Here is an interesting look at recruiting rankings.
I went back to the last SIX years rankings by Rivals and guess what? Of their top 25.
ELEVEN schools were there EVERY year..
In fact TWENTY had been there FOUR or more times in a six year period.
So here is the list
1. Florida-6
2. USC-6
3.Tennesee 6
4.LSU 6
5.Texas 6
6.Auburn 6
7.Georgia 6
8.Michigan 6
9.Oklahoma 6
10. Miami 6
11. FSU 6
12. South Carolina 5
13. Ohio State 5
14. California 5
15. Penn State 5
16. Notre Dame 4
17. Alabama 4
18. Clemsom 4
19. Virginia 4
20. Texas AM 4

bitcruncher Wrote:Thanks omni...

Always willing to help out an Eers' fan.

2005 Sugar Bowl - West Virginia 38, Georgia 35

Cheers,
Neil

Omni:

I certainly agree that on field results are all that matters.

I was responding to Bitcruncher's statement that (to paraphrase) "Less kids are gravitating to ND each year".

I posted the recruiting rankings to address that statement.

Go back and look----

Willingham struggled to sign 18 and 15 kids his last two years.

Weis signed 28 his first year. He has 18 commitments by July this year.

ND believes it will have its recruiting wrapped up by the end of August...before football season starts.

That would be the first time that happened in the almost 45 years I have followed ND football

ND will get an even earlier jump than ever on 2009 recruiting, and Weis and staff (especially new defensive coordinator Corwin Brown) are very aggressive recruiters

You have to admit that ND haters were better off when Willingham competed (and often lost) with BC, Iowa and Stanford for 3 star recruits than with Weis competing (and often winning) with Michigan, Ohio State and USC for 4 and 5 star recruits.

There is a correlation (with competent coaching) between recruiting and on the field success.

As far as the BCS bid statement, I merely wanted to show that ND got those bids despite cries of "more deserving" teams. They certainly had the power to get those bids the last two years. The future? Who knows, but I was talking about non-BCS bowl bids in my earlier post.

With Weis installing a pro style offense and Corwin Brown coming from the Jets (on recommendations from Parcells and Belichek) to install a pro style, attacking zone blitz 3-4 defense, it will be interesting to see how ND does on the field in 2008, 2009 and beyond as it stockpiles 4 and 5 star recruits.

As fas as the 19-6 record for Weis, 5 of those losses were to Top 5 teams USC, Ohio State, Michigan and LSU (I was there).

To me, that showed that ND lacked Top 5 level talent for sure (thanks, Ty). ND's starting RB (Walker) and WR (McKnight) went undrafted while LSU had something like 6 first rounders.

To sum up, I think that Bit's statements are incorrect.

I think that recruiting shows MORE kids (not less) are "gravitating" to ND the last three classes.

I think that ND will struggle this year (with youth and turnover of players) but be very good in 2008 and beyond .


p.s. I am not a wild eyed optimist about the sports teams I root for. I am 50 years old and a Pittsburgh Pirates fan (and rooted for the Steelers in the Sixties when they reeked).........


p.p.s. Back to my original question/musings-------


I wondered if ND was cozying up with the non-BCS bowl committees (and their cities) to bring in money and have a game when the stadiums would sit empty as a move (in part) to set up its own NON-BCS bowl bids in the event that the BE football schools split.

Is that a sign that they have decided to stay with the Catholic schools or at least be ready for the post-split negotiations (anti-ultimatum) with the football schools?

Comments?

TerryD Wrote:Omni:

I certainly agree that on field results are all that matters.

I was responding to Bitcruncher's statement that (to paraphrase) "Less kids are gravitating to ND each year".

I posted the recruiting rankings to address that statement.

Fair enough. I interpreted the litany more in response to bit's assertion that the automatic reflex of ND getting invited to a BCS Bowl, when they don't deserve it, is over.

Recruits wanting to play for ND will definitely continue with Weis as coach. I have a great deal of respect for the man and his coaching abilities.

Quote:p.s. I am not a wild eyed optimist about the sports teams I root for. I am 50 years old and a Pittsburgh Pirates fan (and rooted for the Steelers in the Sixties when they reeked).........

Which is why I thought your response to bit, a little strange for you. I know you have always been one of the more realistic Irish fans.

Quote:p.p.s. Back to my original question/musings-------


I wondered if ND was cozying up with the non-BCS bowl committees (and their cities) to bring in money and have a game when the stadiums would sit empty as a move (in part) to set up its own NON-BCS bowl bids in the event that the BE football schools split.

Is that a sign that they have decided to stay with the Catholic schools or at least be ready for the post-split negotiations (anti-ultimatum) with the football schools?

Comments?

Seriously doubt it. Neither the Alamo, nor the Citrus (if they don't get elevated to BCS status in the next go-round) is going to forgo their current conference match-ups for ND.

Even the Gator couldn't manage to do that.

ND should be more worried that if the BCS decides to go to the Plus 1 model and do away with the double hosting format in the next contract, the two bowls likely to be elevated to BCS status are the Cotton and the Gator.

The Big East, unless it completely folds over the next two years, won't need ND's support to get the Liberty as its #2. Or to keep the Tire.

Cheers,
Neil

There was an article in the Dallas Morning News on 5/24 regarding ND playing Baylor at the Cotton Bowl in 2012. ND and Baylor both want the game counted as an ND home game so it can be televised on NBC, but the Big 12 wants the game on ABC (and counted as a Baylor home game) because it is a neutral site game being played in a Big 12 viewing area, something the Big 12 TV contract calls for.

TerryD Wrote:It is interesting to see that ND is working closely with a number of bowl committees to schedule these games. (Citrus Bowl, Alamo Bowl)

One thing to remember, both of those Stadiums (Alamodome and Citrus Bowl) sit empty every fall and NEED events to bring in $$$$.

Florida Citrus Sports, who runs the Florida Citrus Bowl, is also in charge of all the events at the Florida Citrus Bowl...so that's why they would be in charge for any event, be it a ND football game, in Orlando.

ND will probably get better deals working with stadiums without tennants...either in the NFL or College.

I cannot discuss Notre Dame football because it is not Big East football!

Wilkie01 Wrote: I cannot discuss Notre Dame football because it is not Big East football!