Whether it was more than 50 years ago during an eight-year losing stretch, or 2017 after a 4-8 fallout, the Notre Dame football brand and total package can still remain alluring to prospective recruits.
Evidence of that was displayed the final week of July when Notre Dame added three new commits to the 2018 fold — four-star linebackers Jack Lamb and Shayne Simon, plus three-star running back Jahmir Smith — and four-star defensive tackle Jacob Lacey for the 2019 haul.
The 2018 count was raised to 15 recruits (nine of them four stars) for a current No. 10 ranking on Rivals.com, putting it pretty much on schedule for what eighth-year head coach Brian Kelly believes is an annual “5 to 15” ranking for the Irish on the recruiting circuit.
In the five-year period from 2013-17, Notre Dame has a cumulative No. 8 rating in the Rivals data of top recruiting classes. The Top 10, with the average recruiting ranking in parentheses, was comprised of Alabama (1.2), Ohio State (3.8), Florida State (4.8), LSU (5.8), Georgia (7.8), USC (8.4), Auburn (9.6), Notre Dame (10.2), Texas A&M (10.8) and Florida (11.6).
Reigning national champ Clemson wasn’t in the top 10. Unfortunately, Notre Dame’s 31-20 record over the past four years is the second worst in that time among the top 10, behind Florida’s 29-21.
Not only were the Irish and Buckeyes the lone northern schools in the top 10 in this survey, but whereas Ohio State has been in the Playoffs two of the past three years (winning the national title in 2014), and finished No. 4 in the third, Notre Dame is coming off the 4-8 season and its head coach is publicized as being on maybe the hottest seat in America.
Still, “The Brand” remains strong, as does the school’s tradition, per Kelly.
“They look at more than just one season,” Kelly said of this year’s recruiting success so far. “They look at the university and what this university can do for them. A lot of these guys see that it's more than just a four-year decision. It's what Notre Dame can do for them for the rest of their lives.”
While no national title since 1988 and no major bowl victory since 1993 have dropped the program’s stature on the field, Kelly maintains that it hasn’t been completely bereft of success. In 2016, the eight players Notre Dame had drafted (six in the first three rounds) were fourth-most in the nation. And since 2012, Notre Dame is one of only six schools to play in both a national title game and a Big Six (major) bowl in separate years.
“[We] still have had a great deal of success, regardless of last year, in getting players to play at the next level,” said Kelly, who has had six Irish players drafted in the first round, whereas in the 17 years from 1995-2011 there were only four. “We've developed our players from that standpoint. And we've played for a national championship, we're in the Fiesta Bowl — so those aren't distant memories.
“Yes, it was a poor season last year and we certainly recognize that. But it has not put us in a position where players don't recognize the great tradition of Notre Dame.”
Part of the “tradition” has been to recruit well even after horrid seasons.
• Following the 3-9 finish in 2007, Notre Dame’s 2008 recruiting haul ranked behind only Alabama's.
• Although Bob Davie debuted with a 2-5 start and a 7-6 finish in 1997, the 1998 and 1999 harvests were both ranked in the top 5.
• Gerry Faust made a 5-6 debut in 1981, yet his next two classes were ranked in the top 3.
• From 1956-63, Notre Dame was 34-45, with three two-win seasons in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Yet the 1963 recruiting group was one of the best in school history with linemen such as Alan Page, Kevin Hardy, Tom Regner and Paul Seiler (all first-round picks), plus other top players such as linebacker Jim Lynch, who would help lead the Irish to a consensus national title their senior season.
It has helped that in 2017 an energetic new staff of assistants laden with former recruiting coordinators were hired. It would help even more in the future if a consistently top product were put on the field.
An enticing "brand" still remains the ability to compete at a championship level.
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