Photographer: John Albright/Icon Sportswire
While Notre Dame has been getting some bad news on the basketball front, things have continued to trend upward for the Fighting Irish on the football front. On Thursday Notre Dame picked up a commitment from one of its most highly rated recruits for the class of 2015 and the nation’s top ranked tight end, Aliz’e Jones.
It had been rumored for months that the Las Vegas native was leaning towards the Irish despite being committed to UCLA. On Thursday, the Bishop Gorman standout made it official by becoming the 23rd player in Notre Dame’s class of 2015 by announcing the decision on Twitter.
— ALIZE JONES (@AlizeJones8) January 15, 2015
Jones, a teammate of fellow commitment Nicco Fertitta, is considered the composite #1 ranked tight end in the country by 247 Sports and measuring in at 6’5″, 220 lbs, with 4.7 speed it’s easy to see why. 247 also ranks Jones as the 55th best prospect overall in this year’s class which is bested only by quarterback commitment Brandon Wimbush.
With Ben Koyack exhausting his eligibility and no other tight end on the Irish roster having established themselves yet in the Notre Dame offense, it is very easy to envision at least some sort of role for Jones in the 2015 offense.
I agree the 2012 class was hurt by the last minute transfers decommits and defections. Yes, kelly is a top ten coach inmo but not sold on some of his assistants, booker, lefleue. I believe a big time special teams coach and a great offensive coordinator and notredame could play with anybody.
J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller would have made it into ND. Miller is graduating from tOSU in May. Cardale Jones definitely would not have qualified for ND.
The only time one hears about academics or the rap sheet of players is when the their team is losing; it is called ‘poor loser’.
Urban has done this before. Let’s remember his time at Florida. Recruited great, won a lot. He also had over 30 arrests in 4 years. That happens in South Bend and you’ll be out of the job before you can blink.
The guys a great coach, no doubt. Let’s hope his “health issues” don’t arise out of nowhere again.
I’m fine with what Kelly’s done. The guy gets zero help from the university and has made this team as deep and talented as they’ve been since the early 90s. He can’t help that the school does nothing for him.
I wouldn’t say zero or nothing.(Not enough maybe)
The school did muster up the guts to change the field from natural grass to field turf which benefits Kelly’s speed and skill players, the kickers, and the type of offense he runs.
Oh please don’t brong that up. There was no compelling reason to change to turf. MSU still has grass as do several pro teams in the upper Midwest. Putting a team like Stanford with a more pro style offense and a pounding running game on grass might improve their odds of getting into the playoff. Wait until Harbaugh goes to grass. Turf was a gimmick just like the uniform crap. Hasn’t done much to help the team.
If Kelly doesn’t get an NC next year it won’t happen until 2019 or later if ever. And the university will finally cave and become just like the rest with athletes loosely connected to the school. Otherwise the feminization of the university will cause them to de emphasize football once again.
Now this is compelling and rich!
I’m a BayStater. Like Brian Kelly. I’m also an Irish alumn. (’89 – Last NatChamp) BK is not a great coach. But he’s a pretty darn good coach. (which is why he ND-coach) I’m pretty keen to the fact that everyone who’s with their salt fibs. Little lies. Deceptions. It’s how you win, these days. I really don’t know what BK’s mind is thinking – but I’m not about to pretend I think better. (he’s coached more football wins than me) I just think people gotta step back and be more considerate – not only of what’s being communicated, but what might be communicated – before criticizing BK. Just MHO. (Urban Meyer is a better communicator than BK)
Were you classmates with BJ?
What class were you in Ron?
’69
All this talk about academics being too difficult to win at Notre Dame I just don’t buy it. The last 4 recruiting classes going by ratings have been top 10 a couple even top 5. The problem has been some last minute transfers and decommits. The bigger problem as I see it is this talent isn’t always used correctly and maximized to its fullest. Look at the special teams. Notre Dame has recruiting some of the best players in the country but underutilizes them. Same with the offense. If Urban MEYER was running this offense Notre Dame would be averaging 45 points a game imho.
Just to say/ask… I hear you on academics, but it has seemed like we, ND, has had a lot more academic issues around players recently – I see a correlation, but I don’t care since our players are better.
I do buy it. Yes the Irish continue to recruit well, but don’t have the same depth as other schools. The talent pool that can get in to and stay at Notre Dame is a bit smaller than the general pool.
It is taking Kelly longer to build depth with transfers and early departures, suspensions etc.
You can make the argument that Meyer rolled 3 QBs out this year and won it all. I don’t know this for fact, simply my opinion, but I am guessing that those 3 could not have gotten into Notre Dame.
The 2012 class was a weak class in part due to transfers, defections and early departures. The lack of depth in that class was a big player in the collapse of the 2014 season.