Notre Dame Recruiting: Rebuilding Touchdown Jesus

The last season for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame was definitely one for the ages. 

Unfortunately the ages seem to remember really bad teams almost as well as they remember really good teams. 

Despite a 3-9 season, one of the worst in Notre Dame’s 128 year history, Charlie Weis has used the allure of the “Golden Dome” and his stature, as one of the elite football minds in the college game, to attract one of the nation’s leading recruiting classes.

It was pretty clear to everyone that watched the Irish last year, an offense that scores only 197 points in a season probably won’t win many games.  Notre Dame concentrated on bringing in several athletes to the offensive side of the ball.

The quarterback position didn’t need to be filled with the highly touted Jimmy Clausen returning for his sophomore season.  The first whistle hasn’t blown for Spring ball yet, and there are already whispers of a quarterback controversy. 

Five-star quarterback Dayne Crist (Sherman Oaks, CA) signed to bring his talents, as well as his 6’5'', 220 lb. frame, to South Bend.  Competition breeds success, and its a sure bet Charlie Weis and his crew are more than happy to see some quality competition from their future signal-callers.

Crist displayed his talents, specifically his strong arm, in the Army All-American game, connecting twice with future teammate Michael Floyd.  Floyd tops an extremely strong incoming receiving corp. 

With his size and solid hands, Floyd automatically creates mis-matches in the secondary.  He showed a few quick slants and receiver screens in the All-American game, and also caught two deep touchdown passes that seemed to silence any questions about his deep play ability.

The wide receiver position for the Irish is a fairly competitive one with returners like David Grimes, but Floyd’s strides and acrobatic style may remind a few Irish fans of another tall receiver that is chucking a baseball in Phoenix, AZ right now. 

Don’t be surprised if he snags 30 plus balls this year as a freshman.

There is another highly recruited WR that will be stepping foot on the Notre Dame campus next fall.  Just down the street from South Bend, John Goodman (Fort Wayne, IN) is another wideout with good size (6’4", 192 lbs) and speed (4.5). 

The Indiana native also made an athletic grab in the Army All-American game.

Deion Walker (Christchurch, VA) brings yet another athletic weapon through the air.  With a tall frame (6’4") and game breaking speed (4.43 40-yard dash and 4.2 shuttle) Walker can cause problems out of the slot and stretch the field deep when necessary.

The last highly recruited skill player to join the 2008 roster for the Fighting Irish is Kyle Rudolph, a Tight End from Cincinnati, OH.  At 6’6", 230 lbs., Rudolph has the size to step in and take over the gap that was left by All-American John Carlson.  He also has the speed to stretch the safeties deep down the middle of the field, and the hands to be a quality possession receiver. 

Rudolph was the only five-star tight end in the 2008 class, according to Rivals.com. 

Joining Rudolph at the tight end position is another gifted football player, Joseph Fauria.  A steal from the Golden State, Fauria’s size (6’8'', 250 lbs.) makes him a big target in the middle of the field and in the end zone. 

The combination of Fauria and Rudolph may be an amazing in the red zone, and Charlie Weis has made superstars out of his last two tight ends.  Both of these athletes can make big strides and become an added weapon in the Notre Dame offensive attack in the next few years.

Look for Floyd and Rudolph to step in right away with prominent roles in the Notre Dame offense, while others may have to find time on special teams and work their way into the lineup in another the upcoming years. 

One of the biggest questions the Irish face looking at next season is their control on the line of scrimmage.  Offensive line positions are not quite as easy to make the transition from high school to college, and the line from last year was young to begin with (no senior saw significant time on the O-Line last year).   

But the future in the trenches looks strong for ND as they landed four extremely strong offensive lineman.

Braxston Cave (Mishawaka, IN) brings outstanding size (6’4'', 295 lbs.) and strength (405 lb. bench) to a squad that allowed 58 sacks last year.   Cave will add depth at the center position and could easily be moved to guard spots and act as a solid utility lineman. 

His versatility may also prove helpful on the defensive side of the ball, and his quick feet may make him a lethal defensive tackle capable of rushing the passer and drawing double teams.

Adding some more depth at the tackle position is Lane Clelland, a four-star recruit from Owings Mills, MD.  Clelland is a strong kid (525 lb. squat) that is light enough to pull on trap plays and lead the backfield through holes to the second level.  Some reports also have this young man running a 4.9 forty. 

But as a three sport athlete, Lane has the ability to put on another 40 pounds and be a solid lineman at any position in the trenches.

The Irish also recruited Trevor Robinson, a tackle from Nebraska.  At 6’5'', 300 lbs., Robinson already has the necessary size.  Notre Dame recognized this and spent a great deal of time and effort wrestling him away from his home town Cornhuskers. 

Charlie Weis feels strongly that Robinson can step in early and make a difference right away.

The last offensive lineman to round out the recruiting class carries a familiar name at Notre Dame, Mike Golic, Junior.  Yes, the son of the ESPN football personality is another versatile interior lineman whose position is not set in stone, but could provide depth wherever needed across the offensive line.

Now that Charlie Weis has handed over the offensive game planning duties to his staff (yeah right), defense seems to be a focal point for the next few years.  We’ll discuss the defensive side of the ball in the next article. 

Then we’ll recap everything and talk about the future of Fighting Irish football.