Notre Dame Numbers To Make Your Head Spin

Well between Michael Floyd and slim recruiting news, things are a little slow around the Station.  We are trying to keep alive the interest in Notre Dame Football with “The think you know Notre Dame Football and beat the Wizard quizzes,” but that is not going to be enough.  Subway Alumni Station has also piped in with the fiasco in Columbus (it appears Pryor is really gone (amen), ND grad Gene Smith the AD is next) and other interesting college football tidbits that influence Notre Dame Football and college sports in general.  As Thomas Paine stated so well, "these are the times that try a Subway Alumni's soul."

So, Brian Kelly has ten (10) recruits verbally committed to his Program and Team (Presswood will enroll in summer school).  This is June 2011, National Signing Day is February 1, 2012, many good prospects are still out there and uncommitted.  How many more can Kelly reel in?  It appears that a running back would be a good thing.

Here are some 2012 numbers.

Allowed 85 football athletic scholarships

If you account for Chris Badger (we would love to know why he bothered to enroll early for four months) coming back from his Mormon mission in 2012.

Add Jordan Prestwood coming to summer school this month.

There are 25 scholarships to give to 5th year seniors, walk-ons, and freshmen in the 2012 class. 

The other 59 scholarships are spoken for by underclassmen.

Again, 10 verbal recruits thus far.

14 possible 5^th year seniors that could return.

The IRISH players with a possible 5th year of eligibility are:

Braxston Cave - C

Lane Clelland - OT

Dayne Crist - QB

Sean Cwynar - DT

Mike Golic - C

John Goodman - WR

Kapron Lewis-Moore - DE

Dan McCarthy - S

Anthony McDonald - IL

Brandon Newman - NG

David Posluszny - IL

Jamoris Slaughter - S

Deion Walker - WR

Hafis Williams - NG

An awful lot of factors will come into play.  Most importantly fall camp and 2011 performance on the field.  Injuries will impact.  Those younger players coming up the depth chart to overtake the seniors.  Possible depth chart weaknesses as well as strengths in 2012.  Obviously, the number available will increase if players transfer out, give up football, or leave for the NFL early. 

If Dayne Crist stays healthy, puts up big numbers and leads Notre Dame to a BCS win will be turn pro?  He won't have that many starts as QB.

Is Manti Te’o in it for the full four years or will he leave early?

Some very big decisions for Brian Kelly to manage his 2012 recruitment class, he has to assess his 5^th year seniors now to recruit up to the 85 limit that includes the 59 returning, 5^th years and the recruits.

Here are who we feel will return and be granted a 5^th year:

Crist

Cave

Slaughter

Cwynar

Newman

Here are who are on the ‘bubble”:

Clelland - Step up to the plate

Lewis-Moore - Plenty of DE talent breathing down his neck

McCarthy - Needs to stay healthy

McDonald - Needs to stay healthy

Here are those that need to really shine:

Golic

Goodman

Posluszny

Walker

Williams

Thus, we assess 9 5^th year seniors returning, Badger, Prestwood, 59 underclassmen leaves you will a maximum of only 15 recruits.  This does not account for the one or two you must keep back for walk-ons or possible late recruits falling into your lap, i.e. your Prestwood types.  You really need to have a freshman class with more than 15 recruits in it.  Decisions.  Decisions.  2012 should be Brian Kelly’s run for the NC with the talent on-board, coming up the ranks, the wealth of 5th year seniors, and in the pipeline.  Go IRISH.