Finish This 2017 Class!

[IrishInOntario]

ND currently has 17 commits and really needs to grind hard to finish this class. At this point, I'd love to have this finish.

WR: Oliver Martin (4 star)
WR: Michael Smith (2 star)
Rover: Antjuan Simmons (4 star)
ILB: Ellis Brooks (4 star)
WDE: Jonathan Allen (3 star)- Wake commit
DT: Jerron Cage (4 star)
DB: Connor Wedington (4 star)

Three players I'd love to have but I doubt we get to flip...

OT: Obinna Eze (4 star)- Memphis commit
WDE: Drew Jordan (4 star)- Duke commit
DT: Fred Hansard (4 star)- Penn State Commit
SDE: Earnest Brown (4 star)- Northwestern commit

Despite all that has happened, ND still has an outside shot at a top 10 class. They'd have to have a lot of things go well for them down the stretch and it might even take a prospect or two that I haven't even listed, but all is not lost. This class still has a chance to be very complete and there is already some really talented, individuals within it.

 

[Bodizephax]

Gavin Holmes a 5'11" receiver 3 star out of Texas is visiting South Bend in January. I don't know much about him but wanted to add him to IIO's list.

 

[Pennick44]

Gavin Holmes a 5'11" receiver 3 star out of Texas is visiting South Bend in January. I don't know much about him but wanted to add him to IIO's list.

Purs said he is too small, too slow and has bad breath.

 

[scubastevefl]

Hoping to flip guys from Memphis, Duke and Northwestern, wow.

 

[hvillebill]

Hoping to flip guys from Memphis, Duke and Northwestern, wow.

Steve - It's not as though they're walk-ons. They're legitimate 4-star recruits and they have offers from other good schools.

Eze - offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, etc.
Jordan - offers from Arkansas, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Mississippi St.
Brown - offers from Arkansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas

 

[TXNDFan88]

Do we have any shot at Evan Fields?

 

[tkirish]

It's an interesting point that ND is trying to flip kids from Duke or Northwestern or even Stanford. Those schools as well as others get some very good players. So maybe it's smart going after kids committed to those type of schools. Why? Well without any firsthand knowledge, it would appear that at those kids take academics seriously. If you are a 4 star recruit and have offers from top " football" schools , why would you choose a school that is known for academics? ND has a tradition of excellence in football and academics. We already know it's a smaller pool ND draws from due to academics. So trying to flip some kids from the " academic type" schools may not be a bad move. ND needs top talent to compete, that is a fact. They also need kids who take academics seriously. Without the second the first doesn't matter. That's why you have kids transferring or suspended.

 

[Pennick44]

The Michigan kids can't read or write so they aren't an option. Kidding.... sort of.

 

[LH24ND]

Hoping to flip guys from Memphis, Duke and Northwestern, wow.

All three programs you list have good football players. You can win with guys that aren't five stars.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Gavin Holmes a 5'11" receiver 3 star out of Texas is visiting South Bend in January. I don't know much about him but wanted to add him to IIO's list.

Thanks Bodi,

There are actually a few other prospects on top of Holmes that ND are in on. I listed the guys I'd really like to land, but there are also guys like S: Evan Fields, WR: Jamir Calvin, OT: Foster Sarell, etc, etc... Either guys thatbI'm not as high on, or guys that I simply don't think ND has a legit shot at any longer.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Do we have any shot at Evan Fields?

Yes, Evan will visit. Not at the top of my list in terms of talent, but would love to land the kid because he profiles very nicely for ND. Big and rangy, definitely a baller, but I'd love to close the class with Wedington at DB, although Stanford as the inside track.

A guy I'd love to have as a special teams beast, who may end up being a damn fine player as well, is Boston College commit S: Ben Stewart out of Cathedral in Indy. I love kids with wresting backgrounds and he may only be 5'11, but he's one of those thick, 205lb kids that with absolutely knock you out. Check out this film. One of the better clinicians in the entire class. The kid is a predator.

http://www.hudl.com/profile/2901475/ben-stewart

 

[TXNDFan88]

Great perspective - as a kid who wrestled from age 5 to 18, I second that thought. Why Trevor Laws was one of my all time favorite ND players.

Hate losing kids to Stanford because they always seem to come up big versus ND.

 

[Bodizephax]

Great perspective - as a kid who wrestled from age 5 to 18, I second that thought. Why Trevor Laws was one of my all time favorite ND players.

Hate losing kids to Stanford because they always seem to come up big versus ND.

I wrestled too. I once wrestled Lou Banach in highschool in a tournament when I was a sophomore. Lou and his brother Ed wrestled for Dan Gable at Iowa and both won World Championships. Lou won a Gold medal in the 1984 Olympics. I scored a takedown in the first period before he cleaned the entire mat with my face,
This is Lou:

 

[IrishInOntario]

The knock on most kids that are wrestlers / football players is their speed. That's why they tend to translate best at positions such as DL, where strength and explosiveness is much more important than pure foot speed.

That's the knock on Stewart. He's a SS type who comes downhill like a heat seeking missile, but at 5'11, 205lbs, he has that extremely built, sometimes "clunky" lower body of a wrestler. While that helps him power through ball carriers and receivers on contact, it likely slows him down a step, which in modern college football is tough for a DB. He's probably a 4.7 kid and at 5'11, that's kind of gross...

I don't care though... He's a football player. Even if he's just a 4 year special team dynamo,mt hat can grow into Polian's captain on that unit. As tough as it comes, still a decent athlete and a great open field, one-on-one tackler. Need guys like Stewart, Claypool, Fertitta, Bilal, Perry, D.J. Morgan, etc, etc on all of your special teams.

Stewart could seriously be a bigger, more athletic, Mike Anello.

 

[TXNDFan88]

I grew up in PA and my wife is from Sussex, NJ where the Banach's are from so I know them well. Nice to have on your resume to say you wrestled one of them.

Coy Wire was a Stanford safety who was a PA state champion in wrestling. If Fields is like him, give me three or four of him.

 

[floridairish]

Dan Gable along with Geno Auriemma may very well be the 2 most dominant coaches in collegiate history.

Although I'm confident they still would not live up to the standards of the "Sewing Circle". Who have a combined lifetime coaching record of 0-0.

 

[IrishInOntario]

I grew up in PA and my wife is from Sussex, NJ where the Banach's are from so I know them well. Nice to have on your resume to say you wrestled one of them.

Coy Wire was a Stanford safety who was a PA state champion in wrestling. If Fields is like him, give me three or four of him.

Do you mean Stewart? He's the safety, not Fields.

Stewart, dare I saw, has a some Zibi in him. Very strong lower body. Knockout hitter, and very, very tough... Not likely the return acumen that Zibi possessed, but that tyoe of player... You know, the type that heads to Boston College (where he's committed) and is an integral part of building a top 10 defense made up of tough, unheralded kids like the one BC recently fielded.

 

[TXNDFan88]

Meant Evan Fields, the safety from OK.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Meant Evan Fields, the safety from OK.

Evan Fields is the safety Oklahoma City, but he isn't the wrestler. Ben Stewart, the safety from Indianapolis (Cathedral) is the wrestler.

 

[deadirishpoet]

Dan Gable along with Geno Auriemma may very well be the 2 most dominant coaches in collegiate history.

Although I'm confident they still would not live up to the standards of the "Sewing Circle". Who have a combined lifetime coaching record of 0-0.

Cael Sanderson is the best now. And you're still a moron

 

[PHJIndy]

Yes, Evan will visit. Not at the top of my list in terms of talent, but would love to land the kid because he profiles very nicely for ND. Big and rangy, definitely a baller, but I'd love to close the class with Wedington at DB, although Stanford as the inside track.

A guy I'd love to have as a special teams beast, who may end up being a damn fine player as well, is Boston College commit S: Ben Stewart out of Cathedral in Indy. I love kids with wresting backgrounds and he may only be 5'11, but he's one of those thick, 205lb kids that with absolutely knock you out. Check out this film. One of the better clinicians in the entire class. The kid is a predator.

http://www.hudl.com/profile/2901475/ben-stewart

I had the extreme pleasure of watching Ben Stewart at Cathedral for four years and believe me, I've not seen anyone better at his position, strong safety. He was a starter as a freshman on a Cathedral state championship team. He injured his ankle half way through this season and was slowed a bit but it didn't keep him off the field for too long. Too slow, not big enough, BULL FEATHERS! He went sideline to sideline for four great years and he was the backbone of an outstanding Cathedral defense. He'll be an asset to BC, but he'd really look good
coming out of the ND tunnel in Irish blue!
It's a shame that the Irish lost out on Stewart's Cathedral teammate, Pete Werner. Werner is now committed to tOSU. Too much uncertainty at ND for him.

 

[deadirishpoet]

Evan Fields is the safety Oklahoma City, but he isn't the wrestler. Ben Stewart, the safety from Indianapolis (Cathedral) is the wrestler.

Wasn't Shane Walton considered small for the position? I don't even know if he was recruited for football, but he did excell
I know he wasn't a wrestler, but I believe he played soccer.

 

[Nocalirish]

A WR and QB coach would sure help with recruiting. Wonder why they have not yet been named.

 

[IrishInOntario]

A WR and QB coach would sure help with recruiting. Wonder why they have not yet been named.

Agreed. Would be a complete shame to lose Oliver Martin to Iowa simply because their WR coaching position is more stable at this point. That kid is really good. Very quick, fluid and sure handed. TJ Jones like in his style. Reminds me of Jordan Shipley, who was a highly productive receiver for Colt McCoy and Texas throughout his record setting career.

Adding Martin, Michael Young and Michael Smith to the group of receivers already on campus would be very sneaky good haul.

With that said, I have a suspicion that we're going to see a lot of two TE sets in 2017 and 2018 and the slot receiver is going to be less of a factor. With the OC being the TE Coach as well, I see him getting his boys on the field and why not, the group looks very deep and talented. Really expecting to see a lot of similar things to what we saw in 2012 with Golson as a first year starter... Not suggesting that Finke, Sanders and Young won't have a role in the offense, but I think you'll see a lot of this.

QB: Brandon Wimbush
RB: Josh Adams / Dexter Williams / Tony Jones
W: EQ St. Brown / Chase Claypool
X: Kevin Stepherson / Javon Mckinley
Z: Aliz'e Jones / Nick Weishar
TE: Durham Smythe / Brock Wright
LT: Mike McGlinchey
LG: Quenton Nelson
C: Sam Mustipher
RG: Tommy Kraemer
RT: Alex Bars

I truly believe you'll see ND run the ball behind that OL and set up a lot of deep shots over the top with their big, speedy down field threats. My prediction is that Long will have Jones, Smythe and company back to producing like one would expect from TE U... As the OC he will be in Kelly's ear every day about getting the ball to his TE's.

 

[IrishMike409]

Dan Gable along with Geno Auriemma may very well be the 2 most dominant coaches in collegiate history.

Although I'm confident they still would not live up to the standards of the "Sewing Circle". Who have a combined lifetime coaching record of 0-0.

But those pansies will whip your ass from behind a keyboard.

Pers, CGVR, and the rest of the sissies: go crawl back under the rocks you came from. Worthless. Spineless. Gutless.

 

[NyyorkerND]

Agreed. Would be a complete shame to lose Oliver Martin to Iowa simply because their WR coaching position is more stable at this point. That kid is really good. Very quick, fluid and sure handed. TJ Jones like in his style. Reminds me of Jordan Shipley, who was a highly productive receiver for Colt McCoy and Texas throughout his record setting career.

Adding Martin, Michael Young and Michael Smith to the group of receivers already on campus would be very sneaky good haul.

With that said, I have a suspicion that we're going to see a lot of two TE sets in 2017 and 2018 and the slot receiver is going to be less of a factor. With the OC being the TE Coach as well, I see him getting his boys on the field and why not, the group looks very deep and talented. Really expecting to see a lot of similar things to what we saw in 2012 with Golson as a first year starter... Not suggesting that Finke, Sanders and Young won't have a role in the offense, but I think you'll see a lot of this.

QB: Brandon Wimbush
RB: Josh Adams / Dexter Williams / Tony Jones
W: EQ St. Brown / Chase Claypool
X: Kevin Stepherson / Javon Mckinley
Z: Aliz'e Jones / Nick Weishar
TE: Durham Smythe / Brock Wright
LT: Mike McGlinchey
LG: Quenton Nelson
C: Sam Mustipher
RG: Tommy Kraemer
RT: Alex Bars

I truly believe you'll see ND run the ball behind that OL and set up a lot of deep shots over the top with their big, speedy down field threats. My prediction is that Long will have Jones, Smythe and company back to producing like one would expect from TE U... As the OC he will be in Kelly's ear every day about getting the ball to his TE's.

IIO, I don't have as much confidence in Durham's pass catching abilities as you might. From all reports at the UA practices Brock Wright looks great so let's hope he's ready to supplant him with Durham playing more of the blocking TE role.

 

[bizzybecknd]

That O will be virtually unchanged.. Obviously Kizer (who wasn't stellar this year) leaves along with Kraemer assuming he RG position (upgrade). TE should be an immediate upgrade.. Alize Jones has more upside than any TE to come through ND.

My biggest concern will be the DL. LB and secondary should be fine. Is this the expected DLine? ...

DE: J Hayes/ Kareem
DT: Cage/Bonner
DT: Tillery/ Elijah Taylor
DE: D Hayes/Trumbetti


Not much depth after that.. Okwara/Tiassum?

 

[IrishInOntario]

IIO, I don't have as much confidence in Durham's pass catching abilities as you might. From all reports at the UA practices Brock Wright looks great so let's hope he's ready to supplant him with Durham playing more of the blocking TE role.

Smythe won't be asked to stretch the field in two TE sets. Jones / Weishar / Kmet will play the detached role that Eifert played. Smythe / Wright / Luatu will play the move TE, H-back, attached guy. The 6th blocker in the box, whose pass catching is generally limited to short shortage, possession stuff in the box and slide routes and cuts into the flat. Two totally different uses for the TE position.

 

[IrishInOntario]

That O will be virtually unchanged.. Obviously Kizer (who wasn't stellar this year) leaves along with Kraemer assuming he RG position (upgrade). TE should be an immediate upgrade.. Alize Jones has more upside than any TE to come through ND.

My biggest concern will be the DL. LB and secondary should be fine. Is this the expected DLine? ...

DE: J Hayes/ Kareem
DT: Cage/Bonner
DT: Tillery/ Elijah Taylor
DE: D Hayes/Trumbetti


Not much depth after that.. Okwara/Tiassum?

Disagree that the offense won't change. I ND's personnell will feature much more 2-TE (one detached) in 2016, if Jones is playing, which will keep Finke and Sanders on the bench at times. They can still get a slot receiver and create a matchup problem outside by inverting The X (Stepherson) and putting him in the slot and flipping Aliz'e Jones outside, opposite St. Brown. They did that very successfully with Eifert and T.Jones Jones.

As for the defense, this is what I think you'll see in the front 7...

SDE: Jay Hayes
2. Khalid Kareem
3. Ade Ogundeji

NG: Daniel Cage
2. Micah Dew-Treadway
3. Darnell Ewell

DT: Jerry Tillery
2. Jonathan Bonner
3. Elijah Taylor / Jarron Cage** / Kurt Hinish

WDE: Daelin Hayes
2. Andrew Trumbetti
3. Julian Okwara / Jamir Jones

Will: Te'Von Coney
2. Asmar Bilal
3. Drew White

Mike: Nyles Morgan
2. Greer Martini
3. Jonathan Jones / David Adams / Ellis Brooks**

Rover: Drue Tranquill
2. Spencer Perry
3. Antjuan Simmons**

 

[Java65]

Disagree that the offense won't change. I ND's personnell will feature much more 2-TE (one detached) in 2016, if Jones is playing, which will keep Finke and Sanders on the bench at times. They can still get a slot receiver and create a matchup problem outside by inverting The X (Stepherson) and putting him in the slot and flipping Aliz'e Jones outside, opposite St. Brown. They did that very successfully with Eifert and T.Jones Jones.

Curious why you think the offense will change? Kelly has been the architect for 7 years and I doubt he'll give it up now.

 

[Telx1]

Change is relative. IIO is suggesting we will see offensive sets similar to Golson's first year, the 2012 season. Hope he is right that we will run a lot behind this OL and make great use of our tight ends. Watching Wisconsin's tight end (Fumagali) yesterday block and catch was a great reminder of how impactful a good TE can be if properly coached and used. Hard to understand how ND has seemingly ignored this position for the past three seasons.

 

[Kelso86]

Change is relative. IIO is suggesting we will see offensive sets similar to Golson's first year, the 2012 season. Hope he is right that we will run a lot behind this OL and make great use of our tight ends. Watching Wisconsin's tight end (Fumagali) yesterday block and catch was a great reminder of how impactful a good TE can be if properly coached and used. Hard to understand how ND has seemingly ignored this position for the past three seasons.

Easy -- as Kelly said, we are who we are -- and he (Kelly) likes to use the pass to set up the run. He is willing to swing it out wide, quick hitch routes to open up the middle.

 

[Kelso86]

Disagree that the offense won't change. I ND's personnell will feature much more 2-TE (one detached) in 2016, if Jones is playing, which will keep Finke and Sanders on the bench at times. They can still get a slot receiver and create a matchup problem outside by inverting The X (Stepherson) and putting him in the slot and flipping Aliz'e Jones outside, opposite St. Brown. They did that very successfully with Eifert and T.Jones Jones.

As for the defense, this is what I think you'll see in the front 7...

SDE: Jay Hayes
2. Khalid Kareem
3. Ade Ogundeji

NG: Daniel Cage
2. Micah Dew-Treadway
3. Darnell Ewell

DT: Jerry Tillery
2. Jonathan Bonner
3. Elijah Taylor / Jarron Cage** / Kurt Hinish

WDE: Daelin Hayes
2. Andrew Trumbetti
3. Julian Okwara / Jamir Jones

Will: Te'Von Coney
2. Asmar Bilal
3. Drew White

Mike: Nyles Morgan
2. Greer Martini
3. Jonathan Jones / David Adams / Ellis Brooks**

Rover: Drue Tranquill
2. Spencer Perry
3. Antjuan Simmons**

IIO -- interesting asteric by Jarron Cage -- you anticipate him flipping from OSU?

 

[stu4don]

Is Mustipher a lock at center? What happened to Hoge (we all had high hopes)? Do you think this will be a competition... Mustipher was no Nick Martin and I know that is a high bar but that is what I expect from HH lines!

 

[IrishInOntario]

Curious why you think the offense will change? Kelly has been the architect for 7 years and I doubt he'll give it up now.

Kelly doesn't need to change his offense at all to play "12" personnel more often. He's done it a ton over the years in situations in which he's had two quality tight ends. In his offense, the slot receiver (Z) and a flexed tight end are interchangeable, because they cross train their X's (think TJ Jones) to play in the slot, so they can use the same 12 personnel grouping to have a box tight end, a 2nd tight end in the slot and two receivers outside, or they can flip the X into the slot and play with the flexed tight end on the perimeter, which is what they did with Tyler Eifert. Two totally different looks, same personnel grouping.

 

[IrishInOntario]

IIO -- interesting asteric by Jarron Cage -- you anticipate him flipping from OSU?

ND is going to make a run at him. He'll visit in late January and hear Elko out. Ohio State is in on a top tier DT and along with Haskell Garrett, that may be a crowded group for Cage. For the record, Jerron is a different player than Daniel. Daniel is 6'0, 300lb noseguard, where as Jerron is a quicker, 1 gapping 6'2, 280lb defensive tackle, who I see playing at about 290lbs. Definite upgrade from some of the guys on ND's roster.

 

[floridairish]

Cael Sanderson is the best now. And you're still a moron

Don't you mean "COACH" Sanderson jock sniffer? Lol!!!

 

[deadirishpoet]

Don't you mean "COACH" Sanderson jock sniffer? Lol!!!

I meant what I said Cael Sanderson, and you should know a lot about jock sniffing Mr. jock washer

 

[Bodizephax]

ND currently has 17 commits and really needs to grind hard to finish this class. At this point, I'd love to have this finish.

WR: Oliver Martin (4 star)
WR: Michael Smith (2 star)
Rover: Antjuan Simmons (4 star)
ILB: Ellis Brooks (4 star)
WDE: Jonathan Allen (3 star)- Wake commit
DT: Jerron Cage (4 star)
DB: Connor Wedington (4 star)

Three players I'd love to have but I doubt we get to flip...

OT: Obinna Eze (4 star)- Memphis commit
WDE: Drew Jordan (4 star)- Duke commit
DT: Fred Hansard (4 star)- Penn State Commit
SDE: Earnest Brown (4 star)- Northwestern commit

Despite all that has happened, ND still has an outside shot at a top 10 class. They'd have to have a lot of things go well for them down the stretch and it might even take a prospect or two that I haven't even listed, but all is not lost. This class still has a chance to be very complete and there is already some really talented, individuals within it.

Notre Dame just offered a Arizona verbal weakside defensive end;
'17 AZ DE Jalen Harris (Arizona Verbal)
Weak-Side Defensive End
Mesa, AZ (Desert Ridge)

Measurements

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210


Rankings

Rivals:

5.7 rating #10 AZ, #36 WDE
247:

88 rating #7 AZ, #27 WDE, #473 Overall
Scout:

#57 ATH
ESPN:

90 rating #6 AZ, #34 DE

247 Composite:

86.96 rating #6 AZ, #28 WDE, #477 Overall

 

[Gimmea10wincoach]

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