Notre Dame basketball has undergone a face lift in the past three years. The Irish have had recent success that was invisible from the program for the past decade. After back to back NCAA tournament runs Head Coach Mike Brey and his staff have put Notre Dame back on the college basketball map.  Recently I had the chance to talk with recruiting expert Greg Swaim of GregSwaim.com about Coach Brey, this year's recruits and the future of the basketball program.

Scott Simpson: On a national scale how would you rate this incoming class for Notre Dame? How does it compare to Irish classes in the past?

Greg Swaim: This is perhaps the one of the better four men classes in Irish history, as Torin francis is a day-one impact player and Peterkin, Quinn and Cornett should become very steady Big East players. I've rated Notre Dame among my top 20 recruiting classes, as far as talent, filling needs, etc.

SS: 6-10 220lbs. Torin Francis is the most highly touted basketball freshman to walk across the South Bend campus in recent years. Talk a little about his overall game.

GS: He's tall, athletic, strong and quick...what more can you want? I think he more than fills Ryan Humphrey's shoes as he has more range already. Heck, If Ryan could shoot outside of ten feet, he'd been a top 2-3 draft pick.

SS: After playing small class high school basketball in Illinois, how will forward Rick Cornett adjust his game for the physical Big East Conference? Will Rick's time in AAU ball help him in the adjustment?

GS: I like Cornett, because he's a throwback to the days when gym rats dominated the college landscape. I think he'll become a fan favorite and while there may be some adjustment, I see him contributing some this year and being a mainstay player long-term.

SS: Point guard Chris Quinn is coming into the Irish program from Coffman High school in Dublin, Ohio. With Freshman of the Year finalist Chris Thomas in the starting spot for ND, what can Irish fans expect from Quinn?

GS: He'll get only backup time until Thomas is no longer wearing an Irish uniform...but that's o.k., as every team needs a role player.

SS: Omari Peterkin was a late signee for the Irish. There is talk that the Irish coaching staff may redshirt the native of the Virgin Islands. Is Peterkin ready for major division one basketball?

GS: He's got the athletic ability, but probably lacks the skills to contribute enough early...better to redshirt him and let him learn the ropes in practice and get stronger in the weight room.

SS: After three seasons in a row with at least twenty wins, are the Irish coaches going after a higher caliber of players?

GS: I don't think there is any question that the elevation of the program after the sad years of Phelps/McLeod has allowed the new staff to go out and get in on better players. Also joining the Big East helped a lot with exposure, as the days of the independent were numbered. Five years ago when when a top 25 kid had the Irish on their list you wondered why...now there is a reason and it's happening much more often.

SS: There has been talk about renovating the Joyce Center on the Notre Dame campus. What have you heard about this if anything? Would this effect the recruiting process in the future?

GS: I think facilities are somewhat overrated, in that there are a lot of teams that have facilities that have weak teams. I think most kids put more stock in coaching staffs, television exposure, conferences, etc. That being said, the Joyce Center is not one of the better facilities in the country and so a renewal probably past due.

SS: Is the Irish coaching staff recruiting nationally, or our they just recruiting certain areas of the country?

GS: When you go to Massachusetts and the Virgin Islands, it's safe to say they are going wherever there are players, but when you're in the state of Indiana and close to cities like Chicago and Detroit, as well as great states like Illinois, Michigan and Ohio, you don't need to go to far to find players.

SS: What does Head Coach Mike Brey and his staff mean to this basketball program? Is the Notre Dame program earning respect around the country? Can you see Brey staying in South Bend for a extended period of time?

GS: You guys better open up the checkbook and give him all of the facilities he wants, because Mike Brey has raised the program to levels not seen since the 70's and he is a hot commodity that programs with more tradition will no doubt come after.

SS: Who are some high school juniors that have the Irish on their lists? Can Irish fans expect a top 15 class next season?

GS: Here are a few that have had the Irish on their short list recently...6'11 C Will Bowers - Severn (MD) Archbishop Spalding, 6'11 C Grant Billmeier - Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick, 6'9 PF Monty St. Clair - Cincinnati (OH) Roger Bacon, 6'7 SF Brian Randle - Peoria (IL) Notre Dame, 6'0 PG Steve Hailey - Worcester (MA) Academy, 6'11 C Aaron Gray - Emmaus (PA), 6'3 SG Michael Bush - Louisville (KY) Male

Throughout the summer the Irish team and incoming recruits will be on campus developing their skills with exception to Omari Peterkin who will be joining his teammates in August. With the return of sophomore point guard Chris Thomas and senior Matt Carroll holding down the #2 spot for the Irish, the backcourt should be strong. As for the frontcourt, the small forward spot should be handled by senior transfer Danny Miller. Freshman Torin Francis may come in and start at the big forward position for Notre Dame. Look for a committee of players to handle the center position. Senior Tom Timmermans adds a wide body to the Irish lineup but may not have the offensive skills that Coach Brey and his staff are looking for. Freshman Rick Cornett has every door open for him to come in and play major minutes in the frontcourt if he shows that he can handle the physical Big East Conference. He showed in high school that he can score major points and cleans the glass well. Torrian Jones will be the super sub for the Irish this season. His defensive capabilities surpass everyone on the Irish squad. Questions still remain about his long range jump shot.

Some early preseason pools have the Irish inside or just outside the top 25 for this upcoming season. With a strong non-conference schedule and the Big East starting in January the Irish will have their work cut out for them, but should reach the NCAA's for a third consecutive year. Many thanks to Greg Swaim for taking time out to talk with me. Check out his website at www.GregSwaim.com. It is THE premier site for college basketball recruiting.