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The Irish have very few holes in this excellent recruiting class.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish enrollee Gunner Kiel made the right decision in leaving the LSU Tigers and Indiana Hoosiers at various altars. We don't have to like that, but it's true. Look at the way his family is talking about his decision to stay home instead of playing in Baton Rouge.
Also, in reference to the popular theory from the LSU side of the equation that it all came down to a teary plea from his mother:
Arik Armstead has been one of the most interesting recruits to follow in this cycle. From his commitment to and subsequent decommitment from USC, to his desire to play with his brother Armond (who is at USC but is looking to transfer because he doesn't like the way USC handled his medical clearance), to his supposed imminent commitment to Cal, to Cal losing the main reason Armstead would choose the Golden Bears (with defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi moving to Washington), to him enrolling at multiple schools (but not attending classes) to speed the process up of setting the schedule at the school he does eventually chooce, it's been a wild ride.
Earlier in the week, we reported that Armstead's announcement had been delayed indefinitely. Those close to the recruitment, however, believe he will make his decision by the end of the week, as he is an early enrollee and needs to start class.
With Cal thought to be out of the running for Armstead, the question becomes: where will he go? Most believe he will choose Notre Dame or Auburn. Oregon is a long-shot here. Armond visited Notre Dame after taking his January 13th official visit to Auburn.
Notre Dame fans are justifiably excited with the commitment of Gunner Kiel. He's one of the top pro-style quarterbacks in the country. But just what does Kiel's commitment mean for the Irish? For that answer, let's turn to the excellent Notre Dame site, One Foot Down:
Immediate Future: Kiel will enter a crowded depth chart at QB, presumably behind 2011 starter Tommy Rees and the Goldrix chimera generated in the laboratory during the offseason.
As an early enrollee, he has the benefit of spring practice to become immersed in the offense and learn the playbook. He has an outside chance of competing for the job as a freshman, but not likely to win the starting job for the season opener vs. Navy in Dublin.
Kiel likely sits a year and retains the eligibility unless he is just too impressive in camp to keep on the sidelines.
Long Term/Career: I think Kiel is about as good a fit for Brian Kelly's offense as anyone out there. While not necessarily a dual-threat QB, he has the arm strength to stretch the field vertically as well as horizontally and is athletic enough to keep a defense honest as a running threat.
Don't expect him to run a lot of zone-read option plays, but the threat is there and will have to be accounted for. When comparisons come to mind, I think he reminds me a bit of Brady Quinn (but with better touch/accuracy) and should end up being a two or three year starter in South Bend.
I do wonder if Notre Dame will ever be able to have a top run game with a pro-style quarterback operating entirely from the shotgun. I suspect they will not. Still, the Irish can have an excellent offense with Kiel at the helm.
Kiel is the jewel of an excellent Notre Dame recruiting class. But how many scholarships do the Irish have left?
According to our friends at One Foot Down (click for excellent statistical breakdown), despite currently having 17 commitments, Notre Dame actually has room for six more recruits! That's certainly setting up the Irish for a strong finish.
It's now official: star Indiana quarterback prospect Gunner Kiel has enrolled early at Notre Dame, the school announced, where he'll play football for the Fighting Irish next year. Up until Monday evening, Kiel was thought to be a solid LSU Tigers commitment, and was expected to enroll early in Baton Rouge.
Commenting on the move, here's Kiel:
"This recruitment process was a roller-coaster ride at times, but I know I have made the right decision for my family and me," Kiel said. "There were three critical elements I was looking for in my future school: the quality of education I would receive, the distance from home and the comfort level I would have with the players and coaches in the football program. Notre Dame was the perfect fit for me because it hit all three areas.
"Coach Kelly was great throughout my recruitment, as many times our conversations had nothing do with football. That really showed me he had my best intentions in mind. He was persistent yet also patient while recruiting me and I look forward to playing for him the next four years. I couldn't be happier to be a member of the Fighting Irish football team. I'm excited about the future of the program."
The Irish also announced early enrollees DL Sheldon Day and DB Tee Shepard, along with USC Trojans transfer RB Amir Carlisle.
Thus, hopefully, concludes for now the Kiel saga, which began when he committed very early in the year for a five-star quarterback to the lowly Indiana Hoosiers.
For more on LSU football, head to And The Valley Shook. For more on Notre Dame football, head to One Foot Down.
You may have heard the Monday night news that famous recruit Gunner Kiel has chosen to leave the LSU Tigers (after leaving the Indiana Hoosiers), according to Louisiana media and national recruiting media. Now we have a report from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish side that he's indeed headed to South Bend, from the Observer's Douglas Farmer.
The report has him enrolling early, just as he'd planned to do at LSU, and installing himself at the campus' O'Neill Hall.
Kiel has become perhaps the 2012 recruiting crop's biggest name, thanks in part to his talent (he's rated a five-star quarterback and considered by most to be the nation's top dropback passer), but thanks also to his quest to find the right school. His very early commitment to IU came as a surprise; his October decommitment did not.
As he hails from the state of Indiana, you sort of can't fight the feeling that he was going to wind up at Notre Dame all along, no matter where he stopped along the way. According to TigerBait.com, it all came down to a family thing. Still, nothing is official yet, and we've yet to hear from Kiel himself.
For more on LSU football, head to And The Valley Shook. For more on Notre Dame football, head to One Foot Down.
Yuri Wright is arguably the top cornerback prospect in the country. Out of New Jersey's Don Bosco Prep, he's received offers from most of the top BCS schools in the country. And it's easy to see why. Wright has elite size at 6'2" and 180 pounds, can press receivers, and drives on the ball well. Yet he is still able to turn and run.
Wright visited Notre Dame on December 16th, and was complimentary of the visit. At that time, Notre Dame held a commitment from Maryland cornerback Ronald Darby. Darby has since decommitted and is considering Florida State and Clemson, among others.
Notre Dame fans are hopeful that the thinning of the potential depth chart thanks to Darby's departure will be enough to sway him to South Bend. And indeed many recruiting insiders believe this will be the case. Wright had dinner with Notre Dame's coaches after the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio. Notre Dame really needs Wright, as it has had a difficult time securing commitments from elite defensive backs.
Notre Dame isn't the only school Wright is considering, however, as he is still scheduled to take visits elsewhere. One Michigan website stated that Wright would not be visiting Ann Arbor on January 13th, but two other sources say he will. Majority wins, as the Wolverines appear to be expecting Wright. Following that, he'll visit the hometown Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and then take a trip out to see the Cal Bears.
For more on Notre Dame recruiting, visit One Foot Down.
KeiVarae Russell, one of the top running backs in the country, has committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The 6'0", 175-pound Russell plays for Everett, Wa.'s Mariner High school.
He showed up to his announcement with Cal, Notre Dame, Washington and USC hats ready to go. He also claimed offers from Arizona, Boise State, Oregon, Stanford, Washington State, Wyoming, Colorado, LSU, Nebraska and Oregon State.
Russell is a slasher with good hands. But he's a smooth slasher, who doesn't lose much in the way of acceleration when he puts his foot in the ground to change directions and go. He also possesses the skills to play defensive back, though both Washington and Notre Dame are recruiting him as a runner.
Brian Kelly had some excellent receiving backs at Cincinnati, and the Irish are certainly happy to have a receiving threat out of the backfield.
Russell is pretty slight of build, however, and with his lanky frame, he likely won't ever be a power back.
Russell will play in the Army All-American Game on January 7th.
LSU finally has its blue-chip quarterback recruit in Gunner Kiel, who committed to the Tigers on Tuesday. Paul Crewe of the excellent SB Nation LSU site, And The Valley Shook, has a breakdown of Kiel.
This is certainly worth a read, as Crewe breaks down Kiel's mechanics, size, arm, athleticism, mental game and upside. Here's an excerpt:
... A lot of people compare him to Andy Dalton, which I think is pretty decent. His arm is plenty good enough, but nothing anyone is going to go crazy about. What is most impressive about his throws though, is that, even at this young age, he understands touch. Kiel knows that a 5-yard screen doesn't need to be rifled, nor should a deep out be lofted. He shows a lot of ability to adjust the velocity of his throws based on not just the type of throw, but the type of defense he sees. This is a very good sign.
I'm on board with this. Crewe does state that Kiel's arm is close to being "great." I don't agree with that, but once a quarterback has the requisite arm strength to throw most of the routes, accuracy becomes much more important. And Kiel certainly has enough arm strength.
Crewe also notes the mental side of Kiel's game, which I touched on here. This is a quality evaluation and one LSU fans need to read.
For more on LSU recruiting, visit And The Valley Shook.
Gunner Kiel, one of the top quarterback recruits in the country, has committed to the LSU Tigers. Kiel is considered a true franchise quarterback. Out of East High School in Columbus, In., Kiel had once committed to the in-state Hoosiers. But the 6'4, 215-pound prep would only stay committed for a few months before backing out. He held offers from most every school in the country, and in the end it came down to the LSU Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Vanderbilt Commodores.
What made schools so eager to offer Kiel? It was more than his excellent name. Kiel has a good (not great) arm capable of making all the throws. His mobility is decent for someone considered a pocket passer. But it's Kiel's intelligence that sets him apart. He has an excellent understanding of the passing game. Expect Kiel to compete for immediately playing time in the SEC .
Kiel is rated as the top pro-style quarterback in the country, and is a five-star recruit by most services. He plans to enroll early and take part in Spring practice.
Driven by tweets and stories from various Louisiana media, the college football recruiting world was in a fervor Monday, as the top pro-style quarterback, Gunner Kiel, was expected to commit to LSU, Vanderbilt or Notre Dame. Only that didn't happen.
The Kiel camp was silent, and presumably went about enjoying the day after Christmas while contemplating the decision. Still, just about everyone expects Kiel to make a decision fairly soon, because Kiel is going to enroll early at his school of choice, and the paperwork for that sort of thing needs to be submitted fairly shortly. Jamie Newberg is the most prominent national recruiting media member to predict a commitment this week:
@JNewbergESPN
Jamie Newberg QB Gunner Kiel should announce this wk = #LSU, #Vandy, or #NotreDame. Keep hearing Tigers but y no decision yet? Family is still debating
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Recruitniks will remember that Kiel committed to Indiana over the summer, only to back out of that commitment during the season.
Kiel has taken official visits to all three schools, and all of them obviously have a lot to offer a quarterback.
Vanderbilt is the most interesting choice, as the Commodores had a surprising season and seem to be headed in the right direction under James Franklin. And Vanderbilt did have success with another quarterback from Indiana in Jay Cutler.
So While Kiel seems to be leaning to LSU, don't count out the other two contenders.
There is a new highlight tape of Gunner Kiel, one of the nation's top quarterbacks. Kiel has had a busy December and received visits from Notre Dame, LSU and Vanderbilt.
Let's break down the new Gunner Kiel highlights. I tried to look for Kiel doing things that will translate at the next level, as the competition in Indiana is horrible, and as expected, much of the highlight is Kiel working kids who will never take a college snap.
Kiel doesn't appear to have improved much as a runner, but he likely won't have to with his other skills. And while Kiel's team is smart to tailor the plan to his strengths, I would like to see Kiel throw more deep outs. Still, Gunner Kiel is an excellent prospect. Notre Dame, LSU or Vanderbilt will be very happy with Kiel pretty soon, as he is expected to make the call before signing day.
Gunner Kiel has scheduled an official visit to Notre Dame this weekend, the South Bend Tribune reports. The 6'4", 216-pound quarterback out of Columbus (Ind.) East High School is considered the top quarterback prospect in the country.
Kiel, whose commitment to the hometown Indiana Hoosiers lasted only three months into the season, doesn't have a rocket for an arm, but he is capable of making all the throws and his understanding off the game is excellent.
Kiel is now considering Notre Dame, LSU and Vanderbilt. Notre Dame is thought to be his leader. Kiel is an early-enrollee, so his decision will be made before signing day, but there is still time. He does plan to play in the U.S. Army All-American Game in early January, and SB Nation will be on hand to cover him there. Kiel has scheduled visits to all three schools.
Notre Dame currently has 15 commitments.
For more on Notre Dame recruiting, visit One Foot Down
Fans of the LSU Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and yes, the Vanderbilt Commodores received good news today when it was revealed that five-star gunslinger Gunner Kiel will take official visits to those three institutions.
Keil, whose commitment to the hometown Indiana Hoosiers lasted only three months into the season, is considered the top quarterback prospect in the country. While he doesn't have a rocket for an arm, he is capable of making all the throws and his understanding off the game is excellent.
The Tigers, Irish and Commodores have certainly had some quarterback issues over the last few seasons, and Keil would have a legitimate shot to compete for playing time as a freshman at any of the three. Kiel has unofficially visited each of the three in the last month, so these visits aren't surprising.
Keil is an early-enrollee, so his decision will be made before signing day. The 6'4" 215 pound quarterback does plan to play in the U.S. Army All-American Game in early January.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were set to have a slew of recruits on hand even before local sharpshooter Gunner Kiel de-committed from the Indiana Hoosiers and revealed he'd be in South Bend on Saturday. I don't know if I'd entrust my entire recruiting class to putting on a wonderful showing against a master of chaos like Lane Kiffin, but egad, y'all:
Mixed with the 51 players, who are reported to be on campus this weekend, are 13 from the 2012 class already committed to the Irish and another 13 high school seniors still considering their options. Plus, Notre Dame will have 25 players from the 2013 class on campus.
Not a whole lot of slouches among that collection, either. The biggest prizes, according to Rivals:
After a rush of reports that Gunner Kiel, the nation's top-rated quarterback recruit and a longtime Indiana Hoosiers commit, has re-opened his recruitment, the man himself confirmed the story to 247 Sports. Kiel notified coach Kevin Wilson Thursday night, then made the whole thing public Friday morning.
"I'm just reevaluating my decision and plan on taking some future visits to other colleges," Kiel told 247Sports on Friday morning.
He added that he plans to take all five official visits. The first will be Notre Dame on Saturday for their game against the USC Trojans, according to reports.
Here's Indiana blog Crimson Quarry with some instant (and sober!) reaction:
I hope, of course, that when the process is complete Gunner decides to enroll at IU in January 2012. On the other hand, if you are looking for a bunch of moralizing about broken promises, then you're in the wrong place. For all of his football talents, Gunner Kiel is a high school senior deciding where to spend the next few years of his life. That is an intensely personal decision and one that should not be made lightly.
Of course, a verbal commitment should not be extended without careful consideration. It's better when a player is certain when he makes the commitment. On the other hand, I think it's much more important that Gunner or any other player be confident in his college choice. In that sense, it's comparable to breaking an engagement.
For more Kiel and the Hoosiers, visit SB Nation Indiana and The Crimson Quarry.
Ronald Darby Recruiting Update: National Signing Day Decision On ESPN Between Auburn, Clemson, Notre Dame & Florida State
Ronald Darby, one of the top cornerback recruits in the country and a former Notre Dame commitment, has narrowed his focus to Florida State, Clemson, Notre Dame and Auburn. Darby originally committed to the Irish on April 16th after Notre Dame's spring game. The Under Armour All-America backed out of his commitment in early January.
Darby stars for Potomac (Oxon Hill, Md.) and is one of the top players in the state. After decommitting from the Irish, the 5'11, 174-pound Darby proceeded to take visits to Florida State and Clemson. Darby has previously visited Notre Dame, Auburn and Maryland. Those four schools, minus Maryland, comprise his final four.
Florida State is thought to hold the lead for Darby, according to Rivals! recruiting analyst Mike Farrell. Farrell is maligned in some recruiting circles, but he is generally believe to have his finger on the pulse of recruits in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions.
Darby is perhaps the second fastest recruit in this recruiting cycle. The fastest, of course, is Florida State's Marvin Bracy; an Olympic hopeful. Bracy heavily recrutied Darby during the Under Armour All-America Game, and persuaded him to visit Florida State. Florida State's track program is thought to be a major attraction to Darby. None of his other three finalists have an elite track program.
For more on Florida State recruiting, head to Tomahawk Nation. For more on Clemson recruiting, visit Shakin the Southland. For more on Notre Dame recruiting, visit One Foot Down. For more on Auburn recruiting, visit Track Em Tigers.
Follow @SBNRecruiting on Twitter
Jan 26 4:40p by Bud Elliott - 0 comments