Interesting Article on Chris Donald
Allen Wallace from SuperPrep posted a free article last night with an update on Chris Donald. The full article can be found here, but here are a few interesting quotes from it.
“On December 8, I’m visiting Tennessee,” Donald said. “I expect it to be somewhat different from when I visited Notre Dame (October 7). I’m a Tennessee boy; they treat me like a hero or something. Tennessee is my home state. I love it here and I’ll be close to my mother. Tennessee is a great school, they’re doing well and I’ve been talking to the coaches since my junior year.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Notre Dame, but the article did have some positive news for Notre Dame as well…
“I met Toryan Smith (linebacker) who was my host during my visit at Notre Dame and we have, since then, developed a friendship,” he said. “We text each other all the time. We talk about lots of different things. He’d love for me to play for the Irish, but understands that I have to make the decision on my own.”
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I find it very interesting that Donald mentioned Smith by name and I think it really helps Notre Dame’s chances that Donald’s found someone at Notre Dame that he’s developed a close bond with. Smith, like Donald is hails from the South and having a fellow linebacker from down South in South Bend can only help Notre Dame’s chances.
Donald knows where he is going based on a report last week from the Tennessean and said he’ll let the coaches know a couple days before the All American Bowl and then announce publicly during the game.
The article from SuperPrep also has some good quotes from Donald and Weis and Minter and is definitely worth a read.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
Donald has already seen Tennessee multiple times so I wouldn’t read too much into the fact that he’s decided where he wants to go before the official.
It is very possible that he has selected Tennessee, but on the same token, its very possible he’s selected Notre Dame but is taking the visit to Tennessee as a courtesy to Tennessee. Again, however, these are all hypotheticals.
Sounds like he’s a lock to stay in TN.
“I love it here [at Tennessee] and I’ll be close to my mother.” He’s not using the subjunctive tense, “would be close to my mother.” And he’s made a decision before visiting TN, he wouldn’t decide on ND without visiting TN and then still visit TN.