Notre Dame received a recruiting boost on Wednesday when quarterback Andrew Hendrix recommitted to Notre Dame after taking a visit to Florida last weekend. Hendrix originally committed to Notre Dame in June under then head coach Charlie Weis, but had been wavering until Wednesday’s news.
While Hendrix was wavering in his commitment, a few new names began to pop up for Notre Dame at quarterback such as Texas Tech commit Scotty Young and US Army All American Bowl surprise star Cole Marcoux. It’s unclear whether or not Brian Kelly and staff decides to pursue another quarterback in this class.
What is clear is that Hendrix is once again firmly committed to Notre Dame and will join early enrollee Tommy Rees at quarterback in this class. Rees along with four other early enrollees began their Notre Dame careers this week.
Hendrix has been writing a blog over at Irish Sports Daily throughout the recruiting process and posted a full letter stating his recommitment to Notre Dame on Wednesday. Here’s an excerpt on his reasoning:
It was Notre Dame that was keeping me from heading to Gainesville. It was the people; Dayne Crist and Kyle Rudolph, and even big ol Mike Golic Jr! I thought about the Basilica and The Grotto, and Touchdown Jesus. Florida’s campus was beautiful, but Notre Dame’s campus is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my life. My gut got it started, but when I got to thinking, my head started to follow. Coach Kelly has a staff that I know and like. It is a very good staff and Kelly himself is a proven winner. He runs an offense I know I can develop and prosper in, and most of all have fun in. I get to compete and play with one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Dayne Crist, and play with guys just like me.
Having Hendrix back in the fold gives Notre Dame some security at the position in this class and is a nice win for Kelly going up against Urban Meyer for a recruit. Even though Hendrix was already committed, it was still nice to see Kelly keep Hendrix on board after the four star recruits visit to Gainesville. We’ve seen Notre Dame commitments take trips to Florida too many times and come back no longer committed.
It wasn’t all good news for Notre Dame on Wednesday though. Five star wide receiver and Chicago native Kyle Prater recommitted on Wednesday as well… to USC. The star receiver was set to fly out to Los Angeles this week as an early enrollee for the Trojans, but stayed in Chicago after the news broke of Pete Carroll’s departure for the NFL.
It was believed that Notre Dame was going to be able to get back into the race, but once Lane Kiffin was named head coach in Troy Notre Dame’s chances plummeted. Tennessee was another school Prater had been considering and reports are that Prater will enroll at USC next week.
Wide receiver wasn’t a position of need at this point for Notre Dame with Daniel Smith, Bennett Jackson, and Tai-ler Jones in this class, but adding a recruit of Prater’s caliber certainly would have been nice and would have been a nice feather in Brian Kelly’s cap now that he is recruiting on a bigger stage.
One would expect UT fans to be bent about Kiffin leaving, but to see negative post from ND after you poached a coach from UCinn before the biggest game of that schools history is laughable. You have no business criticizing Lane Kiffin or USC for hiring him. Kelly could have at least remained to coach the team in the Sugar Bowl, especially since he lied to his players all the while knowing he was leaving as soon as ND fired Charlie.
People in glass houses should not throw stones. We’ll see you in LA this November where our new coaches will meet for the first time. Should be fun.
U$C has always brought monster recruits, it doesn’t translate to wins just getting recruits. Kiffin has no class and he proved it a Tennesse. They gave him a shot after Al Davis fired his ass. People can say what you will but Kiffin will not succeed at SC and will have to live up to Carrol’s legacy which will doom him in the end and if Carrol looses in the pros and comes back to the college game he will go to the Pack Ten and face Kiffin every year. Have fun Lane!
I just really don’t get the appeal of Lane Kiffin with these athletes, or their parents. This guy just exudes a “scumbag” aura, has nothing to show for his years as a head coach, has numerous NCAA violations (small violations or not, he’s basically ignored NCAA rules), and in truth, is really nothing but a flashy spin doctor, talking a lot but getting no results.
…And yet he’s bringing in monster recruits. Just doesn’t make much sense. Hopefully him crashing and burning at USC will change that (fingers crossed).
He is the biggest bum in my opinion in the history of college football. That is saying a lot! When I saw Prater visiting for the U$C game this year, he walked right by me and I said he is going to U$C and I will bet my life on it! That’s all I gotta say about that lol.
Excited to see Hendrix is back firmly on board. Would’ve liked to get Prater, but there are still some exciting recruits out there (Barr) that I would be pulling for first.