Photographer: John Albright/Icon Sportswire
This week UHND.com continues its recruiting coverage as college football enters the heart of the recruiting season, with National Signing Day only a few short weeks away. Last week UHND detailed Notre Dame successfully fending off LSU for coveted Louisiana prospect Jerry Tillery as well as updated the recruiting board at the running back position. An addendum to the constantly-in-flux running back recruiting board can be found here.
UHND.com will continue to bring you the most significant recruiting developments as they arise.
Early Enrollees
Four members of Notre Dame’s 2015 recruiting class will begin their college careers on January 13th, two of whom represent major recruiting victories over the SEC. Rivals 4-star offensive tackle Jerry Tillery – though he will play his freshman season on the defensive line – was pursued fiercely by LSU and visited Baton Rouge on multiple occasions. A 31-28 Notre Dame victory over LSU in the Music City Bowl helped solidify his decision and Tillery will begin classes this week, wrapping up a long-fought battle for his services.
A very similar situation occurred with Rivals 4-star linebacker Te’Von Coney. Coney, hailing from Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and holding offers from programs such as Alabama, Georgia and Auburn, narrowed his options to Notre Dame and Florida before ultimately committing to the Fighting Irish. Te’Von’s commitment became complicated when Florida head coach Will Muschamp was fired and replaced with former Colorado State head coach, Jim McElwain.
McElwain pushed all of his recruiting chips to the center of the table when telling ESPN his philosophy is “recruit daily or die,” and in the process gave notice that he intended to lock Florida talent up for the Gators. Rumors began to circulate at the Under Armour All-America Game that Coney intended to visit Florida to meet with McElwain’s staff. Despite the rumors, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and staff managed to hold off yet another SEC surge, and Coney removed all doubt as to his future.
Couple More Days And I Will Be In The Snow
— Tevon Coney9⃣ (@TevonConey) January 8, 2015
A tremendous amount of credit should be given to Notre Dame’s staff for plucking talent away from the SEC, particularly at defensive positions where there is great need.
Tight End
The 2014 season served as a perfect example of how spoiled Notre Dame fans had become when, for the first time in many years, a Notre Dame quarterback did not have a future 1st or 2nd round NFL draft selection to throw to at the tight end position. While senior tight end Ben Koyack had a solid season and played a central role in Notre Dame’s victory over LSU with a critical reception on the game-winning drive, Notre Dame had become accustomed to having otherworldly talent in succession at the position from the likes of Kyle Rudolph, Tyler Eifert and Troy Niklas.
Notre Dame might very well have an heir to its legacy as Tight End U.
Aliz’e Jones is a Rivals 4-star tight end that hails from the same high school as current Notre Dame commitment Nicco Fertitta and starting left tackle, Ronnie Stanley. Jones provides the kind of athleticism at the tight end position that Notre Dame has not had since Tyler Eifert sported a golden helmet, and Notre Dame has been battling UCLA for his services.
Jones committed to UCLA over one year ago but still made an official visit to Notre Dame for the Irish’s annual sports banquet in December, and the visit to South Bend left a significant impact on the Las Vegas native. The Notre Dame coaching staff not only told Jones how they would utilize him in Kelly’s offense, but actually showed him with film of former Notre Dame tight ends currently in the NFL. The film session left a heavy impression.
“They’re just consistent every year and they have proof of it,” Jones told Irish Illustrated after his December visit, possibly alluding to something the Bruins are unable to provide.
“Academic-wise, they’re both great schools. Everyone wants to go to the NFL. If you play football, that’s everyone’s dream. I’m trying to figure out what’s the best way for me to develop as a true tight end.”
If Notre Dame and UCLA are even in Jones’ mind when it comes to academics, the determining factor might very well become a program’s ability to develop the tight end position, an area where Notre Dame shines brightest.
Though Jones has yet to make a final decision between UCLA and Notre Dame, there is a growing feeling the Fighting Irish may pull an upset and pry the talented Jones away from Westwood. Recruiting outlet 247Sports’ Crystal Ball currently lists Notre Dame as an 81-percent favorite to land the talented tight end. And while Notre Dame does have needs greater than the tight end position, Jones is such a unique talent that landing him would be one of the biggest stories of the Fighting Irish’s recruiting season.
Scott Janssen is a blogger for the Huffington Post and has authored several nationally-featured articles, including an appearance on MSNBC as a sports contributor. He talks football 24 hours a day, much to the chagrin of his wife and those around him. Scott can be reached at scottjanssenhp@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter.
USC was tough, they had ok then. And Purdue, bob griese.
They did clobber USC 54 to zip in 66
So your standard then includes going over 1,000 days without a win over rivals USC and Purdue? (from 11/66 to 9/70) That’s grading on a curve, is it not? In the middle of that dark streak, what was your, to phrase a coin, “mind set?”
What were the signature wins in ’67, ’68 and ’69?
1966 Notre Dame 9 0 1 .950
1967 Notre Dame 8 2 0 .800
1968 Notre Dame 7 2 1 .750
1969 Notre Dame 8 2 1
.773
THIS IS WHAT I SAW WHEN I WAS THERE, THEY LOST 6 GAMES IN 4 YRS, GRANTED THEY MIGHT HAVE LOST MORE IF THEY PLAYED A 13 GAME SCHEDULE
BUT THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF ND FOOTBALL’S STANDARDS
“Brian Kelly would be contractually obligated to appear at the Super Bowl, and not available to meet with Farrar on campus. Not a huge deal; we can’t expect Brian to voluntarily open himself up to legal issues, simply to have one-on-time with a recruit. We are not entirely sure of the details, but whatever positive energy there was going into the visit, completely dissipated shortly after.” BRIAN FIRST, ND SECOND.
Jimbo-bozo -Change your attitude, if you’re an ND fan. If you’re not, kindly stay the hell off these boards. Jerk.
Geez, lighten up dude!
Yeah really. True ND fans do not succumb to the NAZI mentality of saying only good things about the program, BK, or duranko.
True ND fans want an elite program year in and year out.
What if Jimbo is right Hurls?
God forbid “Jimbo” is right, C-Dog!
However, your argument is spot on. The only disloyalty is settling for mediocrity when it comes to ND football.
I really think there’s a generational issue at work here. I believe there’s now an entire generation of ND fans who have now historical memory of ND’s past greatness. All they remember and know is mediocrity. For them, that’s the norm for ND football. So anyone who has personal and collective memory of this program’s past greatness, and wants that re-established, is viewed as being disloyal or delusional.
It would be an interesting sociological experiment to test my hypothesis. I can’t believe anyone old enough to recall the era of Ara or the legend of Lou can really settle for the mediocrity of BD, TW, CW, or BK (although I think BK is heads and shoulders above his predecessors, but that’s not really saying much!).
GO IRISH!
@SFR – Good insight. I witnessed the ’88 Champ. “Kids these days…” must be introduced to sustained-greatness. I agree. It IS generational. But it’s not unique to NotaDame. I don’t know if sustained-greatness is possible for NotaDame these days.I sure hope I’m wrong, but the whole American-anthropological (study of caultures) vibe is unsettling, to me.
ND will lose 3-4 games as the new normal under Kelly will continue.
Winning the Music City Bowl against a solid opponent in LSU can go a long way to helping land recruits on the fence. It can’t be overstated the effect that can have on impressionable minds. ND is in a position where next year there really can’t be any excuses not to have a 10-2 season at minimum. There should be no reason ND is not playing in a New Years Day bowl next year, if not a playoff game.