Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/462058
UNDER THE DOME Never Too Early Notre Dame is rated anywhere from 10th through 25th in some early looks at the 2015 college football season. Other than some votes for TCU, Ohio State is the overwhelming choice to repeat under head coach Urban Meyer, especially because 2014 was considered the Buckeyes' "year away" while returning virtually everyone in 2015. It is easily the class of the Big Ten, and the four-game non-conference slate has Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Hawaii all at home, and Virginia Tech on the road (the perfect revenge game for Meyer). As for Notre Dame, which finished No. 26 in the final Associated Press balloting after its 31-28 Music City Bowl victory versus LSU, it too was deemed "a year away" in 2014, and returns 20 of its 22 starters on offense and defense from that game. CHARTING THE IRISH GEOGRAPHICAL COMPOSITION OF 2015 CLASS As is the case seemingly every year, Notre Dame reached just about every corner of the country to put together its 2015 recruiting class. But the backbone of the class again comes from the Midwest, with 10 of the 24 signees coming from Indiana, Illinois or Ohio. Head coach Brian Kelly often cites the importance of reeling in the top talent from the in-state talent pool of Indiana, and the Irish accomplished that in 2015. Highlighted by original Penn State linebacker commit- ment Josh Barajas and fellow linebacker Asmar Bilal, who chose Notre Dame over Michigan, Kelly received signatures from four players in the Hoosier State, including those two four-star players. The Irish also tapped into some rare recruiting areas from recent history. Four-star defensive lineman Jerry Tillery and three-star defensive lineman Bo Wallace marked Notre Dame's first signings from Louisiana since 1999. Additionally, four-star early enrollee Tristen Hoge hails from Pocatello, Idaho, while a pair of Nevada athletes — four-star tight end Aliz'e Jones and three-star safety Nicco Fertitta — also signed to play for the Irish. The Irish also signed wide receiver Jalen Guyton from Allen, Texas, and had received a commitment from Dallas safety Prentice McKinney before the latter decommitted due to academic issues. Notre Dame signed seven players from Texas in the past three recruiting classes, although its success in the region is threatened by defensive backs coach and Texas recruiter Kerry Cooks departing for a job with Oklahoma. WHICH STATES 2015 SIGNEES COME FROM 4 — Indiana 3 — Illinois and Ohio 2 — California, Florida, Louisiana and Nevada 1 — Idaho, Maryland, Massachu- setts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas SIGNEES BY REGION Midwest 10 South 5 West 5 Northeast 4