Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/87622
Staying In The Hunt BY JASON SAPP A compared to the previous campaign is that prospects committed to other pro- grams are scrambling to get to South Bend, Ind., more so than the Irish pledges looking to take visits to other programs. In fact, the only committed recruit that has even taken a visit to another school, unofficially, was four- star linebacker commit Alex Anzalone. In addition to Notre Dame having main difference between Notre Dame's recruiting efforts for 2013 FOOTBALL RECRUITING Mission Viejo, Calif., safety Max Redfield has been verbally committed to USC since July, but he visited Notre Dame for its Oct. 13 battle against Stanford and is keeping other options open. PHOTO COURTESY 247SPORTS a strong start to its 2012 season, the focus of the coaching staff is on re- cruiting the committed prospects as if they are uncommitted. After get- ting burned late in the process last year, Notre Dame's 2013 class is much more intact. It also has a number of the pledges recruiting other players to the program instead of one or two, thereby establishing the nickname "IrishMob13." Notre Dame hosted its big recruiting weekend for the Michigan game, but the Stanford weekend presented an- other opportunity to make an impact on the current haul. However, Irish head coach Brian Kelly cautions that one game doesn't, and shouldn't, have that much impact on a prospect's decision. "I've never looked at it as a singu- cruit based on a win or loss, the top-20 showdown presented Notre Dome the opportunity to provide its three offi- cial visitors — two who are committed to USC and one who has announced for Stanford — with information on the differences between the academi- cally strong programs. "We think we have many, many lar game in the recruiting process," Kelly noted during his weekly press distinctions that are unique to Notre Dame," Kelly said when describing recruiting against Stanford. "We make sure that recruits that are looking at conference prior to the Stanford game. "If you're deciding on Notre Dame based upon the one game, then you shouldn't be coming here anyway. Is it going to be better if you win? Yeah, I wouldn't debate that for a moment, but to focus on a win-loss situation against one team, I don't think it im- pacts our recruits." Outside of making strides with a re-