IRISH ILLUSTRATED.COM LINK: GREENBERRY TO ND
It wasn't long ago that Deontay Greenberry had Notre Dame high on his list even without a scholarship offer on the table.
Greenbery's cousin, four-star cornerback Tee Shepard, was already committed to the Irish. There had been a little bit of interest as Greenberry started to make a name for himself on the camp circuit.
West Coast recruiter Mike Denbrock swung through Fresno, Calif., during the first week of May to extend a scholarship offer and, although the Greenberry didn't commit on the spot, it seemed like a formality that he would join Shepard as part of the Class of 2012.
That turned out to be exactly the case. The four-star wide receiver became commitment No. 9 for Notre Dame on Friday, just hours after Virginia safety C.J. Prosise made his own commitment late the night before.
"It was just a matter of time," Greenberry said. "I pretty much knew what I was gonna do. I kind of knew it was gonna be them this whole time. My coaches were kinda getting tired of all the colleges coming up. Since I knew I decided to pull the trigger."
Greenberry chose the Irish over scholarship offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Boise State, Cal, UCLA, UNLV, Washington and Washington State. LSU, Miami and USC were also interested.
The 6-foot-3, 187-pound prospect joins Florida product Justin Ferguson as the second wide receiver commitment in this recruiting cycle.
"I feel like I can come in and contribute to their offense," said Greenberry, who plans to join Shepard on an unofficial visit to South Bend the weekend of June 11. "Or whatever they want me to do. I just wanna help them, you know?"
Checking in at No. 115 in the initial Rivals250, Greenberry broke onto the national recruiting scene with a standout performance at the Badger Sports 7-on-7 tournament in Las Vegas.
Scholarship offers started to roll in and Greenberry backed up his initial ranking with another strong performance at the Stanford NIKE Football Training Camp in Palo Alto, Calif., where Shepard also worked out.
Other programs would likely have joined the mix had Greenberry not committed and they still might. At this point Greenberry is committed but would like to take some visits.
"I'm taking all my visits," Greenberry said. "Of course. I wanna go to some places I've never seen before."
By Jason Sapp:
Notre Dame has added its eighth verbal commitment of the 2012 recruiting class and it comes at an important area of need - safety.
"I committed," Woodberry Forest (Va.) High player C.J. Prosise confirmed with BlueandGold.com on Thursday night. "I called (quarterbacks coach Charley) Molnar and let him know that I want to go to Notre Dame."
While the decision itself came a bit unexpected, Prosise recently told us that the program moved to the top of his list shortly after offering.
"My interest level in them is definitely high just because it's such a good program and a good school," the 6-2, 190 pounder shared with recruiting writer Will Biggers ealier this week. "They're definitely one of my top schools and are actually at the top of the list."
Within the last 24 hours Prosise reported to 247Sports that he wanted to take visits to Duke, Maryland and Notre Dame before making a college decision, but as he opened his eyes this morning he had a different plan in mind.
"It kind of just happened," he said about making a commitment. "I woke up and felt like it was what I wanted to do. I've been thinking about it all week so I decided to go ahead and commit."
Prosise has stressed the importance of academics in making a decision, and Notre Dame had just what he was looking for.
"No schools compare to them academically or athletically," he said. "It's the kind of school that I can find success both on and off the field and I know it's the right place for me."
Prosise, who is ranked by 247Sports as a three-star recruit, compiled 42 tackles and seven interceptions as a junior, earning him first-team all-state honors. In addition to Duke, Maryland and Notre Dame, he also held offers from Penn State, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
The Virginia native has yet to travel to South Bend, but he said he's set to take a campus visit on June 4.
Prosise is the second safety commit for the Irish and the No. 8 verbal overall. The other safety is Nicky Baratti of Spring Texas, and he noted that the coaches were looking for one or two more at his position after giving his pledge before the Blue-Gold Game on April 16.
The Irish also have two cornerbacks committed in Tee Shepard of Fresno, Calif., and Ronald Darby of Oxon Hill, Md.
Just as Irish fans were starting to feel a little antsy, North Carolina offensive lineman Mark Harrell brought his recruitment to an end by calling up his recruiting coach Mike Elston and becoming the Irish’s seventh commitment of the 2012 recruiting class. Harrell joins Ohio-native Taylor Decker as the second offensive linemen in the class.
“I’m all done with recruiting,” Harrell told IrishSportsDaily.com. “It feels great to get it all done with. I’m solid on the Irish and just glad to get it done with, move on from there and enjoy my senior season.”
The 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive tackle had offers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Auburn, Michigan and Stanford among a dozen others.
When the South Bend Tribune asked national recruiting guru Tom Lemming about Harrell, he had this early evaluation:
“A good, solid, down-the-line guy,” Lemming told the South Bend Tribune. “A solid prospect. Definitely a Notre Dame type of kid.”
Harrell certainly fits an archetype that head coach Brian Kelly looks for in offensive linemen, with Harrell easily filling the size requirements that come with playing on the offensive line under Kelly and Ed Warinner. It’s good to see every local program chasing Harrell as well, a sign that he’s one of the top prospects in his area — and more success for the Irish in the Carolinas.
While Harrell isn’t listed on any of Rivals’ initial recruiting lists, Harrell’s offers have come fast and furious, with the junior from Charlotte without any offers until he attended the National Junior Combine in January. Like more than a few Kelly targets, Harrell plays tight end for his high school but will likely give up all skill-position aspirations when he arrives in South Bend.
SOUTH BEND, Ind.-Suspended Notre Dame star wide receiver Michael Floyd has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor drunken driving charge.
Floyd wasn't present Monday when South Bend Magistrate Brian Steinke entered the plea on his behalf. He also set a June 7 status hearing.
Defense attorney William Stanley says he hopes to have a plea agreement in place for Floyd by then.
Authorities say Floyd was arrested March 20 after running a stop sign a block from the school's main entrance. Prosecutors say a breathalyzer test showed Floyd had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 percent-more than double Indiana's legal limit for driving.
Coach Brian Kelly suspended Floyd after his arrest. A Notre Dame disciplinary panel has allowed him to stay in school.
Floyd led the Irish in receiving last season.
Wide receiver Justin Ferguson of Flanagan High in Pembroke Pines, Fla., will commit to Notre Dame, the Miami Herald reported Sunday night.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Ferguson had narrowed his list to ND and Florida. Ferguson visited Notre Dame two weeks ago for the Blue-Gold Game.
Ferguson will become the sixth player to commit to Notre Dame's recruiting class of 2012.
Dayne Crist and Tommy Rees have some experience, a grasp of the system and the confidence to lead those around them, which puts them at the top of the depth chart heading into the summer.
Crist was just 4-5 as a starter, but he got very little help from the defense against Michigan, Michigan State and Stanford when it allowed 471 yards per game while the Irish rushing attack accounted for just 96.6 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry. His worst game coincided with the defense's, which allowed 367 yards rushing to Navy. Crist completed a respectable 59.2 percent of his passes for 2,033 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions in nine games.
Rees improved his game during his three regular-season starts - taking a temporary step backwards against USC when he was picked off three times and fumbled inside his own 10. But he led the Irish to a comeback victory over the Trojans and took a huge leap forward in the Sun Bowl when he completed 15-of-29 for 201 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Rees threw 12 touchdown passes and was intercepted eight times on the season while completing 61.0 percent of his passes.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame hasn't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Darius Walker did it in 2006. That history doesn't faze Cierre Wood.
"I'm trying to get 2,000 if I can," he says.
Wood has never lacked for confidence. But now he's got the game to go with the talk. And that could lead to big things for the Irish running game this season.
Last year, he was forced into a starting role in midseason after Armando Allen got hurt. Wood, a junior in class who did not play as a freshman, averaged over 82 yards per game and nearly 5.5 yards per carry in Notre Dame's final four games. Not coincidentally, the Irish won all four.
Former Notre Dame All-American and record setting wide receiver Jim Seymour passed away yesterday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 64.
Seymour teamed with quarterback Terry Hanratty to form one of the best quarterback-wide receiver tandems in Irish history, as the two classmates were deemed “Mr. Fling and Mr. Cling,” and memorialized on the cover of TIME magazine.
There seems to be no downside to Brian Kelly’s promotion of Notre Dame offensive line coach Ed Warinner to run game coordinator.
Warinner is happy, “I appreciated that,” he said.
So is offensive coordinator Charley Molnar. “There’s certain nuances of the run game or in the blocking schemes, I don’t need to sit in those meetings,” Molnar said.
And so is Kelly. “That's going to help us in the recruiting, evaluation, all of those things, and as you know Ed was a coordinator at Kansas and did a great job.”
This time Tom Zbikowski had to work for the win. The former Notre Dame football All-American and current Baltimore Ravens got past former cage fighter Caleb Grummet Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., in a four-round unanimous decision. It's the first time that Zbikowski (3-0) hasn't won in a first-round knockout since turning pro in the summer of 2006.
Notre Dame players, especially quarterbacks, are used to being in the spotlight and having cameras on them. Now they will literally have a camera on them during practice.
That was the biggest buzz of the Irish's first practice on Wednesday, the South Bend Tribune reports. Quarterback Dayne Crist wore a small camera on the side of his helmet that will allow coaches to see where his eyes were looking when they review the film
SOUTH BEND — Eventually, Notre Dame’s quarterback reality show will likely play out as the centerpiece of Irish spring football practice, as had been long anticipated.
Tuesday, though, less then 24 hours before the Irish kick off with the first of many 8 a.m. sessions, the aftermath of the Michael Floyd arrest was still the trending topic.
Brian Kelly: Excited to be here today obviously as we begin spring practice. It's a lot different in year two for us. Last year at this time, we had names taped on the helmets, were not really sure about a lot of the positions. We clearly had an understanding that we needed to hit the ground running last year, because we had to get our systems installed.
Notre Dame recruiting target Dan Voltz of Barrington (Ill.) High School, has verbally committed to Wisconsin, the Arlington (Ill.) Daily Herald reported Tuesday.
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Voltz visited ND for last month’s junior day. In addition to Notre Dame, Voltz had a number of other offers, including from Auburn and Alabama.
This St. Patrick's Day, VERSUS will "Celebrate the Irish" by televising three of the most legendary Notre Dame football games to ever air on NBC Sports: the 1992 Penn State game, since dubbed "The Snow Bowl"; the "Bush Push" game vs. USC in 2005; and the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup against Florida State in 1993. The games, chosen by a "Green-Ribbon" panel of experts, will be shown during the network's six hours of non-stop coverage beginning Thursday, March 17, at 5 p.m. ET.
Former Notre Dame All-America football player Tom Zbikowski’s return to boxing was a triumphant one Saturday night.
And extremely short.
It took the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Baltimore Ravens safety all of 105 seconds to dispatch 225-pound Richard Bryant of London Ky., in a scheduled four-round bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Notre Dame got off to a roaring start to their Class Of 2012 by landing two commitments in the last week.
The first to pull the trigger was cornerback prospect Tee Shepard from Central East High in Fresno California. Shepard is a major commitment for the Irish at a spot where there is a huge need this upcoming recruiting term. He is a good bet to be a Top 100 ranked player nationally by recruiting services. At 6-1 175lbs , Shepard provides great size and athletic ability to matchup against larger opposing receivers.
The second to commit to the Irish Class of 2012 is offensive lineman Taylor Decker from Butler High in Vandalia Ohio. Decker is a physically massive prospect who measures 6-8 and 270lbs. Decker had 7 scholarship offers from the likes of Michigan, Wisconsin, Boston College along with his Notre Dame offer. Notre Dame running back coach Tim Hinton was the primary recruiter of Decker and the two formed a solid bond. Decker told Irish Illustrated's Jake Brown "Ever since my first visit it's been the school where I wanted to get an offer from and where I wanted to go."
Below are highlights of the first two Irish commitments to the Class of 2012. Keep in mind, the Taylor Decker highlights are from his sophomore year.
Last week we mentioned 5 offensive players that the Irish coaching staff will have their eyes on for the upcoming Class of 2012. This week, we move over to the defense. Lets take a look at five of the more heralded prospects Brian Kelly and Company will be courting in the coming months.
Tommy Schutt is a 6-3 301lb defensive lineman from Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Schutt currently lines up at defensive end in high school, which is definitely a testament to his athletic ability, but he will probably move inside if he chooses Notre Dame. Schutt appears to be a perfect compliment at the defensive tackle/nose guard position that looks to be manned by Louis Nix this year. The Irish did not sign a player at that position in the 2011 recruiting campaign, so this will be a position of need in the 2012 class. Schutt currently holds 15 scholarship offers from the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, and Nebraska in addition to his Notre Dame offer.
Ifeadi Odenigbo is a 6-4 210lb defensive end/linebacker from Centerville, Ohio. Odenigbo lines up purely as a defensive end in high school, but with his athletic ability, may likely move to linebacker in the Irish 3-4 defense. Odenigbo visited the Irish campus this last weekend (Feb' 25th-27th) as part of the Notre Dame Junior Day. Word is that he came away thoroughly impressed with everything ND had to offer. As many people know who happen to follow college recruiting, pulling a top player from the state of Ohio, and away from Ohio State is no easy task. Along with an Ohio State and Notre Dame offer, Odenigbo holds 11 total offers from the likes of Michigan, Oklahoma, and Stanford.
Tee Shepard is a 6-1 175lb cornerback from Central East High School in Fresno California. Shepard holds scholarship offers from the entire PAC-10 along with Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn,and Miami. Shepard will be tough to get out of PAC-10 country, but he has consistently mentioned the Irish in interviews. Cornerback is a major necessity for the Irish this recruiting campaign, so Brian Kelly and coaching staff will undoubtedly pursue Shepard very hard.
**EDIT: The following day after this article was written, Tee Shepard verbally committed to Notre Dame.
Alex Carter is a 6-1 180lb defensive back from Briar Woods High School, in Ashburn Virginia. Carter is the son of former Notre Dame great and NFL first round pick Tom Carter. Many remember the elder Carter as one of the best Irish defensive backs in the last 20-30 years. The younger Carter looks to follow in his fathers footsteps as a great defensive back. Even though the young Alex Carter is a Notre Dame legacy, he is definitely not a lock to sign with the Irish. Carter holds 9 total scholarship offers from the likes of Penn State, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Tennessee along with his Notre Dame offer.
Terry Richardson is a 5-9 160lb cornerback from Cass Tech High School in Detroit Michigan. Richardson trekked to Notre Dame this past weekend (Feb' 25th-27th) for the Irish Junior Day. Notre Dame is also heavily recruiting Richardson's teammate James Ross (linebacker). Richardson holds 13 scholarship offers from perennial powers like Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, USC, LSU along with his Notre Dame offer.
In the new age of college football, it's never too early to start looking at some of the top juniors in the country. Even though signing day just passed by two weeks ago, college football coaches across the country have had their eyes out for the top talent from the last 6 months to, in some cases, 1 to 2 years.
Here is a quick look at 5 top juniors on the offensive side of the ball, that have a shown a mutual interest in Notre Dame. Whether or not these prospects choose Notre Dame, will be something Irish recruitniks will have to wait and see.
Keith Marshall is a 5-11 190lb running back from Raleigh North Carolina. Running back will be a major focus for the Irish coaching staff throughout the 2012 recruiting year. Following the upcoming 2011 season, the Irish backfield will return Cierre Wood, Cameron Roberson, Cam McDaniel. McDaniel is somebody that I think could play a few different positions (RB, Slot WR, DB), so running back may not be etched in stone for him. That could possibly leave Notre Dame with just two returning running backs following the 11' season.
As of the time this article was written (February 2011), Marshall has already received an astounding 21 scholarship offers from schools across the country...including Notre Dame. That is a number i'm sure will continue to rise.
Ronald Darby is a 5-11 172lb running back from Potomac HS in Oxon Hill Maryland. Darby is blessed with outstanding speed and is one of the nation's top high school track sprinters. Darby recently travelled to Japan to compete in the 60m where he finished an impressive 3rd place with a showing of 6.77 seconds. Darby plays both sides of the ball in high school and is equally as impressive on the defensive side of the ball. So far he has racked up 22 scholarship offers from the likes Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Penn State, Tennessee, and USC along with Notre Dame.
Gunner Kiel is a 6-4 220lb quarterback from Columbus East HS in Columbus Indiana. If the name sounds familiar to Irish fans, it should, as Gunner Kiel is the nephew of former four year starting Notre Dame quarterback Blair Kiel that went on to play in the NFL. The younger Kiel is hardly a lock for Notre Dame though, as he has colleges from all over the country hoping for his signature on Letter of Intent Day next February. So far, Kiel has 15 scholarship offers from the likes of Michigan, USC, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia, and Iowa. On February 2nd, Notre Dame threw their hat into the mix by offering a scholarship to Kiel.
Dorial Green-Beckham is a 6-6 220lb wunderkind of a wide receiver. His size and speed combination make him a complete mismatch on the high school level. He is from Hillcrest HS in Springfield Missouri, where he stars on the basketball court along with the football field. Some have gone as far as calling him the best WR prospect since Randy Moss came out of Rand, West Virginia. Green-Beckham has already piled up 18 scholarship offers from a who's who list of college football powers including Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami, LSU, Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, USC, and Notre Dame.
Maty Mauk is a kid that will not be listed as high on the overall player rankings as the above mentioned players, but that doesn't mean he can't play. Brian Kelly and the Irish coaching staff are very familiar with Mauk, as he is the younger brother of former Cincinnati Bearcat QB Ben Mauk that played under Kelly. The Irish coaching staff has had their eye on the younger Mauk since many of them were still with the Bearcats. Mauk is listed at 6-2 185lbs from Kenton Ohio. He plays in a spread offense very similar to the Irish offense and puts up jaw dropping numbers. His junior year alone, Mauk passed for an incredible 69 TD's and ran for another 16 more! He career numbers through three years are a staggering 151 TD passes, 13,500 passing yards, 1981 rushing yards, 35 rushing TD's.
You begin to run out of adjectives when trying to describe the 2011 Defense Class, especially the defensive line class. Ranked by Rivals as "possibly the best defensive line class ever", it's impossible to not get excited about what the future holds up front for the Irish defense. Landing this stellar class was no easy feat for Brian Kelly and his staff. Recruiting Coordinator Chuck Martin along with Tony Alford, Bob Diaco, Mike Elston, Kerry Cooks were relentless in their pursuit to land the best possible players to help the ND defense achieve the next level of success. I have followed college football recruiting pretty religiously since 1993 and I have never witnessed as many ups and downs and back ups in a Notre Dame recruiting class ever. Let's take a look at some of the amazing stories that unfolded to landing this outstanding defensive class.
Defensive Line Aaron Lynch is considered by many to be the top player in the Class of 2011, and if not the top, definitely in the top three. Notre Dame has struggled to land top flight defensive line prospects in the last decade. ND ended up the bridesmaid as recent top recruits Justin Trattou (Florida), Omar Hunter (Florida), and Chris Martin (Cal then Florida) all were committed to ND only to eventually decommit. That looked to be a great possibility with Aaron Lynch this year as well. Lynch (6-6 250lbs) arrives as January early enrollee from Island Coast HS in Cape Coral, Florida. Lynch committed to Notre Dame originally back in July 2010. When you are as skilled as Aaron Lynch is though, schools are not going to sit back and let you go to Notre Dame without a fight though. Schools throughout the Southeast and the rest of the country stayed in contact with Lynch and plead their case as to how much they needed him. Florida State was one of those schools and eventually swayed Lynch to decommit from ND and change over to FSU in mid-November. It looked like ND was going to be the bridesmaid again for another top Defensive Line talent. Behind the scenes coach Tony Alford stayed in touch continuously with Lynch, and never begged or pleaded with Lynch about recommitting to ND. According to Lynch, these talks were more like a father and son talked about normal everyday life. Alford's hard work and constant contact paid off when in mid-January just before the semester was to resume classes, Lynch recommitted and signed as an early enrollee to Notre Dame. Hardly ever do you see a player decommit from a school and then eventually recommit back to the first school. Many times there are just too many bridges burned, but it happened with Lynch, along with Stephon Tuitt, who we will talk about as well.
Blessed as a tremendous pass rusher he will bring that dimension to the Irish defense immediately in the 2011 season. The last player ND landed at defensive line that looked as physically ready to contribute from the first game of their freshman year was Victor Abiamiri back in 2003. Year To Contribute (11'): Slated to start out at the Defensive End slot behind senior-to-be Kapron Lewis Moore, Lynch has a very good chance to be second string the opening game of the season against South Florida. Enrolling early and having a full spring practice head start on fellow freshman will only help Lynch. He has my vote for the top player in this class.
Stephon Tuitt recruitment and eventual signing with Notre Dame was very similar to Aaron Lynch. Tuitt (6-5 260lbs) from Monroe Georgia, will come to Notre Dame with 5 star (Rivals #2 overall defensive end prospect) credentials. He received offers from the likes of Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Clemson, Georgia Tech, LSU, Tennessee and many more. Normally the chances for ND are not very good to land an elite prospect from the Southeast with offers from all the power schools in the SEC and who does not does not list any other schools in the Midwest other than ND. Tuitt originally committed to ND back in mid-September. Coaches throughout the southeast continued working on Tuitt, especially Georgia Tech whose campus he had visited a few times before. By mid-January, Tuitt had formed a good bond with Yellow Jackets assistant coach and ace recruiter Andy McCollum. McCollum talked Tuitt into visiting Georgia Tech one more time at which time Tuitt soon flipped his commitment over to them. Losing anybody two weeks before signing day hurts, but losing somebody of Tuitt's caliber was heart wrenching to Irish fans. Rumors on the Notre Dame message boards were that the Irish coaching staff wasn't giving up and were going to fly down and visit Tuitt. Three days after Tuitt committed to Georgia Tech, ND coaches Chuck Martin, Mike Elston and Bob Diaco had an in-home visit with him and were able to re-secure his commitment to ND. Tuitt is the highest ranked defensive line prospect to sign with ND since Victor Abiamiri in 03'. Year To Contribute (11'): Again, just like Aaron Lynch, Tuitt will be stepping into a possible second string role from the very first game of the 2011 season. Tuitt is slated to play the defensive end role currently occupied by senior-to-be Ethan Johnson. Unlike Lynch though, Tuitt will not be an early enroll player and will be entering with the rest of the freshman during the summer. The future defensive end tandem of Lynch and Tuitt has ND fans salivating.
Brad Carrico was the first commitment to the Class of 11', when he originally committed in March 2010. At 6-6 and 260lbs from Dublin Ohio (same school as former players Brady Quinn and Chinedum Ndukwe); Carrico has been told he will begin his career at defensive line. When Brian Kelly became the ND head coach, he mentioned that his staff broke players down into three simple categories when recruiting: Skill(QB,RB,WR,DB),Big Skill (LB,TE),Power (O-Line, D-Line). It's the mindset that if you are a Power position, you should be able to interchange a player from Offensive Line to Defensive Line and vice versa. Carrico fits this criteria to a "T". Big and strong, Carrico could grow into a good run stopping presence, if the coaching staff decides to keep him there. Year To Contribute (12'-13'): As mentioned before on my review of the some of the offensive line prospects, many interior line players on either side of the ball can benefit greatly from a redshirt freshman year. If defensive line doesn't work out for Carrico, I believe he could have a nice future at offensive tackle or offensive guard.
Tony Springmann is very similar in his attributes to fellow signee Brad Carrico. Listed at 6-6 and 257lbs from Bishop Dwenger HS in Fort Wayne Indiana, Springmann committed a few short weeks after Carrico in April 2010.
Year To Contribute (12'-13'): Again like Carrico, I think Springmann could greatly benefit from a year with Coach Longo in the weight room. Springmann probably won't ever be able to rush the passer like an Aaron Lynch or Stephon Tuitt, but I could see him developing into a solid clog in the middle of that defense. If not defensive line, I'm sure Coach Warriner on the offensive line would love to have him over there.
Chase Hounshell is one of those kids every coach just wishes they had on their team. He has a motor that never stops and plays with unbridled intensity. Hounshell is 6-5 260lbs from Lake Catholic HS in Kirtland Ohio. Recruiting services have him ranked a bit too low in my opinion (Rivals & Scout both list as a 3 Star) because they obviously don't see some of the same attributes that 25 colleges saw enough of to offer full ride scholarships. Hounshell received an early offer from Urban Meyer and Florida back in August 10' and wasted no time jumping on it. Can't blame a kid for not wanting to turn down that offer. Once his senior season started, a buzz started as well. Lots of scouts and recruiting experts were raving about his senior film and how much he'd improved since his junior year. Once January came around and Urban Meyer had resigned from Florida, Hounshell ended up receiving an offer from his childhood favorite team (Notre Dame). A few days later accepted the offer and eventually signed with ND.
I'm excited to see what the future holds for him because I personally can't wait to watch him on the field. Year To Contribute (12'): I really believe that after a year in the weight room getting bigger and stronger, that Hounshell will be a contributor whether it's on the defensive or offensive side of the ball. He comes in less heralded than many of the other defensive line players but he is a kid that will show up on film to the coaches because of the effort he gives.
Defensive End/Outside Linebacker Ben Councell is a kid who I think hasn't even begun to scratch the surface on what type of player he can be in the future. Councell is a four star (Rivals)6-5 225lbs prospect from AC Reynolds HS in Asheville North Carolina. Prior to his senior year, Councell had not received much publicity, but as the 2010 season came and went and he attended some of the All Star games, his stock literally skyrocketed. Councell brings great speed and athleticism to the table and because of his long frame and ability to play sideline to sideline, he will be a great fit on the outside of the Irish 3-4 defense. In the Shrine Bowl All Star game featuring the top players in North Carolina and South Carolina in December 2010, Councell walked away with the defensive MVP when he racked up 13 tackles, a sack, and a blocked punt. That game featured the likes of players like #1 ranked overall player JaDeveon Clowney.
Year To Contribute (11'): I think at the very least because of his size and speed combination he will be a great special teams player in his freshman year.
Sorry, but i haven't been able to find any highlight videos on the internet of Ben Councell that allow for embedding.
Ishaq Williams (pronounced ee-shack) commitment to ND can be placed squarely on the shoulders of Bob Diaco. In one of the most amazing recruiting stories you will hear, Williams comes to ND as a January early enrollee. Williams is a soft spoken, 6-5 230lb 5 star (Rivals) outside linebacker/defensive end from Brooklyn New York. It was very hard to find updates on Williams from any of the recruiting services (Rivals, Scout etc) throughout the entire recruiting season up until December on the basis alone that he is a quiet kid that keeps to himself. Williams wanted to enroll in January wherever he ended up choosing, so once December came around, it started heating up in the Williams sweepstakes. Williams visited ND on Dec 8th, and Syracuse (his parents alma mater) on Dec 10th. Following a great showing at the practices and game at the Army All American All Star game, Williams was slated to visit Penn State on Friday Jan. 14th. Penn State had long been rumored as one of the heavy favorites, and with January classes starting just days away, he needed to make a decision. Along comes Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco. Diaco called Ishaq's father Shaun around midnight Thursday night and asked if he could come by for a visit on Friday morning before the Williams left for Penn State. The elder Williams agreed, and Bob Diaco showed up on the door step at 4:30 am Friday morning, "clean shaven, penny loafers shined, hair perfect". The elder Williams and Ishaq realized just how important he was to the future of the Notre Dame defense, and Bob Diaco walked out of the house with a commitment and into Notre Dame recruiting folklore history.
Year To Contribute (11'): Williams will be groomed behind senior to be Darius Fleming at the Dog linebacker position which lines up at both linebacker and defensive end in the 3-4 defense. Extremely athletic, long, and fast, Williams will be a stalwart in coming years for the Irish.
Anthony Rabasa is 6-3 230lbs from Columbus HS in Miami Florida. Rabasa grew up a Miami fan, but after a late July visit to South Bend with his family, he fell in love with Notre Dame and committed upon returning home. Rabasa had racked up 21 scholarship offers from the likes of Florida, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, and even his childhood favorite Miami. Nothing ever swayed Rabasa through the entire recruiting season and he stayed strong in his commitment to ND. As a prospect, he is absolutely relentless in his pursuit to get to the quarterback. In high school, he lined up as a defensive end, but I think he'll transition to outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense once he arrives at ND. Year To Contribute (12'): There is a possibility that Rabasa might see the field in the upcoming 11' season, but I would venture to guess that if he does, it would be as a special teamer. If not, a year with Coach Longo and transitioning to outside linebacker will do wonders for him.
Inside Linebacker Jarrett Grace is exactly what coaches look for from their inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. One of the things Coach Kelly has previously mentioned, was needing to get "bigger" on defense in all areas. Grace is a 6-4 240lb inside linebacker from Colerain HS in Cincinnati Ohio. Grace is a punishing hitter who will fit perfectly into a Bob Diaco defense at ND. He is listed with 20 scholarship offers from the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Stanford. Year To Contribute (12'): Grace comes in as a freshman behind starting inside linebackers Manti Te'o and Carlo Calabrese. Behind those two, it's pretty unproven , with Dan Fox, Anthony McDonald, David Posluzny, along with current freshman Kendall Moore and Danny Spond. There have been whispers that Kendall Moore could be a player to watch in the future. All in all, there is a possibility you might see Grace as a special teamer as a freshman but I think guys like Dan Fox and David Posluzny could fill the same role without having to burn Grace's redshirt. I believe there is a great future for this kid though.
Defensive Back Jalen Brown comes to Notre Dame as a true cornerback which is something that Notre Dame sorely needs at this point. Brown is listed at 6-0 173lbs from MacArthur HS in Irving Texas. Brown received a host of Big 12 region offers from the likes of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Nebraska, Kansas State amongst others. Brown displays great technique in his backpedaling, and along with his good height, he should develop into a very solid cornerback for Notre Dame.
Year To Contribute (12'): This is a tough one to guess because of how thin ND is at cornerback. A lot of it depends on how former wide receiver Bennett Jackson transitions over to cornerback. If he struggles, then Jalen Brown has a very good chance of having to see the field as a freshman because ND would only have 3 cornerbacks ahead of him. Notre Dame will lose starters Gary Gray and Robert Blanton after the 2011 season, so Jalen Brown will see A LOT of playing time as either a redshirt freshman/true sophomore.
Sorry, but i haven't been able to find any highlight videos on the internet of Jalen Brown that allow for embedding.
Eilar Hardy will join the Irish with the highest credentials of all the incoming freshman defensive backs. Hardy is a 4 star recruit by both Rivals and Scout. He is listed at 6-1 175lbs from Central HS in Pickerington Ohio. Hardy had 14 scholarship offers from the likes of Michigan State, Maryland, Iowa, and Wisconsin. He was a running back and safety in High School, and it will be safety where he will play for the Irish. His style of play reminds me a lot of current ND safety Jamoris Slaughter. Year To Contribute (11'): Most likely to begin his career at one of the safety spots where ND currently returns Harrison Smith, Zeke Motta, and Jamoris Slaughter. Dan McCarthy is a possible option, but as of now it is not completely clear how he will return from injury. That puts Hardy as possibly into the 2-deep at one of the safety spots right away as a freshman. In a perfect world, I'm guessing the coaching staff would like to redshirt Hardy, but because of the thin numbers at the safety position I could see him being forced into action in the upcoming 2011 season.
Josh Atkinson comes to Notre Dame from Granada Hills HS in Livermore California. As you probably already know, he is the twin brother of fellow signee George Atkinson III. Make no mistake about it, Josh will be coming to Notre Dame to make a name for himself. Josh is listed at 6-0 180lbs, which is a bit smaller than his twin brother, but still possesses more than adequate enough size to player cornerback. You can guarantee that Josh has received good coaching growing up, as his father was All-Pro defensive back George Atkinson II with the Oakland Raiders. The younger Atkinson wears the same #43 as his father did in his playing days as a tribute to him. Josh received 10 scholarship offers from the likes of Oregon, Utah, Washington, Arizona State, and Arizona.
Year To Contribute (11'-12'): From interviews i've come across reading about Josh, he has every intent of not only coming in and playing this upcoming year, but to make his presence felt at cornerback in the 11' season. I'm guessing the Irish coaching staff would like to redshirt one of the two freshman cornerbacks (Jalen Brown & Josh Atkinson) so it will be a battle to see who emerges first. Both will become solid players for the Irish either way though.
With the recruiting season of the class of 2011 finally signed, sealed and delivered, its time to take a look at the prospects Coach Brian Kelly and his staff assembled. This will be a two part series, first taking a look at the offensive prospects signed followed by the heralded defensive prospect class signed.
When Coach Kelly came to Notre Dame midway through the previous recruiting season, there were some worries over whether he and his largely holdover staff from Cincinnati could recruit on a national level. Since the staff came in midway through the 2010 recruiting season, basing an opinion on that class would be unfair. Coach Kelly and his staff would need to prove it with a full year to review, analyze, and recruit. So lets take a look at the offensive prospects signed in his first full recruiting year.
Quarterback Everett Golson comes to Notre Dame as an early entree prospect already enrolled and on campus. What Golson lacks in size (6-0 170lbs), he more then makes up with his ability. Golson comes from an offense at Myrtle Beach HS in South Carolina that runs an offense very similar to Coach Kelly's. Golson lead his high school to a state champion this past year. When you look at Golson you might figure him to be a run first type of quarterback in the mold of Denard Robinson from Michigan. That could not be further from the truth. Golson's eyes are always downfield and he only takes off and runs when all receiving options have been exhausted. Golson put up monster passing career numbers in high school with over 100 passing TD's and 10,000 career passing yards. Year To Contribute (tbd): I believe guessing Golson's year to contribute is one of the hardest things to judge of all the incoming freshman, in that much of it may depend on how current freshman Tommy Rees, Andrew Hendrix, and Luke Massa grow as quarterbacks as well has how Dayne Crist recovers from his injury . I think we will start to learn that in the upcoming spring practices. Lets not forget Rees won 4 consecutive games including the bowl at the end of the 2010 season. How the heralded Andrew Hendrix blossoms this spring will go a long way in determining Golson's year to contribute. If Hendrix continues to show his great potential, I think this obviously will allow for a Golson redshirt. If Hendrix falters, Golson could fly up the depth chart due to him looking like a perfect fit for BK's offense.
Receivers Davaris Danielscomes to ND from Vernon Hills High School in Illinois. At 6-3 180lbs he will provide good size fo the future ND quarterbacks (whoever that may be). Daniels is the son of current 16 year NFL veteran Phillip Daniels. Daniels brings outstanding jumping ability and playmaking ability to the table. If there is a knock on Daniels it would have to be his protection with the ball in his hand as he runs with it way away from his body. That is something i'm sure the ND coaching staff will correct once he gets on campus. With Michael Floyd entering his final year at ND, the future is bright for the young Daniels! Year to Contribute (11') : At wide receiver in the 11' season ND will return Floyd, Theo Riddick, TJ Jones, Robby Toma, John Goodman, Daniel Smith, Deion Walker, Austin Collinsworth. From the outside it looks to be a deep receiving core but there have been rumors that Riddick will be moving back to running back and possibility of Austin Collinsworth moving to the secondary. Deion Walker has yet to prove he's a viable receiver option for the Irish. The coaching staff seems high on the future of Daniel Smith. Its now or never for Goodman with Daniels and fellow incoming freshman George Atkinson III arriving with much fanfare.
George Atkinson III is listed at 6-2 194lbs with elite speed. He is the son of former Oakland Raider great George Atkinson II. The younger Atkinson along with his twin brother Josh come from Granada Hills High School in California. Atkinson primarily played running back in high school but will move to receiver for the Irish. Atkinson who has been timed at 10.5 in the 100 meters, possesses elite speed and could prove to be the deep receiving threat that only comes along to ND once in awhile. Year To Contribute (11'): Like the aforementioned Davaris Daniels, Atkinson could come in and push for playing time right away. At the minimum i think you could see Atkinson play a major special teams role as possible a return man. How he adapts to being a college receiver after being a high school running back ala Golden Tate, will determine how quickly he moves into the WR rotation.
Tight End Ben Koyack was one of the first commitments to the class of 2011. Koyack is listed at 6-5 230lbs and hails from Oil City HS in Pennsylvania. Many forget because Koyack was such an early commit to ND that he is one of the top TE's in the nation. Listed as a 5 star #1 Tight End by Scout, and a 4 star #7 Tight End by Rivals. Koyack personally reminds me of current ND tight end Tyler Eifert in that he looks like an overgrown wide receiver. Koyack possesses great hands. Year To Contribute (12'): Notre Dame loses all world tight end Kyle Rudolph to the NFL draft, but returns Tyler Eifert, Mike Ragone (5th year), Jake Golic, Alex Welch (redshirt) so i don't think its completely necessary for Koyack to see the field this year barring injuries. A year in the weight room with Coach Longo can only do good for Koyack. Coming back in 12' stronger and possibly even faster with four years of eligibility will be a big bonus for the Irish.
Running Back Cam McDaniel arrives to the Class of 2011 as probably the most underated prospects in the class. McDaniel (5-11 192lbs) hails from Coppell Texas and was thought by many to be a throw-in to try and lure his teammate and former ND commit Bennett Okotcha. McDaniel is a kid that ran for 1900+ yards and 32 tds his senior year alone. Anybody that knows football knows that if you run for 1900+ yards in the state of Texas in high school, you aren't too shabby. McDaniel brings a lot of athleticism to the table and if things don't work at at RB for the Irish, he may have a future at WR or DB. His body type reminds me of current ND freshman Austin Collinsworth. Year To Contribute (12'): I don't think ND will be a situation this upcoming season where they have to play soo many freshman on special teams. I think McDaniel makes his mark as a redshirt in 12' on special teams.
Offensive Line Matt Hegarty is the most highly touted of the incoming freshman offensive lineman. Hegarty is listed at 6-5 265lbs and comes from Aztec, NM. He was the first offensive lineman to commit to the Irish this year but by no means was it without competition for the 4 star recruit. He has very good feet and will literally be able to play any of the offensive line positions at ND because of his athletic ability. Hegarty had offers from over 20 schools including perennial powers Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, USC. Year To Contribute (12'): Offensive line is one of the positions where redshirting is very important, if possible, because of the size and strength difference between high school and college. Hegarty is a bit undersized right now but nothing one year in the Notre Dame weight room and training table can't fix.
Nick Martin is the younger brother of current starting left tackle Zach Martin. Listed at 6-5 260lbs, Martin comes from Bishop Chatard HS in Indianapolis, IN. Martin was committed to University of Kentucky up until the second week of January when he switched his pledge to join his brother in South Bend. Martin plays with an intensity and nasty streak that will be a welcome addition. Year To Contribute (12'): Martin is in a very similar situation to fellow freshman o-line recruit Matt Hegarty in that they are currently a bit undersized and could use a year in the weight room. Whether its at offensive guard, or offensive tackle , Martin has a bright future ahead.
Conor Hanratty is the son of former Notre Dame great quarterback Terry Hanratty that led the Irish to the national championship in 1966. The younger Hanratty is listed at 6-4 and 305lbs hails from New Canaan, CT. Hanratty is very strong with a 315lb bench press. Played right tackle in high school, he may likely be a better guard or center prospect where his strength will be an asset. Year To Contribute (13'): The coaching staff may likely want to redshirt Hanratty along with the rest of the offensive lineman barring any emergencies.
Troy Niklas comes from powerful Servite High School in Anaheim, CA. Servite reached the state championship game in 2010 before losing to Concord De La Salle. Servite HS has produced former Notre Dame players Steve Beurlein and Kurt Vollers. Niklas is listed at 6-6 250lbs and listed here at offensive line, but his future could be at o-line, defensive end, or possibly even tight end. Niklas comes from parents that both attended USC and his uncle is former USC and NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews. Niklas played his junior year at tight end and defensive line, but switched to offensive guard and defensive line his senior. He was the last player in the Class of 2011 to commit to the Irish and capped off a great class. Year To Contribute (12'): Since Niklas is such a good athlete for his size, that makes him soo hard to peg on which position he will finally land at for the Irish. I have him at offensive line since i believe his big frame can handle another 40lbs easy and having a possible offensive tackle prospect that big and yet that athletic must have the Irish coaches salivating.
Kicker/Punter Kyle Brindza What a leg this kid has! Brindza is an early entree player already enrolled and in classes at ND, so he will be available at spring practice. He is listed at 6-1 195lbs from Canton Michigan. One of the sore spots in the Irish kicking game for the last decade has been the ability of any of the kickers to routinely produce touchbacks on kickoffs. If the below video shows anything, its that Brindza can do it with relative ease. Brindza is also an accomplished punter and will be entering the mix there as well to push Ben Turk who has had his up and down moments. Year To Contribute (11'): At the bare minimum i foresee Brindza being the kickoff specialist for ND this year based on his leg strength alone. ND has Lou Groza finalist (awarded to top kicker in the nation) David Ruffer returning as the regular kicker and the walk-on was a pleasant suprise for all Irish fans this year. Brindza comes in as the top kicker prospect at ND since Nick Setta.
