Coach Mike Brey and the Irish received a commitment today from Thomas Knight. Knight, a 6'8 245lb power forward/center from Dixfield, Maine, chose Notre Dame over Rutgers, Northeastern, Maine and Davidson. Knight is a very good scorer down on the blocks and also brings a lot of strength to his game. Last year, Knight averaged 17 points and eight rebounds as he led his high school team to the state semifinals.
He took his official visit to South Bend October 31st and came away very impressed. Once he arrived on campus for his visit, he connected immediately with the Irish players and Coach Brey.
Knight adds an added dimension to his game that not many men his size bring and that is his ability to hit the three.
Welcome to the Irish family Thomas, you will look good in a Notre Dame uni. Knight joins Joey Brooks (guard), Jack Cooley (power-forward/center) and Mike Broghammer (power forward) in Notre Dame's 2009 recruiting class.
After a big win this weekend against former Irish coach Tyrone Willingham, the Irish hope to close in on some key recruits at the Wide Receiver position.
Wide Receiver
One of the most recent verbal commitments Notre Dame has received was that of athlete Nyshier Oliver. Oliver projects to be a wide receiver when he steps on to campus at South Bend. Oliver, (5'10 175lb 3-star recruit from Rivals.com) originally committed to Tennessee in June, but then decommitted in mid-August. Oliver said he felt like he rushed the recruiting process when he initially committed to the Vols.
Nyshier was on campus taking his official visit to watch the Irish manhandle the Michigan Wolverines in September and committed to Notre Dame on October 1st. Oliver, who plays for St. Peter's Prep in New Jersey, said that the academics, the tradition, and the fact that Notre Dame has the best fans in college football was a deciding factor in his decision. Charlie Weis currently sees Oliver playing slot receiver.
Nyshier is willing to do whatever it takes to get on the field, whether that means playing safety, running back, or wide receiver.
Besides Tennessee, Oliver had also received offers from Penn State, Rutgers, Virginia, Wake Forest, Boston College, and Maryland. Nyshier, who runs a 4.4 forty yard dash, will join an already solid group of wide receivers. Here is his scouting report from ESPN.com:
"Oliver should be nicknamed Houdini being he can slip through the smallest of places without being touched by the opposition. Even though he's not the biggest skilled athlete in the country, he is a very talented football player. Colleges might tend to recruit him as a safety, but he is very good running back and overall offensive skill player. He is equally as effective running inside or outside. He can cut the isolation play back against the grain for big yards or bounce it all the way out to the perimeter then use his great speed to take it down the sideline. Sometimes can bust a run up the middle and go completely unscathed and often times maintains his balance when hit by would-be tacklers. Hits and spins for extras yardage showing great balance and body control. Can catch the football out of the backfield and turn a short reception into a homerun. Very light on his feet; his quick moves and agile feet often leave defenders flat on their face after they miss. Equally as talented as a return specialist. Shows a real burst in the open field and makes his cuts going full speed. Reads his blocks well as a returner. Oliver has great hips and can change direction in an instance. The colleges like him as a safety but I think it's going to be impossible to keep this talent from handling the football."
The Irish also have offered a scholarship to the #2 overall prospect in the 2009 class and the #1 ranked wide receiver Rueben Randle. Randle (6'3 195, 5-star Rivals.com), plays for Bastop HS in Bastrop, Louisiana. Randle has offers from Alabama, FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oklahoma as well as Tennessee. He is the do-it-all type, similar to Terrelle Pryor last year.
Currently, Randle is playing quarterback for his high school team and is completing 74 percent of his passes. Beyond the incredible arm and accurate touch, Randle is blazing fast. Through five games this season, Randle has thrown nine touchdown passes and only one interception.
Reports say that Randle is currently leaning towards in-state favorite LSU, but time will tell. I personally think he would look good donning a Gold helmet and smacking the "Play like a Champion" sign in South Bend. Here is his evaluation from ESPN.com:
"Explosive and fluid for a size receiver, Randle resembles a taller Josh Jarboe (class of 2008). He is big and strong, but athletic for his size. Plays fast and has explosive playmaking skills. His size and speed make him a legitimate deep threat. He's versatile and able to play multiple spots in a formation to create mismatches. Struggles to get off press coverage against talented, savvy cornerbacks--like most young receivers. He's tough and fearless over the middle. Makes tough catches in traffic and secures the ball even when absorbing a big hit. He's a bit high-cut, but shows little stiffness in his hips. Has more explosiveness running vertical routes than he has after the catch, but his initial burst and second gear still make him a threat to go the distance. Shows surprisingly fluid athleticism with the ball in his hands and isn't strictly straight-lined in his movements. He isn't exactly shifty in space, but he has natural cutting ability. Catches the ball in stride and has enough elusiveness to make multiple defenders miss. Can turn a short catch into a big play. Has very long arms and can high-point the ball in traffic. His size gives him natural red-zone tools, and he can make the acrobatic catch. Has a wide catch radius and very impressive focus. Has very good return skills and vision in the open field. Needs to polish his route-running skills, but that should come with time and experience. Randle has the blend of size, speed and playmaking ability to create mismatch problems on the perimeter or in the slot at the college level."
If you hear whispers of "Shaq Diesel" on campus at South Bend, it's not the students of Notre Dame reminising about former L.A. Laker Shaquille O'Neil, it's that of standout wide receiver Shaquelle Evans. Evans is a 6'1 203lb wide receiver from Inglewood, CA, a 4-star recruit from Rivals.com and most recently a decommit to the coveted brain trusts at USC. Evans is the number 3 ranked receiver in a very talented 2009 class. Evans was in Trojanland to watch USC rout Ohio State earlier this year and reportedly gave coach Pete Carroll a verbal commitment. However, those close to the situation report that Evans' commitment was a "soft" commitment, meaning that he was still going to visit other schools.
Evans was on hand September 27th to watch the Irish defeat Purdue 38-21. At that game, Evans was hoisted in the air by the fans and followed the tradition by doing pushups after Golden Tate scored a second quarter touchdown. Evans said the tradition, the academics and the overall comfort level he felt in South Bend are a big reason why they are currently his favorite for next year. Here is Evans' evaluation on espn.com:
"Big, fast and explosive are the three words that best describe Evans. He is a true difference-maker in the return game and moves like a smaller, quicker receiver in the open field. Has good size and has room on his frame to get even bigger. Shows an explosive surge off the ball and eats up a cushion quickly. Uses his body effectively to shield defenders from the ball. He isn't afraid to go over the middle and can catch in traffic. Has big, soft, strong hands. Can pull the ball away from defenders when fighting for it in the air. Can catch over his head and pluck on the run. He's a smooth and fluid route runner and shows some explosiveness out of his breaks. Possesses a good feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage. Shows good body control and balance. Can adjust to poorly thrown balls and is effective working the sideline. He's a vertical threat because of his size and speed. Has the wide wingspan and leaping ability to be a weapon on fade routes, especially in the red zone. Like most young receivers, he may initially struggle against press coverage when matched up with cornerbacks who are better equipped to face him. Needs to sharpen his route precision and become more crisp into and out of his cuts. Evans rates among the best in his class, regardless of position. He's a very good player and an outstanding prospect."
We, at Domer Sports Report, are happy to announce that we will be expanding our recruiting coverage in the near future. We are serious about the site and we are serious about our love for the Fighting Irish. So, we decided to elevate our recruiting coverage to another level. We really believe this coverage will be the best of any free site out there.
Here is what you can expect from our coverage of Notre Dame recruiting coverage by Nick Shepkowski and Michael Rubin:
Verbal commitments - who has committed to us.
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Expectations for the 2008-2009 edition of the Notre Dame men's basketball team are sky high. But, unlike past seasons, the expectations are not only from within the program, but also on the outside. Many publications and websites have the Irish ranked high going into the season. For example, rivals.com, in their rundown of the top teams, has the Irish coming in at #5. ESPN has Notre Dame as their #11 team.
What are the reasons for such optimism? A good start is that the Irish return 4 of their 5 starters from last season. They lose only Rob Kurz (12.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg), who graduated after last season. They also return 7 of their top 8 players and 11 of 12 monogram winners.
Notre Dame's cause and hopes are bolstered by the fact that two of their starters are also Big East Conference first teamers. The two players are senior Kyle McAlarney and junior Luke Harangody. Harangody also garnered Big East Player of the Year honors.
Head Coach Mike Brey The Irish, of course, are coached by Mike Brey. Brey is entering his ninth season with Notre Dame in 2008-09. He is a 2-time Big East Coach of the Year winner, which says a lot. His record at Notre Dame is 167-86 (.661). In 13 years as a head coach, Brey is 266-138 (.658), which includes a 5-year stint at Delaware. Prior to Delaware, Brey was a top assistant at Duke, where he was a great recruiter.
Brief Review of 2007-08 Last season can be considered successful. How it ended, can be considered frustrating. The Irish finished the 2007-08 season with a very good, 25-8, record. They were tied for second in the Big East Conference with a 14-4 record. The Irish, though, lost to Marquette in the conference quarterfinals. They made it to the second round of the NCAA's where they were blown out by Washington, 61-41.
Backcourt Projected Starters: Tory Jackson, Kyle McAlarney, Ryan Ayers Off the Bench: Jonathan Peoples
The Irish return one of the Big East's most dynamic backcourt duos in Kyle McAlarney and Tory Jackson. They are also vastly underrated, nationally. Notre Dame played 33 games last season and both guards started all of them. Talk about experience!
Jackson (Junior, 8.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.8 apg) will be running the point. He is ultra-quick and is a very good ballhandler. Last season, he led the conference in assists. He can penetrate with his quickness. The Irish will need him to do so in order to feed the big men for close in shots or to have them kick it back out for open threes.
On a team that has to emphasize better defense if it wants to go deep into season-ending tournaments, Jackson is Notre Dame's best defender. He was first on the team in steals (58) and ranked sixth in the Big East.
Look for Jackson to improve on his downside. That downside is in the area of shooting. From the floor, he shot 38.6 percents and from beyond the arc, he was 30.2 percent. Point guards are usually very good free-throw shooters. Jackson shot only 52 percent last season. Ideally, he needs to get into the mid-60s on free-throws and mid-40s from the field.
Kyle McAlarney (Senior, 15.1 ppg) just might be the nation's premier 3-point shooter. His range is almost to midcourt. As a matter of fact, McAlarney led the Big East in 3-point shooting (46.3 percent in the Big East and 44.1, overall). McAlarney is the perfect compliment to Jackson. He is a catch-and-shoot player. However, he is more. Underrated is the way he can drive the lane and score on the floater. With his reputation as a long range bomber, teams might cover him outside. In that case, look for more drives this season from McAlarney.
McAlarney is also a very good free-throw shooter. Last season, he shot 82.1 percent from the line.
The Big East first teamer will be an important cog in this year's team. With people doubling and tripling down on Luke Harangody, he might actually become the leading scorer on the team.
Notre Dame will go with a three guard lineup. The third guard is Ryan Ayers. Ayers played in all 33 games last season, starting 17 of them.
Ayers is another excellent long range shooter for the Irish. He was second on the team in 3-pointers attempted (122) and made (55) for an excellent percentage of 45.1. He is important as far as being a safety valve when teams concentrate on Harangody and McAlarney in their game plans.
Look for Ayers' role to increase in his senior season. In Ireland, Ayers was on fire. He also seemed to take more of an active leadership role.
Ayers is also important for his defense. Much like Jordan Cornette, from a few season's back, he is long. That really helps on defense, whether the Irish are in a zone or in man-to-man. Many times, coach Brey will put Ayers on the opposition's best player.
Frontcourt Projected Starters: Luke Harangody, Zach Hillesland Off the Bench: Luke Zeller, Ty Nash, Carlton Scott
The heart and soul of the Fighting Irish is Luke Harangody. He is the anti-Brey in terms of outward intensity. If Brey is "ice", then Harangody is "fire" in terms of showing emotion. For the most part, that is a plus. However, Harangody has said that, for the 2008-09 season, he is going to try to get more under control. Many times, he allowed bad calls to get to him.
Harangody is the returning Big East Player of the Year. He averaged a double-double for the season (20.4 ppg, 10.6 rpg). In conference play, he led the league in scoring (23.3 ppg) and was second in rebounding (11.3 rpg). He had 17 double-doubles and scored in double figures in 32 of Notre Dame's 33 games.
Harangody might have been a big surprise during last season. He certainly will be no surprise for this one. What does he do to counteract that lack of surprise? He became known for his little flip shot that was a combination of a hook and shot-put. Most of the time that was done with his right hand. Look for him to use his left hand more.
There are two other ways in which Harangody will look to make his game complete. First, as evidenced against Louisville last season, he will shoot some from the 3-point arc to 15 feet. He definitely has the range to do it. Also, since he will no longer be a surprise, teams will double and triple team him as soon as he gets the ball. Look for Harangody to kick the ball out much better to open long range bombers like Ayers, McAlarney and Zeller.
The second frontcourt starter for the Irish, likely, will be Zach Hillesland (6.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg). Hillesland, at 6-9, is a decent ballhandler. He also shot 50 percent from the floor last season.
Hillesland is one of those role player that has to step up in his senior season for the Irish to reach their high goal. Two things he has to do, offensively, to improve. First, many times he drives the lane and appears out-of-control. He has to pull up on those drives. Secondly, he has to start shooting the mid-range jumper. If he can shoot it from about 10 feet, the Irish will be better for it.
Rob Kurz was the only loss to graduation. One question asked about the Irish basketball team is where will Kurz's minutes be divided and who will do the things that he could do (play defense, take charges, get garbage baskets, etc). The answer will, most likely, come from the next three frontcourt players.
Luke Zeller (4.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg) is a former McDonald's All American and Player of the Year in Indiana. He is the tallest player on the Irish roster at 6-11. Many think that Zeller has not lived up to his early hype. This is the season for him to step up.
There is no doubt that Zeller is an excellent offensive player. He can shoot from the outside. He was 32-of-84 from 3-point land (38.1 percent). But, in his senior season, Zeller needs to do more. He will be counted on to rebound and also play defense. How he does will go a long way in determining the success of the 2008-09 season.
Mike Brey is notorious for having a short bench. The Irish, for this season will have a solid rotation of 7 players. There is room for two more if they earn it. Those two players are Ty Nash and Carlton Scott.
Ty Nash (1.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg) appeared in 15 games for the Irish in his freshman season. At times he appeared very good. He is very athletic with a muscular build. In short, he has a "Big East" body. Will he get increased minutes in the upcoming season? The best chance will be doing it the "Kurz" way. He must do things such as rebounding, playing defense and diving for loose balls.
Many are anxiously awaiting the introduction of Carlton Scott. Scott was redshirted last season. Brey redshirted him in order for him to get stronger. Scott has a basketball body. He is long and can jump out of the gym. In practice, he has shown that he can dunk spectacularly and also has a 3-point range. Many think he will get more of a chance this season than Nash. Regardless, both players have a great upside in terms of talent.
Sophomore Tim Abromaitis might end up being the odd man out for this season. However, he does have talent. The former Connecticut Player of the Year runnerup can shoot the ball. If Brey, somehow, expands playing time, look for Abromaitis to play.
The Schedule Notre Dame, in 2008-2009, just may be playing one of the toughest schedules in their history. That includes both, conference and non-conference games.
Last season, many complained about Notre Dame's out-of-conference schedule. The RPI index of the opponents were low and provided no benefit to the Irish in terms of schedule strength, many believed. That is not so for the upcoming season. The Irish will "dive right in" (where have we heard that phrase before?) this season.
Notre Dame will travel to Hawaii to participate in the Maui Invitational. They will face rival Indiana in the opener. After that, possible opponents could be Alabama, Texas and North Carolina. In early December, the Irish will face Ohio State in Indianapolis. Then, in the middle of the rugged Big East portion of the schedule, Notre Dame takes a "break" and faces UCLA, in Los Angeles, in February.
Predictably, the Big East Conference leaders rewarded Notre Dame's finish last season with a brutal schedule for this season. The Fighting Irish will face Connecticut and Louisville, no less than twice, this season. Both of those teams have been picked in the national top 5 by many publications and websites. Trips to Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Syracuse figure to be tough, too.
Outlook Expectations are very high for this edition of the Fighting Irish men's basketball team. The players and coaches have been downplaying it during the offseason, saying they haven't earned anything. But, you know it is in the back of their mind that this could be something special.
In order for the Irish to reach their high goals, a few things have to happen. First, as a team, they have to find a way to score 80 points a game. That should be no problem, given the firepower they have. On the opposite end, Notre Dame must improve defensively. The Irish ranked 12th in the Big Eat in scoring defense. The goal should be to, at least, move up to middle-of-the-pack.
Notre Dame needs to replace the hustle factor of Rob Kurz. No one person can do it. It has to be done by committee. So, key players in this endeavor will by Luke Zeller, Ryan Ayers, Zach Hillesland and the combo of Ty Nash and Carlton Scott. Point production would be nice, but diving for loose balls, playing defense and rebounding are more important.
Luke Harangody is no lone a surprise, as mentioned. Neither is Kyle McAlarney. But, each can help the other. When Harangody has no room, kick it out to McAlarney. When McAlarney is covered, get the ball to Harangody. If this happens as well as Tory Jackson driving and dishing, offensively, at least, the sky is the limit.
The Irish have been working very hard in the offseason on all of the aspects mentioned. Look for Notre Dame to have a very successful season - perhaps, their best since 1978 (Final Four season). A Big East championship, whether a regular season or a tournament one, is not out of the question. Neither is a deep run into the Big Dance. With the chips falling right, a run to the Elite 8 - or beyond - is possible.
Roster 01 Ty Nash, F, 6-8, 220, Sophomore, Queens, NY 02 Tory Jackson, G, 5-11, 193,Junior, Saginaw, MI 05 Tom Kopko, G, 6-2, 184, Sophomore, Chicago, IL 14 Scott Martin, G, 6-8, 200, Sophomore, Valparaiso, IN 20 Jonathan Peoples, G, 6-3, 215, Junior, Bellwood, IL 21 Tim Abromaitis, F, 6-8, 232, Sophomore, Unionville, CT 22 Ben Hansbrough, G, 6-3, 206, Junior, Poplar Bluff, MO 23 Kyle McAlarney, G, 6-0, 195, Senior, Staten Island, NY 33 Zach Hillesland, F, 6-9, 228, Senior, Toledo, OH 34 Carlton Scott, F, 6-7, 215, Sophomore, San Antonio, TX 40 Luke Zeller, F/C, 6-11, 245, Senior, Washington, IN 41 Tim Andree, F, 6-8, 213, Junior, Colts Neck, NJ 42 Ryan Ayers, G, 6-7, 210, Senior, Blue Bell, PA 44 Luke Harangody, F, 6-8, 255, Junior, Schererville, IN
Coaches Head coach - Mike Brey (George Washington, 1982) Associate Head Coach - Sean Kearney (Scranton, 1981) Assistant Coach - Anthony Solomon (Virginia, 1987) Assistant Coach - Rod Balanis (Georgia Tech, 1993) Coordinator of Basketball Operations - Martin Ingelsby (Notre Dame, 2001
2010 recruit Kayla McBride has verbally committed to play basketball for the University of Notre Dame. The 5-foot-11 McBride, from Erie, Pennsylvania, called Notre Dame women's basketball coach Muffet McGraw on Monday night with the news. She said she had seen enough to be able to make a decision.
Notre Dame is getting a good one in McBride. She is currently rated as the number 33 recruit in the ESPN Hoopgurlz Super Sixty for the class of 2010. She was being recruited by many of the top programs, including Connecticut, Bowling Green, Ohio State, USC, Stanford, Duke and Vanderbilt.
It is no secret that Notre Dame covets 2009 recruit Skylar Diggins. But, in Kayla McBride, they are assured o####uard in a similar mold.
So, why did McBride choose Notre Dame? McBride said, "I love the coaches, players and their style of play. Just as important, I feel Notre Dame is the best fit for me academically, athletically and for my future. There really is no other place like Notre Dame."
According to her coach, Doug Chuzie, Notre Dame is getting a highly skilled player. But, it is not just her physical skills that puts her in the elite category. "My favorite thing about Kayla's game is her competitive streak," Chuzie said. "I'm not sure what is more important to her winning or not losing. She brings enthusiasm and toughness with her every day to both practice and games. Kayla's passion for the game of basketball is absolutely contagious."
Ironically, McBride will not have to change school nicknames. She currently plays for the Irish in high school. And her AAU team name? None other than Irish AAU 17U (17 and under).
Like to talk about Notre Dame sports? Have a gripe? Are you excited about the upcoming game? Are you still dwelling on the past game? Well, we are the place for you! Domer Sports Report now has a chat room.
Initially, Domer Sports Report will have scheduled chats, regularly, on Thursdays at 8. The first one will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2008. To be taken to the chat room, please click here. It's easy. All you do is choose a user name, enter it and click login. In a few seconds you are there. You all are invited. We hope to see as many of you as possible over in our chat room. So, whether you love Notre Dame or are an opponent, you are welcome!
We'd also like to invite you to our message board. The board seems to be building up nicely, lately. But, the more, the merrier. So, come on over and join in on the fun. There is also still time to enter our prediction contest.
We also have exciting news for the future. We are currently researching the possibility of having an internet radio show. Once we finalize the plans we will let you know. So, we hope that you will join in and participate. You can just listen or actually call in with your comments and questions.
Joe, Nick and I (Mark) look forward to seeing you in chat as well as on the message board!
Be careful what you wish for, they say. You just might get your wish. That applies to Notre Dame basketball fans' cry for a tougher schedule. You asked for it; you got it!
The 2008-2009 edition of the Notre Dame men's basketball team returns its' top eight players from last year's team. They will need every bit of their experience against the schedule that awaits them. Not only will they face the usual murderer's row of Big East Conference competition, but they will also face a tough non-conference schedule. They will also do it on television - a lot!
Speaking of televised games...the Irish will appear on the ESPN networks no less than 14 times this season. In addition, Notre Dame will play on CBS two more times. If you are even mediocre in math, you see that that makes a total of 16 games that are guaranteed to be on television. That should satisfy your Fighting Irish hoops fix.
The non-conference schedule has been upgraded, to say the least. Sure, the Irish still will play games that are virtually guaranteed to make it into the win column (Can you say South Carolina Upstate? If you have ever heard of that school, you deserve some sort of prize.). But, they also play some very tough teams. Consider that the Irish face Big Ten power Ohio State in Indianapolis (December 6). The Irish are also in the EA Sports Maui Invitational. They drew Indiana in ghe first round. But, after that, they have the chance to play Texas and North Carolina. The latter of which appears in many polls as the number one team in the nation. Then, after getting into the Big East Conference schedule, the Irish "take a break" by going out to Los Angeles to play another top team in UCLA (February 7).
Many have Notre Dame in the top 5-10 in the country. The Irish do return some experienced talent. But, will a tougher schedule make it tougher for the Irish to get to those lofty expectations? Notre Dame, in theory, could have a better team (than last season's team), but not have as good of a record (25-8 in 2007-2008). However, should the Irish win some of those tough games, look for their best finish in years!
The full schedule has been posted on Domer Sports Report. You will find it just below the football schedule in the right margin.
Notre Dame received its' third verbal commitment for the incoming class of 2009 over the weekend. He is Mike Broghammer out of Orono, Minnesota. The other two verbals for 2009 are 6-8 Jack Cooley from Illinois and 6-5 Joey Brooks out of Texas.
Broghammer is 6-8 and 215 pounds. He is considered a 3-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout. Last season he averaged 12 points and 9 rebounds per game. However, recently, his stock seems to be rising due to the AAU summer basketball circuit.
Broghammer was at Notre Dame over the weekend for his official visit. He mentioned that Notre Dame just felt like the right place for him to be. According to scout.com, "I really liked the players, and I really liked the coaching staff", Broghammer said. "I loved the campus, and it just felt right to me."
Broghammer will be visiting Notre Dame again in January. He also plans to enroll during the summer school session at Notre Dame.
The power forward has some good lineage. He is the nephew of former Duke standout Christian Laettner.
I had the fortune of watching Broghammer scrimmage at the Joyce Center prior to the San Diego State-Notre Dame football game on Saturday. Physically, he is lean, but muscular. He could use a few more pounds before entering Big East play for Notre Dame. During the scrimmage, I didn't see him do much down low as far as ####ing. But, he did have a very good outside shot, which seems to fit the mold of recent Notre Dame forwards.
What effect will Broghammer's commitment have on another targeted big man? One of the highest rated Notre Dame recruits comes in for the Michigan game. His name is Ryan Kelly. Will Mike Brey secure another commitment from another big man for the class of 2009? That would bring the total of big men verbals to three. Kelly, who is also being recruited by North Carolina and Duke, would be a huge get.
Sophomore guard Ty Proffitt has decided to leave the University of Notre Dame. He will transfer into another school. The little used guard has already withdrawn from the university.
Proffitt did not play much in his freshmen season. He played in only 8 games last season. That was for a total of only 22 minutes. He averaged 1 point a game and 0.4 rebounds.
Proffitt made his decision after the Fighting Irish returned from a 13-day trip to Ireland. Notre Dame, as a team, was very successful on the trip, going 6-0 against Ireland, Poland and Iceland.
Coach Mike Brey said before the Ireland trip that everyone would get a look. This was particularly important for all of last season's freshman class which includes Ty Nash, Carlton Scott, Tim Abromaitis and Proffitt. Nash and Scott saw major minutes. But, Proffitt did not. Perhaps Proffitt also saw the depth at the guard position. The Irish have senior Kyle McAlarney, junior Tory Jackson and junior Jonathan Peoples at guard. Even beyond this season, with McAlarney graduating, Mississippi State transfer Ben Hansbrough waits in the wings. Hansbrough has two seasons of eligibility remaining. So, apparently, Proffitt was caught in the numbers crunch and saw little playing time in the future.
Proffitt was a three-year starter at South Laurel High School in London, Kentucky. He led his team to the Kentucky State Championship as a sophomore. He was a varsity player since he was in the eighth grade. As a senior, he averaged 16.2 points per game, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He was a candidate for Player of the Year in Kentucky.
Domer Sports Report (http:www.domersportsreport.blogspot.com) wishes Ty Proffitt all the luck and success in the future.
By Mark Allen Domer Sports Report Notre Dame Men's Basketball The Notre Dame men's basketball team is in Ireland from August 12 through August 25. While there, the Irish - Fighting Irish, that is - will be playing six exhibition games. Notre Dame will take on (actually, as of this writing, the Fighting Irish have played three games.) Ireland, the Irish All-Stars, Poland and Iceland. They will travel to Limerick, Belfast and Dublin.
The Notre Dame team as well as Mike Brey are looking at the trip as an early start to the 2008-2009 season. Under NCAA rules, the team was allowed to have 10 practices prior to the trip. Coach Brey looked at the trip as having many advantages. First, he could experiment with different starting lineups as well as lineups throughout the game. He planned on starting a different lineup for each of the six games.
A second advantage for the trip is that Brey can give up-and-coming younger players a chance to prove themselves. Specifically, this means players such as Carlton Scott, who was red shirted during the 2007-2008 season, Ty Nash, Ty Proffitt and Tim Abromaitis. All except Scott (Scott is academically a sophomore, but athletically, has four years of eligibility) are sophomores. Can any of these players have a breakout trip and work their way into more playing time? The feeling here is that Scott and Nash will increase their playing time in 2008-09.
Being so far from home and having a team that likes to be with each other creates a third advantage - closeness. This kind of trip will create a stronger bond among the Notre Dame players. Through the process of learning about Ireland and having a good time while there, the Irish players will come home a united bunch.
Of course, a final offshoot of all of the aforementioned advantages will be the growth of confidence. By playing well against teams that are older, the Irish will come back and be prepared to take on their upcoming regular season schedule, which is their toughest in a long time.
The Irish are off to a great start regarding all of the above. They have played well in their games. They have had a great time, thus far, everywhere they have gone. They have seen Limerick, Belfast and are now in Dublin. That means they have seen a rural Irish area (Limerick), a controversial area (Belfast, site of British rule and war) and Ireland's biggest city (Dublin).
Notre Dame opened up against Ireland in Limerick. The Fighting Irish defeated Ireland, 104-67. In the win, six players reached double figures. Luke Harangody led the way with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Others in double figures included Tory Jackson (14 points), Jonathan Peoples (11 points), Kyle McAlarney (11 points) and Carlton Scott (10 points). Ty Nash almost scored in double figures with 9 points. Luke Zeller pulled down 7 boards. Walkon Tom Kopko put the Irish over 100 points on back-to-back three-pointers.
The Irish, next went to Belfast, Northern Ireland. They took on the Irish All-Stars. Notre Dame won handily, 123-77. Once again, the Irish placed six players in double figures in terms of scoring. They were led by Luke Harangody and Zach Hillesland who each had 19 points. McAlarney had 18 points on 6 three-pointers. Zeller had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Scott had 15 points and 5 boards. Tory Jackson rounded out the double figure scorers with 12 points and an impressive 8 rebounds.
Game 3 figured to be Notre Dame's toughest. They played an experienced and big Poland team. It turned out to be their tougest, but the Irish still won easily, 104-86. Harangody had a double-double with 16 points and 17 rebounds. McAlarney had 17 points. Jackson has 13 points and 7 assists. Ryan Ayers contributed 12 points.
Notre Dame has 3 games remaining on the trip. They play in the Emerald Hoops International Series from August 21-23. They will take on Ireland, Poland and Iceland.
The lads are accomplishing the mission they set out for very well.
It seems idiotic to even imply that Notre Dame could be the biggest surprise team in 2008 but the statement alone makes everyone realize how far it is the Irish have fallen. One year ago they were coming off of back-to-back BCS appearances and seemed primed for the spotlight for years to come once again. However, 3 wins and 9 losses later they enter 2008 looking to gain back some of the respect that was lost on the national level a year ago.
So what does Notre Dame have to do to at least get back to a bowl game? What do they have to avoid to make a sure a repeat of 2007 does not occur? Its pretty simple with Notre Dame in '08, the Irish need to get back to the basics and that starts up front.
Jimmy Clausen will never come within shouting distance of All-American status and Robert Hughes and the rest of the Irish stable of running backs won't reach their full potential if the offensive line does not improve. If we learned one thing towards the end of last year it was that Notre Dame has more talent on their roster than a 3-9 record should have. However, the offensive line was amongst the very worst in the game. If that does not change then the results in the win column will fail to as well.
Rightfully so there are a ton of questions marks about this offensive line. Irish fans wish it was as simple as a years more experience means that the line will be that much better but the truth of the matter is that it does not work that way. Sure the experience may help but to what degree? Time will tell.
On the line Notre Dame will see its anchor back in Sam Young. The former 5-Star recruit will be playing right tackle this year and will be counted on heavily in giving Jimmy Clausen more time to throw while also opening up running room for the Irish backs. Young was a pleasant surprise his freshman year of 2006 but '07 saw him take a step back. Young getting back to his form at right tackle in 2008 will be key for Irish success.
Joining Young on this years offensive line are expected to be Paul Duncan, Michael Turkovich, Dan Wenger, and Eric Olsen from left to right, with Young being the RT. This has turned into an older and more experienced group for the Irish, both something that will be helpful for 2008. Like I mentioned before though, experience will not matter if these guys did not gain anything from last years debacle.
What needed to be done is that the Irish offensive line learned from mistakes they made last year. The coaching staff needed to learn what they may have done a poor job with while working with the O-Line a year ago.
Nobody knows yet what the Irish offensive line may entail in 2008. They could be the reason the Irish disappoint again or they could very well be the reason Notre Dame flies in under radar on their path back respectability. As far as I am concerned, this is the only important question Irish fans need to ask themselves about for the time being.
If the line has not improved from a year ago there is no need to worry about the development of Jimmy Clausen or the skill of the running backs on the roster. Without an offensive line these young men will not prosper on the football field and will not have to be worried about to make plays because they once again will not be able to.
Only if the offensive line is improved should Irish fans begin to even have doubts about what happened to the skill positions of Notre Dame last fall. If the line gets better and Clausen and company still struggle, then you can begin to question player development at those positions. However, without an offensive line it is impossible to be critical of the rest of the offense, including the play calling because it does not have a chance when the line doesn't hold up its part of the bargain.
I live near the University of Notre Dame. Charlie Weis lives across from my subdivision.
I am an ex minor league professional baseball player. In May of 2004, I was inducted into my high school's Hall of Fame.
I am a college graduate.
I love Notre Dame sports, Native American and Irish cultures, animals and horror movies.
Expectations for the 2008-2009 edition of the Notre Dame men's basketball team are sky high. But, unlike past seasons, the expectations are not only from within the program, but also on the outside. Many publications and websites have the Irish ranked high going into the season. For example, rivals.com, in their rundown of the top teams, has the Irish coming in at #5. ESPN has Notre Dame as their #11 team.
Kyle McAlarney (Senior, 15.1 ppg) just might be the nation's premier 3-point shooter. His range is almost to midcourt. As a matter of fact, McAlarney led the Big East in 3-point shooting (46.3 percent in the Big East and 44.1, overall).
The heart and soul of the Fighting Irish is Luke Harangody. He is the anti-Brey in terms of outward intensity. If Brey is "ice", then Harangody is "fire" in terms of showing emotion. For the most part, that is a plus. However, Harangody has said that, for the 2008-09 season, he is going to try to get more under control. Many times, he allowed bad calls to get to him.
2010 recruit Kayla McBride has verbally committed to play basketball for the University of Notre Dame. The 5-foot-11 McBride, from Erie, Pennsylvania, called Notre Dame women's basketball coach Muffet McGraw on Monday night with the news. She said she had seen enough to be able to make a decision.
Notre Dame received its' third verbal commitment for the incoming class of 2009 over the weekend. He is Mike Broghammer out of Orono, Minnesota. The other two verbals for 2009 are 6-8 Jack Cooley from Illinois and 6-5 Joey Brooks out of Texas.
Sophomore guard Ty Proffitt has decided to leave the University of Notre Dame. He will transfer into another school. The little used guard has already withdrawn from the university.
