Here are tonight's Lucky Charms...
*** A report from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Tuesday said that Notre Dame defensive end commit David Abiara was charged with criminal trespass from an alleged incident Sept. 27. Just last week, a source told me that Notre Dame and Abiara were on good terms and the two parties came to the conclusion that the Mansfield (Texas) Legacy recruit would sign with the Irish in December after months of a rumored decommitment. But it appears that the Irish found out about Abiara's legal situation this week. An interesting note here is I've confirmed Abiara played in his high school game last Friday. Will he continue to play this year?
*** I reported for months that it looked unlikely that Abiara would not sign with Notre Dame, but I didn't rule out the chance that it would occur. And then last week when I heard that Abiara and the Irish were on good terms, I noted that I still wouldn't be surprised if he did indeed end up elsewhere. Well, here we are, and I'm back on the side of not believing Abiara will ink with Notre Dame. I won't rule out him signing with the Irish because, well, it's the year 2020, but I'd be shocked. SMU was rumored to flip Abiara in September, and I'm told that they're no longer recruiting him after the news this week. Oklahoma moved on a few weeks back, and I'd imagine Texas is out too. I'm not sure what is next for Abiara, but I do wish him the best.
*** Don't expect Highland Springs (Va.) High defensive lineman Kelvin Gilliam Jr. to post that he received an offer from Notre Dame on his social media profile out of respect to his Oklahoma commit. That doesn't make it less factual that he did indeed receive an offer from the Irish on Wednesday, which I reported about 15 minutes after he spoke with the Irish staff. I'm also told that Gilliam's camp is supposed to speak with Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston tonight. There's certainly a discussion that needs to take place between the two parties about why the offer came so late, especially considering Notre Dame was showing interest in Gilliam over the summer when Abiara was close to a flip.
*** When Gilliam received the offer, the first thought I had was that it's in replacement of Abiara's spot, but that didn't make a whole lot of sense, because the Irish added California defensive end Will Schweitzer in August for what I assumed was Abiara's spot. Abiara appeared on his way out of the class, until the two parties worked it out. Well, then Ja'Mion Franklin entered the transfer portal today, so I thought the Gilliam offer may be in Franklin's spot, but that didn't make a whole lot of sense either because Gilliam is a SDE/DT hybrid and not a nose like Franklin is.
*** And then I reminded myself about what I keep preaching about Notre Dame football recruiting in the past several months. The Irish staff is very much in the "best available player" business right now. The thought is to "get the best players here and we'll figure out the exact positional fit later." Gilliam certainly is a solid football recruit who fits from an academic profile, and with Abiara likely out and Franklin in the portal, adding another defensive lineman makes sense.
*** Notre Dame is all over it right now in 2021 recruiting. There have only been two new offers in the past six weeks, but the staff is interested and in communication with a ton of different prospects. Recruiting coordinator Brian Polian is the coach who I feel is putting in the most work based on prospects I've talked to. The newest name to mention is four-star receiver Jack Bech from Lafayette (La.) St. Thomas More. Polian has already been in some contact with Bech. Like I said earlier, the Irish are taking a strong look at best recruits available, and Bech has had a strong senior season. He recently decommitted from Vanderbilt and most pundits expect him to flip to LSU. Notre Dame having interest in a receiver is interesting though as the Irish already have three committed, but again, best available recruits.
*** A report from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Tuesday said that Notre Dame defensive end commit David Abiara was charged with criminal trespass from an alleged incident Sept. 27. Just last week, a source told me that Notre Dame and Abiara were on good terms and the two parties came to the conclusion that the Mansfield (Texas) Legacy recruit would sign with the Irish in December after months of a rumored decommitment. But it appears that the Irish found out about Abiara's legal situation this week. An interesting note here is I've confirmed Abiara played in his high school game last Friday. Will he continue to play this year?
*** I reported for months that it looked unlikely that Abiara would not sign with Notre Dame, but I didn't rule out the chance that it would occur. And then last week when I heard that Abiara and the Irish were on good terms, I noted that I still wouldn't be surprised if he did indeed end up elsewhere. Well, here we are, and I'm back on the side of not believing Abiara will ink with Notre Dame. I won't rule out him signing with the Irish because, well, it's the year 2020, but I'd be shocked. SMU was rumored to flip Abiara in September, and I'm told that they're no longer recruiting him after the news this week. Oklahoma moved on a few weeks back, and I'd imagine Texas is out too. I'm not sure what is next for Abiara, but I do wish him the best.
*** Don't expect Highland Springs (Va.) High defensive lineman Kelvin Gilliam Jr. to post that he received an offer from Notre Dame on his social media profile out of respect to his Oklahoma commit. That doesn't make it less factual that he did indeed receive an offer from the Irish on Wednesday, which I reported about 15 minutes after he spoke with the Irish staff. I'm also told that Gilliam's camp is supposed to speak with Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston tonight. There's certainly a discussion that needs to take place between the two parties about why the offer came so late, especially considering Notre Dame was showing interest in Gilliam over the summer when Abiara was close to a flip.
*** When Gilliam received the offer, the first thought I had was that it's in replacement of Abiara's spot, but that didn't make a whole lot of sense, because the Irish added California defensive end Will Schweitzer in August for what I assumed was Abiara's spot. Abiara appeared on his way out of the class, until the two parties worked it out. Well, then Ja'Mion Franklin entered the transfer portal today, so I thought the Gilliam offer may be in Franklin's spot, but that didn't make a whole lot of sense either because Gilliam is a SDE/DT hybrid and not a nose like Franklin is.
*** And then I reminded myself about what I keep preaching about Notre Dame football recruiting in the past several months. The Irish staff is very much in the "best available player" business right now. The thought is to "get the best players here and we'll figure out the exact positional fit later." Gilliam certainly is a solid football recruit who fits from an academic profile, and with Abiara likely out and Franklin in the portal, adding another defensive lineman makes sense.
*** Notre Dame is all over it right now in 2021 recruiting. There have only been two new offers in the past six weeks, but the staff is interested and in communication with a ton of different prospects. Recruiting coordinator Brian Polian is the coach who I feel is putting in the most work based on prospects I've talked to. The newest name to mention is four-star receiver Jack Bech from Lafayette (La.) St. Thomas More. Polian has already been in some contact with Bech. Like I said earlier, the Irish are taking a strong look at best recruits available, and Bech has had a strong senior season. He recently decommitted from Vanderbilt and most pundits expect him to flip to LSU. Notre Dame having interest in a receiver is interesting though as the Irish already have three committed, but again, best available recruits.
