This Guy is Still on Providence??

I just stumbled across the Providence - UConn game and noticed our old friend Ray Hall lumbering up and down the court.  Looking forward to seeing how much his game has improved over his nine years on campus when the Irish play at the DD Center later this month.

WeIs Recruiting Roundtable

With National Signing Day having come and gone, it's time to put a ribbon on the 2011 recruiting class and look forward to the impact that these 23 blue chippers may have on the upcoming season and years to come.  In the spirit of Oscars season, we have categories for which our esteemed recruiting panel has evaluated and handed out awards.  Our opinions vary, but one thing is for sure: optimism overflows for Irish fans, and this recruiting haul only reconfirms that Coach Kelly has this train headed in the right direction and picking up steam quickly.  Spring practice can't get here soon enough. 

Biggest Get

Jeremy: Aaron Lynch

Brian Kelly identified defensive end as a position of great need for the recruiting class, and boy did he ever deliver. I’m tempted to pick Tuitt here because guys with the body and skill to start right away as a strong-side DE in a 3-4 defense don’t come along every day (especially to South Bend). But I’m going with Aaron Lynch. Not since the days of Justin Tuck have the Irish been able to boast a true pass-rushing terror off the edge. Lynch is still pretty raw, and isn’t ready to become a full-time starter yet at the weak-side DE spot, but he’s sure to see immediate playing time in obvious passing situations. Honorable mention to Ishaq Williams as well, who’s going to be a handful from that OLB spot for years to come.

Jimmy: Anthony Rabasa
I especially love all the recruiting battles won vs. the elite programs - USC , Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, FSU and Florida. Count it a double win as you add an elite player to the mix while depriving a head-to-head opponent or fellow NC contender with an important piece of the puzzle. It’s a testament to Brian Kelly and his staff that they can lure highly touted players away from the cozy environs and proximity of fertile West Coast and Deep South recruiting grounds. ND has always enjoyed a solid Midwest and East Coast base and recruiting presence, something Kelly enhances with his ties to Ohio and Michigan. More often than not, though, the difference-making players come from outside the recruiting “comfort zone,” which makes their successful recruitment all the more significant.

Manti Te’o fits this description as a huge coup, not only because he’s living up to his billing as the top linebacker of his class, but also because he’s become an ideal recruiting tool. Kelly mentioned multiple times how important a role Te’o played in selling recruits, be it worries about religion or Northern Indiana not being an idyllic warm weather spot and the adjustment that comes with that. It takes a helluva lot more work to convince someone like Stephon Tuitt to leave Georgia and its state programs in the lurch, or pluck Aaron Lynch from the Sunshine State to South Bend’s snowy state of emergency. Because of this added responsibility, the “biggest get” shouldn’t be solely which player will be the best on the field, but who could also make the most impact off the field for future recruiting purposes.

The trendy stock answer to the “biggest get” is any one of the anointed triumvirate of impact rush ends, each of whom could have special careers under the Dome. Lynch, Tuitt and Ishaq Williams (who I’ll fondly refer to as Steve Jobs’ blueprint for the “Cat” LB, iShaq 1.0) are all terrific additions, as is the spread offense potential of Everett Golson. By this extrapolated definition of “biggest get,” the most surprising, and possibly most foreboding of more good things to come is Anthony Rabasa.

Apparently he already dislikes Michigan

Stealing Rabasa from under the shadow of The U in Coral Gables was a tremendous achievement. Granted, the state of Miami’s program isn’t exactly a picture of stability, but FSU, LSU and a slew of other ACC/SEC schools didn’t expect this instinctual defensive darkhorse to escape the Mason-Dixie line. Not only does this open in-roads to Rabasa’s high school, Miami powerhouse Christopher Columbus H.S., but it also spawns another potential Te’o Effect with Rabasa spreading the good word of ND’s resurgence to talented South Floridians in classes to come.

I also look forward to Mike Collins having fun with plenty of “Ruh-BAAAHSSS-UH with the tackle” calls.

Matt: Aaron Lynch
I’m a sucker for the SEC area guys. Especially SEC area guys who have SEC level talent. In recent years, guys like Lynch have been scarce on the final commit list in South Bend when the fax machine is done whirring every Signing Day. (Is there any more antiquated process in sports than requiring high school kids to have to fax in their letter? Seriously, it’s 2011, this process is probably singlehandedly keeping fax machine manufacturers in business.) On the ESPNU Signing Day show they showed an incredible graphic that 72 (IIRC) of the top 150 players in the country were from SEC states. And the bulk of those guys were obviously Florida kids. It’s nice to see ND go up against the consensus number one recruiting school this year in Florida State and win this head to head battle.

And of course, it addresses the most critical need of the program. No one has doubted the recruiting of the skill positions on the offensive side of the ball under Charlie Weis. Golden Tate came from Tennessee. Armando Allen from Florida. We’ve plucked big time offensive lineman like Sam Young and Dan Wenger from St. Thomas Aquinas, a big time program that all the big boys hit hard. But the white whale for the Irish that has been talked about ad nauseum, was the lack of SEC level talent along the D line. Brian Kelly talked about having a plan for each recruiting cycle, and it was obvious that building up the talent level on the defensive front seven was the key to the plan this year. Lynch is the biggest get, but I’m excited for Tuitt, Ishaq, Rabasa and Councell as well. And it should hearten every ND fan that three of these five guys came from SEC territory and have extremely impressive cohorts.

Biggest Miss

Jeremy: Wayne Lyons
ND’s inability to draw elite safety talent to South Bend has been extremely frustrating over the last few recruiting cycles. This year, Wayne Lyons seemed the perfect ND target – a superstar athlete with great grades and all the right answers to the questions about school and his future. I suppose you can’t blame the kid for going to Stanford either. The Midwest doesn’t exactly seem all that hospitable right now.

Jimmy: Offensive Line
I know there’s plenty of movable parts and bodies to evaluate and shuffle around positions, but on paper, there’s only 3 O-linemen in this class and the interior line stable looks a little thin. One of the worst indictments of Willingham was whiffing on big uglies for a couple recruiting cycles. I don’t mean to compare BK to anything Ty ever did (and I’ll never ever put them in the same sentence again). I’m just pointing out that BK’s recruiting philosophy depends more on molding big, athletic bodies into a position instead of getting “x” number of high school tackles, guards and centers with each class to ensure competition and aptitude. I’m confident Kelly’s system will turn out fine interior linemen, but there’s not immediate reward or gut feeling after Signing Day about those important positions.

Matt: Savon Huggins

If Savon Huggins was in this class, it could very well be the perfect recruiting class (ok, maybe a d tackle would have been nice too). I watched the highlight videos of Cam McDaniel, and I know that he was very impressive playing against the top level of Texas high school football, but he just doesn’t strike me as a big time college running back. One of the assistant coaches in UND.com’s signing day coverage said they hoped he could be a Danny Woodhead type back. Personally, and I hate to even write a kid off from a certain position before he steps on campus, but I see McDaniel as more of a slot receiver or maybe change of pace back in BK’s offense. But we’ll see. Two straight years without a dynamite tailback recruit though.

Honorable mention goes to the cornerback position, especially with the last minute defection of Okotcha to Oklahoma. The proven talent starts to get dangerously thin back there after this year, with Gray and D’s in the Dirt Blanton moving on. And cornerback is not traditionally a position where guys can step right in and contribute. Let’s hope Lo Wood can gain some experience as a sophomore and Benett Jackson can quickly learn the position. Jalen Brown, Eilar Hardy and Matthias Farley may all turn out to be answers at CB and S, but let’s just be honest. Brown didn’t get an offer from UT or OU, Farley didn’t get an offer from any SEC school, and Hardy wasn’t offered by Ohio State. The good news is that Kelly has already admitted that this is an area of need and is involved with top juniors.

Class Sleeper

Jeremy: Josh Atkinson

Before he flipped to the Sooners, Bennett Okotcha seemed like the easy answer here. But I’ll stay in the defensive backfield and go with the lesser ranked of the brothers in this class, Josh Atkinson. Atkinson has good quicks, likes to be physical and has some good genes to play in the secondary (I hear his dad was pretty good back in the day). Honorable mention to Eilar Hardy who, although he’s got some nice rankings, hasn’t been getting much love or pub because he didn’t play
in the “big boy” all-star games. Also Ben Councell, who is the prototypical “Drop” OLB in the 3-4 scheme.

Jimmy: George Atkinson III
Atkinson’s speed and athleticism is legit and was recognized as such by recruiting sites, ranking him as a top “Athlete” in at least two publications. He toted the ball out of the backfield a lot in high school, but Kelly likely envisions the same jitterbugicity and elusiveness in space that Theo Riddick possesses. With Floyd, Riddick, TJ Jones, Eifert, Gray and Wood likely to receive most of the touches, Atkinson may have a quiet freshman season, provided he doesn’t make a splash in special teams. But this is the kind of athlete that fits Kelly’s system beautifully. I think Atkinson will become an indispensable piece of the offense, a guy defenses have to account for every time he’s on the field.

Matt: Matthias Farley
BK raved about how physically impressive Farley is – commenting that he is the most ready to step on the field right away from a physical standpoint. And he’s not kidding, with Farley being 6 foot and nearly 200 pounds already. A 3 star from Charlotte, Farley had offers from mid tier schools – UNC, NC State, Maryland, UCLA and Wisconsin to name a few. He’s listed on Rivals as an athlete, but I think he will carve out a nice niche somewhere in the defensive backfield, most likely as a safety. He could be on the five year plan, although with the lack of depth in the defensive backfield I could see Farley as a special teamer and possibly get his feet wet on defense this coming season.

Most Likely to Make Immediate Contribution

Jeremy: George Atkinson III
Guys like Lynch, Williams and Tuitt are easy answers here. But I’ll go with George Atkinson III, who could become the next special teams ace for the Irish. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him taking the opening kickoff against South Florida. Also, Kyle Brindza, who will unseat the disappointing Ben Turk as the starting punter right out of the gate.

A large, scary man

Jimmy: Stephon Tuitt and Kyle Brindza
Tuitt is a large, scary man. His ability won’t be denied and he’ll be in the DE mix with Ethan Johnson from the get-go. Tuitt’s contribution is two-fold: he becomes a second “1st-stringer” when he’s in, disrupting both the run and pass with aplomb. Meanwhile, Johnson benefits from the relief and maximizes every snap he takes on the field, likely propelling his draft stock.

Brindza comes in as an absolute kicking specimen with probably the strongest leg on the roster. He should take over kickoffs and may push Turk for punting duties. If that’s not immediate contribution, I don’t know what is. Winning the 3rd phase is crucial to program success.

Matt: Kyle Brindza*
I’ll asterisk this one, as I think most ND fans (and I assume my fellow Roundtable writers) would agree that Lynch, Tuitt and Ishaq have an opportunity to make a difference right away in the front seven. To discuss someone different, I’ll go with Brindza, who has a monster leg and figures to give incumbent Ben Turk all he can handle for the punting duties. Turk has been a disappointment for the majority of his career, and it wouldn’t shock me if Brindza was punting and kicking off on September 3rd against USF.

Best Overall Career

Jeremy: Everett Golson
Although he’s slight in stature, Everett Golson is the perfect spread QB for the Kelly offense. Really the only foreseeable limitation (other than his size, of course) is the depth chart ahead of him. But I think Kelly is going to find it extremely difficult to keep him off the field in 2011, and I’d expect him to be starting by the time the Irish head to the Emerald Isle to open the 2012 season.

Jimmy: TBD

Matt: Everett Golson
I couldn’t be more impressed with Golson after watching his interview and highlight tape on UND.com. Just a kid that seems to get it and an undeniable talent at QB. Last year, BK inherited a recruiting class, and he admitted yesterday that his recruiting consisted of trying to keep Charlie’s class together. Translation: these weren’t my guys. Not saying that BK would or wouldn’t have recruited them anyway, just that they were Charlie’s guys that BK had to retain.

At QB, Rees has proven an effective game manager, bringing up memories of Matt Lovecchio. Andrew Hendrix has drawn rave reviews while remaining a mystery to ND fans. But Golson is his handpicked QB to run the spread, and received offers from UF, UGA, SC, UNC, Ohio State and Tennessee to name a few. It’s not like he’s just a guy who Kelly sees as a long term project. Don’t let the 3 star ranking or 6 foot height fool you – Golson is a big time QB prospect. Not to go all Beano Cook on you with this prediction, but I believe that when it’s all said and done on his career, Everett Golson will have been the QB that leads ND to a national championship.

Biggest Need for 2012

Jeremy: RB, Interior Line, DB
There are several. Kelly has recruited only two RBs in two classes, neither of whom could be considered perfect fits for what he wants to do on offense. Cierre Wood does have 3 more years of eligibility, and there are rumors that Theo Riddick could be moving back to RB, but its time for Kelly to grab a few elite backs. Also – depending upon how that DE depth chart works out, the Irish probably need to get a few interior offensive lineman, including an elite center. Other needs include defensive backs (including a few corners and at least one elite safety), a stud WR, a stud ILB, and at least one big body for NT. Kelly is going to have to be a bit stingy with his offers because there won’t be many scholarships to go around, but hopefully the on-field performance of the team will allow him to aim high in the 2012 class.

Jimmy: RB, Offensive Line, DB
Optimistically big picture, a handful of impact players who push Notre Dame back into a BCS bowl and NC contention. 2012 boasts a gauntlet of a schedule, but the talent and learning curve should coalesce into a special season. More specifically, absolute team needs will be running back, O-line and defensive secondary. Kelly has stated he’ll always look to add a QB with every class and playmakers are always on the radar, as they should be. Can’t disagree with that. What I appreciate the most out of Kelly’s first full cycle is they started with a plan and executed it quite well. D-Line was the focus and the coaches followed through emphatically. I have confidence Kelly will take stock of what he has, where the parts fit in and address accordingly.

Matt: RB, DB, DT
I talked about this above, but running back and the defensive backfield become alarmingly thin after this year, with a lot of unproven guys on the roster that may or may not be an answer. To his credit, BK has already admitted that these are need areas and has begun to target and offer many of the top juniors at these positions. Barry Sanders Jr. would look good in blue and gold.

The third category that is an absolute must for ND next year is defensive tackle. For whatever reason, this has been the most elusive position for ND to recruit over the years. Think about it, when was the last time ND has someone even in the same ballpark as a Glenn Dorsey, Mount Cody or Nick Fairley? Trevor Laws was a nice interior player and if he got to play with guys like Manti Teo and some of these incoming pass rushers, he may well have been remembered more fondly. But as it turned out he was a bright spot on some of the worst defensive units in ND history. These SEC teams that are holding the crystal ball at the end of the year have had the common denominator of a big ugly that wreaks havoc in the backfield and stuffs the run. ND hasn’t had that kind of guy in forever.

All reports are that Louis Nix (from Jacksonville with offers from the Florida triumvirate) is ready to burst onto the scene, and the position should be in capable hands this year with Hafis Williams and Sean Cwynar in the mix as well. But if ND wants to complement its new cache of pass rushers off the edge, they absolutely need one or two mammoth run stuffers up the middle.

Honorable mention to offensive line, although BK has some options and flexibility to switch several of these defensive lineman to the offensive side of the ball. I’ll withhold judgment on this position until the roster moves are all finished, presumably at the end of spring practice.

2011 Signing Day Wrap Up

For recruitniks, Christmas Day has come and gone. But not without the requisite drama that always seems to accompany the end of the recruiting year. For the Irish, the results were generally positive, with Coach Brian Kelly landing a consensus Top 10 class in his first full recruiting cycle.

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

Everett Golson
Myrtle Beach, SC (Myrtle Beach)

Scout: 4-star, #15 QB
ESPN: 4-star, #25 ATH
Rivals: 3-star, #16 Dual Threat QB
(#12 Player in SC)
Offers: UNC, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson

Golson flipped from North Carolina to the Irish in early December. His HS stats are eye-popping – as a junior he completed almost 63% of his passes for over 3,500 yards with 47 TDs and only 3 INTs. He missed a good chunk of his senior season due to injury, but returned to lead his team to a second straight state title, knocking off Jadeveon Clowney’s Rock Hill squad in the title game. Golson’s highlight videos are amazing, and he gives Brian Kelly the dual-threat weapon behind center that isn’t on the roster at the present moment. The fact that Golson has enrolled early makes the QB derby very interesting this spring.

Ceiling: Golson’s experience in the spread offense and his athleticism make him a near perfect fit in Kelly’s system. An illustrious career with at least one invite to a Heisman ceremony is not out of the question at all.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: The concern with Golson is his size, which explains his low(er) rankings. As much as I would like to see Golson push hard for significant playing time early, I expect that some combination of Crist and Rees will be the starter for the USF game, and beyond. Having said that, I can’t see a redshirt here, and I imagine that Kelly will have some packages for installed for Golson. He’ll be seriously challenging for the starting job in 2012.

RUNNING BACK

Cam McDaniel
Coppell, TX (Coppell)

Scout: 3-star, #33 RB
ESPN: 3-star, #49 RB
Rivals: 3-star
Offers: Stanford, Iowa, Cincinnati

McDaniel might not look like much, but he rushed for over 1,000 yards each of the last two seasons (1,906 his senior year) against some of the best competition Texas had to offer. Tough and versatile, he may not stick at RB, but I wouldn’t bet against him making contributions to the Irish at some point during his career.

Ceiling: A jack-of-all trades 3rd down back/slot WR/specials teams stud

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Likely redshirt, though he could perhaps see some immediate time on special teams. This just seems like one of those guys you can’t keep off the field. He may end up developing into a 4th or 5th WR (ala Roby Toma) late in his career.

TIGHT END

Ben Koyack
Oil City, PA (Oil City Senior)

Scout: 5-star, #1 TE
ESPN: 4-star, #3 TE
Rivals: 4-star, #7 TE
(#82 in Rivals 100, #1 Player in PA)
Offers: USC, LSU, OSU, PSU, Oklahoma

Big kid with great receiving skills, Koyack will probably need some time in the weight room to bulk up, particularly in the lower body. Impressed during the week of practice at the Under Armour All American Game.

Ceiling: He’s not Kyle Rudolph, but Koyack has the raw physical talent to put together a few All-American type seasons.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: The depth chart at TE is pretty solid right now, with good numbers and talent. Eifert seems to have a pretty solid lock on the starting job for a few years, but the backup spot will be interesting to watch. With Mike Ragone apparently set for a 5th year, Koyack will probably end up as a redshirt. Koyack will battle Welch and others for backup snaps in 2012.

WIDE RECEIVER

DaVaris Daniels
Vernon Hills, IL (Vernon Hills)

Scout: 4-star, #23 WR
ESPN: 4-star, #12 WR
Rivals: 4-star, #21 WR
(#178 in Rivals 250, #2 Player in IL)
Offers: Miami, Oklahoma, Oregon, Nebraska

The son of Washington Redskin DE Phillip Daniels made plays all over the field on both offense and defense for Vernon Hills HS. He’ll be coming to ND as a WR, most likely to serve as the understudy to Michael Floyd in 2011. Played in the UA All American Game.

Ceiling: He might not be able to recreate Michael Floyd’s production on the outside, but he becomes the most explosive big-play threat in the WR corps from 2012 until his graduation.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: In a perfect world, he redshirts and learns at the knee of Floyd this year. He’ll be in a dogfight for the outside WR role after Floyd’s departure. His main competition would appear to be Daniel Smith, and Daniels will have every opportunity to play quickly and play quite a bit in 2012.

George Atkinson III
Livermore, CA (Granada)

Scout: 3-star, #30 RB
ESPN: 3-star, #40 ATH
Rivals: 4-star, #7 ATH
(#126 in Rivals 250, #8 Player in CA)
Offers: USC, Alabama, Oregon, Miami

GA III and his brother Josh continue the recent “bloodline” trend at ND. The brothers and their father, Raider great George Atkinson, have bought into the ND system, and although George played safety during the Army All American game, he’ll be making his mark at ND on the offensive side of the ball. As a senior, George averaged over 9.5 yards per carry and over 25 yards per catch. He’s a big play waiting to happen every time he puts his hands on the ball.

Ceiling: Special teams ace and a multi-year contributor as the 3rd WR

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Kelly would probably love to redshirt him next year, but he might be the best kick returner the moment he steps foot on campus. He seems like the ideal fit for the slot, and Theo Riddick’s potential move back to RB could free up some snaps for him.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Matt Hegarty
Aztec, NM (Aztec)

Scout: 4-star, #11 OT
ESPN: 4-star, #5 OT
Rivals: 4-star, #6 OT
(#70 Player in Rivals 100, #1 Player in NM)
Offers: USC, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Oregon, FSU

Perhaps the jewel of the offensive class, Hegarty was one of the most highly sought-after offensive line recruits on the West Coast this year. He disappointed a bit in the Army game this year, partly because of a bum knee, but probably also due to the significant talent on the East team’s defensive line. Hegarty looks great in space and will be the heir apparent to the LT spot.

Ceiling: Even if Hegarty is as good as advertised, its tough to see him displacing Zack Martin on the left side. But the RT position will be wide-open beginning in 2012, and Hegarty will be in a battle with a bunch of others for the starting role. His ceiling is definitely a multi-year starter at the tackle position.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Almost certain redshirt for 2011. He and Tate Nichols battle for the RT spot in 2012, and he slides over to the left side after Martin graduates following the 2012 season (assuming Martin surrenders his final year of eligibility and heads to the league).

Conor Hanratty
New Canaan, CT (New Canaan)

Scout: 3-star, #31 OG
ESPN: 3-star, #52 OG
Rivals: 3-star, #38 OG
(#3 Player in CT)
Offers: FSU, Clemson, BC, Stanford, Iowa

Hanratty is the son of former ND great Terry Hanratty and is the only recruit (currently) on the interior line, an area which is becoming somewhat concerning. He’s also a bit of a project, and Paul Longo probably can’t wait to get his hands on him this fall.

Ceiling: There are some more talented guards on the depth chart in front of him, but if Hanratty works hard, he could definitely work his way into a rotation by the end of his career.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Redshirt. Some pretty legit programs exhibited some serious interest in Hanratty, including schools like BC and Iowa with the reputation of developing diamond-in-the-rough type guys into NFL talents. I still think Hanratty is a long-shot to start at ND, but if there are any injuries on the interior line in the next 2 years, Hanratty is going to be one of the first in line for PT.

Nick Martin
Indianapolis, IN (Bishop Chatard)

Scout: 3-star, #39 OT
ESPN: 3-star, #38 OT
Rivals: 3-star, #66 OT
(#8 Player in IN)
Offers: Kentucky, BC, Tennessee, Stanford, South Carolina, Michigan

The long-time Kentucky verbal flipped to the Irish in December when Kelly informed him that his offer was no longer conditional. The brother of current Irish LT Zack Martin has been called a “smoother” version of his brother, but he exhibits a similar mean streak with highlight videos showing him maintaining blocks 20 and 30 yards downfield.

Ceiling: If he’s anywhere near as good as his brother, this is a great pickup for the Irish, and ND could have bookend Martin tackles for years to come.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Redshirt, so that Longo can redistribute some of Nick’s baby fat. With Zack Martin, Nichols, Christian Lombard and Hegarty, the Irish are in decent shape at the tackle spot. Nick Martin could be ticketed for an interior spot depending upon need. But here’s guessing he stays outside to take advantage of his solid athleticism.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Brad Carrico
Dublin, OH (Dublin Coffman)

Scout: 3-star, #64 OT
ESPN: 3-star, #89 DE
Rivals: 3-star, #52 SDE
(#38 Player in OH)
Offers: Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Cincinnati, WVU

The first commit in the class, Carrico played on both sides of the ball in HS. He represents the versatile “power” type of recruit that Kelly is looking for on the lines. An early enrollee, Carrico is already on campus and will be getting the Longo treatment in short order.

Ceiling: Tough to say, given we’re not entirely sure just where Carrico is going to end up. But based upon the extensive talent surrounding him on the DL, the ceiling seems like a rotation DT or maybe a run-stopping DE. Or perhaps a rotation interior OL towards the tail end of his career.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Redshirt. After Kelly and Co. figure out the numbers issues, Carrico moves into the mix at either offense or defense, providing the Irish with valuable depth.

Tony Springmann
Fort Wayne, IN (Bishop Dwenger)

Scout: 3-star, #65 DE
ESPN: 3-star, #42 OT
Rivals: 3-star, #39 SDE
(#7 Player in IN)
Offers: BC, Stanford, Purdue

The second of Kelly’s Midwestern, versatile “power” guys, Springmann hails from Bishop Dwenger of Fort Wayne, also home to current Irish pass-catchers Tyler Eifert and John Goodman. Though he was initially targeted for the DL, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Springmann end up on the offensive line before its all said and done.

Ceiling: See – Brad Carrico.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Redshirt. Another nice depth piece for either the offensive or defensive line.

Chase Hounshell
Kirtland, OH (Lake Catholic)

Scout: 3-star, #97 DE
ESPN: 3-star, #84 DT
Rivals: 3-star, # 59 OT
(#52 Player in OH)
Offers: Florida, Wisconsin, MSU, Iowa, BC

The third big body from the Midwest, Hounshell was initially a Florida commit, until the combination of a firm ND scholarship offer and Urban Meyer’s “retirement” led Hounshell to flip to the Irish in January. Though the Gators saw Hounshell as an offensive tackle, the Irish are apparently going to try him out as a big run-stopping DE.

Ceiling: As a big body with a nasty streak, Hounshell has the potential to become a bigger version of Sean Cwynar.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Probably another guy that will get a redshirt early. By 2012 or 2013, he should start seeing some chances to make contributions in the DE rotation.

Aaron Lynch
Cape Coral, FL (Island Coast)

Scout: 5-star, #2 DE
ESPN: 4-star, #3 DE
Rivals: 4-star, #3 SDE
(#28 in Rivals 100, #19 Player in FL)
Offers: FSU, Alabama, Florida, OSU, Auburn

Lynch has been one of the strangest stories of this year’s recruiting cycle. A long-time verbal to ND, particularly after a visit to campus to spread his grandfather’s ashes in ND Stadium, Lynch flipped to Florida St. amid stories that the FSU coaches were telling Lynch that ND was “too hard,” academically, for him. ND stayed in the picture, however, and at the Army All-American weekend in San Antonio, Tony Alford and other staff members worked on Lynch and his family, eventually convincing him to visit ND the following weekend. Lynch decommitted from FSU and ended up as an early enrollee at ND.

A pass rushing dynamo, Lynch brings the type of speed and athleticism to the ND defensive line that’s been lacking since Victor Abiamiri and Justin Tuck took their talents to the NFL.

Ceiling: Not sure that he’s got one. Tim Prister of Irish Illustrated compared Lynch favorably to Irish legend Ross Browner, which is high praise for anyone that puts on the gold helmet. Even if he only stays for 3 years, he’s got a chance to make a run at every sack record in the books. All-American, early-round draft pick-type talent.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Some analysts have pegged Lynch as a 4-3 DE guy who might be out of place in Diaco’s 3-4 defense. But he’s got the frame to put on some more weight while maintaining his lethal speed. He plays immediately against USF in pass rushing situations and becomes the starting WDE whenever KLM decides he’s ready for the NFL.

Stephon Tuitt
Monroe, GA (Monroe Area)

Scout: 5-star, #10 DE
ESPN: 4-star, #10 DE
Rivals: 5-star, #2 SDE
(#22 in Rivals 100, #1 Player in GA)
Offers: Georgia Tech, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU

Kelly clearly identified the DE spot as a vital one to target during this recruiting cycle, and with Tuitt and Lynch, he nabbed two of the best in the country. Tuitt is a bigger body who can play on the strong-side of the line right away.

Tuitt’s was another drama-filled recruitment – he shockingly committed to the Irish after an official visit and stayed strong even after taking a visit to Auburn and during the course of the Army All-American weekend. He flipped to Ga Tech briefly after taking a visit in January, but the Irish coaching staff (including Kelly, Diaco and Chuck Martin) were able to get him back into the fold less than 48 hours later.

Ceiling: Similar to Lynch, the possibilities are nearly limitless. His game is more power than speed, and he’s equally effective against both the run and the pass. He’ll have a death grip on that SDE spot until the day he leaves campus. Potential All-American for sure.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Immediately goes into the SDE rotation with Ethan Johnson and Hafis Williams, and he’s sure to see quite a bit of playing time in 2011. After Johnson’s departure, Tuitt will likely become the starter in 2012.

Troy Niklas
Anaheim, CA (Servite)

Scout: 4-star, #8 OT
ESPN: 3-star, #19 TE
Rivals: 4-star, #24 OT
(#221 in Rivals 250, #26 Player in CA)
Offers: USC, Stanford, Florida, Oklahoma, Nebraska

I’m throwing Niklas in with the DE group, though there’s certainly a great possibility that he could end up on the offensive line. The recruiting services seem to think that’s his ultimate destination, and both Scout and Rivals think pretty highly of his abilities at OT. ND beat out SC for the Servite star, who remained pretty mum on the process until committing to the Irish on Signing Day.

Ceiling: Again, this depends upon where he ends up – if he sticks at DE, could be a rotation-type guy who plays primarily in run situations, likely towards the end of his career. If he moves to OT, he’s got the feet and the size to become a multi-year starter at tackle.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Another likely redshirt candidate. This will be a guy to keep an eye on throughout this year once the depth chart on both the offensive and defensive line finally shakes out. I think he probably end up at tackle, and battling guys like Nick Martin, Tate Nichols and Christian Lombard for a starting tackle spot by 2013 or so.

LINEBACKERS

Jarrett Grace
Cincinnati, OH (Colerain)

Scout: 4-star, #14 OLB
ESPN: 3-star, #46 OLB
Rivals: 3-star, #24 ILB
(#25 Player in OH)
Offers: Ohio St., Tennessee, Michigan, Stanford, MSU

The most likely of the LB commits to end up playing on the inside, Grace had some serious interest from Alabama after giving his verbal commitment to the Irish. A tackling machine at Colerain HS, Grace is a hard-nosed player who will need to improve his lateral movement at the next level.

Ceiling: Multi-year starter at ILB with the potential to become a leading-tackler candidate during his time in South Bend.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: There’s probably enough depth on the current roster to allow Grace to take a redshirt in 2011. Grace’s future depends, in part, upon whether Te’o decides to go to the League after next year. If he does, Grace will likely battle Calabrese, Kendall Moore and others for a starting job in 2012. If Te’o stays, Grace may have to wait until 2013 for some serious PT.

Ben Councell
Asheville, NC (AC Reynolds)

Scout: 3-star, #32 OLB
ESPN: 4-star, #19 OLB
Rivals: 4-star, #5 WDE
(#91 in Rivals 100, #19 Player in NC)
Offers: Auburn, UNC, South Carolina, Georgia Tech

Councell was flying under the radar a bit until the NC/SC Shrine game where he showed off his outstanding OLB instincts amassing 13 tackles. Many analysts, including Mike Farrell at Rivals, felt Councell should have been the defensive MVP of the game. His performance during that game vaulted him up the Rivals rankings, from way outside the Rivals 250, all the way up to the #91 player in the country.

At ND, Councell will be in the “Dog” or “Drop” LB spot, occupied by Kerry Neal last year. His coverage skills and instincts are outstanding and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him threaten for some playing time right out of the gate.

Ceiling: Multi-year starter at the Dog spot, perhaps even a dark-horse All-American candidate.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: With Neal graduating, the Dog spot is wide open. Given the intricacies of the position, there should be a good battle. ND fans would love to see guys like Prince Shembo or Steve Filer line up opposite Darius Fleming, but I think its more likely that Dan Fox gets the starting nod. If guys like Shembo and Filer can put it together, Councell probably gets a redshirt. If not, he might see some early playing time, either at OLB, or on special teams.

Anthony Rabasa
Miami, FL (Columbus)

Scout: 3-star, #49 DE
ESPN: 4-star, #12 DE
Rivals: 3-star, #11 WDE
(#55 Player in FL)
Offers: Miami, Florida St., LSU

A pass-rushing DE in high school, Rabasa is likely heading for Fleming’s “Combo” OLB spot. A Miami legacy who surprisingly committed to Kelly at the end of July, Rabasa has remained firm to ND even after getting some heavy interest from the Hurricanes and the other Florida schools.

Ceiling: Multi-year starter at OLB and a special teams coverage ace.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: The “Cat” or “Combo” LB is chock full of talent this year, though both Fleming and Filer will be gone after this year. A redshirt wouldn’t be a surprise, but Rabasa seems like a guy who could see some immediate time on coverage units. After 2011, Rabasa will be in a war with the likes of Shembo and Ishaq Williams for playing time in 2012.

Ishaq Williams
Brooklyn, NY (Abraham Lincoln)

Scout: 5-star, #4 DE
ESPN: 4-star, #6 DE
Rivals: 5-star, #2 WDE
(#16 in Rivals 100, #1 Player in NY)
Offers: Penn St., Florida, Alabama, USC, Miami, Ohio St.

Williams completes the amazing triumvirate of defensive line talent in this class. Ishaq was a pass-rushing monster during the Army All-American week, and his performance bumped him up to the #16 player in the country per Rivals.

The Williams family provided another great story for the 2011 recruiting class. Ishaq was scheduled to announce his commitment during the Army game, but cancelled the announcement because of some apparent concerns relating to a coaching staff. He then set up a visit to Happy Valley, only to have Irish DC Bob Diaco show up at his family’s house at 4:30 AM on the morning of the visit. After that meeting, Williams committed to the Irish and cancelled the PSU visit.

Ceiling: Again, almost unlimited. He loves harassing the QB, and Diaco’s system will likely have him wreaking havoc from the “Cat” LB spot. Just like Lynch and Tuitt, Williams has All-American, NFL-type talent.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: He’s too good to keep off the field, even with a crowded depth chart at the OLB spot. Pass rushing and special teams monster in 2011 and a superstar for years to come.

SAFETY

Eilar Hardy
Pickerington, OH (Pickerington Central)

Scout: 4-star, #12 S
ESPN: 3-star, #21 S
Rivals: 4-star, #15 S
(#217 in Rivals 250, #10 Player in OH)
Offers: Wisconsin, WVU, MSU, Iowa

A jack-of-all-trades for his loaded Pickerington Central HS team, Hardy played on both sides of the ball, but is definitely headed for the defensive backfield in South Bend. He’s a natural safety, but the thin CB depth chart might push Hardy outside.

Ceiling: Multi-year starter at either CB or S.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Think he’s too good to keep off the field. Special teams coverage guy and possibly the 4th CB in 2011, eventually challenging for a starting safety role in 2013 if he stays at that position.

Matthias Farley
Charlotte, NC (Christian)

Scout: 3-star, #83 CB
ESPN: 3-star, #90 ATH
Rivals: 3-star, NR
Offers: UNC, NC St., Wisconsin

Former soccer player who has only played football for a few years. He’s raw as heck, but Kelly loves his athleticism.

Ceiling: It might take a while, but Farley could become a nickel or dime contributor late in his career. His athleticism will probably make him a nice asset on special teams as well.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Redshirt. His ultimate position is unknown as well. Chuck Martin’s got a nice pile of clay to mold here. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him become a ball-hawking safety by the end of his time in South Bend.

CORNERBACK

Jalen Brown
Irving, TX (Irving Macarthur)

Scout: 3-star, #52 CB
ESPN: 3-star, #27 CB
Rivals: 3-star, NR
Offers: Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Nebraska

Brown is the type of tall(er), physical CB that Kelly, Diaco and Martin seem to favor in the secondary. He didn’t draw much attention from the big boys of the Big XII, but he’s got good instincts and seems to break quickly to the ball.

Ceiling: With his experience at the position, and the solid coaching he’ll receive from the likes of Chuck Martin, its not unreasonable to assume that Brown could become a multi-year starter, or at least a multi-year nickel contributor.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Unless he makes an immediate impact on special teams, I’d be surprised to see him on the field this year. But after Gray and Blanton move on, the CB depth chart is a bit frightening for 2012. He’ll be in the mix to challenge for PT.

Josh Atkinson
Livermore, CA (Granada)

Scout: 3-star, #46 CB
ESPN: 3-star, #22 CB
Rivals: 3-star, #41 CB
(#45 Player in CA)
Offers: Oregon, Washington

Brother George might get the bigger accolades, but Josh might have the better chance to see the field immediately. He’s a natural CB and though he might lack some super top end speed that NFL scouts like to see at the position, he’s plenty quick enough to play at a high level.

Ceiling: He’s going to have some competition, but he looks like a solid, multi-year starter/contributor.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Behind Gary Gray and Robert Blanton, there’s only Lo Wood. There’s going to be a battle for that 3rd/4th CB and nickel spot, and I wouldn’t bet against Atkinson finding his way onto the field this year.

KICKER

Kyle Brindza
Canton, MI (Plymouth)

Scout: 3-star, #1 K
ESPN: 3-star, #6 K
Rivals: 2-star, #17 K
Offers: Michigan

Brindza is an early entrant with an impressive highlight video. With the recent announcement that David Ruffer will be getting a scholarship next year, that makes 4 scholarship kickers/punters on the roster, which seems a bit excessive. But Brindza definitely has the talent to make an immediate impact on kickoffs and punting.

Ceiling: He’s got the leg to become the guy, both on punts and kicks.

Projection for 2011 and Beyond: Ben Turk hasn’t been consistent enough to be considered an automatic starter, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brindza take his job. He should also become the go-to kickoff guy, and will likely become the starting kicker once Ruffer leaves after 2011.

SUMMARY

After a slow start with mostly low-star, Midwestern guys, Kelly made his first big splash with Matt Hegarty, who might still be the best offensive prospect in the class. On that side of the ball, the class could be considered a bit light on star potential, although guys like Everett Golson, Atkinson and Daniels could certainly all become big-time contributors later in their respective careers.

The real studs of the class are on defense, specifically in the front seven. Lynch, Tuitt and Williams are 3 of the best defensive recruits since I’ve followed ND recruiting, and guys like Rabasa and Councell are very highly thought-of by at least one of the services.

On the whole, I don’t think it can be considered a “home run” class, but Kelly did get some great guys at big positions of need (DE, OLB, OT). Perhaps more importantly, it was Kelly’s first experience getting down and dirty with the big boys of the SEC, ACC and Pac-10. He didn’t back down a bit, which definitely bodes well for his future classes.

Mike Floyd Returns...FANNNTASTIC!!

Apparently, the snowstorm over the weekend did more than bury my parents in an igloo.  The record deluge may have been the pivotal sign from the heavens that convinced #3 that South Bend is every bit of home sweet snowy home as St. Paul, Minnesota.  How else can you explain Michael Floyd deciding to return for his senior season?

Outstanding news for Irish fans, quarterbacks and coaches alike.  Opposing d-coordinators must be crestfallen (could I have used a more tame description for what went through USF's Skip Holtz and Rick Smith's heads?) hearing that the biggest matchup problem on most schedules wants to spend another season wreaking havoc on Saturdays. 

We'll delve into this terrific piece of news more as we tie up 2010 and look forward to 2011.  For now, as the immortal Jerry says, "Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile." 

War Damn Eagle / Bowl Picks Final Update

Congrats to friend of WeIs Philip Madonia for the National Championship that he is no doubt still celebrating a day later.  We hope to get a first hand account from Phil of the jubilation that comes with winning a title, as most of us were still collecting baseball cards and riding bikes when ND last celebrated a national championship.  Phil was one of the fortunate ones who made it inside the University of Phoenix Stadium to witness the dominance of Nick Fairley.  If the Panthers don't take him number one, there should be an investigation.  Just pure dominance on a night when the Tiger offense wasn't clicking on all cylinders.

Another round of congrats are in order for Mike, as he dominated our blog bowl picks, with a score of 426 points.  Remarkably, there was a tie for 2nd place, with Jimmy and I both totaling 368 points.  My totally arbitrary tiebreaker is the ranking of the national championship game.  So sorry Jimbo, enjoy the view from the basement. 

Only 8 months until college football kicks off again.  Bring on the fighting Skip Holtzes....

Eve of the Eve Thoughts

IRISH SHOOT DOWN HOYAS

First off, kudos to Mike "Testing the Waters for One Night with the Full Turtle Neck" Brey and the Irish hoopsters for quite the impressive showing last night.  A full team effort on both ends helped add another signature win to the team's resume.  They rebounded well enough, attacked the rim, shot well from the charity stripe and created good looks from beyond the arc while holding Georgetown to 4-22 shooting.  Sure the Hoyas may have suffered an off night on the road.  But the Irish didn't get beat in another facet and coasted to a relatively easy victory.  Confidence is building in the JACC.  Win one of the next two (@ Cuse, vs. UConn) and pre-season predictions will need revision.

THE NBA...IT'S FANNNTASTIC

If you haven't seen this yet, click here for Tyreke Evans' incredible half-court buzzer-beating heave.  That's gotta take the crown for best NBA finish of the season.  Re-write all those "Best Plays of 2010" highlight packages because this shoots up the charts.  It had shades of Gordon Heyward's near-miss in the NCAA Title game, except this game featured two below average NBA teams with nothing but lottery ping-pong balls at stake.  Five things I loved after a couple views. 

1. OJ Mayo's shot to take the lead with 1.5 seconds was an 8.6 on the difficulty scale.  Fade away in traffic with a mental clock screaming to shoot it.  One of these days, he'll escape Memphis and be an excellent #2 guard for a contender.  Hopefully while he's still young.
  

2. DeMarcus Cousins reaction gathering the ball after Mayo's shot was a human moment, what a Kings fan would've done.  But in the blink of an eye, he wiped the disbelief off his face and inbounded the ball to Evans on the run, setting up the miracle finish.  

3. Evan's teammate who runs off the bench and leaps in the air twice before the swish.  Gotta admire his gut instinct the ball would be true. 

4. The celebration.  Love the chest beating on top the scorer's table - very gladiator-like - not to mention the "We're going to the Sweet 16"-esque mob scene on the court.  It'd be nice to see more pure joy after winning celebrations like that in the league, but the Kings may be the exception since their roster is half full of players with college eligibility remaining.   

5. The vertical jump of the fan under the basket wearing red.  He jumps as high as the Kings players.  Get that guy in the D-league!

ND HARDHITTERS SHOUT OUT

Wanted to give #6 seed Doug a victor's salute for winning the football league this year.  Think everyone can agree that parity reigns in the NFL (which can be argued as a good/bad thing) and the fantasy playoffs have become quite the crapshoot with injuries, benchings and weird karmic occurrences.  How else can you explain Rex "Left for Dead 3 Years Ago" Grossman, of all people, playing a role in the championship matchup?  (Starting Rex took guts, Doug).  And Peyton Manning burning Matt with his audible and subsequent naked boot for what would have proved the championship deciding fantasy points, until he rejected the easy TD in the name of winning his game, in reality.  One thing is for certain - there's never any shortage of drama.  Way to go Doug.     

CATHOLIC VS. CONVICTS REVIVAL

Tomorrow marks the first meeting since 1990 between Notre Dame and Miami.  Who would've thunk El Paso, Texas would play host to the two programs stoking the flames of a heated rivalry born out of the 80's.  A welcome renaissance for all college football fans as the schools meet at least three more times over the next 7 years. 

The Hurricanes are in a bit of  upheaval without a head coach, so Brian Kelly has the sideline advantage to capitalize on.  Indications that Jacory "The Turnover Magnet" Harris will be back under center should have Manti & Co. licking their chops.  The bigger concern is if Tommy Rees can find success through the air against the stiff Miami pass defense.  If the big uglies control the line of scrimmage and Robert Hughes caps his career with one last punishing effort, a few play action throws may be all Rees needs to keep the Canes off balance.  

Think this will be a low scoring affair and the Irish will emerge victorious.  Let's say ND 23  UM 17.

Book Review - Perfect Rivals: Notre Dame, Miami and the Battle for the Soul of College Football

If I were really good at planning, this review would have come a couple weeks ahead of Christmas, not a couple days.  (It also should've been fresh in my mind, not months after I read it, but now I'm picking nits). No matter.  Jeff Carroll's historical perspective on the dynamic rivalry that sprang from two rising programs is a great buy any time - Perfect Rivals: Notre Dame, Miami, and the Battle for the Soul of College Football.  Carroll sets up parallel story arcs for Miami and Notre Dame, describing the state of each program in the early 80's and explaining the climb up the ladder of the college football elite.  The book is full of great anecdotes which provide a greater context to the rivalry that blossomed between unlikely schools, while galvanizing the college football universe.

The failed experiment of Gerry Faust, jumping from high school legend status to overmatched collegiate coach sets the table for Lou Holtz to swoop in and revitalize the sleeping giant in South Bend.  Equally engrossing is the birth of the U - the most intimidating, trash-talking, swagger-walking team that ever existed.  From Howard Schellenberger, the man who had the common sense and gumption to declare the fertile recruiting grounds of South Florida the "State of Miami," to the vastly different styles and personas of Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson, talent overcame the Miami coaching carousel.

The U embraced the role of "super-villain" to the other "super-hero" programs like Penn State, Notre Dame and Nebraska, except the "bad" guys dominated for more than a decade.  It doesn't feel that long ago, but it's a throwback reading about Miami, Penn State and Florida State as independents subscribing to the anytime, anywhere scheduling mentality.  And the antics the Hurricanes got away with are directly responsible for the sterilized excitement that's allowed in the game today.  Reading about it is one thing, but actually seeing the Canes in action is truly entertaining.  If you haven't seen the extraordinary 30 for 30 documentary on ESPN, you must.  (Here's a few short clips).  

All the excellent back stories set the stage for the in-depth game summaries of the 3 classic (and a few not-so-classic) doomsday-like matchups between the two schools.  To say bad blood existed between the teams is putting it mildly.  Carroll does a terrific job of stepping away from the action to sprinkle details and biographical subplots to the cast of characters, like how Pat Eilers went from a pre-med Yale football player to rushing for the go-ahead TD in the '88 grudge match.

I recommend "Perfect Rivals" wholeheartedly for any college football fan, let alone every one with a rooting interest in either Notre Dame or Miami.  Re-reading sections gets my blood boiling for the Sun Bowl and the 2012 series revival.  Here's hoping the powers that be don't wait another 12+ years for these programs to write some more history.  It'd be hard to capture the same confluence of magic and venom from Carroll's subject period, but any good rivalry deserves another turn.

WeIs Roundtable Bowl Confidence Picks - Why Not?

We're bowl season junkies around here, getting bowl stir crazy since we started this blog journey in 2005.  Once the jingle gets in your head -- "It's the most wonderful time...of the year" - it doesn't leave.  A whopping 35 games are on the docket this year, begging the question that's been asked before on these pages, when is enough enough?  Well, we don't have time to force the NCAA's hand on that topic, but we can throw out some confidence picks for the bowl season that kicks off tonight.  Without further ado... 

Matt’s Confidence Picks

1:  New Era Pinstripe Bowl - Kansas St. over Syracuse – The ultimate toss-up!  Just a hunch, but this game won’t have quite the buzz at Yankee Stadium as the ND game.  Although the irony of the Wildcats coming from the Little Apple to play in the Big Apple is not lost on me.

2:  Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO – TCU over Wisconsin – I really have no clue what to expect in this game, as evidenced by this confidence rank.  Just a hunch that TCU’s defense slows down smashmouth Big Ten football.  If only I could remember whether this is a Big Ten Leader or Legend.

3:  GoDaddy.com Bowl - Middle Tennessee over Miami (Ohio) – Only reason to watch is to see if Danica Patrick does the pregame coin flip.  Or is one of the cheerleaders.  I love college football, and I guess I appreciate having a game to watch on a random night in January.  But the fact that a .500 team from the Sun Belt got a bowl invite and the Fightin’ Temple Owls didn’t is a little ridiculous.  

4:  Little Caesars Bowl - Florida International over Toledo – There aren’t enough words to express how little I have to say about this game.  Speaking of words, I got a chuckle out of Hubie Brown’s analysis of Dirk Nowitzki’s game:  “The thing I love about Dirk is there is so much to like about him.”   I rewound it just to make sure I got the quote right.  That’s the kind of analysis you can only get with Hubie.  

5:  Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman - East Carolina over Maryland – Maryland was tied for third place in the ACC and their reward is something called the Military Bowl.  A free autograph to anyone who knows what (who?) Northrop Grumman is.  Sounds like the German prime minister.  

6:  uDrove Humanitarian Bowl – Fresno State over Northern Illinois – In Pat Hill I Somewhat Reluctantly Trust

7:  Meineke Car Care Bowl – Clemson over South Florida – I kind of feel like South Florida is about to make a leap here in the next year or two.  Ol’ Skip is a rock solid head coach, there is a little bit of upheaval at Miami and Florida, the Big East is weak, and there are a ton of recruits to choose from in Florida.  Here’s a bold prediction for you:  USF will win the Big East next year and play in the Orange Bowl.

8:  Sheraton Hawaii Bowl – Tulsa over Hawaii – Randomly a pretty big spread for this game (Hawaii is favored).  Haven’t seen the Rainbow Warriors play this year, but Tulsa wasn’t too shabby.

9:  Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl - Southern Mississippi over Louisville – I like what Charlie Strong is doing.

10:  AT&T Cotton Bowl – Texas A&M over LSU – Possibly the hottest team in the country going against possibly the luckiest team in the country.  Tossup.  I’ll take the better offense and go against the SEC, which I don’t like to do.

11:  R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – Troy over Ohio – Do you think Frank Solich ever gets out of bed and wonders where it  all went wrong?  He went from head coach of one of the most storied programs in the country to playing in a bowl game sponsored by R+L Carriers in front of an intimate gathering of friends and family only.

12:  AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl – Georgia Tech over Air Force – This game could be over in under two hours.  Mr. Clock Operator, keep it running…

13:  S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – San Diego State over Navy – SDSU was sneakily good this year under miracle worker Brady Hoke. This isn’t a vintage Navy team and they are playing what amounts to a road game.

14:  Chick-fil-A Bowl - South Carolina over Florida State – I don’t see any Alshon Jeffery’s or Marcus Lattimore’s on FSU.

15:  Allstate Sugar Bowl - Ohio State over Arkansas – Tpeezy gets his chance to show that he is not the worst QB in the nation, as his tweets suggested after being left off the Big Ten all-conference teams.  Side note:  Legends and Leaders???!!!!  Really?  That is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a long time.  And Jim Delaney was surprised at all of the backlash?  Talk about out of touch with reality.  It sounds like those names were contrived by a second grader.

16:  Texas Bowl – Baylor over Illinois – This is purely a pick against Ron Zook

17:  Insight Bowl - Missouri over Iowa – Probably not a good thing when the best wide receiver in school history is running a drug house.  Or half the team is apparently on drugs.  

18:  Champs Sports Bowl - West Virginia over NC State – Poor Bill Stewart, gets fired but gets to hang around for a year as a lame duck.  Doesn’t Stewart seem like the kind of guy who would giddily respond to an email from the African king who just inherited a fortune but needs a bank account to deposit the money in.  It’s probably not a good thing when I have those thoughts about your head football coach.

19:  BBVA Compass Bowl – Kentucky over Pittsburgh – Good for Mike Hayward.  I wrote about him last week, and frankly I’m surprised that Pitt made the hire, but I hope it works out.  He has the right coaching lineage and is coming from the Cradle of Coaches, but a part of me thinks he might be in a little over his head.  I hope I’m wrong.  It doesn’t help that the fanbase is furious with the hire.  Advice to Coach Haywood – grow your finest snout broom before your press conference and they’ll come around on you.

20:  Discover Orange Bowl – Virginia Tech over Stanford – Who would have thought that Bud Foster would have such a huge effect on Jimmy Clausen’s NFL future.  If he stymies Andrew Luck, perhaps persuading him and Harbaugh to give it another shot next year, then the Panthers don’t get to draft him number one and Clausen presumably has a better than fair shot of winning the job again next year.  As an ardent Clausen supporter and someone who thought that he would be a good pro...it’s been ugly this year.  BTW if VT wins this game they will finish the year on a 12 game winning streak.  If they had beaten Boise they almost certainly would be undefeated.  

21:  Gator Bowl - Mississippi State over Michigan – Bad offense triumphs over horrific defense.  The end of the RichRod era?

22:  Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl – Tennessee over North Carolina – UT gets a home game and one more chance for rising stud Tyler Bray to learn on the job.  UNC just looking to get this nightmare of a season over with and presumably hand dead man walking Butch Davis his pink slip.

23:  AutoZone Liberty Bowl - Georgia over UCF – You heard it here first.  Georgia wins the SEC East next year.  Aaron Murray will be the best QB in the conference.  Check back with me next November.

24:  Valero Alamo Bowl - Oklahoma State over Arizona – Arizona limping to the finish line.  Don’t see their defense slowing down the Pokes offense.  The departure of Nebraska from the conference only adds to the best kept secret in the country – no one in that conference plays ANY defense!  Look at the All American teams and they’re littered with Big 12 players.  Would I be shocked if Arizona slowed down the 40 Year Old Man’s offense.  Nope, because again, nobody in the Big 12 plays any defense!

25:  Outback Bowl - Florida over Penn State – I don’t think Florida will lose Urban’s last game.  How about Joe Pa telling a recruit he’s going to coach another 5 or 6 years.  You can’t tell me that the PSU admin isn’t looking at what’s going on in Tallahassee and thinking about giving Joe the gentle nudge out the door.  Or at least a gentle nudge down a stairwell inadvertently breaking his hip.

26:  Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Nevada over Boston College – Could BC’s motivation be any lower?  They get the shaft again (the annual BC bowl shafting – a holiday tradition unlike any other!) and have to wait until the second week of January, travel across the country, and play a mid major.  Vegas can’t make this point spread high enough for me.

27:  MAACO Las Vegas Bowl – Boise State over Utah – Are we really sure that Utah is any good?  

28:  New Mexico Bowl - BYU over UTEP – Will the Mormons descend on Albuquerque (just guessing where this game is, too lazy to look it up) like they do upon Vegas?  One of the more random phenomenon is the BYU fans love for Vegas.

29:  Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl – SMU over Army -  If you didn’t watch the 30 for 30 Pony Excess, do yourself a favor and set the DVR.  Unbelievable how shady recruiting was back in the day.  Actually, what am I talking about, back in the day…

30:  Capital One Bowl - Alabama over Michigan State – If Bama shows up motivated, they win by two TD’s.  How much sleep do you think the Nicktator has gotten since the Iron Bowl?  He will have them ready to go.

31:  Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl - Nebraska over Washington – Maybe the least appealing bowl game due to the fact it is a rematch of a regular season blowout.  The last chance to see the mediocre Jake Locker in action?

32:  Tostitos Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma over Connecticut – Randy Edsall is a standup guy and it is amazing what he has done creating something out of nothing with that program.  But nobody wants to see this game in the BCS.  OU may not be motivated, but on talent alone they should win.  If they lose this, then Stoops can officially be pronounced the worst big game coach in history.  DJ Khaled will have to come up with the Stoops remix, “All I Do is Lose”.

33:  Hyundai Sun Bowl - Notre Dame over Miami – Miami is mediocre and is going through a coaching change.  I will be severely disappointed if the Irish lose this game.  Anyone who has read my picks the last two years knows what I think of the Al Golden hire for U.  Tremendous.  The guy can flat out coach. 

34:  TicketCity Bowl - Texas Tech over Northwestern – NW a low level MAC team without Persa.  New Years Day is embarrassed to be disgraced with this game on its hallowed eleven o’clock hour.

35:  Tostitos BCS National Championship Game – Auburn over Oregon – I couldn’t rattle on last week about how great the SEC is and how much of a blowout this will be and then hide this game in the middle of the rankings.  How’s this for confidence?  War Damn Eagle!

Mike’s Confidence Picks

35:  Oklahoma - This will get ugly in a hurry.

34:  Boise State - Angry Broncos plus overrated Utes missing their starting QB= bloodbath.

33:  BYU - The Cougars have finished the season strongly, while UTEP has no business being in a bowl.

32:  Nebraska - This is one sequel that did not need to be made, like Caddyshack 2.

31:  Nevada - Maybe BC can start a nifty new streak of consecutive losses in lower tier bowls.

30:  Texas Tech - Northwestern is a shell of its former self sans Dan Persa.

29:  Alabama - As long as the Tide are motivated, they’ll crush the overrated Spartans.

28:  Missouri - Iowa is completely imploding with this whole Derrell Johnson-Koulianos “drug house” fiasco and the corresponding suspensions.  Given the Hawkeyes’ disappointing year, I would have picked Mizzou anyway.

27:  Hawai’i -  Hawaii is the better team and they are playing at home.

26:  Georgia - A.J. Green should cap his career in style for the Bulldogs.

25:  Oklahoma State - Arizona has limped to the finish line this year and they are ripe for the beating, even with Dana Holgersen heading out the door

24:  Maryland - I hate taking such a mediocre team so high, but the Terps should handle ECU without too much difficulty.

23:   Stanford - Will rumors about Jim Harbaugh bolting town distract the Trees?  I doubt it.

22:  South Carolina - No Christian Ponder, no chance for the Noles.

21:  Auburn - Unlike prior years, this year’s SEC title game representative does not have an imposing defense.  They do, however, have Cam Newton.

20:  Florida - Even with Urban Meyer stepping down, the Gators should be able to push Penn State around.  Will Paterno’s retirement follow?

19:  Texas A&M - The Aggies finished the season with a bang and they are rewarded with a Cotton Bowl date against the bumbling Les Miles, whose luck is about to start expiring quickly.

18:  Pittsburgh - If history is any lesson, I shouldn’t keep picking all of these teams with outgoing coaches.  Then again, as Henry Ford said: “History is more or less bunk.”

17:  Notre Dame - Big game for the Irish and I am very excited about the matchup.  If the destination was better, I would be attending.  No offense, El Paso.

16:  Mississippi State - With Dan Mullen sticking around and Rich Rodriguez twisting in the wind, I’ll side with the stable program here.

15:  San Diego State -  Home game for the more talented Aztecs.

14:  Louisville - Not much of a feel for this one.  I like what Charlie Strong is doing in the ‘Ville, however.

13:  North Carolina - Tennessee’s switch to Tyler Bray proved beneficial, but the competition wasn’t much.  The Vols will fall short in this jump in class.

12:  Baylor - With the partisan crowd in favor of the Bears, Art Briles should notch a huge bowl win for Baylor.

11:  Kansas State - Syracuse can pack the Garden for the Big East Tournament, but don’t expect many fans to show for this game at Yankee Stadium.  The offensively challenged Orange will fall again in a low scoring affair.

10:  Northern Illinois - Another game, another outgoing coach in my picks.

9:  Troy - Yawn.

8:  Clemson - Look for an honest performance from the superior Tigers in this one.

7:  Toledo - Exhibit A of why there are too many bowls.

6: Georgia Tech - Option attack vs. option attack.  I’ll take the team with the better athletes.

5:  NC State - A fond farewell (perhaps) for Russell Wilson.

4: Army - Pick against Army in the Armed Forces Bowl?  Come on.

3:  Wisconsin - I’m looking forward to this game, but I’m taking an underdog so I need to rank this low.

2:  Arkansas - See Wisconsin-TCU.

1:  Middle Tennessee State - Finally picking against an outgoing coach.

Jimmy’s Confidence Picks

35: Oklahoma – Stoops can’t fall on his face again in the Fiesta, can he?  
Maybe the widest disparity of talent in BCS history.

34: Oklahoma State – Arizona is a shell of the team that beat Iowa – who 
didn’t end up being too good after all.  A present to all sports fans – the gift 
that keeps on giving, refusing to get old.

33: BYU – UTEP isn’t very good.

32: Missouri – I usually stay away from team’s whose postseason news 
includes the suspension of their leading rusher and arrest of the all-time 
leader in receptions on “keeping a drug house” charges.  Ummm, yeah.  I’ll 
take Mizzou.

31: Maryland – East Carolina ranks dead last in total yards allowed in FBS.  
All I need to know. 

30: Georgia – An SEC school with a future 1^st round WR vs. a mid-major 
with By George, It’s O’Leary as its coach?  I don’t care what O’Leary’s record 
was against the Bulldogs when he was at Ga. Tech.  Richt rolls (as opposed to
RickRoll’d)

29: Boise State – The Utes are about to incur the wrath of the Broncos pent 
up frustration at crapping out at the BCS slot machine.  

28: SMU -Army is putrid. 

27: Fresno State -Coaching change plus a cross-country trip spells doom for 
Northern Illinois. 

26: Air Force -What's the over/under on how many combined passes are 
thrown in this one?  15?  I'm not even joking.  The Falcons get the nod since 
their starting QB isn't on the sideline. 

25: Pittsburgh -Wouldn't it be nice if the Wannstache got a nice send-off 
victory?  Some would argue if he deserves it for his roller coaster career.  
This choice has more to do with Mike Hartline getting injured than Wann-
stedt winning the sideline battle. 

24: Auburn -War Damn Eagle! 

23: Nebraska -Beating the same team twice is tricky, but when that team 
is an uninspiring Washington team, the Huskers shouldn't have any problem.

22: Clemson -This one might be ugly, but if Clemson plays to their potential, 
they shouldn't have any trouble.  Not going out of my way to support the Big 
East.

21: Miami, OH -   Kudos to Mike Haywood.  This will put an exclamation 
point on his brief tenure in Oxford. 

20: Hawai’i -Tulsa's 119th ranked passing defense gets exposed badly vs. the
#1 passing offense on their own turf. 

19: Florida -If the roles were reversed and the coach that should be retiring 
were doing so, I could talk myself into a Penn State upset.  That's neither here 
nor there.  Gators make the Nittany Lions look like pussy cats. 

18: Toledo -The game's in Detroit.  You think Florida International players 
are psyched to be making that trip over the holidays? 

17: Nevada -  BC has been mediocre all year.  Nevada only gained confidence 
with their Boise State upset. 

16: Notre Dame -I'll expound on this next week, but the steady ship of 
progress beats the mutinous ship of underachievement.  (No clue what I just 
wrote there).

15: NC State -A well-matched game, but Russell Wilson should be able to 
dissect the stingy Mountaineers defense.

14: South Carolina -If Ponder sits, this is a no-brainer.  We'll see whose 
been licking their wounds more as these conference runners-up try to avoid a 
double whammy to finish the season.

13: Alabama -People keep talking about Bama not being motivated and 
coming out flat vs. MSU.  You mean to tell me Nick Saban won't have his team 
prepared beyond a shadow of a doubt against his old school, with the sting of 
the Sugar Bowl fiasco still fresh from 2 years ago?  Michigan State's enjoyed a 
great year, but they may just be out-classed in this one.

12: Tennessee -Rocky Top has been peaking and should put a bitter end to 
this season-long saga for Butch Davis. 

11: Southern Miss -Brett Favre's alma mater tries to soften the blow of his 
unceremonious final(?) season.

10: Ohio State -Was leaning towards the Razorbacks until I remembered 
what Cam Newton did to them in October.  Pryor's petty, selfish act is wearing 
thin, but he's capable of emulating that same kind of effort if Tressel opens the 
playbook a little.  The Buckeyes defense will pretend Mallett still wears maize 
and blue.

9: Mississippi State - Granted, it was early in the season and the Cam 
Newton engine was just revving, but the Bulldogs defense shut him down 
better than anyone else in the land.  I expect them to give Shoelace the same 
treatment. DickRod should just cry uncle after this one. 

8: Navy -Ricky Dobbs sails off into the sunset with one last bowl victory. 

7: Texas Tech -Really hope Pat Fitzgerald gets a few breaks in this one and 
the Wildcats break their decades long bowl losing streak.  But until that 
happens, I'm afraid I can't pick the Cardiac Cats, especially playing in a neutral-
less Texas environment.

6: Illinois - Call it a hunch.  No real good reason the Zookers corral Robert 
Griffin III, but I'm gonna rock with it.

5: Texas A&M -The Aggies were playing really good ball at the end of 
the year.  Another gut call.

4: Virginia Tech – Terrific matchup.  Luck runs dry in South Beach.

3: Troy -Whatever.

2: Syracuse -The home state crowd lifts the 'Cuse to an unexpected triumph.  
Maybe.  Hence my lack of confidence.

1: Wisconsin –Up to this pick, my conference bias is fairly clear.  SEC trumps 
most, the Big XII enjoy several favorable matchups, hardly any stock placed in 
the strength of the Big East and Pac-10, and my faith in the Big Ten teeters on 
lost.  If the SEC takes the B10 behind the woodshed in their 4 marquee 
matchups, Jim Delany should admit playing “Marco” to the SEC’s “Polo” and 
unveil new division titles along the lines of “The Myths” and “The Followers.”  
The Rose Bowl remains the last gasp at asserting those tenets the conference 
was built on – smashmouth football.  The Badgers can preserve a shred of 
dignity by beating the best of the upstarts.  A loss, while not surprising in the 
least, would be devastating in the shadow of the Grand Daddy.  Bret Bielema 
has to understand this and his offensive line will be frothing at the mouth to 
impose their will on the acclaimed Purple Haze defense.  Wisconsin’s 3-headed 
monster at RB (Clay, White and Ball) holds the key to the fate of an entire 
conference.  Curious to see how it unfolds. 

My final expected BCS conference bowl records:

SEC                 7-3                   Big Ten           3-5

Big XII           6-2                   Big East          2-4

ACC                 4-5                  Pac-10             0-4

                       

A few parting thoughts:  My yearly plea that the NCAA tightens the belt on the 
bloated bowl picture remains.  We’ve been down this road before and it’s 
somehow getting worse. 

Riddle me this discrepancy – the Pac 10 only qualifies four teams among the 
70 bowl participants, and the ACC has 9??  Man, that extra conference game 
completely shoots the Pac-10 in the foot.  A non-conference scheduling 
referendum to create a more level playing field with respect to conference 
schedules is necessary as the OOC cupcake parade to bowl eligibility is a joke. 

Really, the Big East gets rewarded with 75% bowl participation for having an 
awful conference?  And the Pac-10 is left with 44% participation from its 
eligible schools?  Weak sauce.  Blow up the whole system!