Notre Dame & The 'Decommit' Game: To And From
Even with an early signing date added to college football this December for the first time, recruiting will continue to have its share of student-athletes who will change their verbal pledges “after further review.”
Detroit Cass Tech cornerback Kalon Gervin did so this weekend after originally issuing a commitment to Notre Dame on February 13. His “decommitment,” which has become a normal part of the recruiting lexicon for about two decades, put the Fighting Irish count at 11 (seven four-star and four three-star prospects) for the 2018 cycle, and dropped its team standing to No. 5 so far.
As of May 7, the only schools ahead of them with more verbals were No. 1 Miami (17), No. 3 LSU (16) and No. 2 Penn State (13). Meanwhile, No. 12 Northwestern and No. 13 Minnesota have 13 apiece, while No. 16 Baylor has 12. Much remains ahead in the next nine months — especially with perennial No. 1 Alabama at No. 39 with three verbals.
While a decommit often raises the angst of a fan base, Notre Dame faithful sometimes take solace in the knowledge that it works on their end too. Unofficially by our count, Notre Dame leads this 42-25 in the Brian Kelly era that extends back to 2010. Here is the breakdown from each year:
2017: 5-6
Decommits To Notre Dame (5): Receiver Jafar Armstong (Missouri), defensive end Kofi Wardlow (Maryland), athlete Jordan Genmark Heath (Cal), rover/linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Virginia) and kicker Jonathan Doerer (Maryland).
Decommits From Notre Dame (6): Defensive linemen Robert Beal (Georgia) and Donovan Jeter (Michigan), linebacker Pete Werner (Ohio State), defensive back Elijah Hicks (Cal), cornerback Paulson Adebo (Stanford) and wide receiver Jordan Pouncey (Texas).
2016: 7-0
Decommits to Notre Dame (7): quarterback Ian Book (Washington State), defensive ends Khalid Kareem (Alabama), Ade Ogundeji (Western Michigan) and Daelin Hayes (USC), safeties D.J. Morgan (Arizona State) and Spencer Perry (Florida) and cornerback Troy Pride Jr. (Virginia Tech).
Former early entrant Perry has announced he will transfer at the end of this semester.
2015: 6-2
Decommits To Notre Dame (6): quarterback Brandon Wimbush (Penn State), running back Dexter Williams (Miami), tight end Alize Mack (UCLA), linebacker Josh Barajas (Penn State) and cornerbacks Shaun Crawford (Michigan) and Ashton White (Virginia Tech).
Decommits From Notre Dame (2): quarterback Blake Barnett (Alabama and then Arizona State) and safety Prentice McKinney (Oklahoma).
2014: 3-3
Decommits To Notre Dame (3): defensive tackle Peter Mokwuah (Rutgers), safety Drue Tranquill (Purdue) and defensive end Jhonny Williams (Missouri).
Decommits From Notre Dame (3): defensive tackle Matt Dickerson (UCLA), running back Elijah Hood (North Carolina) and outside linebacker Richard Yeargin III (Clemson).
Williams transferred to Toledo after his freshman season.
2013: 6-3 Notre Dame
Decommits To Notre Dame (6): running back Greg Bryant (Oklahoma), receiver Will Fuller (Penn State), tight end Durham Smythe (Texas), defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes (USC), linebacker Doug Randolph (Stanford) and safety Max Redfield (USC).
Decommits From Notre Dame (3): running back Jamel James (Texas State), and linebackers Alex Anzalone (Florida) and Danny Mattingly (Oregon).
Even though Vanderdoes signed a letter of intent with the Irish, he eventually enrolled at UCLA.
2012: 2-4, Opponents
Decommits To Notre Dame (2): Quarterback Gunner Kiel (LSU) and defensive end Jarron Jones (Penn State).
Decommits From Notre Dame (4): receiver Deontay Greenberry (Houston) offensive tackle Taylor Decker (Ohio State), linebacker/athlete David Perkins (Ohio State and then Illinois State) and cornerback Ronald Darby (Florida State).
Kiel transferred to Cincinnati after his freshman year.
2011: 5-4 Notre Dame
Decommits To Notre Dame (5): Defensive linemen Aaron Lynch (Florida State), Stephon Tuitt (Georgia Tech), Chase Hounshell (Florida), offensive lineman Nick Martin (Kentucky) and quarterback Everett Golson (North Carolina).
Decommits From Notre Dame (3): running back Justice Hayes (Michigan), offensive tackle Jordan Prestwood (Florida State), linebacker Clay Burton (Florida) and cornerback Bennett Okotcha (Oklahoma).
After making Freshman All-American at Notre Dame, Lynch transferred to South Florida and turned pro early. Remarkably, Prestwood would transfer to Notre Dame in August 2011, but academics led him to Central Florida, where he also became ineligible. Okotcha transferred to the University of Texas at San Antonio.
2010: 8-3, Notre Dame
Decommits To Notre Dame (8): Quarterbacks Luke Massa (Cincinnati) and Derek Roback (Toledo), wide receiver TJ Jones (Stanford), offensive tackle Tate Nichols (Stanford) defensive linemen Louis Nix III (Miami) and Kona Schwenke (BYU), linebacker Danny Spond (Colorado) and safety Chris Badger (safety).
Roback transferred to Ohio U. less than two weeks into August practice in 2010. Badger is at BYU after having served a two-year Mormon mission.
Decommits From Notre Dame (3): running back Giovani Bernard (North Carolina), defensive end/linebacker Chris Martin (Cal, then Florida, Navarro College, City College of San Francisco and Kansas) and defensive end Blake Lueders (Stanford).
The nomadic Martin originally committed to Charlie Weis at Notre Dame in February 2009 when he was only a high school junior, joined him at Kansas later but was kicked out of school for robbery.
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