Tag: Kaleb Smith

Notre Dame transfer wide receiver has retired from football

We wish him the best!

It was viewed as a very solid transfer recruiting win when Virginia Tech wide receiver [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag] decided to play for [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag].

Unfortunately, Smith will never play for the Irish as he has announced that he will be medically retiring from the game, citing physical and mental health issues.

It’s something that no one saw coming but Smith has to do what is best for him. We all would have liked to see him out on the field this fall but that won’t be the case. We wish Smith the best at what is next for him and hope that this time away from football helps.

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This outlet names one Notre Dame assistant who had an immediate recruiting impact

The Irish found a good one

Recruiting is the lifeblood of any college program, and [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] knows that. When he assembled his staff, not only was he looking for great coaches, but he also wanted great recruiters.

He found one in wide receivers coach [autotag]Chansi Stuckey[/autotag]. The former Clemson and NFL receiver has made a seamless transition into the coaching world. Stuckey is responsible for the Irish 2023 receiver haul that included [autotag]Braylon James[/autotag], [autotag]Jaden Greathouse[/autotag], [autotag]Rico Flores[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag]. He is off to a great start in the 2024 class with a commitment from [autotag]Cam Williams[/autotag].

This effort has caught the eye of many, including On3, which named Stuckey one of their assistant coaches who made an immediate impact on the recruiting trail.

Freeman knows he has a good one, and the expectation is Stuckey will continue to recruit well. The next step in his evolution is getting his position group to play at a higher level, which hopefully starts to show this spring and leading into the fall.

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Meet Notre Dame’s Now Complete 2023 Recruiting Class

Meet Notre Dame’s 26 current commitments in what is a top-five class nationally.

After a whirlwind couple of years the 2023 recruiting class has officially been completed at Notre Dame.  What started out tremendously hit a few snags along the way.  It closed with one of the strangest signing day stories you’ll ever see when Peyton Bowen bailed on Notre Dame for Oregon, only to change his mind and bail on Oregon for Oklahoma just a day later.

In all, Notre Dame wound up with 24 signed commitments after the second signing period in February.  It didn’t finish in the top couple of spots nationally like we had hoped after it’s tremendous start but will continue to add to the overall talent for Notre Dame.

Here are the 24 newest members of the Notre Dame football team:

Notre Dame misses out on 2023 Illinois wide receiver who elects to stay home

The Irish hat was left on the table

The Irish had their hat on the table for Illinois wide receiver [autotag]Malik Elzy[/autotag] at the [autotag]All-American Bowl[/autotag] but it really didn’t seem like [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] was a contender. Having know Elzy since his freshman year, I knew he was going to be a big-time threat.

At one point, Elzy was committed to [autotag]Cincinatti[/autotag], but when [autotag]Luke Fickell[/autotag] left to take the [autotag]Wisconsin[/autotag] job, the six-foot-two-inch and 205-pound receiver opened things up again. During the All-American game, Elzy made his decision, selecting Illinois and staying close to home.

This really doesn’t hurt the Irish, as they signed [autotag]Braylon James[/autotag], [autotag]Jaden Greathouse[/autotag], [autotag]Rico Flores[/autotag], and [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag]. [autotag]Brandyn Hillman[/autotag] could end up playing the position as well.

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Notre Dame quick to offer former Michigan wide receiver who just entered the portal

Could another portal WR be headed to South Bend?

The Irish found their quarterback this afternoon, as [autotag]Wake Forest[/autotag] graduate transfer [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] announced what many of us expected, a commitment to [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag]. Head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] knows where his team needed to focus on on the portal, offensive playmakers.

Hartman checks off a big box and previously the Irish took a commitment from former [autotag]Virginia Tech[/autotag] wide receiver [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag]. Freeman is looking for more, as an offer to former Michigan receiver [autotag]Andrel Anthony Jr.[/autotag] went out today. The mitten state native will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Anthony Jr. didn’t put up massive stats for the Wolverines, but he did show flashes of potential in catching 19 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. An average of a score every almost five touches is very impressive.

The Irish wide receiver room is very similar to what Anthony Jr. would bring, potential. [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] is the leading returning receiver with just 362 yards and 3 scores this past season. Any added veteran production would be welcomed with open arms for Notre Dame.

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Notre Dame adds transfer portal wide receiver from Virginia Tech

The Irish get a very good player from the transfer portal

Today wasn’t just about high school prospects for the Irish, it was about former [autotag]Virginia Tech[/autotag] wide receiver [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag] as well. Even though the focus was mainly on all of the signees for [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag], Smith snuck in his commitment to the Irish today as well.

This one is big for Notre Dame, as it gives the wide receiver room a player who has plenty of experience and it makes Smith the returning receiving yardage leader on the team, even though it wasn’t with the Irish. The graduate transfer caught 37 balls for 674 yards and three scores with the Hokies this past season.

The transfer recruiting win adds on to a stellar day for [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] and Notre Dame even with the loss of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] to Oregon.

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Notre Dame Football 2023 early signing day tracker

This class didn’t waste any time getting their signatures to South Bend

It is finally upon us, the hard work the Irish football staff has put in can finally but a “bow” on the 2023 recruiting cycle. Yes, there is still another point where recruits can sign, but Marcus Freeman and his staff have already maxed out the class with verbals and if everyone signs, they will be one over the normal allotment of 25 players.

A few of the verbals didn’t waste any time faxing their information over to South Bend but they should keep coming in as the day proceeds. Find out below which Irish commitments have made their Notre Dame pledges complete. (This list will be updated as the day goes on so make sure to return.)

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Notre Dame hosting Virginia Tech wide receiver transfer this weekend

He would be a great addition!

The Irish have a few needs that they are going to try and fill via the transfer portal. One of the biggest is quarterback, but there has not been much news from any of the multiple targets Notre Dame is going after. They have already found a kicker, [autotag]Spencer Shrader[/autotag], and are hosting former [autotag]Virginia Tech[/autotag] wide receiver [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag] this weekend.

Smith, a grad transfer, played his best football during his final year for the Hokies, catching 37 passes for 674 yards and three touchdowns. All of those numbers were career highs for the six-foot-two-inch and 222-pound receiver. By getting Smith to South Bend, it’s a big first step in gaining a commitment from the transfer.

The wide receiver unit struggled mightily this fall and with tight end [autotag]Michael Mayer[/autotag] leaving, the need to add more talent really is paramount. [autotag]Lorenzo Styles Jr.[/autotag] suffered through a sophomore slump after it looked like he was primed for a breakout after a huge [autotag]PlayStation Fiesta Bowl[/autotag] last year.

[autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] showed flashed, but wasn’t consistent. Same goes for [autotag]Deion Colzie[/autotag] and [autotag]Tobias Merriweather[/autotag]. If the Irish are able to get a commitment from Smith, it would be a very big transfer portal recruiting win.

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Notre Dame adds another commitment to their 2023 recruiting class

The 2023 Irish class grows once again

Just when you thought they were done, the Irish add yet another 2023 prospect to their already impressive recruiting class. After taking a commitment from Texas wide receiver [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag] just under a week ago, to bring the class total to 26, [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] has added yet another prospect.

Virginia athlete [autotag]Brandyn Hillman[/autotag] is the newest Irish verbal pledge, as he committed over offers from Oklahoma, USC, Tennessee, Kentucky and others. The six-foot-one-inch and 191-pound versatile player took reps at quarterback and defensive back, will most likely end up playing defense when he arrives to South Bend. Hillman brings the class to 27 total players.

After thinking this class was done at 25 prospects, it remains to be seen where Freeman goes from here but what we do know is that this class has loads of talent.

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A couple final Notre Dame bowl projections ahead of announcement

Where do you want Notre Dame to go?

Notre Dame was off on Saturday as they’re at home with their 8-4 regular season record.  It was a slightly crazy week for the Irish that saw them gain a commitment from [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag], who chose the Irish after being a one-time commitment to Texas Tech.  The week also featured quarterback Drew Pyne announcing he’s enterting the transfer portal right away, leaving Notre Dame to likely use Tyler Buchner in the bowl game.

About that bowl game – where will the Irish be headed?  Our look around the national projections last week had nearly everyone saying it’d be the Gator Bowl against an SEC opponent.  With conference championships now wrapped up we took a look at a couple of updated projections Sunday morning and here is where they’re seeing the Irish going.