Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2017 67 FOOTBALL RECRUITING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD IN THE WORKS The end of a National Signing Day era might have occurred this month. When the NCAA Division I Council meets April 13-14, two main mea- sures up for approval include a 10th full-time football on-field assistant coach and adding an early signing period during a three-day window in December. College basketball has long had two signing periods, with the first in No- vember constituting the lion's share of prospects that ink with their school. A second is available in April. The new signing period in football would coincide with the time when junior college players sign. It would not replace the traditional National Signing Day in February, but the latter would not have the same single-day power and attention as in the past. The month of June also had been under consideration, but that was deemed way too early. Had that been in effect this year, Notre Dame might have scrambled at the end because a handful of prospects the Irish received commitments from and signed in the final week could have inked with the schools they had pledged to originally. Either way, head coach Brian Kelly said his ap- proach will not change dramatically. "Each kid is going to have to react to it based upon also how their school is going to be dealing with it," Kelly said. "Some will come off the board at that time. We're getting our hands around it a little bit. We're expecting some to sign early. "But I think our mindset is we're going into it business as usual. We're all going to have to fight until February." Should the change occur, the official visit calendar would be pushed for- ward. With the current model, schools cannot host official visits (paid for by the school) of high school seniors until Sept. 1. With a December early signing period, official visits would be allowed between April and June of the recruit's junior year of high school. — Lou Somogyi Brian Kelly and the Irish poached some players late in the recruiting cycle that were committed to other schools. An early signing period could change the landscape of recruiting. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND Cornerbacks/Nickel (7) Senior — Nick Watkins (2) Juniors — Nick Coleman (2), Shaun Crawford (3) and Ashton White (3) Sophomores — Julian Love (3), Troy Pride (3) and Donte' Vaughn (3) Freshmen — None Notes: Watkins was a projected starter opposite senior Cole Luke in 2016, but a preseason arm injury led to a medical redshirt … Coleman and White both could be safety candidates this spring. Safeties/Rovers (9) Senior — Drue Tranquill (2) Junior — Nicco Fertitta (2) Sophomores — Jalen Elliott (3), D.J. Morgan (4), Spencer Perry (3) and Devin Studstill (3) Freshmen — Jordan Genmark Heath (4), Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (4) and Isaiah Robertson (4) Note: In the 4-2-5 scheme under new defensive coordinator Mike Elko, rover is a third safety/linebacker hybrid, with captain Tranquill, Perry and Morgan the prime candidates there. Kicking Game (4) Senior — P Tyler Newsome (2) Junior — K Justin Yoon (2) Sophomore — LS John Shannon (4) Freshman — K Jonathan Doerer (4) Note: After redshirting his freshman year, Shannon is in line to be the four- year starter at long snapper the way Scott Daly was from 2013-16. Senior safety Drue Tranquill came back from season-ending knee injuries in 2014 and 2015 to become a consistent performer on Notre Dame's defense in 2016. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND