I'm sure everybody by now has read the reports from Kelly's media session around a charity golf tournament his foundation sponsored. They are at 86 players and it's not clear exactly how they'll get to 85. Will there be a transfer this summer, a medical retirement, a dismissal. Trevor Ruhland is still trying to come back from another surgery, and Kelly was vague about his future. Then there is Javon McKinley who was arrested in the spring and seemingly has survived that. Also Kevin Austin who is maybe our most talented receiver but has been in Kelly's doghouse now for awhile Kelly did comment that he's improving and working his way back, nobody has ever said what he did to get there, but clearly he has run afoul of the culture Kelly wants for the team. He wouldn't commit to Austin playing in the 1st game, so makes you wonder if he'll be another Dexter Williams situation. The positive is that Donte Vaughn is healthy and ready to contribute. Most of what I read is that it's not sure that he'll be a starter, maybe backup at CB and nickle CB. I don't know if he graduated in May or will Graduate this summer. I'd like to see him stay and contribute, but we'll have to wait and see. The 2 LB's Marist Liufau and JD Bertrand, they signed in Feb but they don't have scholarships. Bertrand must be a pretty good student as one article I read said he might be on Academic Scholarship and a PWO. But Kelly was adamant that they will both be on the roster this fall. Academically the 2018 posted a 3.007 combined GPA this year, the best in 8 years. So that's a positive thing. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens over the summer to get us to 85 men, and who Kelly will name Captains. Alohi Gillman seems like a lock but who else.
It's the same all across college football, and all the transfers and the portal has made managing the roster to 85 an issue.
Kp, I had to chuckle when I read the responses about Saban. Amazing how some of us seem to think someone like Saban is immortal!
No Saban is not immortal (gasp!) He deals with the same challenges as all of the other top programs deal with.
My nephew, Ben Harris who lives in Oklahoma City area, and plays QB and has started and won all of his games as a freshman and sophmore including 2 State Championships in the 5A category will be at the Notre Dame Quarterback Academy this weekend. He's a great kid, a really good baseball player as well and also plays basketball, but he's not a starter in basketball. He's going to Missouri as well this week, he's been to Iowa State. So far though he hasn't gotten any offers that I'm aware of and I don't know why. Here's a link to his highlights on MaxPreps. Watch Video "Ben Harris's highlights Claremore High School"
Please don’t misinterpret my comment ref Saban. I don’t mean to give him any praise. I’m just curious about him and other coaches who seem take as many commits as they want each year and find some way to stay at 85.
Tim, I certainly didn't mistake your statement as "praise". Its ok, I've learned to recognize what is and what is not "praise".
Irish fired baseball coach Mik Aoki today. He was here 9 years probably should have been let go 2 years ago. We just have not been competitive under his direction. I don't know where they will be looking, but I hope they find a good one.
Notre Dame has landed a commitment from Middletown (N.J.) Mater Dei three-star cornerback Clarence Lewis. The 6-1, 185-pounder from the class of 2020, fresh off his official visit to check out the Fighting Irish, chose Notre Dame over offers from Boston College, Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Nebraska and many others.
I don't know much about him, I do know that DB recruiting has been a concern for the 2020 class so getting a verbal from a DB is a good thing. Both ISD and Irish Illustrated guys think he has a lot of upside even though he's rated as a 3 star. He's a 2 way player at WR and DB, but ND is looking at him as a DB since that is a position of need. They are also hopeful to pickup a verbal from a kid named Landen Bartleson of Kentucky who is also a 3 star kid. There is a DE named Mitchell Melton from Good Counsel in Maryland who is the top target on the DL since we lost the kid to Michigan. He was at the Irish Invasion and reportedly had a good visit and is a good fit for ND academically and socially, parents like ND. He still has visits to Ohio State and Michigan before he is supposed to announce early in July.
on the Lewis kid, the staff of Irish Sports Illustrated all like him a lot, and said the ND staff really wanted him.
new Commit! Notre Dame boasts one of the most talented defensive line classes in the 2020 recruiting class and the 2021 class got off to a heck of a start as Lutheran (Mo.) defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio has committed to the Fighting Irish. The 6-foot-5, 275-pounder committed to head coach Brian Kelly on Friday afternoon as the four-star prospect is in South Bend for the Lineman’s Challenge on Saturday.
Picked up a 2021 OL, Indiana kid (Avon), Blake Fisher highly rated. Quinn is a great recruiter, last year the OL was good not great and more than a few felt like he was not a good pick by Kelly. I don't know if that was a a fair assessment, might be driven by his history with Kelly. But you can't be critical of his efforts recruiting
Nice! Yeah, the kid is 6'6" and 325lbs? Wow!! I think the jury is out on his coaching abilities(Quinn) but he gets a A on recruiting. I'm not sure last season was a good one to judge him on as he had some pretty big losses to fill.
Picked up Michael Carmody today an OL out of Pennsylvania. His brother plays basketball for the Irish. He's another OT, a bit raw as last year was his first as an OL, he'd been a TE before that, he also plays basketball. The Atteberry kid from Colorado is out as they are only going to take 2 OL this year. Remember Deon McIntosh? Well he's going to Wash State and will play this fall. He had promise for the Irish till he ran afoul of some off the field issues.