Notre Dame picked up its first commitment for the Class of 2011 over the weekend when defensive end Brad Carrico pledged to Brian Kelly and the Irish coaching staff. Carrico hails from Dublin-Coffman HS – the same school that produced former Irish stars Brady Quinn and Chinedum N”Dukwe.
Carrico (6’6″, 270 lbs) was on campus this weekend for Notre Dame’s junior day along with several other top prospects. Kelly offered Carrico during a meeting during his visit this weekend and the defensive end was quick to accept. Carrico is a big and tall defensive end that would most likely play defensive tackle on the college level in a 4-3 defense, but should stay at end in Notre Dame’s new 3-4 defense. In that respect, he is very similar to rising junior Sean Cwynar as he too would be a defensive tackle on the college level in a 4-3, but will play end for the Irish.
Defensive end is a major need for the class of 2011 making the early addition of Carrico very welcomed news on the recruiting front for Notre Dame. Notre Dame missed out on several of its top targets along the defensive line last year making the position one of, if not the top priority for Kelly and the new staff.
After recruiting the state of Ohio very well in 2010 with Matt James, Luke Massa, Andrew Hendrix, Alex Welch, and Derek Roback; Notre Dame is off to a great start in the Buckeye state once again. It will be interesting to see how well Kelly and staff can do against Tressel and his staff for more of the state’s elite players this year.
Here is some video of Carrico courtesy of ScoutingOhio.com (apologies to Mr. Tom Petty for the poor cover of Won’t Back Down in the video)
You guys are on point…”We are ND!” Been livin on that too long. “We are the Irish”. Yep. Like that one too. But, by God, our whole name is Notre Dame Fightin Irish. It’s about damn time somebody remembered to emphasize the “Fightin” part. From snap to whistle…fight fight fight!
We are proud to send another wonderful student-athlete to ND! Good luck Brad and GO IRISH!!
Good points all around my fellow crazed IRISHMEN!!!! GO ND!!!!!!!
It is becoming more and more evident that Weis did not belong in the college ranks. Let’s start with the Pro Day workouts with the ND players. Nobody had impressive numbers and they were all a bit slow. A lot of these numbers could have been improved with proper strength and conditioning. However, Weis was not into the physical aspect of the college game because he thougth he could “out-scheme” everyone. I don’t mean to stero-type, but Weis and his strength coach were not the picture of health. At least Longo looks like he practices what he preaches and while Kelly is not skinny, he does seem to understand the phyical part of the game. Also, you have to repect the appreance of Kelly, he always looks presentable. How many times did we see Weis look like he just got out of bed? This is not a knock on Weis, but how you present yourself does a lot for how you feel about yourself and how people see you. I think that is why Kelly even has a specific way the locker should look. A cluttered life leads to a cluttered mind.
Also, the word coming out of ND is that these players needed a major overhaul in paying attention to detail, bonding as a team, and improving their discipline. It seems odd that this team lacked the attention to detail because Weis seemed so detailed, but I’m starting to wonder if this team suffered from paralysis from analysis. This stuff might work with pro players who have 14 hours a day to grasp it, but not with kids who have 20 hours a week and classes at one of the most difficult academic institutions in America. That’s why Kelly has simplified his system, he wants the players to learn it at a level that it’s 2nd nature. In college, you don’t have to change what you do on a weekly basis. Just execute at high level and you’re talent will beat most teams. Look at Florida, everyone knew what they were going to do, yet nobody could really stop them. Another example was ND in their no huddle, how many teams really stopped it? They knew what was coming, but not many teams could stop it.
The training table and having study hall at the Gug is also paying dividends because the kids are together more which is creating a bond. Kelly said these kids need to start worrying about their teammates more instead of themselves. I guess Camp Kelly really brought the team closer together because a lot of what they did required them to count on one another.
Finally, I like what I’m hearing from the recruits that are visiting and from the players quotes. There is a different vibe on campus about this staff. He is getting the players to buy into his system and players aren’t leaving. Kelly said himself that at his other coaching jobs, he usually had a “mass exodus” because his approach is radically different from the previous coaching staff. He said nobody has left and they all seem to be on board.
This is the fresh start that ND has needed since Holtz left. I know this the 3rd time they have started over, but this is the first time they have started over with a coach with Kelly’s resume. He will bring this back to a consistant Top 10 and he will compete for National Championships. If he can do it at Cincy, I know he can do it a ND.
Tomorrow, the future is revealed and it is looking very bright.
If our boy’s play as well as the mail you guys write,i’ll be satisfied.
Did you see the latest position moves, Clelland to D-End and Paskorz to Middle LB. He is moving players around to see who fits his system, not putting them so far down on the depth chart they will never see the field. I don’t like to talk bad about CW because I was a supporter, but this reminds me of Holtz and getting 22 great atheletes on the field to compete. Plus the competition at ever position is crazy. These players are responding according to reports.
I’ve seen on some other sites that some of the JRs who were in this weekend and had visited ND in past felt a different vibe from the current coaching staff. Several mentioned Kelly and his sense of urgency to get ND back to the elite in College Football. Also, they said several of the players have bought into what Kelly and the staff want and that they are fired up ready to go.
I think this is going to be a fun season
I like the size in Currico and hopefully he is still growing into his frame. From the video tape he looks woefully slow and did not show good tackling form from being out of position with his slow feet. I’m no recruiter but I do know we need speed on defense at all positions, especially in a 4-3. I’m not ready to call this guy the next Peppers that’s for sure. Again, I hope he’s just growing into his frame and will fill out and gain speed as he gains strength.He’ll be going against guys his size when he gets to ND. He’ll need to be strong to be dominant which is what we need.
Shazamrock,
I hear ya! Loud and clear. No more waiting. Ratings for highschool talent are meaningless if the kids don’t develop in college. that’s been the problem. Offensive and defensive line have not developed to the levels required to compete. Forget the skilled positions. ND in the Weis era has looked more like a Purdue unit under Joe Tiller. Exciting at times but not a consistent winner. Why? Because beyond the offensive skill positions there was a lack of performance. Not talent, performance. Sorry folks, other than beef, linemen typically get there with hard work and the right coaching or mentoring. Give me a 3 star lineman and I think the right coaching staff cna turn him into an NFL prospect. Strength, conditioning, AND AGILITY training.
If Kelly gets the boys in the trenches prepared to dominate, our dream season is upon us.
WELL SAID!!!
Year, after year, after year, I follow ND recruiting. Under Weis I remember getting all hyped up over all the 4 & 5 star players that he recruited out of high school, to come play for the Irish.
Now, as pro day approches at ND, I see many of the same names that held so much hope for the future of our program four or five years ago. Guys like Mo Richardson, James Aldridge, Sergio Brown, Paul Duncan, Mike Turkovich, Raeshon McNeil, and Toryan Smith. These guys are hopeing for a shot in someones NFL training camp and a chance to make a team as a free agent.
Were the rateings and rankings of these players comming out of high school over-hyped and exaggerated? Or did our coaching fail to do their job. Did our coaches let these kids down? I know some of these guys suffered injuries that plagued their careers here. I suppose like everything else, it’s a combination of all those things.
With spring camp set to open soon, I once agian look at my beloved Irish with hopes and dreams of that elusive, magical season, when everything comes together. When we actually have that “Wow” factor agian. Like most Irish fans, we couls really use one of those great seasons right about now. Where we beat the teams we should, while adding a few “upsets” and a strong finish with a New Year’s Day Bowl win.
We’ve been humbled. We’ve paid our dues. We’ve stood behind our team these past years. Tough, hard years. I’m tired of loosing to Navy. To USC. To Pittsburg. I’m tired of the team folding in November. I need a great season. WE need a great season. I say let 2010 be OUR YEAR!
Now, if someone can just inform the players and coaches of our exspectations.
We Are ND, And We Are Back!
I really don’t care where he recruits as he develops talent. I am tired of being in the top ten to twenty in recruiting
and out of the top twenty during football seasono
I heard that Rick!
To me it’s all about coaching in college football though. There’s a good chance that we were bringing in really good athletes and they weren’t getting the development they needed to become a step faster, stronger….
The Irish get the first commit, and he will help along one of the lines in the future. I would like to see how kelly recruits nationally with some of the big time programs now. He will need to go head to head with the great recruiters, to get the elite athletes every major college program needs to succeed.
I think Kelly is getting in at the right time for recruiting at ND. It looks like the NCAA has to do something major to USC. With Pete Carroll jumping ship for Seattle, to me that is a sign that he knows something bad is about to happen at SC. This means that ND has an edge over SC in recruiting.
With these circumstances, I expect Kelly to do well in recruiting this season. If Kelly can post a 10 win season including a bowl win, then his future is looking bright
I’m kind of pissed that USC (Carroll) got themselves into some trouble with the NCAA. I’m more than ready for the Irish to finally beat that ass…but for “me”, the win won’t mean as much if the “Irish Haters” say “Yeah….ND beat USC….but…..blah-te-blah”.
I want USC’s best teams…not there half ass teams.
Chan,
I agree, but think of it this way: USC has been feasting on “half ass” ND teams for a decade. So don’t feel too badly for them. As for me, I would’ve loved to have beaten Carroll. But I will love just as much to humiliate that punk Lane Kiffin, with or without his best players!
I want the SMU death penalty for USC. Our players get caught with weed and get expelled. Their players get houses and SUVs.
Let them die.
I long for the sea of blue/green in pasadena.
For those of us keeping score…
Florida State had 12 football victories taken away for NCAA rules violations.
Today it was announced that 21 football wins will be stripped from Alabama for athletes involved in a free text book scam.
If FSU looses 12, and Bama looses 21, what should happen to USC?
Judgement Day is coming!
Shaz,
From your keyboard to God’s ears! But I’m not at all sure that the NCAA mafia will do much to USC. I sure hope I’m wrong, though!
vacated wins is the biggest bullshit form of “punishment”. this is the 21st century and the ncaa needs to come out of their 1970’s acid trip. i hate to say it, but the almighty dollar is what rules college football now. punishments nowadays should be the millions of dollars they received from tv and bowls while using these “ineligible” players otherwise they will continue to break the rules and act like they care that the ncaa is forcing them to vacate wins. if all schools tv and bowl money was at stake, they would sure as hell comply.
yes, every time i hear about vacated wins i think, who the f*%# cares? yes i care about the history and tradition of nd, but if we got stripped of our 16 wins over the past three years i would say good riddance. i care more about the future of the program than how many wins/losses nd has all time. money and scholarships period
The Brad Carrico commit is good news, but I wouldn’t say great just yet. Too many times we get an early verbal, only to have the kid jump ship at the last minute. Especially true when it comes to defensive lineman.
I hope the coaches for the defense go back to teaching fundimentals. Like
tackling, how to line up, penitration and rushing the QB. Job responcibility and proper coverage. Teach the basics and keep it simple.
Let the players play defense and not have to think too much. I think Tenuta
muddied the water and just added confusionwith his style. He got a new job working for Tom O’Brien over at NC State as a linebacker coach. I think he was in over his head as Defensive Co-ordinator here. He tried to do too much without prefecting anything.
Mr.Shazamrock,
You’re writing about a great academic school. Don’t you think you should edit your message for spelling errors?
regj,
I see you have an eye for good wordsmithing. Cheer-O to you my fine fellow!
With all my text messaging, and instant messaging language, I sometimes run afoul when it comes to proper blog protocal, spelling, and penmenship. Throw in the fact that many of my posts are done while I am at work where condensed time and multi-tasking are the norm and,
well… shit happends.
(besides, it was 7:30am eaatern time, and I hadn’t even had my jack n coke yet)
Most who know me just roll with it. As I do with them.
PS. No need for the “Mr.Shazamrock”
Shaz will do just fine.
Good Day!