Hood goes back on the market
One of its top commitments is longer part of the current Notre Dame recruiting class.
Five-star running back Elijah Hood took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to confirm his de-commitment after giving the Irish a verbal pledge April 28. It is the first de-commitment Notre Dame has suffered in the Class of 2014.
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Hood used Twitter to distribute a lengthy statement on his de-commitment from Notre Dame. Here it is:
"I am de-committing from the University of Notre Dame. I have a lot of respect for the University of Notre Dame and its coaches. I specifically want to acknowledge coach Tony Alford, whom I dearly admire and regret to inform of my decision. Over the past couple months, I have put much thought into the things that are important. What is most important to me is my family -- especially my parents and grandparents. They have personally been with me through all my life's accomplishments. Now as a teenager, I am still learning what it means to become an adult. Making difficult decisions that are important to me is part of this process. This decision has nothing to do with football or academics. This decision has everything to do about my family. I am deeply blessed to have the opportunities given to me. I am also excited to move forward with the next phase of my life and becoming an adult. However, going forward, the importance of family will never waiver in my decisions. I am eternally grateful to my family for their support in this decision."
Hood checked in at No. 14 overall in the updated Rivals100, making him the highest ranked prospect in the Irish recruiting class at one time. Offensive tackle Quenton Nelson checks in at No. 19 overall.
Notre Dame won out back in the spring over scholarship offers from Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Ole Miss, North Carolina, N.C. State, Ohio State, Purdue, South Carolina, Syracuse, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
Before taking himself off the market Hood wrestled with the distance of Notre Dame from home as opposed to options closer to his native Charlotte, N.C.
North Carolina had been the other finalist.
"Oh my gosh, you have no clue how much of a relief it is, just getting this off my chest and not having to tell everyone where I'm going, how I'm going to commit, when I'm going to commit," Hood told Irish Illustrated in April. "It was all just commit, commit, commit."
Now Hood will start all over.
