Never say never - Irish offer 8th grader

[socaljim242]

Wish I could pull up those posts on the Irish board at espn when USC offered a kid like this.
"Lane is trolling elementary schools" " despicable" " why can't they let kids be kids" " way to be classless SC" were some of the remarks.


Notre Dame football recruiting: Irish jump in, offer 8th-grader
Notre Dame football recruiting: Irish jump in, offer 8th-grader - South Bend Tribune: Recruiting

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

here we go now recruiting is going to be a battle over 8th graders

Maybe Boise State will jump ahead of the game and recruit some elementary kids for our games against Florida State and Oklahoma State.

 

[Irish7478]

My issue wasn't recruiting an 8th grader. My issue was how are there 15 year olds who are still in 8th grade.

 

[socaljim242]

My issue wasn't recruiting an 8th grader. My issue was how are there 15 year olds who are still in 8th grade.

Yes I remember you just questioned that kids age not the practice You have a point there for sure. I tried finding out his age (the one USC offered) and in every article I found they didn't put his age just that he's in eight grade. It's a big trend all over the country now to wait to put your kid in first grade . They say it helps self esteem to not be the little young kid in class. So happy I didn't say yes when I was asked if we wanted to bump up my kid again in second grade. He's going to be a 14 year old soph (turns 15 in late oct) and I . kinda feel bad for him because he's trying to get a starting spot on the water polo team against 16 year olds.
Personally I don't really care if they offer an 8th grader whos 6'1" 210 and runs a 4.5 40. If he was Mozart on the piano he would get the same treatment and no one would bat an eye.

 

[NDHoosier101]

Holy shit. The eighth grader is 6'1 220 with a 4.4 40. Don't like the practice, but I guess when he already has 10+ offers you have to keep pace.

 

[RobBase]

Penn State has been recruiting that kid for years.

 

[socaljim242]

Penn State has been recruiting that kid for years.

Funny and sad at the same time.

 

[Irish7478]

Penn State has been recruiting that kid for years.

"for years"? Since 6th grade? That sounds like the start of a Sandusky joke. Seriously, it's getting like thoroughbred raising. The coaches will look at the parents, get their stats and measurements and offer scholarships before the kid is born. If LeBron James married Candace Parker, I bet there would be 20 schools offering scholarships before the child was born (girl or boy).

 

[socaljim242]

"for years"? Since 6th grade? That sounds like the start of a Sandusky joke. Seriously, it's getting like thoroughbred raising. The coaches will look at the parents, get their stats and measurements and offer scholarships before the kid is born. If LeBron James married Candace Parker, I bet there would be 20 schools offering scholarships before the child was born (girl or boy).

You're not far off. Here in LA Mychael (sp) Thompson the former laker married his college sweetheart who was a college vollyball player. They have three kids . Two are in the NBA and one is in pro baseball.

 

[bbirish73]

I'm not going to go back on what I have said. offering scholarships to young kids like this isn't right. I'm disappointed in Notre Dame for doing so. This needs to stop. Needs to be a rule that the youngest you can offer a scholarship is to a Junior IMO.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

I'm not sure what the point of it is, at that age they still have growing to do and things will change, even if they commit it's likely they will change their commitment later on.

 

[craigk217]

I was one of the ones opposing this practice. But it has gotten to the point (as the article stated) ... all about "keeping up with the Joneses" at this point since the SEC has done this quite a bit and already has an upper hand in recruiting top young players. The SEC has basically set the precedence for this practice of recruiting such young players. I absolutely dont like it, but it has become what is has become. I think it's a shame that major universities have to "stoop to this level" in order to get an edge on recruiting, and I'm actually very surprised ND has their name in the hat now. This is what it has come to? Sheeesh.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Recruiting kids that young is not only wrong, it's idiotic. How can you properly judge someone's ability based on the competition? Of course a kid that's 6'1 in 8th grade will dominate kids his own age. Wait till everyone else fills out and hits their growth spurts before trying to figure out how good somebody is. Just dumb.

 

[craigk217]

Recruiting kids that young is not only wrong, it's idiotic. How can you properly judge someone's ability based on the competition? Of course a kid that's 6'1 in 8th grade will dominate kids his own age. Wait till everyone else fills out and hits their growth spurts before trying to figure out how good somebody is. Just dumb.

Yup. I said the exact same thing in the past when debating this subject.

 

[purguy12]

I dont like it either but this kid is suppose to be like the LBJ of football so if he already has 10+ offers I guess ND has to jump in if they want a chance.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

by the time this kid actually gets to college he will have been recruited for like 4 or 5 years

that's crazy

 

[RobBase]

"for years"? Since 6th grade? That sounds like the start of a Sandusky joke. Seriously, it's getting like thoroughbred raising. The coaches will look at the parents, get their stats and measurements and offer scholarships before the kid is born. If LeBron James married Candace Parker, I bet there would be 20 schools offering scholarships before the child was born (girl or boy).

It was a Sandusky joke.

 

[whywork2]

I graduated high school at 17 . If this kid is 15 and in 8th grade all I can say is WTF. Personally I don't have any problem with any school recruiting any young kid. That's just me though, I just don't see what's so wrong with it. It isn't like they're buying him beer, bribing him with young cheerleaders and giving him the answers to the SATs. What am I missing?

 

[ThunderND]

I do NOT like this move either...I might be a die hard ND fan but this was a bad move. We lose something by resorting to these tactics.