Tag: Brian Kelly

Notre Dame Football: Four-Star QB Drew Pyne Signs with Irish

In case you forgot because you’ve been swept up in Buchner-mania or whatever you’d like to call it – here’s a quick reminder:

Drew Pyne is really good at football.

Way back in mid-April of 2018 quarterback Drew Pyne of New Canaan, Connecticut made his commitment to Notre Dame as he gave his verbal commitment.

Not because of anything he did or failed to but more because of the insane numbers that 2021 Notre Dame commit Tyler Buchner put up this season in Southern California, it seems like Pyne has essentially been forgotten about by parts of the Notre Dame fanbase.

In case you forgot because you’ve been swept up in Buchner-mania or whatever you’d like to call it – here’s a quick reminder:

Drew Pyne is really good at football.

In his senior year Pyne threw for over 2000 yards and surpassed the 9000 passing yards for his high school career.  He also threw 54 touchdown passes to just 13 interceptions over the last two seasons as his New Canaan squad finished his senior year with a 9-3 record.

The 6-0, 194 pound Pyne chose Notre Dame over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State and plenty of others.

//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/7600673/5dc07a40b3c83d0e643c5fe0

247Sports ranks Pyne as the seventh best pro-style quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class.

Notre Dame Football: Three Star WR Xavier Watts Signs with Irish

Notre Dame beat out in-state Nebraska who Notre Dame coaches at one point thought were getting a commitment from Watts. 

 

Notre Dame went to the heartland and took a three-star wide reciever right out of Nebraska, Iowa and Iowa State’s backyard when they landed Xavier Watts on National Signing Day.

Watts checks in as the second rated prospect this year from the state of Nebraska, but its worth noting that he’s ranked 75th among receivers nationally, per 247Sports.

The 6-1 Watts had 1072 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 games as a high school senior at Burke High School in Omaha, Nebraska.  Notre Dame beat out in-state Nebraska who Notre Dame coaches at one point thought were getting a commitment from Watts.

Watts will enroll at Notre Dame in January and be on campus for spring practice.

Notre Dame Football: Three-Star CB Clarence Lewis Signs with Irish

Lewis was offered a scholarship by Notre Dame on in May and gave his verbal commitment in June after making his first official visit to campus.

A somewhat under the radar prospect in Clarence Lewis signed his National Letter of Intent with Notre Dame, adding to their impressive haul in the 2020 recruiting class.

A Middletown, New Jersey (Mater Dei High School) product, Lewis ranks as the 17th best prospect in the state of New Jersey this year.

Lewis was offered a scholarship by Notre Dame on in May and gave his verbal commitment in June after making his first official visit to campus.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqEGE-YtJkk&w=560&h=315]

He committed quickly after receiving an offer but also had offers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue, Kentucky and Virginia.

Notre Dame Football: Five-Star Receiver Jordan Johnson Signs with Irish

With the playmakers in this class you can easily see why this recruiting class is expected to be much more impactful for Notre Dame than some of the ranking spots it has received.

Notre Dame swing for the fences and hit an absolutely mammoth home run in this recruiting cycle when Jordan Johnson’s National Letter of Intent arrived Wednesday.

Johnson, a St. Louis product is a five-star recruit and the most highly-regarded receiver Notre Dame has landed during Brian Kelly’s ten years at the helm.

Johnson had 26 different offers and some thought he may explore elsewhere after Chip Long’s departure but that proved to not be the case Wednesday.

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M, USC and Wisconsin were just a few of the traditional powers to offer Johnson.

His junior highlights are a bit old by now but these are the best compilation of Johnson’s work I could find.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmD5pi3HcAE&w=560&h=315]

I can’t put into words how big of a get this is for Brian Kelly and his staff.  247Sports ranks Johnson as the highest recruit that Notre Dame has landed since Michael Floyd in 2008 and the third best since 2000, with only Duval Kamara also being ranked ahead of him.

Couple him with Tyree and Notre Dame has their second and third offensive skill position players to sign on with Notre Dame and come with a five-star ranking since Brian Kelly took over in 2010.

With the playmakers in this class you can easily see why this recruiting class is expected to be much more impactful for Notre Dame than some of the ranking spots it has received.

Notre Dame Football: DT Aidan Keanaaina Signs with Irish

Keanaaina chose Notre Dame over offers from the likes of Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and USC among others.

Notre Dame continued to see the signed letters of intent pour in Wednesday as Aidan Keanaaina of Denver’s was the sixth to arrive.

Keanaaina is a defensive tackle and is listed as three-star recruit on 247Sports.

Keanaaina chose Notre Dame over offers from the likes of Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and USC among others.

The 6-3, 292 pound defensive tackle will participate in the Polynesian Bowl on January 18, a game you can watch on CBS Sports Network.

Notre Dame Football: Four-Star OL Michael Carmody Signs with Irish

now they officially have a young man from Mars.

Brian Kelly has spoke often about being willing to play anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Apparently that philosophy also applies to recruiting. As you read earlier today, Kelly’s staff was able to land Alexander Ehrensberger from Germany in this recruiting class and now they officially have a young man from Mars.

Mars, Pennsylvania that is.

6-6, 285 pound offensive tackle Michael Carmody signed his NLI Wednesday and will enter Notre Dame as one of the most highly-regarded offensive tackles in the nation this year.

Carmody chose Notre Dame while holding offers and making official visits to Ohio State, Texas A&M and Penn State.

Carmody will enroll at Notre Dame this coming summer.

Notre Dame Football: Cornerback Landon Bartleson Signs with Irish

Bartleson is listed at 6-1, 182 pounds and originally committed to Notre Dame back in June of this year.

Signee number four of Wednesday morning was three-star cornerback Landon Bartleson of Danville, Kentucky (Boyle County High School).

Bartleson chose Notre Dame over the likes of Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan and Colorado.

If you’d like to see his speed on display the best example of that would be this touchdown run early this past September.

Bartleson is listed at 6-1, 182 pounds and originally committed to Notre Dame back in June of this year.

Notre Dame Football: 5-Star RB Chris Tyree Signs with Irish

An easy way to see how big of signing a player can be is by looking at other schools to offer them and as Tyree’s list includes but is not limited to the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, its easy to see good of player he is.

Perhaps the biggest name of the day to sign a letter of intent for Notre Dame has officially done so as Chris Tyree is officially a member of Notre Dame’s 2020 recruiting haul.

Tyree is a speedy, shifty all-purpose back that comes with a five-star grade from 247Sports and ranked as the 25th highest player nationwide in this 2020 class.

An easy way to see how big of signing a player can be is by looking at other schools to offer them and as Tyree’s list includes but is not limited to the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, its easy to see good of player he is.

Running backs coach Lance Taylor and former offensive coordinator Chip Long hit a long home run with this signing.

//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/7857094/5bb2467ad4684b106c54e75a

Tyree enters Notre Dame as the most coveted recruit at running back since perhaps Julius Jones.  It’s feels safe to say if you aren’t already familiar with his work that you’ll quickly become familiar with what the captain of the Under Armour All-American Game has to offer.

Tyree is scheduled to enroll in June of 2020.

You can find a fantastic write up on Tyree here.

Notre Dame Football: Kevin Bauman Signs with Irish

Kevin Bauman, four-star tight end out of Red Bank, New Jersey was the second player to send his in Wednesday morning.

Some things we’ve known for weeks, months and in some cases years are becoming official today as the early signing period has officially opened.

Notre Dame is hot out of the gate this morning as the class of 2020 sends in their National Letters of Intent.

Kevin Bauman, four-star tight end out of Red Bank, New Jersey was the second player to send his in Wednesday morning.

Bauman is listed at 6’5” and 235 pounds and chose Notre Dame over the likes of Boston College, Michigan, Nebraska and North Carolina, originally commiting all the way back in June of 2018.

Bauman is listed as the fifth best tight end in the nation by Rivals and the second best player in the state of New Jersey.

Notre Dame’s National Signing Day: Five Things to Know

Five-star wide receiver Jordan Johnson hadn’t announced if he was going to announce his signing on Wednesday and some took that as him not being thrilled with Chip Long’s departure and what it meant for his commitment.

 

The early period for recruits in the class of 2020 to sign their letters of intent is upon us and it promises to be a huge day for the future of Notre Dame football.

The first commitment was announced by the Notre Dame football Twitter account around 1:30 AM ET on Wednesday with the official announcement coming from German prospect, Alexander Ehrensberger, a three-star defensive end.

In what will be a huge day in shaping the landscape of college football for the next few years here are five things you should know about Notre Dame’s day:

1:  Size Matters (at least in rankings):

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