Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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after an original verbal commitment to Notre Dame. "There's going to be wins and losses on that front every year," Kelly said. This year, Notre Dame lost four early verbal commitments — line- backer/athlete David Perkins (Ohio State), offensive tackle Taylor Decker (Ohio State), cornerback Ronald Darby (Florida State) and wide receiver De- ontay Greenberry (Houston) — but also picked up two: defensive lineman Jarron Jones (Penn State) and quarter- back Gunner Kiel (first Indiana, and then LSU). Not all decommits are equal, and sometimes it is the school that hastens the process rather than the prospect leaving the school at the altar. Here is our breakdown on both sides from 2002-11: fensive linemen Aa ron Lynch (Florida State), Stephon Tui t t (Georgia Tech) and Chase Hounshell (Florida), offensive lineman Nick Mar- tin (Kentucky) and quarterback Ever- ett Golson (North Carolina). Decommits from Notre Dame: Run- 2011: 5-4 Notre Dame advantage. Decommits to Notre Dame: De- AARON LYNCH ning back Justice Hayes (Michigan), offensive lineman Jordan Prestwood (Florida State), linebacker Clay Bur- ton (Florida) and cornerback Bennett Okotcha (Oklahoma). Note: Prestwood was an early en- rollee at FSU, but he transferred to Notre Dame last summer, where he had initially offered a verbal pledge. terbacks Luke Massa (Cincinnati) and Derek Roback (Toledo), wide receiver TJ Jones (Stanford), defensive lineman Kona Schwenke (BYU) and linebacker Danny Spond (Colorado). Decommits from Notre Dame: Run- 2010: 5-3 Notre Dame advantage. Decommits to Notre Dame: Quar- his staff changed the minds of five players in an effort to fill out the class. One of the four quarterbacks signed that year (Massa) is now a wide re- ceiver, and another (Roback) trans- ferred to Ohio U. about a week into August practice. Bernard earned Freshman All-Amer- FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE ica honors in 2011 as a redshirt with the Tar Heels, finishing with 1,253 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. Lueders had 17 tackles, including three for loss and two sacks, as a backup in 2011. receiver Shaquelle Evans (USC). Decommits from Notre Dame: 2009: 2-1 others. Decommits to Notre Dame: Wide Wide receiver Nyshier Oliver (Tennes- see) and cornerback Marlon Pollard (UCLA). Notes: Evans transferred prior to yards as a rookie. Trattou had 31 starts at Florida and played with the New York Giants his rookie year. 2006: 0-0. Decommits to Notre Dame: None. Decommits from Irish: None. Quinn (Penn State). Decommits from Notre Dame: Wide his sophomore year at Notre Dame to UCLA, where he started five games in 2011 and caught 19 passes for 309 yards (16.3 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. Oliver moved to defense and was suspended for shoplifting. Pollard transferred to Eastern Michigan. ning back Jonas Gray (Nebraska), of- fensive lineman Trevor Robinson (Ne- braska) and defensive lineman Kapron Lewis-Moore (Texas A&M). Decommits from Notre Dame: De- 2008: 3-1 Notre Dame advantage. Decommits to Notre Dame: Run- fensive tackle Omar Hunter (Florida). Notes: Hunter had 31 tackles last season for the Gators. backer Brian Smith (Iowa), cornerback Gary Gray (South Carolina) and kicker Brandon Walker (Louisville). Decommits from Notre Dame: 2007: 3-3. Decommits to Notre Dame: Line- ning back Giovani Bernard (North Carolina), defensive end/linebacker Chris Martin (Cal, then Florida, and most recently at Navarro College, a junior college powerhouse in Texas, before reportedly also departing from there) and linebacker/end Blake Lued- ers (Stanford). Notes: In Kelly's first season, he and www.BLUEANDGOLD.com but both changed their minds on the eve of National Signing Day. There were some rumors that wide receiver Arrelious Benn (Illinois) was a "silent" commitment to the Irish, but we can't include that. Greg Little was a second-round pick Wideout Greg Little (North Carolina), offensive lineman Chris Little (Geor- gia, then NWC College, then Southern U., then ineligible) and defensive line- man Justin Trattou (Florida). Notes: The Littles were not related, of the Cleveland Browns (where Brian Smith latched on late in the year) last spring and caught 61 passes for 709 sition from fired head coach Ty Will- ingham to New England Patriots of- fensive coordinator Charlie Weis was a rough one as Notre Dame signed a school-record-low 15 prospects. Seven Irish coaches visited Wilson at once to try to change his mind. Nelson (Buffalo Bills) opted for the Gators because Weis' playoff schedule did not allow him to make an in-home visit to him in Texas. receivers David Nelson (Florida) and Martin Frier- son (Georgia Tech), defensive end Law- rence Wilson (Ohio State) and corner- back Brandon Har- rison (Michigan). Notes: The tran- BRANDON HARRISON fensive lineman Ryan Baker (Purdue). Note: Baker is now with the Miami 2004: 1-0 others. Decommits to Notre Dame: None. Decommits from Notre Dame: De- Dolphins. backer/end Dwight Stephenson Jr. (Florida), cornerback LaBrose Hedge- mon (North Carolina) and punter Geoff Price (Texas). Decommits from Notre Dame: Run- 2003: 3-1 Notre Dame. Decommits to Notre Dame: Line- 2005: 4-1 others. Decommits to Notre Dame: Steve ning back David Marrero (Stanford). Note: Hedgemon eventually trans- ferred to Jackson State. Bob Morton (Texas A&M). Decommits from Notre Dame: 2002: 2-1 others. Decommits to Notre Dame: Center Linebacker/defensive end Jeremy Van Alstyne (Michigan) and wide receiver Josh Hannum (Penn State). Notes: Morton decommitted early in the spring. Van Alstyne and Hannum were lost in the coaching transition from Bob Davie to George O'Leary to Ty Willingham. ✦ MARCH 2012 23