Notre Dame stepped into the modern era of recruiting when head coach Brian Kelly arrived in South Bend in 2010. It began with the “Pot of Gold” campaign, a bundle of mailers sent to potential prospects and committed recruits over the past several years. The Class of 2016’s “Pot of Gold” included fake scratch-off lottery tickets revealing different messages, such as an awarded scholarship, as well as photos of each recruit wearing Notre Dame jerseys.
The Pot of Gold packages includes faux scratch off tickets with messages and pictures. Pretty cool pic.twitter.com/zsZyDpTbKR
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) January 30, 2016
This recruiting cycle Notre Dame continued its recruiting evolution when the coaching staff surprised 5-star Georgia native Demetris Robertson by sending a Notre Dame semi-trailer to his home, and completed the trek by following Robertson as he drove to school.
Can’t beat this morning with ND One, @MikeDenbrock and @WaffleHouse pic.twitter.com/9eSmIIERys
— Coach Mike Sanford (@CoachSanfordND) January 28, 2016
The creativity of Notre Dame’s recruiting will have to continue given the location of the nation’s top high school talent and the increasing competition for their services.
It should come as no surprise that half of the recruits from the Class of 2016 originated from an area stretching from Texas to North Carolina and everything below. The rise of the South as the lone Superpower overshadowing all of college football has been a trend for nearly two decades. In the past 18 football seasons 15 of the eventual national champions were programs located south of the Mason-Dixon Line, with the lone three exceptions being Ohio State (2002 and 2014) and USC (2004). This information was not news to Notre Dame, and no doubt played an important role in the university’s affiliation with the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick has been masterful at increasing Notre Dame’s visibility in the South. Notre Dame’s deal with the ACC requires the Fighting Irish to square off against five ACC opponents each year, and the transaction has already paid dividends. Two years in to the agreement and Notre Dame and the ACC have already produced two high-profile showdowns involving Florida State and Clemson, with both games being prime time matchups and College GameDay selections. Additionally, Swarbrick has scheduled a home-and-home series with Oklahoma, Texas and Georgia.
The Southern exposure has been complemented by a strong recruiting push for Southern talent. Defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, currently in line to fill the void of departed star Sheldon Day, was the first Louisiana player signed by Notre Dame in the Internet recruiting era. Kelly’s staff has also managed to gain a foothold in Georgia by plucking the likes of T.J. Jones, Stephon Tuitt and Isaac Rochell from the Peach State, recruiting victories that have helped lay a foundation for the recruitment of elite prospects like Demetris Robertson. The Notre Dame coaching staff even made a strong push for 5-star linebacker Ben Davis, an Alabama native whose father was a legend for the Crimson Tide, a nearly unthinkable proposition just a few short years ago. And if Notre Dame intends to continue its Southern expansion it will need to continue to develop unique recruiting pitches given the uptick in competition.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has been doing his utmost to raise the ire of Southern programs. Although an effective recruiter – Michigan landed the No. 4 class in the nation according to Rivals.com as well as the No. 1 recruit, Rashan Gary – Harbaugh often goes beyond pushing the envelope to the point of straddling the boundaries of unethical, although technically allowable, conduct. It’s not a coincidence that Harbaugh offered employment positions at the University of Michigan to the mother of a transfer player, Wayne Lyons, as well as the high school head coach of Rashan Gary. And Harbaugh has set his questionable recruiting methods on the South.
Michigan made news recently when it announced it would host several spring football practices in Bradenton, Florida at the IMG Academy, a national name and high school football juggernaut, offering local players a first-hand glimpse of the Wolverines program. The practices will be held during the University of Michigan’s official spring break, making the practices technically legal. The move has infuriated an SEC conference that has put forth an official story expressing concern for player safety given the additional practices, although the true objection is motivated by recruiting. Jim Harbaugh’s response to the SEC’s objection only raised the stakes.
Question of the day: Does anyone find whining to be attractive? Just curious.
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) February 10, 2016
Notre Dame has done an excellent job of making its brand more visible in the South in recent years, but the strategies employed by Jim Harbaugh will force Notre Dame, unwilling to offer employment to family and friends of recruits, to find even more creative recruiting methods moving forward.
Scott Janssen is a blogger for the Huffington Post and has written 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.
NDfanCanada,
Yes, I believe I recall. I think I apologized for my boorishness. If not, or if you don’t recall me doing so, then let me apologize now. I’m sure I was over the top.
I think many of us here are agreed on your points. That’s why I can come across as pessimistic. Hopefully I’ll never get to the level of bj/Bruce Johnson. But I can understand his/their frustrations with this program as a whole.
It seems that with the disappearance of their champion, “Duranko,” the rose-colored glasses crowd has been somewhat MIA. That’s too bad since they make excellent debate partners and their optimism is a useful corrective to some of our more gloomy points of view.
In the end I want to believe all of us are on the same side and want the same thing, namely, ND football greatness.
GO IRISH!
SteelFanRob,
i had a spat with you awhile back and I am sorry I did; just wanted to go on record to applaud what you said up above here. I think you are right about the need to evolve the program to allow us the ability to get enough elite talent to actually win, not just compete for, the NC. I am, with Subway, not sure Kelly is willing to adapt and change; I am much less confident that ND is willing to change as a whole. Until we recruit a notch better, we will compete for top ten rankings but not championships. When we last clashed I was just happy that Kelly had stabilized the program; now it feels as if stability is our glass ceiling, and you were right to demand that we not be content with just that.
@Subway,
Yeah, “Stillers” is a Burgh thing from what I gather. I’m not a native of that city but have a lot of friends from there who root for the Steelers.
I’ve heard people from Philly call their pro football team the Iggles or something like that. So perhaps people from PA just can’t speak proper English!
Just kidding people from PA!
Hi, Subway,
I’m sure you have disagreed with me plenty on some other points. I don’t mind disagreements. I just hate when I am dragged into infantile pissing contests by the trite and by the ad hominem. My sinfaul nature then reacts in kind. I end up always regretting getting caught up in that BS.
I agree on Stanley. I just hope he doesn’t fall to the Stillers and Mike “Dumblin” decides to waste a pick on him instead of a DB.
ND needs to get better on both lines. You win in the trenches. Even in today’s basketball on turf you need to win the battle of the lines.
Keep the faith, Subway!
Go Irish!
@ Steel Fan…not meaning to say that I like your comments only when we agree, but we do agree on many things. I went out on a limb with a negative comment about Heistand’s prepping. But it’s what i observed over the season. He either has the ‘dumbest’ OL or he just coaches to this week’s opponent. “Hey BK, what are we doin’ this week, pass or run”? That’s sad because BK lauds him as a great recruiter. Speaks of him iconically.
Now over to Ronnie Stanley, how many times was illegal motion called on him? Especially in critical passing downs. Over and over again. Could only mean he needed that fraction of a second to get back into position to pass block. I like the fact that he came back for last season, but I wonder if that didn’t impede someone else’s progress? I don’t see him going as high as the pundits think.
Good discussing real topics with you. BTW, I’m guessing “Stillers” is a Pittsburgh thing?
@ Subway,
Thanks for the upbeat post. I think you’re actually way more optimistic than I am right about now about the future of ND football.
I agree about the D. No other way around it. D wins titles. Plus, being a Stillers’ fan you know I like a dominating D. (Not that the Stillers have had that of late under Mike “Dumblin” and Co.!)
I couldn’t agree more about the OL, too. I think they were totally underwhelming last season. Now we hear that Ronnie Stanley was over-rated and is falling down draft boards. I could’ve told you he was soft. That last play of the Fiesta Bowl when he get man-handled all the way back to Kizer was emblematic of the whole season of soft OL play. Heistand needs to start coaching up to his hype!
Good to hear from you, Subway.
Go Irish!
Bile Boy… i guess you believe it’s honorable to defend these “defenseless” players (nice play on words) from my “labels” by spewing bile all over these pages. I don’t think they care what i say or that you are defending them. So let’s get back to ND FB, have you anything constructive to say about how we can improve, eh Bilious Wonder? Hey, here’s a quick quiz…(then i know you got to get back to your ‘times tables’) in my vernacular…1) who is VanNo, 2) NoNo, 3) BeerPong Head? They got tougher as i went along.
@ Steel Fan (Feb 19)…I believe the path back to greatness ‘ain’t’ far off. A 2 part formula…
We start with building a solid top 20 defense, (our current O is top 10 when led by Zaire).
Then add in an OL that can BOTH run block and pass protect in the SAME game. As good as Hiestand (supposedly) is, I truly haven’t seen both in the same game. It’s almost like he preps them to do either but not both based on the opponent du jour.
Once the 5 star kids see us not only get into the playoffs but actually perform well, they’ll start comin’ in. Success breeds success. Then all of us, George included, will welcome a head to head with top teams. With our D, we did not belong in that bowl. Maybe someday, soon.
Love the optimism Jorge!
What, you mean you’re not jumping for joy over Elmers job offer??? Or Robinsons promotion to class prez? Shocking to see ND get waxed in every meaningful bowl game over the past 2+ decades. Start landing some top tier talent please. Recruiting was better under Weis
@ George,
Recall that some of us here were chastised for having the temerity to suggest that ND would be better of playing Iowa, UF, etc. in a lesser bowl. We argued that OSU was a bad match-up for ND and that another loss in a January 1 bowl game would hurt more than appearing in that game would help, especially recruiting-wise. We were called out by the faux loyalists on here for not having faith in the team. I’m OK with faith, but blind faith in BK and his teams is another matter.
Well, as usual, those among us who were objective were proven right. The Irish once more underwhelmed and fell by double digits to a much better opponent on the big stage. And all those recruits who were supposed to be so impressed with ND’s Fiesta Bowl appearance, well, let’s just say very few of the big-time recruits actually signed on.
This culture of mediocrity and defeat will not change until the ND administration does. The football program has to stop being handcuffed by hyper-legalistic codes. You don’t win titles with a bunch of Rhodes scholars. Give me a Michael Stonbreaker over a Joe Schmidt any time!
@”Subway,”
I wish I could disagree with you. My point was to point out what I think the standard for ND football should be. (Namely, what it always was! Greatness!). Whether it gets back there or not only time will tell. I agree with you that, objectively speaking, we fans have little hope for optimism given the lack of success, going on almost 30 years of mediocrity. But I have to have faith that the ND administration will not let the football program die. At some point, someone will realize that things have to change. That a via media has to be found between Ivy-League academics and top-level FBS football. Somehow that balance was struck during the Holtz era. Not coincidentally, that was the last time ND football was truly great.
If it were up to me, “Subway,” I’d actually go the other way and return to the old days. These POs are an ESPN money-grab anyways. Go back to the traditional conferences, with their traditional bowl tie-ins, on January 1 for the big games. Bring back the traditional rivalries sacrificed to the new world order of the ESPN POs. Bring back Nebraska-OK, Pitt-Penn State, etc. I know this is not going to happen, “Subway,” but a truly mythical NC is better and more honest than this equally mythical NC posing as a true champion because of some bogus PO scheme invented by the “mothership”.
Who knows, “Subway,” perhaps ND football as you and I grew up knowing it is really already dead and we just don’t know it. I hope not. But I have the sinking feeling that if things continue to evolve in big-time college football the way they’re going, and ND doesn’t change or evolve, then what we’ll continue to see season after season is something that more and more looks like a glorified Ivy-League team.
How I want to be proved wrong!
Go Irish! Be Great Again!!!
I still want to know when all these recruits are going to start rolling in as a result of ND’s Fiesta Bowl appearance. I see one DEcommitted yesterday, but that’s not what the majority here promised.
To PPP and eBully (you know who you are)…i just came up with another one…Bile Boy. I like that one. Bile Boy, yeah it’s a keeper. But, keep this stuff away from your mommy, please.
Hello again Steel…you said…
“I can accept an occasional 10 win season so long as there are plenty of other undefeated and 11 win ones before it. Not to mention a NC or two (or three).”
Not to be facetious…2 or 3 NC’s?… hope you have a lot of years ahead of you. If Kelly is true to form he’ll hang on to VanNo for the 6 or 7 years he himself has with ND. That’ll mean 6-7 years of no NC. He doesn’t easily part ways with people he works with…like EG5. It took only 23 TO’s before he replaced him at QB (in the final game down about 20-30 points) It’s logical to expect that he won’t replace VanNo, but let’s hope he brings in ‘game-time’ help for the oft confused DC.
My reasoning behind viewing a 2 loss season as a failure is, as long as only the top 4 teams can vie for a NC, 2 losses will never get us into the top 4. Now if they had a 16 team playoff, we might make it.
Come to think of it, in my ‘overblown’ opinion, 16 teams is a viable option. The committee could isolate 8 of the 30+ bowls to host the first round of games, then 4 bowls, then 2 bowls…to arrive at a NC game. The ‘bowls’ would have to start 2 weeks earlier making the season only 10 games long. The argument that the athletes would be exposed to extra games thus exposing possible additional injury, yada,yada, is weak, since only 4 teams will go beyond the 2nd playoff game, etc. What kid wouldnt want to go through that process to finally claim to be a NC? There would be wrinkles to iron out The biggest is that schedules have been set for years in advance. However, if the nation wanted it, it’ll happen. Constructive comments welcome.
Nice try fartface but I’ve seen this before.
It’s my opinion that your irrational rationalizing in making insulting, demeaning, and disparaging “Labels’ on ND Student Athletes as acceptable shows how totally irrational you really are.
You should have a label pasted to your face that says “Defective”
On last thing… your mother should have dumped you and raised the afterbirth instead.
Hey Poison Pen Pal … i hope you are doing your homework, you should be preparing for the ‘rigors’ of 7th grade. Listen to your mom, eat your vegetables. Just friendly advice.
In the meantime, IF/WHEN you have worthwhile comments to offer on ND FB, i would like to see them here. For as long as I’ve been viewing these pages you only spew ‘bully’ comments on the posters, you e-bully you.
BTW, like all of my others, these are just labels…not name calling. Big difference. Hope you learned something here. So far I have you down for Poison Pen Pal and e-Bully, oh yeah, i just came up with another…ASOG…anti self opinion guy. This IS a forum to offer opinions. I hope you realize that plagiarisms don’t qualify as original opinion.
I forget to mention, these are your growing years, so get plenty of sleep. You might not realize it, but we, the people who care about you, are here for you.
Sorry, one last thing, don’t show your mom your posts, she probably doesn’t realize you use such ‘awful’ language.
Subway,
Nice try but I’ve seen it before.
Rant, attack, divert attention.
Find somebody to throw under the bus, change the subject, look for someone anyone to hopefully back you up or bail you out. Anything but admit a mistake.
Don’t like being called names?
Or called out?
But it was you who decided to make up those season long, insulting, demeaning, and disparaging nicknames that you then pinned on 18-21 yr. old ND Student Athletes, whom we all know are bound by the rules of the Student Code Of Conduct, which includes a section on their behavior & social media, and did so for no other reason than to use them so you can show everyone what a witty and clever fellow you are, knowing full well that they couldn’t reply or stand up for themselves.
It is rare that a person, even if it’s a deranged one, that resorts to calling individual college players’ names.
You rarely see that from rival fans let alone someone who professes to be some great fan and Alumni.
As tiger can’t change its spots, a skunk can’t change his stink.
And man, you stink the place up like a shithouse door on a tuna boat.
Over the years there was only one other, so called fan, who displayed the same level of Overblown self opinion, selfishness, indifference, and Narcissistic attitude. Only one.
He would never man up, admit a mistake, or take honest advice either.
Hello, “Subway,”
I think we largely agree on what is acceptable and not acceptable for ND football. Too many have come to accept mediocrity as the new norm. I can accept an occasional 10 win season so long as there are plenty of other undefeated and 11 win ones before it. Not to mention a NC or two (or three).
I certainly didn’t mean to offend you, however. I was just giving you honest advice on how to deal with some of our other regulars. But you ultimately do what you want to do, “Subway”. That’s not a platitude, however. It’s an affirmation of your (spiritual) free will and (legal) First Amendment right.
Stay feisty, my friends (said with the accent of the XX beer guy, “The Most Interesting Man in the World”).
Beat that, “Burgy”!
@ Steel…HUH ???? I have but one goal for first anticipating and then weekly watching ND FB. and that is to hopefully ‘will’ them into a National Championship. Anything short of that is nothing. Not content with a 5 or a 4 or a 3 or even a 2 loss season. 2 losses puts them maybe in the top 10, probably 12 to 15th. If i don’t accept 2 losses, i certainly don’t accept platitudes, which is what your post to me is filled with. Anyway, if you are content with 2 or 3 losses, resulting from a 69th ranked defense, this is where we part friends.
An all or nothing is not too unreasonable a demand. After all, this is supposed to be ND. I’m not alone in that goal. Take last season, Kelly talked about this team’s mission. Then when they missed getting into one of the top 4 spots, it became a “mission to go undefeated at home”. His statement, look it up. What a crock!
Hey Shaz’s a Crock…weenie? OMG you are in the 6th grade. You are a joke. I’m glad i got to you. I wondered if you could take it, apparently not. You dish your poison, you just cannot receive. God didn’t mean “poison” when he said it was better to give than receive. Take this suggestion…like in the kid’s rhyme “rain,rain,,,go away come again another day” Let me add… come back when you grow up boy, not older.
BTW, SHAZAM…that comes from Batman, right? Along with BIFF, POW and a few others. I guess it’s still your favorite read. I was always a Superman guy myself. Am of the belief… ‘why ride when you can FLY”! My suggestion to you…fly away.
Regarding the content of my posts…of course they are made up…they are original, not like yours, which are pure plagiarisms. Oooo I think I have an appropriate name for you…how’s “the Poison Pen Pal” guy. (3P for short). Anyway, I hope you recover soon. Thanks for the laugh man. Ta ta boy…
Flubway…
“upsettedness” I believe that is a made up word… much like the content of your posts.
As far as the name calling goes, i get calling the coaches names, not that I agree with it, but they are being paid to do a job and it kind of comes with the territory.
But calling the players names…. that’s just weenie… you weenie.
@Subway,
I guess our resident archivist “Burgy” will have to produce the examples you request. I can attest that I have had several productive exchanges with Shaz in the past. Not so much “Burgy,” though.
Look, I agree. I’ve often asked Shaz (“Burgy” I take to be incorrigible) to try to model a more welcoming attitude, especially to our newbies. I have no problems with pointed discussions and debates. But, sadly, resembling our world at large, it seems that we on this site can’t disagree without being disagreeable. I have often myself not lived up to my own preaching. However, I have often apologized for my boorishness. Others, however, just go on and act like they’re infallible. Our lamented Duranko, sadly, too often seemed to act like the moral conscience of this site and too many on here seemed to take their cues from him.
In the end, Subway, just stick to your guns. Don’t take crap from me or anyone else on here. Try to stay as positive (in your analysis, not blind loyalty to ND football), though.
Go Irish!
@ Steel Fan…hey, i’ve read your stuff here, i like most of it and believe you are a worthwhile read.
But, please point to something, anything, that (esp) Shaz-a-muck-er has written that contributes to a continuing conversation about ND FB. Both these guys prey on the weak posters whose upsettedness concerning ND FB exceeds their ability to put that into words. So where you or I might dismiss some poster’s vitriol, these two pounce on it. I’m sure they think of themselves as ‘clever’ or ‘glib’ (thus the Glib brothers) but i see it as a weakness, a cry for help, reaching out to the masses to…’please somebody like me’! Thus the self-help book, the name calling. These two boys are not under my skin, but they are annoying. Awaiting your response.
Subway SoDumb….
Speaking of J.O.B’s… your talent as a Dirty Hamper Diver for Sweaty Athletic supporters is world renowned.
I mean….. you didn’t earn the nickname “Jock Goo Stow” for nutin!!
Au revoir Le Pew, and keep up the good work!
@ Subway,
Both Shaz and Burgy can make heartfelt and intelligent remarks about ND football. They have done so in the past. I’ve often disagreed with them, but our disagreements have mostly (albeit not always!) been substantive.
You just can’t let them (especially “Burgy”) get under your skin. If they want to banter, then banter back, Subway. If they want to debate, then debate them. When in Rome and all that.
Can someone please tell me what happened to Duranko? Is he OK? I clearly missed something.
Shaz… at least you should reference the author, when you spout off some gobbledee gook. Your above post sounds like something you read in a “self-help” book you stumbled upon. Oh yeah, if you are looking for self help, you might start by getting a J.O.B. and helping out your parents while you are living at home. You can’t be working and responding so obnoxiously quickly to other people’s heartfelt posts about a team that’s led us “fans” to the altar only once since ’88. Go ‘troll’ OSU fans.
Why some are constant complainers and why they are drawn to each other.
Life’s unfair.
Most constant whiner’s and complainer’s complain because they can’t come to grips that life is unfair and that it’s out of their control.
Genuinely Unhappy.
Some people are just genuinely unhappy.
They can’t find joy in any aspect of their life.
Genuinely unhappy people take to complaining and name-calling to express their dissatisfaction with their life, and look to incorporate others of similar emotional frailty which can used as a coping mechanism.
Jealousy
They won’t admit to this as it’s a rather unbecoming trait.
They may also not admit to it because they truly don’t recognize it as jealousy. This ties in with the first point of life not being fair.
The emotion that can come out of that is jealousy.
They wish they had the new car, or the new job, or the best team, so there is a tendency to complain, …. that the other people are getting this or that and they are not.
Lack of empathy.
Many times they complain because they lack empathy for others.
Think about this: You complain that someone isn’t doing something “right”, they should be doing it this way because that’s what you would do if we were in that position.
Because you lack empathy you aren’t able to fully put yourself in the other persons place.
You don’t know the thoughts or what other complexities they are facing …. and you don’t care to.
@ Ron & Shaz…the brothers Glib.
Can anyone point to either of them providing a worthwhile contribution to any ND discussion? Just a bunch of one-liners. All counter punches. No substance. Maybe not even ND fans, just here to poke fun at us (in their minds) “morons”.
How’d they get that way…animosity built up probably in HS picking up sweaty jock straps, offering Gatorade, mopping the sweat off the court? Go-fers. Yeah, i guess that’s productive.
Hey R & S, how ’bout it, wadda ya like/dislike about ND FB?
Looking forward to more facts from you Gonzo, quality stuff!
REALITY…Its not shocking Harbaugh did an amazing job recruiting. Its an easy sale and with all of his contacts… Please… But, when it comes to a recruit that has ND and Michigan as his top two, the better person(student that cares about his education) picks ND. A lot of those kids that committed to Michigan could not cut at @ South Bend, PERIOD! Many of you Michigan fans will talk smack but you know that as the truth. And, I am fine with that fact!
Under Brian Kelly, ND will continue to grow and battle for championships.
Michigan will once again rise to power in the Big 10 and hopefully knock OSU around for a few years. And I am okay with that , too.
@ George- And don’t forget to disallow any proofreaders for his student-athletes’ papers submitted- or they’ll be eliminated from the program for a year- wait, never mind, that’s only ND.
Add Lou Holtz’s name to being there for and attending Michigan functions since Harbaugh’s arrival.
Whatever it takes has long since been the model of successful recruiting.
I don’t fault Harbaugh for recognizing that-
#4 ranked recruiting class in his first year is impressive.
@ Bruce, totally agree…think Wade P. might be available?
Wait, Harbaugh is trying to win football games?!?!? WTH!! Somebody should tell him that all he needs to do is simply “coach up” whatever player will submit his homework on time.
Uh, Bruce… the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Which in your case is no simple thing.
It’s simple kelly can’t make it happen. In his first year of recruiting hsrbaugh does better than he does. Step 1 to recovery fire bvg and get the best DC in the country.
HARBAUGH is already pushing the envelope with his recruiting tactics can a ncaa investigation b on the horizon shortly. Between illeagal practices sleepovers harbaugh will stop at nothing to win for himself! doesn’t have to live with academic side which frustrated him at STANFORD!
Nd must start recruiting Texas