In the South Bend Trib they have an article today outlining some serious reasons for optimism.

The quote of the article comes from Dayne Crist, who somehow sounds as polished as a 4-year veteran college player, despite the fact that he’s just a HS Senior.  He responded with this qutoe when asked whether or not he’s been surprised that the ND group has, for the most part (coughcoughHunterbailedcoughcoughMeyerisEvilcough), stayed together:

“All 20-some-odd of us have all our numbers stored in our phones,” Irish quarterback recruit Dayne Crist said. “We’re always picking up the phone. Truthfully, it’s a daily thing. We’ve got great chemistry, and I’m not surprised on how we’re reacting on the field or in this event at all. I mean, I saw that coming for months.

“Everyone was saying, ‘Are you surprised this class stayed together?’ We’re more surprised that we lost one. This is an extremely tight-knit class. You could ask any one of these guys the same question, and they’ll give you the exact same answer verbatim. We don’t want any loose ends in the family. That’s how we feel. We are a family and we feel very strongly about that. We’re now brothers. That’s what we are.”

That is leadership my friends.  Pure and simple.  It’s also pretty easy to read between the lines and hear the “we’re sorry Omar left, but if he wasn’t in the family, he was out” message there.  As Charlie has said, you’re in or you’re out.  You’ve gotta be fully bought in – to your fellow recruits, your upperclass teammates, your coach and the program.  The rest of these guys are.

Tom Lemming is also high on Brandon Newman in the article, whom Irish fans may come to call the “Big Buddha”:

“Brandon is making quite an impression. He’s a Buddha-type guy who stops the run completely in practice, who always gets a push off the ball against All-American offensive linemen.

“He’s got a real mean streak and he’s a tough kid.”

Lemming gives his thoughts on who might fill out the #1 class in the nation as well.

Wide receiver prospect Gerell Robinson (Chandler, Ariz.) said he has narrowed his finalists to Arizona State and Notre Dame but won’t announce Saturday at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl as originally planned.

Lemming does expect wide receiver Deion Walker of Christchurch, Va. — playing in the rival Under Armour All-America High School Football Game, Saturday in Orlando, Fla. — to announce Saturday.

“I think Notre Dame is probably going to get him,” Lemming said. “That would probably mean Robinson wouldn’t also come.”

Lemming says the prospects most likely to fill out ND’s recruiting class beyond Walker and/or Robinson will come from this pool of players: defensive end Nick Perry of Detroit; defensive lineman Mike Martin of Novi, Mich.; running back Cyrus Gray of DeSoto, Texas; offensive guard Kenny Page of Columbia, S.C.; defensive end Datone Jones of Compton, Calif.; and defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore of Weatherford, Texas.

Good stuff, my friends.  Good stuff down there at the All-American game.  Despite Hunter’s change of heart and Urban’s shady dealings, Irish recruits are making waves – they are everywhere, and they are a tight group of players.  Brothers.

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