Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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certain areas that we felt like we did not have in 2012. "Another quality we were really looking for was winners. I think the winning percentage of this group — we crunched some numbers — is like 74-percent. These kids come from winning programs and have won state championships. Across the board, they represent everywhere in terms of geographics, but they represent winners as it relates to the kind of player that we want." Kelly avoided the sting of last year's National Signing Day, which included the decommitment of highly touted wide receiver Deontay Greenberry, who chose Houston at the last second. "What we did this year is we made sure where that commitment was," Kelly said. "If you're committed, that means you've ended this recruiting process. I think in some instances, being firmer towards that aspect allowed [last minute-surprises] not to take shape. Now, I'm going to tell you, these are young guys. Things happen ev- Five-star defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes posed for a photo in Notre Dame's locker room during a visit to campus. His late commitment put a cherry on top of this year's recruiting haul. photo courtesy Vanderdoes family ery year, and I think you have to be prepared for that, too." There's no denying the impact a title game appearance made when it came to putting a bow on this year's crop. "I think it's crucial; you have to have both [solid recruiting and a stellar win-loss record] to be able to get the players like a Greg Bryant," Kelly added. "It can't just be on academics. We don't want them coming to Notre Dame just because of academics. We want the whole piece. This was an indication — the 12 wins — that definitely helps you in that process with a Greg Bryant. "We had 19 committed before the season started.