The 2nd domino falls as DB Ben Minch gave his verbal to the Irish. FWIW he apparently did not have a Ohio State offer. Last up is the Kansas Speedster!
Sad news OL Joey Tanoma a 4 star player from Zionsville Indiana who was in a bad car accident not long after he enrolled in January, suffered a traumatic brain injury (severe concussion) and has medically retired. He remains in school and will be on a medical scholarship and be able to get his degree.
Should be in the fold tomorrow! Then we need to add two more in August (RB and WR)and we should end up with a pretty good class.
Kansas Speedster is Irish! I really look forward to having someone like him to do punt returns, kickoff returns and some running back as well.
Looks good on video but....I've been fooled before. We'll see. From the interview I heard he sounds like a great young man for sure.
That's why I don't read many practice reports or watch practice videos anymore Tim. I've been fooled before, they all look great in practice. Got bigger, stronger, faster over the summer. We don't know anything till they suit up and the opponent is on the other sideline!!
I understand that CJ Stroud is feeling good about this season and showed up for fall practice with a new $150,000 Bentley. Guess that shows we don’t need to worry about how 18-22 yr old college students can handle tons of cash thrown at them. I understand those cars hold their value well. Not sure on gas mileage. I’m sure this could be just a rumor though
It's part of his endorsement deal with a NE Ohio luxury auto dealer to promote the dealership. Part of the deal is that he gets to keep the car for the 2022 season. More power to him! https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2022/06/08/ohio-state-cj-stroud-gets-bentley-nil-deal-car-dealership/7555661001/
Maybe he’ll dot the i with it. Love this NIL crap. I guess my old fashion views of college football athletics is way out of step for these kids and this game now.
Kids, esp QB's, all over college are getting car deals and driving some really expensive vehicles. First one I remember was the OU Heisman QB hopeful, Spencer Rattler, who of course as we know didn't work out for OU or the Car deal It's the way things are these days. I'm not esp happy about the way it's changed college football but I'm glad kids are getting some money, and the vast majority are just getting some money. For a long time I was in the school of isn't a free education and all the things that athletes get that regular students don't get, but then the money got so ridiculous in the game that something had to give. I'd have preferred it turn out a bit differently than the free for all we are seeing right now. But the genie is out of the bottle and he's not going back in the bottle. More power to CJ Stroud.
I'm not a fan of this new game either, but that train has long since left the station and it ain't turning back. Far be it from me to be critical of a kid taking advantage of opportunities presented them by virtue of their success, talent and hard work.
Back to ND football. I didn't know much about the latest OL verbal, but in reading about him not only is he a really good prospect but both of his parents went to Penn State, so for him to come to ND is a big win for Freeman, Rees, and HH. OL recruiting on the 2nd iteration of HH has been excellent. Some didn't want HH back because he was perceived as a reluctant recruiter and pretty much quit on Kelly his last year (recruiting that is) but no doubt that was one of the conversations that Freeman had before bringing him back to coach the OL.
Right now my biggest concern with ND recruiting is somehow holding on to Keely and Bowen. This is where NIL is likely playing a big part. Both chose ND and at least said all the right things about the staff, the academics as a priority, etc. But as is the norm these days that doesn't stop the recruiting and now other schools who may or may not have better situations from a NIL standpoint come into paly. There was a time when once a player gave his verbal for the most part teams stopped recruiting them. I remember Mack Brown not allowing any player who gave his verbal to take anymore visits. Not the case anymore. It's not just ND guys it's everybody. If you have a highly ranked player it's a race to get to Dec and get him signed.