Notre Dame Recruiting - Open Thread

QB-That it’s down to us and Vandy/LSU seems reassuring. But something has never seemed right about Kiel’s way of doing things. That he’s being personally recruited by Kelly also seems to point toward him coming. But still, I have a really hard time balancing Golson as the future with Kiel right behind him.

RB-I think we need another, but I’m not sure Russell is coming. Will we snag some random kid late in the game?

WR-Westercamp and Neal are a good bet. Agholor would be a miracle but I don’t see it happening.

TE-Mac is going to OU, I think.

OL-I think we’re done here. In a year for Skill recruiting I don’t think we bring in 4 and I don’t think we’re that close with anyone left.

DL-Done

LB-Odenifhghfdofrjobo would be a great addition. We need one more here.

CB-Two more are likely. Who will they be?

Load up on Skill.

I wouldn’t say no Garnett, but I don’t think OL needs to be a priority since we got Stanley last week.

I love our 3 receivers, but I would feel much better if we got one or two more. Ditto for DB.

I still think we’re good at RB. Take Russell if he wants to come, but don’t reach for anyone.

We seem to be committed to another WR, a LB, and 2 DBs (a Safety and CB). How torn (or committed) is Brian Poole?

After that, whiskey can crunch the numbers for us.

This staff is impressive, starting recruiting 2013 with the USC game or before, forming relationships. Like last year, I think they are already filling pieces in from 2013 on whom what positions and players they want. McNamara may not be a huge miss if they get Adam Breneman. With an OT commitment of Steve Elmer, perhaps OL for this year is done.

There will always be a transfer or two. Plus there are some rumors out there are a couple of the guys may not be able to continue playing due to injury.

Greenbury and Darby for now. Shepard enrolls in 29 days, I just don’t see that changing.
Six spots left. Kiel soon……
I like our chances with Poole and Shumate, as their parents have been in ND’s corner…..
Pelini couldn’t keep Westerkamp from visiting ND, he’s ours…… Alfords on Agholor, that’s a good thing……Armani Reeves will flip from PSU and join his friend Will Mahone.

FWIW

next Wed or Thurs……It’s us or UW….. I like our chances.

Pete Sampson of IrishIllustrated on Whiskeys “coachspeak aricle”

gonna get Russell

Being out on vacation really pulls from my OFD time pool, but here are my thoughts:

QB – Kiel is a coin-flip at this point. LSU is coming on strong, including the kids at his high school chanting “LSU” when he was awarded the Indiana Mr. Football award. I really don’t know what to make of it other than he has said (1) he wants to stay close to home, (2) wants a good education, and (3) isn’t concerned about playing right away. All of those signs point to ND or Vandy, but you never know

RB – I actually don’t like the chances with Russell as much as others. I get nervous when a kid has his home state school as one of his two finalists. You never know though…

WR – Agholor and Neal are the two big fish here. Not sure about this Westerkamp kid, since it is all pretty new. I think ND gets at least one

TE – McNamara comes if Eifert leaves. He wants to play right away and isn’t likely to jump into the crowded TE rotation if Eifert is back.

OL – Garnett wants to be a doctor and stayed with the voodoo child on his OV. He is also looking at Stanford. The OL depth chart is pretty full, and he projects at OG. I don’t think that he comes to ND in the end, but that is just a gut feeling (I think he goes to Stanford)

DL – Armstead is still out there and says he doesn’t yet know. Many think he is a lock for Cal, I am not so sure. Your guess is as good as mine here

LB – Odenigbo and Ekanem are both in play here. Odenigbo has education as priority #1 and is looking at Stanford and Northwestern in addition to ND. I like the chances there. Ekanem just blew up his knee, which postponed his OV until Jan. I think if ND misses on Odenigbo, then Ekanem ends up in SB. Miles is probably only in play if Agholor commits, but he really enjoyed his OV to Florida.

DB – I have thought for a while that Shumate will probably end up Irish. I was surprised (pleasantly) that Wright had such a great time/impression of the university. It was his first OV though, so I wonder if he will be as impressed with other schools.

Upcoming announcements
Kiel decides before Christmas – ND, Vandy, LSU, OVs to all three, Unoff Visits to all three
Russell decides 12/28 or 29 – ND, Wash
McNamara is EE, as discussed – prob not ND. OVs beside Irish – Cal (12/2), Okla (12/16)

No more OVs scheduled
Garnett – Stanford (11/19), Michigan (11/26), ND (12/9)
Odenigbo – ND (10/22), Stanford (11/11), NW (12/2), Ohio St (Unoff)
Armstead – ND(10/22), Ala(11/4), Ore(11/18), Cal(12/9), USC & UCLA (Unoff)
Shumate – South Carolina (11/11), Rutgers (12/9), ND (12/16)
Payton – Mich (9/10), ND (10/22), Cal (12/10)
Westercamp – Nebr soft verbal, ND (12/16)

More OV scheduled
Wright – Has visited ND and Mich. OVs to Rutgers (1/20) and Georgia (1/27)
Davonte Neal – Has visited ND. OVs to Ohio State (1/13) and Ark (1/20)
Ekanem – OVs to VaTech (1/20) and ND (1/27)
Andrades – OVs to ND (1/14) and Ark (1/20)
Miles – Has visited ND and Fla. OV to W.Va (1/13). Only ND has not offered
Agholor – OVs taken to ND, Fla, Okla. Has not scheduled any more yet.

Devin Fuller has evidenced interest in the Irish. OVs Nebr and Rutgers. No ND visit scheduled yet.
Zach Banner has narrowed his top 2 to Wash or USC (OV 1/13)

I’d bet
Cox goes to Michigan State, having made 1 OV and three Unofficials. His other OVs were to Ohio State and Wisconsin.

Ishmael Adams’ top 2 are Arizona State and Cal. ND is third.

I think Brian Poole stays with Florida. Just a hunch. If Alford pulls him away, that’s a huge coup.

From Jordan Westercamp’s coach on his visit (from ISD): "He had a great visit," Montini Catholic head coach Chris Andriano told Irish Sports Daily on Tuesday. "I talked to him today. He’s trying to figure it out now. He’s definitely very interested in Notre Dame. I think he’s sitting down with the family and figuring it out over Christmas here."

"He really enjoyed the campus," the coach said. "He really enjoyed the facilities. He enjoyed the players and the coaches. He got a chance to see a bowl practice. He likes what he’s seeing from the offense. There are a lot of positives, it’s closer to home. There are a just a lot of good positives right now. He’s got to weigh everything and sit down and go over everything with mom and dad. The education from Notre Dame, the whole picture over there was really, really good."

"He would fit very easily into that style," he said. "He can play multiple places. He’s very versatile that way. He could be a position-guy, he could be on the outside. He knows how to run good routes and get down the field. He could play in any spot really in their offense."

"He felt really comfortable around those guys, that’s what he told me….There are some guys from the area. There are a couple of guys on the team that he’s played against, that he knows…He felt very comfortable."

"There’s a lot of pressure on the kid now," Andriano said. "No matter what, he’s got to figure out what’s best for him and his situation. He’s got to go with it and there’s no looking back. He’s got to make that decision and sign Feb. 1st and then it’s gung-ho."

"I think he would love to try to decide in the next week," the coach said. "He really loved Nebraska when he was there and now he really loved Notre Dame when he was there. He’s really just trying to make sure he takes a step back, looks at everything again and talks everything over at home. I think it’ll probably take a week or so to get this thing figured out. He just wants to sit on it for a minute here and take a breath."

Scout has an article that Shumate said he “fell in love” with Notre Dame during his visit.

Banner has announced a final three – Wash, USC or Oklahoma

According to an LSU recruiting Analyst…To be honest, im kind of happy. I get the feeling were gonna pull Fuller now, who impressed me a lot more with the film. That kid is an athlete. Plus, we still got EG.

a great chance for Shumate and Wright. What a DB haul that’d be.

Gunner Kiel to LSU.

We cah haz Devin Fuller now?

Getting a QB this year was a want not a requirement. They have three veteran QBs returning. It would have been great to have gotten a kid as good as Kiel, but it would have been a bonus. Players like Shumate, Russell, Wright, Odenigbo and Garnett or Banner are bigger needs than another QB.

As for Fuller, he looks like he would be a good fit, but if he goes elsewhere, no big deal.

For the 2013, the scholarship count is 15 current Juniors and possibly three fifth years.

Colorado and Oklahoma

After watching Cal’s performance during the 1st half. One of their top prospects 5-star S Shaq Thompson tweets: “Cal idk.. still Open.”

Notre Dame, Stanford, Michigan

definitely do not have a good feeling about either of them

(obviously mispelled, my bad) Has us in his top three..Think we have a realistic shot with him, thats great news. Said his family "cant drive to california’ (referring to stanford)…Hed be a great pickup.

Daje Johnson, who committed to TCU back in March, may visit the Irish later this month. Daje has recently made OVs to Cal and may visit Baylor. Johnson has 4.34 speed with a 40" vertical.

Article edited for Thompson’s, Payton’s and Banner’s final choices.

News, anyone? I heard he narrowed his top 5 down and we were in it. I know he’s a heavy Cal lean, but anyone have an update?

his last two OVs – FSU and USC.

Amir Carlisle.

Carlisle’s transfer, Darby’s decommitment, Westercamp solid to Nebraska.