Under Armour Practice

[purguy12]

Update on how ND commits did.

Trumbetti- They say he looks good and surprisingly quick.

Watkins- Getting picked on. Should get better as he learns.

Holmes- Doing good but you can see he doesn't match up well with other top WRs

Bars- Looks like one of the best Olinemen in the country. Only one owning him is Deshawn Hands. No one else is doing nothing against him.

Issiah McKenzie- 2 words they are saying. "Play Maker" He is doing a great job. He is quick and explosive. Took a Hand off for a TD and a screen almost all the way. Shows good hands. Lets hope he gets into ND.

 

[poewelch84]

It doesn't sound promising, I think he's taking a visit to Rutgers, It's probably insurance in case he doesn't get into Notre Dame.

 

[poewelch84]

Trumbetti won the defensive players skills challenge, I'm not sure what it means but he beat out some top players for it. Hopefully he tears the game up.

 

[jjc2009]

It doesn't sound promising, I think he's taking a visit to Rutgers, It's probably insurance in case he doesn't get into Notre Dame.

There's always a question mark about "lowering" standards to get some of the players ND typically couldn't get. I get thats a big sticking point, especially among older alumni, but if ever there was a case for leniency, this is it. MacKenzie had a very tough upbringing and is working hard and wants to be at ND and get a great education. He's not a "thug" or criminal, he is not a guy who cares only about the NFL. His heart and mind is in the right place, so I would hope the adminstration would bend over backwards to help such a guy out. A few decades ago, there was a similar type of player from a very similar background who had a lot of question marks about him. He went on to have a great career in the pros, and managed to go back and get a law degree from ND. You might have heard of him. Chris Zorich.

 

[Irish7478]

There's always a question mark about "lowering" standards to get some of the players ND typically couldn't get. I get thats a big sticking point, especially among older alumni, but if ever there was a case for leniency, this is it. MacKenzie had a very tough upbringing and is working hard and wants to be at ND and get a great education. He's not a "thug" or criminal, he is not a guy who cares only about the NFL. His heart and mind is in the right place, so I would hope the adminstration would bend over backwards to help such a guy out. A few decades ago, there was a similar type of player from a very similar background who had a lot of question marks about him. He went on to have a great career in the pros, and managed to go back and get a law degree from ND. You might have heard of him. Chris Zorich.

People talk about Chris Zorich being the prop 48 player coming to ND with Tony Rice. I'm not sure if this was the "lowering" standards that you were talking about, but Zorich wasn't the prop 48 that came in with Rice. The prop 48 player that came in with Rice in '86 was John Foley. While ND definitely "lowered" the standards for Rice and Foley, I'm not sure there was evidence that they lowered the standards for Zorich.

 

[jjc2009]

People talk about Chris Zorich being the prop 48 player coming to ND with Tony Rice. I'm not sure if this was the "lowering" standards that you were talking about, but Zorich wasn't the prop 48 that came in with Rice. The prop 48 player that came in with Rice in '86 was John Foley. While ND definitely "lowered" the standards for Rice and Foley, I'm not sure there was evidence that they lowered the standards for Zorich.

I agree with you that Rice is probably the better example. I guess I was focusing more on the common background of Zorich and MacKenzie. Zorich grew up in a rough neighborhood, was just him and his mother, he may not have been Prop 48 (I honestly don't know one way or the other) but I think he did have some character questions about him. MacKenzie grew up in a really crappy part of Miami (I know I used to go to school near there and can vouch for its shittiness) but seems to be a high character kid from a rough childhood, who just doesn't have the right test numbers or course credits. I'd really like to see him get his shot. He is very easily could fit the profile of a a kid who would say F it, let me go somewhere easy, cruise and try to get to the NFL, but he seems to genuinely want a good education and a good life.

 

[poewelch84]

I hope McKenzie get's in he sounds like a great kid that has his head on straight.

 

[awclayton]

McKenzie will be an impact player immediately if he gets in. Looking good in the under armour game.

 

[socaljim242]

There's always a question mark about "lowering" standards to get some of the players ND typically couldn't get. I get thats a big sticking point, especially among older alumni, but if ever there was a case for leniency, this is it. MacKenzie had a very tough upbringing and is working hard and wants to be at ND and get a great education. He's not a "thug" or criminal, he is not a guy who cares only about the NFL. His heart and mind is in the right place, so I would hope the adminstration would bend over backwards to help such a guy out. A few decades ago, there was a similar type of player from a very similar background who had a lot of question marks about him. He went on to have a great career in the pros, and managed to go back and get a law degree from ND. You might have heard of him. Chris Zorich.

Chris Zorich never passed the bar exam despite getting a law degree from ND. He worked in the athletic department at ND for a while and from an article about his charity misplacing some funds it seems he's currently unemployed . The guy had a tough childhood and probably got some serious help getting into ( I bet his HS teachers let things slide because he is such a likeable guy) ND and ending up with a law degree. Can you imagine paying for four years and then law school and then not being able to pass the bar? Good thing he had a scholarship. All that said I don;t have an issue with kids like this getting a shot. He may not have become a lawyer but I'm sure Chris has a much better life than if he hadn't gone to college.

 

[eric5577x]

Interesting story about him. I hope ND gives him a chance, and then he pulls his weight!!