a quick recruiting recap if you need something to pass the time Spoiler In the debut of our weekly feature, Sinclair’s Mid-Week Recruiting Rundown, Kevin Sinclair runs down the stories he’s tracking on the Notre Dame recruiting front, adding the context that you need to know. There's a Dead Period in the July recruiting calendar. But that's misnomer. Even with Irish Invasion and The Opening in the rear view mirror, Notre Dame recruiting has picked up pace this month. Four prospects could be close to coming off the board, decisions that will shape this class, one way or another. In the debut of our weekly feature, Sinclair's Mid-Week Recruiting Rundown, Kevin Sinclair runs down the stories he's tracking on the Notre Dame recruiting front, adding the context that you need to know. Jayson Oweh Blair AcademyBlairstown, NJ 6'5" / 236 lbs / 4.63s VERIFIED DE RANK12 NJ DE RANK2 EAST DE RANK3 OFFERS22 106 Analysis Oweh, a one-time basketball prospect, made the move to football and it is paying off in a big way. Oweh has a nice upside because of his burst, athleticism and his length at a premium position. He explodes well, which is more evident when he plays tight end because he needs to be quicker in his get-off at the snap. He can get past the right tackle and closes well. He knows how to use his length and lateral movement. Oweh must continue to get stronger and work on his technique. It is solid, particularly because he has quick hands, but proper footwork and adding moves will help greatly. -- Brian Dohn CLOSE Remember with Jayson Oweh was a developmental prospect? How about when he planned to take his official visits? That all feels like a long time ago now. Earlier this month Oweh cut his list to Notre Dame, Penn State and Ohio State, with plans to commit by month's end follow another round of visits. Last Friday, Oweh arrived at Penn State for their Lasch Bash event where he reported a 4.46 40-yard dash time. He also told Scout regional analyst Brian Dohn that Penn State had moved into a tie with Ohio State for his commitment. However, Notre Dame should get Oweh back to campus on July 20. But, the 6-foot-5, 236-pound weak-side end will take his final visit to Ohio State on July 21 during their Friday Night Lights camp. Will the talent in Columbus turn him off the Buckeyes? And do they actually have room to add Oweh? Will his parents push for Notre Dame and their top education? Did James Franklin execute a strong enough recruiting strategy to sway the promising prospect to Happy Valley? Tommy Tremble Johns Creek HSAlpharetta, GA 6'4" / 225 lbs / 4.63s VERIFIED TE RANKNR OFFERS22 Notre Dame wants a second tight end, especially if it's Tommy Tremble. Chip Long executed an effective recruiting strategy during Tremble's unofficial visit to Notre Dame last month. The 6-foot-4, 222-pound prospect left South Bend with the Irish high on his list. After a trip out West to visit UCLA, Tremble announced a Top 6 of Fresno State, Georgia, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee and UCLA. On Friday, Tremble took a final visit to Georgia. Shortly after, the three-star prospect informed Irish Illustrated that Georgia had moved into a tie with Notre Dame atop his list. After mulling his decision with his parents, Tremble decided he will take official visits in the fall before making a commitment. Given Tremble's fit in Long's offense as well as his Ivy League-level academic traits, the Irish should be in strong position to pair Tremble with Florida tight end George Takacs. Donte Burton Central Gwinnett HSLawrenceville, GA 5'11" / 172 lbs CB RANK76 GA CB RANK7 SOUTH CB RANK31 OFFERS27 Cornerback may be the most important position group in Notre Dame's current cycle. Donte Burton moved his original Notre Dame visit date up from July 29 to July 15. Prior to his trip to South Bend, Burton had expressed high interest in the Irish and had built a strong bond with cornerbacks coach Todd Lyght. Before heading home, Burton told Irish Illustrated that the Irish had claimed the top spot on his list. But Notre Dame will have to wait until early September for Burton's decision. The 5-foot-11, 176-pound prospect hopes to visit Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pittsburgh and West Virginia before making his final decision. According to Burton's father, the Irish will be hard to top as Burton was close to pulling the trigger while in South Bend. Dexter Burton stated that he was surprised more corners from the South aren't, "knocking down Notre Dame's door." The Irish have a great shot at adding Burton to their class. Jack Lamb Great Oak HSTemecula, CA 6'4" / 220 lbs OLB RANK5 CA OLB RANK3 WEST OLB RANK4 OFFERS27 112 Analysis He has great size and length, is a high level athlete who can run, play in space, make plays down the field in coverage, rush the passer and plays with a non-stop motor. He has the versatility to play inside or outside in college and has a chance to be a very special player at the next level. -- Biggins CLOSE Jack Lamb hasn't announced that he's down to two finalists, but the four-star linebacker's recruitment feels like a Notre Dame vs. UCLA battle heading toward training camp. And while the 6-foot-4, 225-pound linebacker has looked like a pre-season commitment type, the Irish might need this to drag out a bit longer. Irish Illustrated has learned that Lamb wanted to make an official visit to Notre Dame to check out a game day weekend. He's seen UCLA in the Rose Bowl but hasn't experienced Notre Dame Stadium in that same way. As of now, it's a toss up between the in-state Bruins and the Irish. If Lamb holds off his decision until he has taken an official at Notre Dame during a September home matchup, the Irish would gain important momentum. Thomas Booker Gilman SchoolBaltimore, MD 6'4" / 260 lbs DE RANK15 MD DE RANK2 EAST DE RANK5 OFFERS26 135 Analysis Booker is being recruited as a defensive lineman and a tight end, and his path will become more clear as the spring progresses. However, he is impressive in a number of spots. On the defensive side, Booker is quick and powerful at the snap. He is able to gain leverage and push the offensive lineman back. He is quick with his hands and he disengages well before going after the ball carrier. He has good closing speed when going after the quarterback, and he is agile enough to drop into coverage. As a tight end, he releases from the line of scrimmage well and he locates the ball quickly. He needs to make sure his hands stay away from his body when he catches the ball. He is big and physical, but needs to tighten his route running when going into and coming out of breaks. -- Brian Dohn CLOSE When Stanford offered Thomas Booker back on June 9 it felt like a matter of time before the Cardinal got its man. Yet on July 2, Booker tweeted that he was just starting to narrow his list. So is the four-star defensive lineman from Maryland not the lock for Palo Alto that he's been made out to be? Notre Dame has been in close contact with the 6-foot-4, 280-pound strong-side end ever since and nearly got him back to campus last month. A death in the family ended up cancelling that visit. Yes, Booker took summer classes at Stanford and the Cardinal should have a familiarity edge. And yet, Booker was also a prep teammate of Irish commitment Ja'mion Franklin earlier in their careers. It's also worth wondering if Booker will grow into a defensive tackle in college, a position where the Irish have Franklin and Jayson Ademilola committed. Assuming Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa shifts inside, that would give Notre Dame five defensive tackles in a two-year window. Safety recruiting Last Monday, three-star safety D'Angelo McKenzie visited Notre Dame. Before making the trip from San Jose, McKenzie informed Irish Illustrated he had work to do on his ACT and SAT before being eligible at Notre Dame, his top school. But will Notre Dame actually take a second safety this cycle? Notre Dame has Isaiah Robertson and Jordan Genmark-Heath in the freshman class, with Navy transfer Alohi Gilman working to get eligible. With four-star Derrik Allen on board, passing on a second prospect at the position makes some sense. This brought up the question of whether Notre Dame will take another safety this cycle. With a promising pair of safeties taken last cycle in Isaiah Robertson and Jordan Genmark-Heath, plus the addition of proven college starter Alohi Gilman via transfer and one of the top '18 safeties in Derrik Allen firmly committed, the Irish could pass on adding another safety. Paul Moala, Chigozie Anusiem and Julius Irvin are in play, but only Moala has visited. Offensive line recruiting Harry Hiestand is swinging high this year. The Irish need four offensive linemen this cycle to rebalance the depth chart after a couple smaller classes higher up the roster. Cole Mabry and John Dirksen are on board, but Notre Dame wants to go higher up the board for its remaining spots. Will Craig Granite Bay HSGranite Bay, CA 6'5" / 265 lbs OT RANK25 CA OT RANK2 WEST OT RANK4 OFFERS17 Analysis Craig shows up well on film on both sides of the ball but we like his upside highest as an offensive tackle. He was the OL MVP at the Nike Opening Regional Camp in Oakland and shows the natural athleticism to be a dominant tackle in college. He moves well, has good lateral mobility, is equally strong as a run blocker or pass protector and is among the most talented line prospects out West- Biggins CLOSE Will Craig was winding down his recruitment. Then Notre Dame offered. Now Craig will take an official visit to Notre Dame before making his final decision. Several Pac 12 programs have made strong headway with the four-star tackle and Nebraska is a school often mentioned when talking top schools. Notre Dame should have a good shot at landing Craig, who appears to be a good fit for the Irish. Nick Petit-Frere Berkeley Preparatory SchoolTampa, FL 6'6" / 274 lbs OT RANK6 FL OT RANK1 SOUTH OT RANK3 OFFERS20 38 Analysis Petit-Frere has to dedicate time to the weight room and pack on weight over the next couple of years, but is a fluid athlete who can really bend and get underneath his opponent in the trenches. He plays with tenacity until it's time to huddle up for the following play. Petit-Frere does a good job of pumping his legs and driving through his opponent, and is always looking to put his opponent flat on their back. Petit-Frere is jam-packed with long-term potential. CLOSE Hiestand would love to add Top 50 tackle Nick Petit-Frere. The 6-foot-6, 274-pound Florida prospect has a loaded offer list and is being pursued heavily by Alabama, Clemson, Michigan and Ohio State. Petit-Frere is an elite student and comes from a strong Christian private school. There is no doubt Petit-Frere is a fit at Notre Dame. But it will be a dogfight for his signature. Petit-Frere told Irish Illustrated that he will likely narrow down his list in the coming weeks. Jamaree Salyer Pace AcademyAtlanta, GA 6'4" / 342 lbs / 5.66s VERIFIED OG RANK1 GA OG RANK1 SOUTH OG RANK1 OFFERS19 8 Analysis Sophomore Eval: Immediately Salyer passes the eye test, but there is more to him than that. He is very light on his feet for a young 300-pounder. He is likely a guard or center on the next level and he has the ability to get to the second level, move in space, and get down the field. He is a natural bender, so his flexibility is good. Salyer is still very raw in some areas and balance is one. He needs to have a more solid base and work on his sets. He is strong at the point of attack, he is very smart and he has so much upside. CLOSE When Jamaree Salyer visited Notre Dame this summer with his parents it raised a few eyebrows. Then Salyer said the Irish had moved into his top group with Clemson, Georgia and Stanford. Now the 6-foot-6, 345-pound behemoth will take an official visit to Notre Dame for its matchup with Georgia on September 9. Salyer would give the Irish a truly dominant prospect who could compete for time as a freshman, which makes him a rare breed.
According to the last 24 hours, they all suck if ND is recruiting them and it doesn't matter because they'll go elsewhere since the team sucks. Don't bother anymore.
just a few things to look at. 3rd down both offensively and defensively were ranked in the 60s nationally, which was absolutely appaling, mostly for the offense. pretty much the worst ND has had under BK and it made a huge difference. The line being inconsistent played a big part in that. Same can be said of red zone conversions. all in all there was just a hope of defensive suckiness to discuss. So id mainly focus on the insecurity that is the defense yet the reasons to be optimistic. my view is probably that the spread of options for ND is one of the biggest in the country. I think everything from 4 to 11 wins is possible. I dont think there have ever been many teams who outgained their opponents by almost 500 yards without a major negative turnover deficit going 4-8
If they play Freakbass on our beloved LEPROTRON, then I will concede. Until then, my answer is simply, "no."
I got the older version of these, really comfortable really light shoe regardless of the design. They may not old up for a runner, but for my ass to mess around playing stickball and stuff they are great.
Damnit. Now I might need shoes. I dig these. http://www.bkstr.com/ProductDisplay...10029&parent_category_rn=544257&storeId=10900
More proof that we have embraced the notion of shedding dead weight from the roster, which is a positive.
If the choice someone is making is between jumbotron and leptotron, it's a jumbotron. But yes, it's a video board, not a jumbotron. But do you correct everyone that calls a tissue a Kleenex? Or an adhesive bandage a band-aid?
With seemingly all of our LB targets trending away from ND, we pulled the trigger on a 3* woman out of CA http://www.scout.com/college/notre-dame/player/208722-isaak-togia
i am single now and I call my kleenex "get used to it" Yeah, I tried....that wasn't funny at all Not single but I still feel like my tissues feel that pain
Not good... Spoiler We learned on Wednesday morning that senior defensive tackle Daniel Cage will likely retire from the game of football. A source said Cage will meet with head coach Brian Kelly on Thursday to make sure that's the decision he wants to do. Another source stated Cage doesn't plan to play football in 2017 but plans to remain with the team in a role similar to that of Doug Randolph and help out around the program. However, as stated, Cage will meet with Kelly to make sure this is exactly what he wants to do on Thursday. Cage has had a history of concussions and other injuries so it's not a complete shock if he decides to hang the cleats up.
Wasn't really counting on him anyway after hearing he had knee surgery this spring. Hate to hear it for him, though, because he seemed to play relatively well for what he was asked to do when he was healthy.
FYI ndnation has their stupid little probability poll up that they do yearly. non members can vote. I suggest we troll the hell out of it. I just voted that ND will undoubtedly beat every team on the schedule.
8-4 to 10-2 I knew the D would suck. I thought the offense could carry better. I only went with 12-0 on ndnationto fuck with you @across
I'm going with an 9-3 prediction this year, pre-fall camp. Low expectations, lot's of experience, a defense with a clue, and a brand new QB to break in make me think we will ride the OL and RBs to victory.
my real prediction is 8-4, quite possibly the best ND offense since the start of BK but truly a terrible D. Gonna need to do better in close games though
S02 TEMPLE 3:30pm NBC - W S09 GEORGIA 7:30pm NBC - L S16 @ Boston College Noon ESPN - W S23 @ Michigan State 8pm Fox - Tossup S30 MIAMI(OH) 5pm NBCSN - W O07 @ North Carolina - L O21 SOUTHERN CAL 7:30pm NBC - L O28 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 3:30pm NBC - Tossup N04 WAKE FOREST 3:30pm NBC - W N11 @ Miami(FL) - L N18 NAVY 3:30pm NBC - W N25 @ Stanford - L between 5-7 and 7-5