Tag: NCAA Recruiting

Notre Dame Offers Star ’21 Illinois Athlete

Notre Dame offered three/four-star athlete Sam Jackson of Naperville, IL a scholarship on Wednesday.

Notre Dame has offered a 2021 athlete from the state of Illinois as Sam Jackson is the latest prospect to get a scholarship offer from Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish staff.  Jackson made the offer public knowledge on his Twitter profile Wednesday morning.

Jackson is listed at 5-7 and 170 pounds and plays quarterback at Naperville Central in Naperville, Illinois but is being recruited as an “athlete” by most schools.  Maybe a gadget guy who can occasionally be a threat to throw?

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Jackson was a one-time commitment to PJ Fleck and Minnesota but announced he was re-opening his recruitment in January.  Most of the Big Ten aside from Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State have offered scholarships while Missouri, Oregon and Virginia Tech are some of the bigger names nationally to have offered.

Shocker – Star ’21 Receiver De-Commits from Notre Dame

Four stars or five, who cares?  Colzie is one of the very best receivers in the nation in this 2021 recruiting class. This loss is a massive one as talents like it simply don’t come around.   

This one stings, Notre Dame fans.

Top-100 recruit and one of the stars of the 2021 recruiting class has de-committed from Notre Dame as Deion Colzie of Athens, Georgia has reopened his recruiting.

Colzie, a four-star recruit per 247Sports rankings was also slotted as the third-best receiver in the 2021 class, nationally.  He made the announcement Friday afternoon on his Twitter page.

Colzie doesn’t say that he won’t consider Notre Dame as he re-opens things but obviously the chances of that are low.

Four stars or five, who cares?  Colzie is one of the very best receivers in the nation in this 2021 recruiting class. This loss is a massive one as talents like it simply don’t come around.

Notre Dame’s 2021 class is seen as one of the best nationally, at least in the early stages.  This de-commit brings the total commitments down to six for Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish.

If there is good news it’s that there is time to put efforts into a replacement, the bad news is obvious, that they’re simply aren’t many talents quite like his to pursue.

What was supposed to be a massive recruiting weekend for Notre Dame before cancellations in recruiting due to Coronavirus has instead gotten off to a brutal start with the Colzie news.

Notre Dame Suffers Rare Recruiting Loss to West Virginia

That streak ended Friday evening as West Virginia got a big win over Notre Dame. At least in terms of recruiting.

Perhaps the West Virginia Mountaineers football program was just due to get a victory over Notre Dame. Since the teams first met in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl, the Fighting Irish have won all four contests the teams have played on the field.

That streak ended Friday evening as West Virginia got a big win over Notre Dame. At least in terms of recruiting.

Wyatt Milum, an offensive tackle rated as a top 25 player in the entire 2021 recruiting class by 247Sports announced Friday that’d he be taking his talents to West Virginia next year.

Notre Dame has a strong start in recruiting for 2021 but this one no-doubt stings. It’s one thing to lose out on prospects to Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson or LSU. It’s another when West Virginia wins the services of players you so badly want.

It may seem odd but it’s hard to knock a young man for staying home. I can relate as I always thought I wanted to go a huge school far from home…and then I wound up at a tiny one an hour away.

Either way the push for a second offensive tackle in this class now becomes a bigger concern. Landon Tengwell of Maryland and Nolan Rucci of Pennsylvania are just two of several possibilities there.

If there is a silver lining in this it’s that at least it happened now and not down the road when Notre Dame’s staff was thinking a commitment was certainly coming and time was instead wasted.

Either way, Jeff Quinn (OL Coach) will need to do his best Mariano Rivera impression soon and close another one of these tackles commitments out to join Avon, Indiana’s four star Blake Fisher.

’22 Ohio Quarterback Set to Visit Notre Dame

the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Minnesota, Northwestern, Pitt and others have expressed interest

The 2021 Notre Dame recruiting class is set at quarterback as Tyler Buchner of California is already committed but the groundwork for a 2022 signal-caller has been being laid for quite some time.  No offer has been made and one doesn’t appear imminent but Tom Loy of Irish Illustrated reports that ’22 prospect Chase Harrison will attend Notre Dame’s annual Blue-Gold Game on April 18.

Harrison wrapped up his sophomore season at Centerville High School in Dayton, Ohio this past fall and posted an impressive stat-line of: 215/329, 2638 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions.  Harrison added 180 rush yards and four scores on the ground.

Chase Harrison’s list of offers isn’t overly impressive as he only has three to date: Louisville, Toledo and Penn.  However, the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Minnesota, Northwestern, Pitt and others have expressed interest.

Harrison is listed at 6-2 and 191 pounds.  For any developments with his or any recruitments, we’ll keep you updated on them all at Fighting Irish Wire.

Big Time Notre Dame Target’s Mexican Encounter with Big Time Former Irish Coach

Here’s to hoping Brian Kelly doesn’t suffer the same fate with a Spindler over two decades later.

You ever find yourself walking and you stumble into something that means an incredible amount to you and you alone but probably means nothing to anyone else?

If so you may have wondered what it meant and if it was some kind of sign.

One of the nations most desired players in the 2021 recruiting class recently found himself wondering exactly that after a random Mexican run-in with former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz.

Rocco Spindler is one of the most coveted players in the 2021 class as 247Sports ranks him the second best guard in the country and a top 50 player overall.

If the Spindler name sounds familiar it’s because Rocco’s father (Marc) is a former All-American defensive lineman for Pitt who played nine seasons in the NFL for the Lions and eventually the Jets.

Spindler mentions it possibly being a sign that he ran into Lou but also asks in the same tweet if it’d be a “like father, like son” situation. In that case then he wouldn’t end up at Notre Dame, correct?

OK, that’s reading far too into the tweet of a youngster who had a cool run-in with an all-time college football coach. Whether he ends up at Notre Dame or if he ends up at one of their biggest rivals it’s still a cool story to come across.

I’d love to hear Lou share stories on recruiting Spindler’s father though as he was the USA TODAY’s high school football defensive player of the year in 1986.

I’m guessing that miss didn’t sit well with Holtz.

Here’s to hoping Brian Kelly doesn’t suffer the same fate with a Spindler over two decades later.

Notre Dame Quick to Offer Elite 2023 California Athlete

A quick viewing of his highlight tape shows a youngster with tremendous speed for any age, let alone his and very good athleticism.

Notre Dame got an early start on 2023 recruiting over the weekend as they became the second team to offer a scholarship to wide receiver/defensive back Raymond Valencia.

Valencia hails from J. Serra Catholic in California and is listed at 6-0, 170 pounds. A quick viewing of his highlight tape shows a youngster with tremendous speed for any age, let alone his and very good athleticism.

If Valencia’s first two scholarship offers are any indication it would mean most powerhouse programs won’t be far behind because Notre Dame joined Oregon as the only two schools to offer so far.

The second half of my freshman year of high school I think I spent the majority of time thinking about how I was going to ask a girl out (and I’d never step up) or how I’d be getting home from school or practice. I can’t imagine not yet being able to drive but getting offered scholarships to the likes of Notre Dame and Oregon.

Notre Dame Misses Cut for Elite 2021 Cornerback

Notre Dame does not have a commitment to its 2021 class by a cornerback. It does however have what is regarded as a top-three class nationwide early-on.

Mike Mickens getting the cornerbacks coach job at Notre Dame could mean many good things for the Fighting Irish secondary. One of those things however won’t be landing a commitment from one of the nation’s top cornerbacks in 2021.

Jakailin (JK) Johnson of DeSmet Jesuit in St. Louis announced his six remaining schools Friday and Notre Dame did not make the cut.

If DeSmet sounds familiar it’s because Notre Dame has been linked there quite a bit recently. 2020 wide receiver commitment Jordan Johnson played his high school football there while their head coach Robert Steeples had been reported to be a candidate to become Notre Dame’s cornerbacks coach, a job of course went to Mickens earlier this week.

Listen, there is no promise whatsoever if Steeples got the job that Johnson would have wound up at Notre Dame. More importantly, hire the guy who is best for the program, not for just one individual.

I’m really hoping this doesn’t turn into anything bigger for fans because as of this point it absolutely shouldn’t.

To date, Notre Dame does not have a commitment to its 2021 class by a cornerback. It does however have what is regarded as a top-three class nationwide early-on.

Notre Dame Lands 1 Signee in USA TODAY Top 25 Prospect Rankings

but it was another player who has been rising on almost all rankings of late who walked away as one of USA TODAY’s Top 25 Prospects in this 2020 class.

National Signing Day in early February used to be college football’s version of the circus. With the early signing period now taking place in late December and the addition of the transfer portal, what used to be a massive day is now mostly just another day for all intents and purposes.

Notre Dame didn’t add anyone last minute in this signing period, not that it comes at all as a surprise. Who they signed in December is who they end with, minus one.

In terms of elite talent this class brings in some will debate how high the potential is. Chris Tyree received much of the focus during his recruitment through his eventual signing, but it was another player who has been rising on almost all rankings of late who walked away as one of USA TODAY’s Top 25 Prospects in this 2020 class.

6-5, 240 pound tight end Michael Mayer of Kentucky looks like he will be a load at Notre Dame. He scored a touchdown in the All-American game and recently saw his status move to a five-star recruit on 247Sports. He was also the highest rated Notre Dame signee according to the USA TODAY who ranked him 14th in the entire nation.

They say of Mayer:

Mayer is a load with great footwork and quickness which allow him to get open and create after the catch. Mayer has a high IQ and uses his athleticism and great hands to dominate opposing players.

If you’ve followed this at all you’re well aware of how highly regarded Mayer has become as he appears to be the next great product of Tight End U.

Notre Dame Makes Yet Another ’21 Defensive Lineman a Scholarship Offer

Thursday morning saw David Abiari, a 6-4, 240 pound defensive end from Legacy High School in Mansfield, Texas announce his scholarship offer from Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame staff.

Rinse, repeat.

For the fourth straight day Notre Dame has made at least one scholarship offer to a defensive player in the 2021 recruiting class.

Thursday morning saw David Abiari, a 6-4, 240 pound defensive end from Legacy High School in Mansfield, Texas announce his scholarship offer from Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame staff.

ESPN ranks Abiari the 289th best player in the 2021 recruiting class while 247Sports ranks him at 318.

Abiari has already received offers from the likes of Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin and others while he announced an offer from Northwestern shortly after announcing the Notre Dame offer early Thursday.

 

Notre Dame Football Goes on Recruiting Run Through Georgia on Tuesday

The other thing it does is creates a stir around Notre Dame football in a place where it isn’t usually easy to do such a thing. 

Some days news seemingly comes out of nowhere and takes over the course of a morning or afternoon.

Notre Dame’s defensive line coach Mike Elston marching through the state of Georgia and leaving scholarships throughout his wake made that the story of the day for Notre Dame football.

Early Tuesday we found out that Notre Dame had offered Douglas County defensive linemen Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Jefferson scholarships.

Usually that would be an extremely newsworthy day for Notre Dame.  However, that was just the tip of the iceberg in what the Irish had up their sleeve in the Peach State Tuesday.

Noah Collins later announced on Twitter that he had also received a scholarship offer, making it three on the day the Irish had offered.

That still wasn’t it as about an hour later Victoine Brown announced that he had also received a scholarship offer from Notre Dame.

We think that is it but then again there are still seven or so hours left in the day.

It’s impressive and I think it accomplishes a couple of things for Notre Dame in this 2021 class.

It’s already an impressive class being formed in terms of offensive talent but with just one player on the defensive side of the ball, clearly there is work to do.  These four offers guarantee nothing but appear to be four players in high-demand nationwide.

The other thing it does is creates a stir around Notre Dame football in a place where it isn’t usually easy to do such a thing.  Right in the heart of SEC and University of Georgia territory, Notre Dame goes and makes four scholarship offers right in a row.

All four may one day wear blue and gold for the Fighting Irish (fat chance but sure, it’s possible!) but by all four announcing their offers today it creates a much different type of interest in Notre Dame’s 2021 recruiting class to other recruits, especially in a place that it’s hard to go into and snag talent from.

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