First off I am very excited about the new hire at DC!! With his ties to Weis and NFL background, I think we hit a home run here (at least on paper).

 

Now, to the point of everyone talking about the possibility of getting Donald, Martin, and Edwards to commit....I do not see how this story could have any legs. Just b/c we have a new DC in place does not make a kid just decide to renege on his commitment. There is a lot that goes on in recruiting a kid for months and months. The kids go through a lot in making their decision. I just do not see us hiring a new coach and then a kid turning down a school that he committed to.

 

Think of it this way:

1.) Lorenzo Edwards decision was academic. The hiring of a new coach doesn't change the fact that Florida is a better academic school that ND (tongue firmly planted in cheek).

2.) Ben Martin is from Cincinnati. If anyone had ties to the Cincinnati community it was Rick Minter. If he could not use his pull how will Brown?

3.) Chris Donald was always a Volunteer. He said it in the Rivals article. He played our staff. As much as I want the kid, F him for F'n with our staff.

 

Let me know your thoughts.

I like your thinking Hombre. WoW! Exciting isn't the half of it. New Players, New Coaches New Schemes

only gonna get better boys. its the beginning of charlies new adventure.....

2.) Ben Martin is from Cincinnati. If anyone had ties to the Cincinnati community it was Rick Minter. If he could not use his pull how will Brown?

 

While I agree with you on Edwards and Donald (although it took me a while to accept that seeing as he was EASILY my favorite recruit from this class) I think there IS still a chance with Martin.

 

One of the paid sites was reporting (I think it was J. Sapp) that Ben Martin's decision was stongly influenced by the Sugar Bowl. He's also got family in Gary Indiana so the Cincinnatti issue wouldn't be so big. Getting a young DC that could connect with Martin and convince him that the defense he saw during the Sugar Bowl is gone....that could have an effect on Martin.

 

For me getting Martin ultimately means that Morrice Richardson moves back to LB and even Kerry Neal gets a look as a hybrid DE/LB in sets where they want to only put 3 down lineman in.

I think if any of the guys listed above or others we have closed looked at that are committed to in-state schools will likely not flip until National Signing Day - if at all.

 

Corwin Brown is a very interesting choice. We don't know a lot about him unless you're a Jets fan. He has a lot of ground to make up convincing defensive players who have committed elsewhere. The positive is: Weis is the mainstay and he is showing a willingness to excel at every facet of the game.

Nice 'prez'...I like your summation. An up and coming DC may have a greater impact on Ben Martin. I also read where Coach Brown was/is an excellent in-home recruiter.

 

http://www.uhnd.com/articles/2007/football/431/

Written by: Frank Vitovitch, Saturday, January 13th, 2007 at 3:07 am

 

If Ben changed his mind soley based on the Sugar Bowl...then he just may be ripe for the re-taking? IMO...I feel that Ben Martin is probably our best bet for a de-commit to us? But then I am hoping that whats being said about Coach Brown is true...and Lorenzo Edwards comes too?

2.) Ben Martin is from Cincinnati. If anyone had ties to the Cincinnati community it was Rick Minter. If he could not use his pull how will Brown?

 

While I agree with you on Edwards and Donald (although it took me a while to accept that seeing as he was EASILY my favorite recruit from this class) I think there IS still a chance with Martin.

 

One of the paid sites was reporting (I think it was J. Sapp) that Ben Martin's decision was stongly influenced by the Sugar Bowl. He's also got family in Gary Indiana so the Cincinnatti issue wouldn't be so big. Getting a young DC that could connect with Martin and convince him that the defense he saw during the Sugar Bowl is gone....that could have an effect on Martin.

 

For me getting Martin ultimately means that Morrice Richardson moves back to LB and even Kerry Neal gets a look as a hybrid DE/LB in sets where they want to only put 3 down lineman in.

and i call bullshit on that logic prez. no disrespect intended but what, tennessee getting blown out by penn state had no effect on that decision??????

I would not get my hopes up.... I know everyone in ND nation loves Brown, I'm cautiously optimistic, but thats not exactly a national consensus. Most people are asking Corwin who?

 

I have heard everyone extoll his virtues but as UNHD he lacks big name appeal. I do not think that he will sway any of the recruits that are currently committed elswhere. I think he will have to prove himself as a DC before his system will get recruits.

 

He may pay off in years to come but I doubt it will result in immediate effects. Also, I do not think that having him here this year would have effected Tez one bit... The things that cost us Tez (Academic standards, social life, etc.) will not be changed by one coach. ND will never be able to offer some of the thing$ that Zook and his recruiting coordinator are able to offer (not having to attend classes, no consequences for misconduct, etc.).

by the way, i was referring to martin's logic (or lack of), not yours.

He is not a big name but I have heard he is an excellent recruiter and from Chicago who is supposed to be able to make inroads into the Chicago public leagues and surrounding area. Can anyone say Steve Filer?

I think Filer was NDs either way... Based on what of read about him, I think he understands the importance of education and is not looking to take the easy party road through college.

hate to be a pessimist, but nobodys a lock anymore..........

Nice points by everyone. My guess is that we have a 10% chance of landing Martin and not much on anyone else. I am just happy that we were able to stop the bleeding now and not endure another year of that terrible D and ridicule by the media...which surely cannot help with recruiting.

 

I did not realize that he had such strong Chicago ties until I read that article posted above. Another plus!

Yes I agree - Filer is pretty strong lean with or withouit someone with chicago ties.

Just to follow up on previous thought - I think we can probably see what type of defense Coach Weis is looking for - he talked to Walker from UCLA, Ken Norton at USC, etc. From his knowledge of Corwin Brown - Coach Weis I think is pretty confident he is getting that type of an agressive coordinator and mentality. Ron English is a similar type of DC who was not known at all prior to this year. I am pretty confident that this is a step in the right direction.

Yah. Don't forget that many of us probably considered Tez and Hughes strong leans early on. If if you said three months ago that Tez and/or Hughes would pick Illinois over ND, you would have been called crazy.

I think it is very presumptious that you guys are implying that a younger defensive coordinator would have a better chance recruiting these guys., If anything, he is still a product of Gary Moeller's Michigan Wolverine program. He has the NFL player pedigree but he is still unproven to this point. I really hope that he is all that and a bag of chips!

Pull me a cold one with those chips

As long as it is not Schlitz!!!!

i have to believe that coach brown will be a much better recruiter than minter. he is very young and energetic and has connected with any young players that have been around him. all the stories concerning brown mention him mentoring younger players either has a captain at michigan or as a DB in the NFL. it sounds like he is a born leader and an athlete who made it professionally because of his brains and not just his brawn. one article i read even referred to him helping the coaches scout college talent so obviously he has an eye for that sort of thing. he is also not an "up tight white guy" as Martez might say. even willingham was able to use that as an advantage and bring in some good players his first year with little to almost no effort.

-ReSpeK!

I really question how much of an issue race is in the recruiting process. I know it would do nothing for me. Of course, I am th upight "white" guy! That's why I like the military. Race has nothing to do with anything.Just Rank! Rank begets respect. Because the he higher ranked guy has aleady done the things that he is asking you to do.

Yah. Don't forget that many of us probably considered Tez and Hughes strong leans early on. If if you said three months ago that Tez and/or Hughes would pick Illinois over ND, you would have been called crazy.

 

I never thought Tez or Huges were ND in the beginning... I knew they both had academic issues. I Felt that once Hughes cleared up the academics he would end up at ND. Tez I always thought was OSU to lose...

 

BTW, Benn is the one that made the uptight White guy remark.