February 7, 200718 yr I HOPE CW BLASTS ZOOK FOR HIS TACTICS...it may be out of character, but I am tired of hearing the national media blast away at ND and their players because of the BCS bid...I realize it would be out of character and not the image that the University would want, but it would be nice to just give someone the business and let them try to respond to it... How great would it be if CW ends the interview with, you know our recruiting class changed a lot because of programs like Illinois and Florida continually recruiting players that had given us verbal committs and told their coaching staffs that they were no longer interested. But I guess if you have to rebuild a program from 0 wins in conference the past few years, you may have to do things that are a bit below the line of good form...I guess that is what their schools wanted when they hired those coaches, someone to teach their kids to lie, steal and lower the value of their integrity...but then again, that won't happen
February 7, 200718 yr Poaching is part of the game...we shouldn't whine about that...especially when we have done it a couple of times.
February 7, 200718 yr Poaching is part of the game...we shouldn't whine about that...especially when we have done it a couple of times. i agree. when ND landed gary gray and chris little it was considered good recruiting and when ND lost tez, benn and maybe greg and chris little it is considered unethical. untill you sign your LOI you are fair game.
February 7, 200718 yr I understand that...it's just the stress talking I was pumped about a top 5 recruiting class and if we lose these guys we will likely fall out of the top 10, but it only matters what these guys turn into not what they come into ND rated as... OK, I'm off the ledge and back to reality
February 7, 200718 yr I was pumped about a top 5 recruiting class and if we lose these guys we will likely fall out of the top 10, but it only matters what these guys turn into not what they come into ND rated as... OK, I'm off the ledge and back to reality understood, back in Aug. it looked as if ND would have a sure fire #3 class but that all changed pretty quickly. i agree that CW will turn them into great ones. as for me im off reality and back to the ledge.
February 7, 200718 yr I remember last year at the Charlie's press conference he made the comment that National Signing Day was "uneventful" because he knew all of his commits would fax in their signatures. I also remember seeing a segment (I think it was before a Notre Dame game) about how Charlie conducted his business. There was a clip of Charlie on the phone with one of last year's recruits who had just faxed in his LOI. It was kind of cool to see all the coaches walking around a conference table and a big whiteboard with recruits names on it. I would be interested to hear what he has to say about all the ups and downs since the Sugar Bowl and if there were any surprises in his mind.
February 7, 200718 yr It was kind of cool to see all the coaches walking around a conference table and a big whiteboard with recruits names on it. I would be interested to hear what he has to say about all the ups and downs since the Sugar Bowl and if there were any surprises in his mind. yeah that shot of the coaches at the whiteboard looked like the NFL Draft, very cool. i hope at CW press conference he can explain what happened down the stretch.
February 8, 200718 yr Hard to blame opposing coaches for continuing to recruit good players w/ verbals. Either learn to play the recruiting game or find another way to earn a living. I don't see how it's acceptable to have had the low # of offers at our need positions. We should have offered as many good - qualified DT's as we could this year. If that means losing out on a Marvin Austin or Blackwell cause we already signed 3 quality DT's then so be it. From what I've read it seems Josh Brent would have signed w/ us if we offered sooner. Not a bad class I guess but very disappointing nonetheless. We call some opposing coaches " used car salesmen " but maybe ours have a little personality or charisma issue. I love CW and I am so gratefull he's here but hopefully they have learned that you just can't flash a superbowl ring & ND's storied tradition and expect recruits to be immediately sold. How can people bad mouth Pete Carroll & Urban Meyer's recruiting tactics when they are clearly very good at it. I guess I am done ranting. GO IRISH!!
February 8, 200718 yr The question is.... Who were those other good, qualified DT that had any interest in ND?? The only one I can think of is Nick Wood. It is easy to say but for whatever reason DT are either not qualified for ND or not interested in playing here. A quick review of next years top 100 list for both scout and rivals show that just one DT on each list has interest in ND.
February 8, 200718 yr I think that after the last two years, Charlie is really starting to learn what it takes to be a great recruiter, he never had to do anything like recruiting before. . I think that especially after this year, he understands not so much his technique better, but all the tactics that everyone else is using to get players. I would be surprised to see a repeat of this year again under Charlies tenure, he knows and understands how the game is played now.
February 8, 200718 yr The question is.... Who were those other good, qualified DT that had any interest in ND?? The only one I can think of is Nick Wood. It is easy to say but for whatever reason DT are either not qualified for ND or not interested in playing here. A quick review of next years top 100 list for both scout and rivals show that just one DT on each list has interest in ND. Yeah, I think that we, as homers, assume that every kid wants to come to ND. Thats not so much the case, it may have been just one of those years that if you offered the top 15 DT, you swould still only get one. Thats just the way it is some years.
February 8, 200718 yr Colin Cowherd was talking about how Notre Dame will never have trouble recruiting quarterbacks, running backs, other skill position players and offensive lineman, because of grades and background. He said, though, that recruiting the front seven, where the kids are generally more violent just because of what they do on every play, is tougher because most of those kids aren't the type that are ND kids. I just thought that was an interesting take on it
February 8, 200718 yr of all the lumps we've taken this year in recruiting and in our losses and how we're so overrated and our defense stinks. i think this year will be the year that we take advantage of charlie's knowledge. he'll learn from his mistakes and corwin brown will help bridge the defensive gap and we will have a lucrative recruiting class. put your w's up!!
February 8, 200718 yr Zibby's right on our lumps in recruiting. Let's see we lost 3 BIG STORY on last two guys. We are Racist, big stories on that. We lost the Bowl and didn't deserve to be there. Some of our commits went over the top (JC) ND means you get thousands of eyes so?????..............Suddenly you nook in the wood nobody become somebody.
February 8, 200718 yr I agree that Weis will become a better recruiter because of this year. Whether he likes it or not, he will need to refine his approach. He takes great pride in recruiting on the merits and not going negative. He says he just tells them what ND has to offer, not what other don't. That said, it might be time to revisit his position without outright being negative. As I said earlier, Weis is no Holtz on the recruiting trail. Corwin will help considerably. All these allegations must be addressed and Weis needs to tell it like it is.... Here is a e.g, "Martez, we have the most storied program in College Football. We have more All-Americans than anyone and no school has more national titles or Heisman winners. You will leave here with a degree that is marketable anywhere and with our alumni base around the world, you will do well after football. We graduate nearly 100% of our players. You will graduate.....blah, blah.. I understand you are interested in Illinois. I'm sure being close to home is important and playing for your state school is appealing. We were 10-3 the last two years and we are working hard to improve on that in every aspect. We will be a perennial top 5 program while you are here. Illinois was 4-19 over those same two years. To become a contender you have to build from the ground up. We aren't starting at the ground floor though. You will help take us to that upper echelon we are close to being on. At Illinois, you will start the process, but you only play one position... Just a rant today and my thoughts.
CW on Rivals Radio at 3:20 ET.
Ron Zook at 3:30