The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported today that offensive lineman Chris Little, a USA Today 1st Team All American, is all but headed to Florida State.
The winner of the Chris Little sweepstakes appears to be Florida State.
“I’m thinking FSU but I’m having trouble getting in touch with the coaches because they’re all out at the bowl game,” Little told the AJC’s Jeff Hood shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Little was supposedly down to Notre Dame and Florida a few weeks ago and it looked like the Irish were sitting pretty well with Little, but this report certainly makes Notre Dame’s chances look quite dim.
The loss hurts this year’s offensive line recruiting quite a bit since he was widely considering the most talented line prospect the Irish were in on. Florida State has essentially come out of no where to win this recruiting battle.
“I know they need help on the offensive line and it’s close to home,” Little said.
Recruits have certainly been known to change their minds at the last minute in the past, but it appears the Irish are going to lose this recruiting battle. Notre Dame still has Matt Romine and Matt Summers-Gavin still left on the board and both have Notre Dame among their favorites, but with the loss of Little, the margin for error here has gotten a lot smaller for Weis and his staff.
what is wrong with beefing up the backfield , adding height to the db’s and putting more meat on the linebackers
Soniq it seems as though you have very little faith. I can’t blame you though. The Irish D hasn’t given anyone any reason to beleive that they can STOP ANYONE. Once again it falls on BQ to have a good game for this to happen. It would be nice if the Oline shows up for this game. I do beleive that they can win though. It’ll take both sides together to win this game. Remember this is how ND has made their reputation. By doing what nobody thinks can be done. This is one those games. Just believe and sometimes it just may happen. If it doesn’t so what ND will be laughing all the way to the bank. They’re the only school that will come away any significant cash anyway. Everyone else has to divide their winning and that is 10 ways or more.
ND will be good to go regardless of what happens. There going to be alot of playing time for anyone who wants to play at ND and that translates to better recruits. Just look at the current incoming class. Keep in mind that Weis has been winning with willinghams boys something that seemed to alude willingham. This team is being asked once again tp play well above their level but hell that’s what they’ve been doing for the past 2 years. When Weise gets his boys in the big ten better look out including anybody else who plays them. The days of ragging on ND are about to come to an end. Sooner than later I believe. Mark May won’t have anything to good to say anyway but that’s because ND didn’t give a below average coach enough time to comletley ruin ND FOOTBALL. Don’t tell May that because according to him ty wasn’t given enough time and that it racially motivated as well. He hasn’t done to well at Washington the last 2 years but give him about 20 years he may just get over .500. Not enough talent I think not just poor COACHING.
What’s odd is, he’s having trouble talking to the coaches, because they’re at the bowl games, ie., they are successful?
“Yeah, I’m gonna go to FSU because they’re on a downhill slide, and I could be playing in the Insight.com bowl for the next four years. But at least I’ll be home for New Year’s!”
And getting pressure on LSU’s QB won’t mean much, since our defense can’t seem to tackle, even when the guy isn’t built like a linebacker.
Well you aren’t getting one before the bowl game, so they better make the best of it & stop somebody for a change.
we need a new defensive coordinator period
I hope your right, Garvo. I was watching some old tapes of ND games from the ’92 & ’93 season (which happened to be the years of Minter’s first tenure).
The first thing I noticed was the obvious superior talent that he had to work with in those yrs. Even the commentators were stressing that it was futile for the opposition to run the ball around the ends b/c ND’s defense is just too quick.
Can you imagine if this unit had a Demetrius DuBose at LB, Bryant Young, Oliver Gibson & Jim Flanigan on the DL & Bobby Taylor, Jeff Burris & Tom Carter in the D-backfield? Talk about speed!
The 2nd thing I noticed about those defenses, is that Minter was a lot more aggressive & creative w/ the blitz. Even when the D was beaten on the play, they were still all flying around to the ball.
My guess in the problem w/ the current unit is that Minter knows he doesn’t have the talent to play more man w/ more blitzes & is gunshy of getting burned. My argument would be, what the hell does he have to lose at this point? They got bludgeoned by UM & USC & the same will happen vs. LSU if the D doesn’t put pressure on the QB & if the offense doesn’t add some wrinkles. If ND is stubborn & refuses to alter their approach from both sides of the ball, the ND fans will be hitting the Bourbon St. bars before halftime. They need a complete error-free game resembling the one vs. USC last year. That’s a lot to ask for, but I can’t imagine a victory w/ anything less.
Irish Realist don’t worry to much about Little. Take a look at what ND has returning for next year. I would venture to say that ND will be better next year on the Oline anyway. With Young and the BIG MAN Stewart on the front I have a feelings thing will be good to hook. Yes I know that the lack of expierence will be the issue for next year though I have a feeling that this incoming group is more talented than Weis is letting on. Yes there will be some growing pains but remember one man doesn’t make the whole team. Let little go to florida state there are other very talented lineman out there.
I would rather see the Dline be improved and it started with the kid from florida by the name of Williams. I have a good feeling regardless of what may happen on Wednesday that ND will be getting more help for the Dline. ND needs some big boys up front and fast as well. The Offense has been restocked it the Defenses turn to get some talent. There will be openings and that traslates to playing time which Weis will plenty of The real question is I guess is can Minter sell the Defense to recruits that they need? If he can’t them Weis will have to decide Minters future. If that happens look for I can’t remember his name but he’s the head Coach of the Clevland Browns to possible enter the mix. I’m not sure if he’ll have a job at the end of the season. Just my take but I think that would be a good fit. I don’t think ND can pull from the college ranks anymore if they want to get to the top again.
Recruiting is a crapshoot, especially when it’s in another region like the Southeast. I, for one, would like to see ND concentrate more on the greater Chicagoland area, Western PA, Ohio, Mich. & the rest of the midwest. I’m not saying to stay out of Florida, CA, TX & Louisiana, but at least ND can hedge their bets by recruiting in their own backyard.
I know it’s no longer “the good ole days”, but ND seemed to be among the elite when they were getting their fair share of studs out of the midwest. No one can deny the big names coming out of Chicago this year. I wouldn’t be suprised if ND loses Robert Hughes to the Illini as well (he’s down to Illinois & the Irish). And if the 2-3 guys in Louisiana that have narrowed their choices to LSU & ND are letting the outcome of the Sugar Bowl determine their destination, then that doesn’t bode well for the Irish, either. Just one’s man opinion.