/carry), 3TDs. So, Hartman accounted for just over 2,800 yards and 27 TDs. Draw your own conclusions.

Now, I'm not saying Riley Leonard is going to be the next version of Justin Fields or Joe Burrow. He definitely has some limitations, although, many assume his accuracy is bad, but it's actually better than Hartman's if you compare his 2022 stats with Hartman's 2023 stats (or any year for Hartman, as this year was his highest completion percentage in his career). But Leonard gives you a true dual threat at QB, he has experience, and he's considered a tough SOB and a leader. He will make Notre Dame better next season.

If you hand over the reins to Minchey or Carr (a true freshman), you are effectively punting on the 2024 season. Maybe those guys have higher upside over the long-term (I think Carr certainly does), but they would be liabilities next season. Would you rather start Riley Leonard at Texas A&M to open the season, or RS Freshman Minchey or True Freshman Carr? The answer is obvious.

The schedule is incredibly forgiving next season. Leonard gives ND the best chance to win. With Leonard, ND should win 10-11 games. Win 11 games, and ND is in the 12-team playoff. 

Freeman does not have time to mess around. He needs to show he can win in 2024. If he started Minchey or Carr, he's putting his entire career at Notre Dame in jeopardy. If ND won 7-8 games next year, you, me, and everyone else would be calling for his head.

Riley Leonard might not be a Heisman-caliber QB, but he certainly gives Notre Dame the best chance to win and make the Playoff next season. 

 

Yes, they will win 8-9 games with Leonard and either be a fringe playoff team in the 11th ranked range, or play in a meaningless bowl. 

They will then have the same problem in 2025 as they would in 2024, no experience at QB. 

If Notre Dame actually wants to compete for National Championship - then they need to get the highest upside QB starting next year, to set up 2025 and 2026

Call it a punt, whatever you want.    Anyone can play in a sun bowl or tax slayer gator bowl.  And that is what Leonard gets them.

The younger upside QBS give them a 2 year window to WIN IT ALL. 

[NYGoldenDomer 2,046]

[Baldy 1,244]

21 minutes ago, nremdn said:

SHEESH. That's how you make a point about as thoroughly as possible.

Heck yeah!

@tneun89 be like…

[NDLincPark 28]

Not to mention,  playing yo yo with your QB every year is horrible for retaining and recruiting difference makers.   (Take a look at the 2023 WR room).   Coan to Buchner to Pyne to Hartman etc - that sends a message. 

Teams need to progress, and have a goal and make strides.   The last 30 years of ND has been one big run of mediocre.  

Going to the transfer well year after year after year ensures ND keeps being a little big better than good.  But, never great 

 

 

[NDLincPark 28]

And, I bet anyone here anything they want - Ohio State Starts Air Noland next year as a True Freshman, and they are going to be so good come 2025 and 2026

[NYGoldenDomer 2,046]

Idk I am still so torn on this topic.  I agree with both of you, @NDLincPark and @tneun89.  Forgive me for the tangent I am about to go on lol. 

Where I agree with @NDLincPark is I really want to see Notre Dame become a powerhouse with Freeman and the school's ability, or I should say, the boosters/"initiative's" ability to pay our kids NIL.  The QB recruiting is already turning the page for the better when compared to the Kelly regime.  We're not getting our QBs from the bargain bin on the sale aisle anymore.  We just have to get those kids on the field now.  I want ND to be able to pump out a star every two seasons.  I'd love for three, but, no stud QB is going to wait around too long in the portal era for his turn to reign.  I'd love for that to start next season and the schedule is almost perfect to allow a rookie QB to settle in for the long haul.  Yes, opening at A&M is going to be tough, especially with Elko taking over and I am just seeing now that Kansas State's Collin Klein is going to be Elko's OC.  But the twelve team playoff gives us the cushion to be able to afford to potentially not win that game.

@Texas A&M
Northern Illinois
@Purdue
Miami of Ohio
Louisville
Stanford
@Georgia Tech
Navy (Metlife Stadium, NJ)
Florida State
Virginia
Army (Shamrock Series: Yankee Stadium, NY)
@USC

Army at Yankee Stadium is not 100% confirmed but from what I have heard on both Irish Breakdown and Irish Illustrated its a matter of dotting I's and crossing T's from being confirmed.  I feel that is a schedule that Angeli/Minchey can navigate enough to take some licks in College Station and then have the ability to rebound with two cupcakes and Purdue in the ensuing three games.  Does Louisville look anywhere near as good next season as they have this season?  I honestly have no clue what kind of players they are returning or not.  Florida State should be a game, but we have them at home in November.  USC is probably going to be a cluster frig again next season.  With Angeli/Minchey I can see that being anywhere from 10-2, 9-3, or even possibly 11-1.  

Where I agree with @tneun89, next season, and our schedule, is ripe for the picking.  You put ND on the field with Leonard under center and that is most likely an 11-1 season with the possibility of 12-0.  10-2 is worst possible scenario(where have I heard that before lol).  This could be ND's best chance at a National Championship since probably 1993.  Idk about you guys but I never really thought we had a chance in 2012 lol.  2025 and 2026, while still missing a few opponents, are already looking like tougher schedules than 2024.  Freeman would be 100% right for going all in on 2024 and hoping Carr can put on enough muscle to be ready to go in 2025 because I can definitely see Minchey taking off if Leonard does in fact transfer in.  I hope not though.