'10 OH OL Matt James (Notre Dame Signee - RIP)

[Buckrock]

How do you know Massa wasn't offered by Cincy in order to get James in the first place?

Leon, I dont know. I do know D1 coaches don't waste scholarships with the limit of 85. I'm sure he is a fit in Kelly's system if he was offered. Kelly is trying to fill up the class and feels this kid can play and help ND.

 

[Outstanding]

Here's another quote from ESPN:
"When I was a kid I dreamed of playing at Notre Dame," Massa stated. "Obviously the dream changed and it was Brian Kelly and that whole coaching staff they had at Cincinnati that grabbed my attention, because they wanted me from the beginning."

Personally, I think Massa committed sooner because he didn't have as many options as James. Additionally, Massa has an injury history, so if he put off making a pledge and became injured again during that timeframe, that may have scared off any of the offers he did have secured....so why not go ahead and grab the UC schollie offer? Massa may not be as regarded as Hendrix, so some are questioning if he is "ND caliber", but he's a very smart and consistent player...in Kelly's system, Massa doesn't need a cannon for an arm, he just needs to be smart, consistent, and precise, which is what he is.

As for James, I don't think he pulled the trigger earlier because he honestly is torn between the three schools. When you look at the situation objectively, all three schools have a lot to offer James on or off the field and whether you agree with that opinion or not, you have to respect his choice to be deliberate in his method of weighing his options. Someone mentioned that James dad played at UC...well, he has other family members who played at both ND and Ohio State, so the family connection angle can be played at all three schools.

Kelly's recruiting strategy has nothing to do with Tressel's ability to close. Kelly is pulling out all of the cards to not only try to land these two in the short amount of time he's been at ND, but he's also bending over backwards to try to continue building his relationship with coaches in the Greater Cincy area in an attempt to build a fence around that area. The "Cincinnati Catholic kid to Notre Dame pipeline" angle will be played to the extreme now and moving forward as long as Kelly is in South Bend. Kelly is going to be more of a thorn in OSU's rear than people might think when it comes to recruiting, because while Tressel uses more of a soft-sell approach, Kelly is a professional salesman who doesn't like taking no for an answer.

Like you said, who knows if James will end up at OSU or not, but I wouldn't just blow off the offer as 'big deal, ND offered his classmate' and assume ND offering Massa won't affect James at all. These two are very good friends and this wouldn't be the first time (nor the last) that a program packaged offers to multiple players in hopes that a possible 'questionable' offer would assist in landing the more desired prospect. Kelly has spoken with James on many, many occasions and maybe he thought James was pretty close to ending it and picking OSU, so this is Kelly's trump card.

Kelly is going to be a pain in the back for us for many years to come.

I think he will likely use tactics Tress won't, and is obviously in with the Ohio recruiting scene.

He's a much bigger threat than Rich "Rowdy Piper" Rod imo.

 

[jwinslow]

Leon, I dont know. I do know D1 coaches don't waste scholarships with the limit of 85. I'm sure he is a fit in Kelly's system if he was offered. Kelly is trying to fill up the class and feels this kid can play and help ND.

Lower-tier coaches do it. RichRod even did it at Michigan, see Murphy offer to land Grimes (which would've happened if the assistant didn't move on from UM), hs backup Tony Drake to land LB Nelson, etc.

 

[pnuts34]

Kelly is going to be a pain in the back for us for many years to come.

I think he will likely use tactics Tress won't, and is obviously in with the Ohio recruiting scene.

He's a much bigger threat than Rich "Rowdy Piper" Rod imo.

Idk if Kelly has an in with the Ohio scene, as much as he has it in with the Southern Ohio recruiting scene, that Tress hasn't gone to all that much in the past.

 

[jwinslow]

Not to mention it was Notre Dame who beat out OSU for the most blue-chippers in SW Ohio. Until he starts winning at a much higher rate, there is not that much of a change here.

 

[NFBuck]

Lower-tier coaches do it. RichRod even did it at Michigan, see Murphy offer to land Grimes (which would've happened if the assistant didn't move on from UM), hs backup Tony Drake to land LB Nelson, etc.

Witty for Denard...funny how they rarely work out.

 

[Outstanding]

Not to mention it was Notre Dame who beat out OSU for the most blue-chippers in SW Ohio. Until he starts winning at a much higher rate, there is not that much of a change here.

And if he does?

Have you seen how ND has been scheduling for next few years, it's embarrassing. Maybe recruits will see this as weakness, but I doubt it because they will still be playing nationally televised games against the likes of USC and hopefully losing.

I feel pretty confident they will win with more regularity, with Kelly as a coach. will they beat the USC's of the world(with the Kiffster who knows), I doubt, but who knows?

SW Ohio has a substantial portion of the top tier talent, Ohio is not Florida, or Texas. I think we would be better off if we had more success in this part of Ohio along with where we currently have the majority of current recruiting success.

 

[wadc45]

Kelly is going to be a pain in the back for us for many years to come.

I think he will likely use tactics Tress won't, and is obviously in with the Ohio recruiting scene.

He's a much bigger threat than Rich "Rowdy Piper" Rod imo.

Wow, you are pretty sure of yourself. I have heard that same song and dance from fans of every schools that picks up a new coach with ties to Ohio...Kelly, Dantonio, Zook, etc. And OSU continues to land the vast majority of the kids they offer in-state. And saying he is more of a threat than RichRod is not really saying anything considering RichRob hasn't beat OSU for a kid yet and could be in danger of losing his job after next season if there isn't a miraculous turnaround.

And if he does?

Have you seen how ND has been scheduling for next few years, it's embarrassing. Maybe recruits will see this as weakness, but I doubt it because they will still be playing nationally televised games against the likes of USC and hopefully losing.

I feel pretty confident they will win with more regularity, with Kelly as a coach. will they beat the USC's of the world(with the Kiffster who knows), I doubt, but who knows?

SW Ohio has a substantial portion of the top tier talent, Ohio is not Florida, or Texas. I think we would be better off if we had more success in this part of Ohio along with where we currently have the majority of current recruiting success.

That is exactly what ND fans said the day after Charlie was hired...and look how that turned out. Color me not concerned until ND and Kelly produce on the field.

And more success in SW Ohio? I'll take the substantial progress JT and his staff have made in Florida the last few years over that any day of the week. OSU is a brand name down in parts of Florida now thanks to this staff. And it's tough to argue with this staff's track record, whether or not they have recruited heavily in SW Ohio, considering OSU played in and won more BCS games than any other team during the 2000s.

Let's try and steer this conersation back toward Matt James. Package deals are the worst idea in recruiting and their is plenty of evidence to support that. Best of luck to Coach Kelly if that is how he plans on restoring ND to glory...

 

[Meyer]

Wow, you are pretty sure of yourself. I have heard that same song and dance from fans of every schools that picks up a new coach with ties to Ohio...Kelly, Dantonio, Zook, etc. And OSU continues to land the vast majority of the kids they offer in-state. And saying he is more of a threat than RichRod is not really saying anything considering RichRob hasn't beat OSU for a kid yet and could be in danger of losing his job after next season if there isn't a miraculous turnaround.

Because we are OHIO STATE and no one else can say that. And we have Jim Tressel and no else can say that either. I have serious doubts that anyone is going to come in here and have too much success with those two things in mind.
.

Package deals are the worst idea in recruiting and their is plenty of evidence to support that..

Couldn't agree more with that. Especially when the package includes a player that simply isn't worthy. Don't get me wrong, James is a good player but like I said, this is Matt James not LeBron James we're talking about.

Notre Dame will always get some guys from Cincy, and should continue to do well with Kelly at ND. But like Wad said I'll take our continual progress in Florida over that. And Wad didn't even mention how we are straight up robbing PA of their best recruits year in and year out.

 

[BB73]

And more success in SW Ohio? I'll take the substantial progress JT and his staff have made in Florida the last few years over that any day of the week. OSU is a brand name down in parts of Florida now thanks to this staff. And it's tough to argue with this staff's track record, whether or not they have recruited heavily in SW Ohio, considering OSU played in and won more BCS games than any other team during the 2000s.

Since methomps probably won't see this, I'll step in for the sake of accuracy.

BCS records over the past 10 seasons (teams with 4 wins or 7 appearances):
USC 6-1
tOSU 4-3
Florida 4-1
LSU 4-0
Oklahoma 2-5

Since the BCS started, tOSU's 8 appearances are the most in those 12 seasons, and tOSU's 5 BCS wins is tied with Florida, 1 behind USC.

Back to Matt James.

 

[wadc45]

Since methomps probably won't see this, I'll step in for the sake of accuracy.

BCS records over the past 10 seasons (teams with 4 wins or 7 appearances):
USC 6-1
tOSU 4-3
Florida 4-1
LSU 4-0
Oklahoma 2-5

Since the BCS started, tOSU's 8 appearances are the most in those 12 seasons, and tOSU's 5 BCS wins is tied with Florida, 1 behind USC.

Back to Matt James.

Sorry to wake you old man...but thanks for clearing that up...

 

[eobuck]

Kelly is going to be a pain in the back for us for many years to come.

I think he will likely use tactics Tress won't, and is obviously in with the Ohio recruiting scene.

He's a much bigger threat than Rich "Rowdy Piper" Rod imo.

He will be pain in Ohio for UM & MSU. He may get the same kids that ND always gets, but he isn't going to come in to Ohio and just pick and choose who he wants. Weis didn't do that and Kelly won't either.

 

[Outstanding]

Wow, you are pretty sure of yourself.Wow, so are you I have heard that same song and dance from fans of every schools that picks up a new coach with ties to Ohio...Kelly, Dantonio, Zook, etc. And OSU continues to land the vast majority of the kids they offer in-state. And saying he is more of a threat than RichRod is not really saying anything considering RichRob hasn't beat OSU for a kid yet and could be in danger of losing his job after next season if there isn't a miraculous turnaround.



That is exactly what ND fans said the day after Charlie was hired...and look how that turned out. Color me not concerned until ND and Kelly produce on the field. I think they are 2 totally different people. Not to mention one came from the Pro ranks and was unfamiliar with how to recruit. I don't prescribe to the notion that past performance is indicative of future success.

And more success in SW Ohio? I'll take the substantial progress JT and his staff have made in Florida the last few years over that any day of the week So you don't feel it would help to be better at recruiting in SW Ohio, interesting?. OSU is a brand name down in parts of Florida now thanks to this staff. And it's tough to argue with this staff's track record, whether or not they have recruited heavily in SW Ohio, considering OSU played in and won more BCS games than any other team during the 2000s I feel there is always room for improvement, I would hope the staff does to..

Let's try and steer this conersation back toward Matt James. Matt James is awesome, and I hope I am totally wrong about Kelly, I guess time will tell. Package deals are the worst idea in recruiting and their is plenty of evidence to support that. Best of luck to Coach Kelly if that is how he plans on restoring ND to glory...

I think Matt is important because he would make a good gaurd, but we will be fine either way.

 

[Outstanding]

He will be pain in Ohio for UM & MSU. He may get the same kids that ND always gets, but he isn't going to come in to Ohio and just pick and choose who he wants. Weis didn't do that and Kelly won't either.

I hope you are right. Matt has a very hard decision on his hands, I just hope he choses the good guys.

 

[AFK4403]

Just to interject for a moment - I have a little bit of knowledge of James' recruitment, and if Massa chooses ND, I would consider them the favorite for James. One of the main reasons James is attracted to UC is Massa's commitment, although proximity and the recent program success are obviously factors as well. James likes that added comfort level though, not a knock on him at all, as that is quite understandable. With BK to ND, a school James was already considering heavily, and potentially Massa there as well, I have a hard time envisioning him going elsewhere, given what I've been told about his inclinations.

Wow that doesn't seem like a very valuable assessment considering it involves speculation about 2 different 18 year olds, but hey that's my input.