Notre Dame Football Recruiting: Recent Decommitment a Sign of Things to Come

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have plenty of reasons to be optimistic with their recruiting chops. They are typically involved with any top prospect in the country by their reputation alone, and with Brian Kelly at the helm, they have a system that excites young players of all types.

They have no direct competition as an independent program, but geographically, they battle with the likes of Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State.

With Urban Meyer now running the show for the Buckeyes, they've become the Irish's worst nightmare.

And it is already underway.

According to Bob Wieneke of the South Bend Tribune:

"Offensive tackle Taylor Decker, a four-star recruit, on Sunday told the Tribune in a text message that he has flipped his verbal commitment to Ohio State, his home-state school."

""I have committed to OSU," the 6-foot-8, 288-pound Decker, who plays at Butler High in Vandalia, Ohio, wrote Sunday."

"Decker's decommitment reduces the number of players in the group that will sign on Feb. 1 to 16."

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Decker committed to ND in March and visited Columbus, Ohio, this weekend.

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The Buckeyes have always been a thorn in the Irish's side, but with Meyer involved, the Buckeyes will be one of the best recruiting programs in the country.

Decker is the first to flip, but he certainly won't be the last. Kelly and the Irish will still grab great talent, but they'll need to step up their game with Meyer around the corner.

And in a quick bit of other Irish recruiting news, Notre Dame is one of four programs remaining in the hunt for ESPNU150's 15th-ranked player Arik Armstead. According to a report from the Sacramento Bee (via Wieneke) Armstead is already enrolled at Notre Dame, Cal and Auburn, as he plans to start school early.