Elijah Hood Decommits from Notre Dame

Elijah Hood - RB
Elijah Hood impressed at Nike’s The Opening in July while still a member of Notre Dame’s recruiting class of 2014. ((Photo: Steve Dykes / USA TODAY Sports))

Notre Dame’s recruiting class of 2014 took a big hit on Tuesday when one of its cornerstone pieces – 5 star running back Elijah Hood – decommitted from the Golden Army ’14.  Hood, one of the highest rated recruits is a huge loss for the Irish, but with six months until Signing Day, Brian Kelly and his staff will have time to make up for the loss.

Hood was the second 5-star running back in as many years to commit to Notre Dame when he picked the Irish back in April before flushing recruiting letter from Alabama down the toilet and posting a video of it on Twitter.  Since then he has been a vocal member of the Golden Army ’14.

Several reports have indicated that Hood is not just reconsidering his college decision, but that Notre Dame no longer appears to be an option for the talented North Carolina native.

Notre Dame has a deep stable of running backs on the roster with a lot of remaining eligibility which should also help mitigate the loss of Hood from this year’s class and it’s likely Kelly and his staff will have enough time to add another back to the class but make no mistake about it, this was a huge loss for Notre Dame.

Hood is an elite talent and while Notre Dame might be able to add another running back to this year’s class, it’s unlikely they will be able to add one of Hood’s caliber at this stage of the game.

Early indicators are that Hood’s home state North Carolina is the early leader to land Hood’s commitment now that he has decommitted from Notre Dame.

Hood is the second 5-star recruit to commit to Notre Dame in the last two years only to decommit or not enroll at the University joining Eddie Vanderdoes from the class of 2013.  Hood is also the first decommitment for the class of 2014 for Notre Dame.

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35 Comments

  1. Not a surprise. Today’s student athelete and college coaches will do and say anything to get what they want. Kids today, in general, can’t decide what to have for lunch let alone which college to attend and today’s coaches will throw their mother under a bus to get a 3,4 or 5 start recruit. There is no honor among thieves!

  2. How about Aaron Taylor. He presents himself very well on the air. As to Hood, better he decides now than later that ND isn’t for him. Yes, it is a hit to lose a 5 star but when one door closes another may open for a potential future star.

    Go Irish

    1. Amen Storespook,

      Aaron Taylor is outstanding also. I agree on 5 star players. Start winning consistently and the doors of opportunity open wide.

  3. JC,

    Isn’t there an annoying delay when you do that? It’s still worth it no doubt to mute the NBC broadcast.

    Pinkett would make an excellent play-by-play man for NBC.

    1. Rob,

      No delay using cable/local TV & Radio. Further, to my knowledge a delay problem only with satillite TV & Radio. Why? I do not know.

      Pinkett is indeed fantastic!

  4. Yes, Ron, of course you’re right. But screw objectivity. We’ve not had it. Almost as long as I can remember those calling the ND game have not been shy about bashing the ND program when it was down.

    Heck, I think it would be entertaining have a three man booth. The play-by-play man could be the straight man in the troop. Then have a ND homer and some BC, Michigan, or USC third guy to mix it up with our guy. Nothing will match the days when “Dandy Don” Meredith would match wits with Howard Cosell. Frank Gifford was the straight man. That was a colorful and entertaining booth, in my opinion.

    Build on the nobody is neutral about ND gimmick. People on both sides will go crazy whenever one or the other guy makes some comment.

    Or just bring back an erudite voice like Todd Christiansen from the early- to mid-90s. He was very insightful and well-spoken. Always struck me as truly objective while doing the ND games.

  5. Another athlete charges his mind.
    There seems to be a lot of high profile athletes who commit early in the recruiting process, only to decommit and most times they state that the need to be closer to their home and family is their reason.
    Every young person has the right to change their minds over such a big life changing decision.
    The problem is the system and the process.
    The NCAA must set stronger and tighter recruiting standards and reduce the window of verbal commitment time frames.
    The new time frame for any highschool athlete to verbally commit should be from January 1st to February 1st.
    The student athlete will have all the time he needs to make this important decision, but once he makes it, it’s final.
    Also, the NCAA must limit, inact, and enforce recruiting time frames to the student athlete’s senior year starting in August when school starts.
    Schools will just keep recruiting earlier and more aggressively just to keep up with the other schools and recruiters, as the NCAA stands by silently without over site or directive.
    New recruiting tactics will become the new normal with no limits.
    Another point is how we are hearing the student athlete use distance away from family as their excuse to decommit.
    Part of growing up is to learn to be away from loved ones and family members while you find you way in life.
    That is what is special about the college life.
    Learning to be on your own, out of your comfort zone, meeting new people and being exposed to a different environment.
    This problem of decommiting will continue and only get worse as others see this as an acceptable option.
    It’s time for the NCAA to assume it’s role as the head and leadership of college athletics and academics for student athletes, instead of the mainstream media and social networks which have taken over the recruiting process.

  6. Sorry guys. I know this doesn’t belong on this thread.

    I was just reading on this site that NBC will be doing live pregame and post-game shows for ND home games. Once again this year they’re going with Doug Flutie and Hines Ward.

    Now, just about everyone here knows that I’m a huge Steelers fan. Ward was my favorite player.

    But, why, why do we need to have him and Flutie for ND games? My God, we already have one BC guy doing the color on our games. (Albeit, I’ll take Mayock over Hayden anytime!) Do we really need two BC alums doing our games?! And no disrespect to Hines, but he’s not an ND man. I’d love to hear Hines doing color on Stillers games. Just not ND games.

    I don’t understand why ND doesn’t have more say in who calls its games. For years we’ve had to take broadcasters openly and not-so-openly reveling in our misfortune. I’m not saying get some homers (come to think of it, why not?!). But at least get us some straight men.

    At least we got rid of the guy that’s been calling ND games for a decade or more. What’s his name? Good he really got off when things went wrong for the Irish. You could just sense his enthusiasm when it looked like Pitt, BYU, and Stanford had us on the ropes. Good riddance!

    Go Irish!

    1. Probably done to give the appearance of objective thinking. Wouldn’t look good if it was Rick Mirer and Rocket.

      Hammonds is the guy you are thinking of.

  7. I guess you could spend your time fretting over Hood which seems a huge waste considering that it appears much more enjoyable to look forward to watching players like George Atkinson, or Amir Carlistle, or Greg Bryant, or Tarean Folson, or Cam McDaniel, or Will Mahone, run behind an O-Line of Chris Watt(6’3″ 321) Zack Martin(6’4″ 308) Christian Lombard(6’5″ 315) Nick Martin(6’5″ 300) Ronnie Stanley(6’6″ 318) and Troy Niklas(6’7″ 270).

    Now throw in the fact that next year Golson will be back along with an improved Malik Zaire and the running game could advance to an elite level not seen in these parts since the days of the Lou Holtz option teams.

  8. One more scholarship goes back on the shelf. It is tough to lose a five-star runner but maybe by the end of the season we will need another lineman or a tight end more. That’s the recruiting biz.

  9. Stop recruiting him now and move on…..Let him go play somewhere else and find kids that want the honor of playing and earning a degree from Notre Dame. Have fun at NC, and we’ll see you in South Bend next year. Hopefully he plays and Jaylon, Max, and Sheldon welcome him with open bone crushing arms!

  10. Ron,

    Do you have any concrete proof that ND contacted Kiel, Carlisle, or any other committed recruit without first being contacted by them?

    Frankly, Ron Burgundy, I hope ND doesn’t play the corrupt recruiting game like other football factories. ND can recruit well enough without having to buy its recruits.

    What’s next, amoral Ron Burgundy, perhaps ND should pimp out some of its co-eds like the SEC does? IF they don’t, Ron, then shame on them, I guess is your response.

    Win or lose, “We are ND!” (And the day we win, Ron Burgundy,we won’t have to apologize for doing so because the Irish will have done so with out selling out like Ron Burgundy would like to see us do!)

    1. I haven’t talked with Snowden lately to get the inside scoop so no I don’t have any concrete proof. But since when was concrete proof required to say anything on this board.

      I just think it is silly / naive to think that BK or staff do not talk with kids who have committed. Is it really immoral as you say to contact a kid who has “committed.” I’ll give you that once a LOI is signed they should be off limits but recruiting doesn’t or shouldn’t end until the line which is dotted is signed.

      During your last sentence I pictured you riding a horse back in forth in front of your men wearing war paint and firing up the troops ala Braveheart!

      Now I must go back to what Ron Burgundy was put on this earth to do. Have salon quality hair and read the news.

      Stay classy.

      1. Stay classy?! Aren’t you the same “Ron Burgundy” who was trolling our site before the Bama game? Talking trash about ND? Is that classy?!

        I don’t care what homoerotic fantasies you have at the beauty salon, “Ron,” but ND stands for class. We’re not the SEC, USC, or Ohio St. If you’re OK with cheating and bending the rules to the point of breaking them, so be it. If I recall, you’re a Bama fan, so that explains it all.

        We are ND!!!

      2. Interesting, “Now I must go back to what Ron Burgundy was put on this earth to do.”???

        Well, do you do this often? Who are you now? a.k.a. Ron or your 2nd or 3rd handle?

        You need to seek help and discuss your dissociative identity disorder with a qualified specialist.

        “Stay Classy Buckeye”

      3. I have a voice that could make a wolverine purr, and suits so fine they make Sinatra look like a hobo.

      4. Burgundy you are a traitor. So take your fine suits and go sing the blues somewhere else. You think we don’t remember all the trash you talk before the Alabama game. Guess again hotshot!

      5. Sorry Ron,

        I did not confuse you with Burgundy. Seems Burgundy has finally demonstrated he enjoys his internet MPD.

        a.k.a. “Buckeye”

      6. You cut me to the core Ron. I honestly don’t remember talking trash as I am not a Bama fan.

        JC, I am a simple man so I don’t understand what MPD is, forgive me. Additionally, I am not a tOSU fan either.

        That being said, I am impressed with Saban and Meyer. Truly among the best in the biz. And with Saban we are starting to get in the best of all time category. I do respect excellence.

        I am also a fan of BK, and think he is among the top 6-7 coaches in the country.

        What I love more than anything though is reading leather bound books and my apartment which smells of rich mohagony.

        Stay classy!

  11. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
    I agree with Jonny, wake me up when it counts. Kids will commit and decommit many times between now and then.

    When it comes to recruiting there are no rules. And lets not act like the ND staff doesn’t contact kids who have “committed.” IF they aren’t then shame on them. Besides when Kiel decommitted at the eleventh hour he didn’t just happen to show up at ND’s campus and hope they would have room for him. There would have had to have been conversations.

    Also, I don’t remember people complaining about the NCAA eligibility waiver situation when it came to Carlisle being cleared to play right away without having to sit out. I’m sure it stings to lose Vanderdoes but who cares at this point.

  12. jonny,

    As the Vanderdoes saga proved, not even National Signing Day means anything any more.

    Recruiting was always an amoral business to begin with. With the likes of Saban, Meyer, Mora, and the like, it’s increasingly just becoming plain immoral.

  13. I think the best thing for my sanity is to stop reading anything about ND football until game day! Oh well. The future is still bright. Lots of RB’s in stock for the Irish.

  14. whatever.

    wake me up on nt’l signing day.

    til then, don’t really care about decommits ……….OR commits for that matter.

    1. Unfortunately jonny, Eddie V took the validity out of national signing day. Irish did the right thing but the NCAA botched that one by letting him play this fall. Terrible precedent has been set.

      1. Actually, Carlisle was granted immediate eligibility after transferring so maybe he created the precedent.

    2. if you didn’t care about recruiting, you wouldn’t be reading and commenting on recruiting (the life blood of college sports). whatever is right

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