More Offseason BS?

[jjc2009]

Read on another site (one of its operators posted it) a very cryptic message about more offseason crap surrounding our team. He didn't elaborate at all, and most have speculated because he was getting it from another site that has premium content and wasn't giving it away for free, but the comments that followed ranged from:


Matt Dickerson waivering on his commitment because freaking UCLA offered another relative a scholly (ala Vanderdoes). If true, that just really irks me and makes Mora & Co look like complete scumbags, but alas kids decommit bound to happen.

Another speculated there is an academic suspension brewing for Davaris Daniels, with many saying he's out of commision for spring semester (note not expelled like Golson, but suspended from team for spring semester so theoretically, he doesn't need to leave the school, but can't do spring ball).

Others have speculated that there is an issue with the Brian Van Gorder hire, thats why there's been no official announcement although many outlets (like Wikipedia) already show him as ND's DC.

Has anyone heard if its anything else?

I know there were some rumors started by some less-than-credbile sources of a number of transfers that were expected from very important recruits, but nobody on the site suggested this was a possibility. Then again, a lot of them are subscribers to Irish Sports Daily (the premium site that they were referencing) and none of them raised this as an issue.

All I can say is, last offseason sucked, big time. The Teo bullshit, Kelly's mucked up flirtation with the Eagles, Keil, Golson, Vanderdoes, it was a very long and very frustrating off-season.

The post suggested this news is as bad or worse than all that. The cynic in me wants to believe he was doing it to generate traffic or help out subscriptions for Mike Frank's website. I really think we are due some good news for a change, and I am starting to wonder if there aren't some very serious institutional problems that are causing the shit to hit the fan every off-season. That said, anybody know anything or heard anything, feel free to chime in.

 

[jjc2009]

And now they took the post down. Still wondering what all the hype was about.

 

[jjc2009]

Per Keith Arnold, Daniels will be suspended for spring semester for academic reasons. Not an Honor Code violation (like Golson) but sounds like he will be immediately eligible to play in the fall. Source also says family is weighing all options including declaring for the draft.

Thoughts on this: If this was the grave news that was intimated, I think I could live with this (if this is all that happens). He won't miss any games because of it (assuming he unfouls whatever it was that got him in trouble in the first place). It would be a very big mistake to leave for the draft IMO. In fact, I think Daniels has even less of a chance of making an NFL roster than GAIII. Daniels, at his very best, was very inconsistent. He did nothing to build upon that this year, but its clear to me that Golson had a better rapport with Daniels than Rees did (Rees clearly had chemistry with Jones). Getting Goslon back should boost his numbers for next year and he can up his stock. The WR field is pretty deep this year, and I don't even think Daniels had a draft grade. I know his dad was an NFL player and also is very critical of Kelly, but I hope they have a dose of reality and get his act together, because his best shot is to be a UFA.

 

[Irish7478]

It looks like Daniels is gone for the semester, hopefully he gets his act together. But if we could afford to lose some depth at a position, WR might be the position.

 

[NDHoosier101]

Daniels is done. He's suspended for spring and not looking to come back in the summer, so I'm assuming he's played his last down at ND.

 

[jjc2009]

Daniels is done. He's suspended for spring and not looking to come back in the summer, so I'm assuming he's played his last down at ND.

He actually told ESPN that he plans to be back in the summer and play next year and finish his degree, so I guess thats good news.

In an event, at least two of the speculations metioned above are true. Dickerson has decommitted and has verballed to UCLA. Jim Mora is the new Urban Meyer, poaching our guys a lot lately. Don't know the circumstances round this one but apparently a source on one of the recruiting sites was on record saying he basically lied to our coaches regarding his interest in us. Seems he was also using us as insurance because of his injury (a theme that seems pretty common because ND, unlike most schools, will honor their commitment, even if a player gets hurt). This kinda sucks because we already have D-line problems and it looks like we're going to have to to either the secondary market or try to pry one away from somewhere else.

 

[purguy12]

same shit every year

 

[jjc2009]

same shit every year

Didn't used to be this way. I don't know, I find it harder and harder to get worked up over it all. The sport as a whole has become such a cesspool. From kids who are functionally retarded not just getting into school but getting pushed through to degrees to bowl chairmen making millions and skimming off the profits to the whole recruiting cottage industry and hype machine to shady and underhanded deals. I love the sport, my favorite to watch by far, but there's such a seedy underbelly and its showing no sign of getting better. I just throw up my hands and wait for the eventual banning of the sport because of too many CTE lawsuits and ever more people wanting their hands in the money pie.

 

[purguy12]

Its only spring ball so its not as bad as Golson so at least it was cheating. He probably got a bad grade.

Damn we need some Defensive linemen.

 

[poewelch84]

Losing Dickerson hurts but if the kid doesn't want to be at Notre Dame let him go play for coach Mora and the Bruins. I'm sure Mora will stay around for his four years.

 

[jjc2009]

Losing Dickerson hurts but if the kid doesn't want to be at Notre Dame let him go play for coach Mora and the Bruins. I'm sure Mora will stay around for his four years.

According to Maxpreps his dad came down with prostate cancer and mother is disabled. Wants to be closer to home. Sad story and he seemed thankful that ND stayed loyal to him.

 

[NDHoosier101]

He actually told ESPN that he plans to be back in the summer and play next year and finish his degree, so I guess thats good news.

glad to hear it.

 

[poewelch84]

According to Maxpreps his dad came down with prostate cancer and mother is disabled. Wants to be closer to home. Sad story and he seemed thankful that ND stayed loyal to him.

I read that too, but UCLA is a four hour flight, schools like Stanford and Cal would have been much closer.

 

[Irish7478]

Did we ever hear how Vanderdos' grandmother is doing? I sure hope she's feeling better.

 

[jjc2009]

Now Niklas declares for draft. It's a good news ND day!

 

[Irish7478]

Now Niklas declares for draft. It's a good news ND day!

Ben Koyak is happy.

 

[purguy12]

it continues to be another bad offseason. Niklas was graded as a 3rd rounder.

thank god we have 2 TEs in this class and still going after another one.

 

[jjc2009]

Well how about some good news. Bet tis and Brown are among the 15 finalists to get into the pro football hall of fame. Here's hoping both of them and Strahan are among the final inductees.

 

[poewelch84]

Once again, even though it will hurt to lose the guy at least it is at a position of depth with the two incoming freshman. I guess now we know why the coaching staff have been pushing for Schultz.

 

[whywork2]

According to Maxpreps his dad came down with prostate cancer and mother is disabled. Wants to be closer to home. Sad story and he seemed thankful that ND stayed loyal to him.

You sure can't blame a kid for wanting to be close to his folks during such hard times. I wish him all the best along with his family. Sometimes life throws you a ball of shit and you just have to man up. I'd do the same thing if I were in his shoes.