I hope so Tim, I've been stuck in redzone hell for awhile now...the Irish and the Texans. Funny thing is with the Texans we've had a great running game before the current skid and 3 Pro-Bowlers on the OL and Arian Foster at RB one of the best...but we've settled so many times for FG's. It's out that Alex Welch and Lo Wood will take their degrees and move on to some place that they can play next year. Good luck to those guys but Welch was going to be behind Nikklas and Koyack next year and maybe a couple of the Sophs. Lo Wood was never going to see the field. I'm glad they both will leave with their degrees, rarely works out that I'm aware of at least for these guys doing much more than playing out the string at some place else, but if you've got the bug it's hard to give up on the dream of being a starter and having a shot at the NFL.
Remaining targets for the Irish and their 247 ranking. 13 (previously 12). JuJu Smith 21 (19). Solomon Thomas 52 (49). Michiah Quick 56 (56). Nyles Morgan 61 (63). Thomas Holley 64 (61). Braden Smith 65 (65). Quenton Nelson 72 (70). Allen Lazard 92 (91). Alex Bars 93 (89). Justin Brent 100 (99). Dalton Schultz 120 (119). Tyler Luatua 124 (122). Nick Watkins 131 (129). Matt Elam I'd love to get JuJu, Morgan, Holley (not likely), Smith, Lazzard, Watkins, Elam, and Luatua (who once was a lock but now "wavering"). I'm not sure about Lazzard though, he's been committed to Iowa State so long now that supposedly he he wants to come to ND but is having trouble with bailing on Iowa State where his brother is a player.
:idea: I watched JuJu Smith the other night. His team, Long Beach Poly, was eliminated in the 2nd round of the playoffs by Mater Dei. JuJu Smith was easily the best player in that game and that is really saying something! Since the 1920's, Poly has produced more NFL players than any other high school in the nation and Mater Dei has produced as many as anyone since the 1950's. When Poly got down and desperate, they played JuJu both ways; as a safety on defense and tailback on offense. They also played him at QB out of the Wildcat formation and he never left the field. He's a muscular kid who looks like he has an NFL future... Luatua is a beastie boy tight end who can run and block. He's in the mold of the Notre Dame TEs that we've seen for decades now. He's was rumored to be a USC silent lean, but all that changed today when the Trojans hired Sarkisian. Ed Oregon walked out and the players are furious. Sarkisian is seen as a Kiffin clone and there may be transfers as well as decommitments......Luatua is back in the mix... http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24315395/report-usc-interim-coach-ed-orgeron-resigns-will-not-coach-bowl