Despite violations, Irish capture impressive recruits
By TIM CASEY
Sports Writer
Growing up in a football family, Billy Palmer knew all about Notre Dame.
The son of an ex-Canadian Football League player and the brother of a junior quarterback at Florida, the tradition, academic excellence, and emphasis on religion associated with Notre Dame were all part of Palmer's upbringing.
Now one of the premier high school tight ends in the country and a target of the Irish coaching staff, Palmer also knew that the NCAA would be penalizing the Irish for improper gifts given to players by a university representative.
He didn't let the impending ruling impact his final decision.
"I read the papers and they said it [the violations] wouldn't be anything major," said Palmer who committed to the Irish on Jan. 9. "I actually looked past it. I knew the great opportunities the school provides."
"It [the ruling] didn't affect me at all," Palmer said. "It was nothing too major and it was the first for the program. I'm very aware of the character of the school."
Palmer's sentiments seem to be consistent across the recruiting circles. As of today, the Irish have received verbal commitments from 13 players for the class of 2004. Five of the 13 rank among recruiting analyst Tom Lemming's top 100 high school players.
According to Lemming, the uncertainty surrounding the NCAA's ruling actually helped Notre Dame in recruiting. Lemming mentioned that most of the top recruits wait until a few weeks prior to signing day, Feb. 2 before making their final decision. With Notre Dame's violations, a loss of a scholarship in football for the next two years, coming in mid-December, the Irish were able to have nearly a month and a half to attract players without the burdens of the violations.
"At the beginning it [the uncertainty] kept some players from committing," Lemming said. "But inadvertently it helped Notre Dame. They're now getting great players when before they may have taken weaker players. The better players usually commit late anyway."
Though he believes the Irish are once again in position to have a top 10 recruiting class, Lemming also knows that several schools used the impending violations as a negative against the Irish.
"Every school used it against Notre Dame," Lemming said. "I know Texas used it, Michigan, Purdue — everyone."
"But Notre Dame's the most criticized program anyway because it's the most successful," Lemming said. "Even without the probation, every year they still get knocked. [The coaches say] `Do you want to go to a Catholic school where you have to go to church,' — I know Auburn said that. Or `Notre Dame doesn't throw the ball.' Everybody knocks Notre Dame because it's the best school in recruiting."
Only one major recruit's decision, offensive lineman Kwame Harris from Delaware, was swayed by the uncertainty surrounding the violations. Harris, the premier offensive linemen in the country, took an unofficial visit to Notre Dame this summer but has since dropped the Irish from his list of potential colleges. Harris has narrowed his college choices down to Michigan and Stanford.
"I think Notre Dame would have had a very good shot [at getting Harris]," Lemming. "As the season wore on, he lost interest because, among other things, the violations."
Fortunately for the Irish, Harris's case is the exception, not the rule.
Despite the hurdle surrounding the NCAA's ruling, Notre Dame still has a lot to sell to potential recruits.
And so far, they've been successful.
"I enjoyed the people and most importantly, the close-knit atmosphere," said Palmer whose best friend and high school teammate Jeff Faine is currently a freshman center for the Irish. "They've got some great guys there.
"The small school atmosphere with the big-time football program," Palmer said, sounding like the perfect fit for the Irish. "That's what attracted me to Notre Dame."
RECRUITING NOTES:
* Wide receiver Ronnie Rodamer from Morgantown, W.Va., will announce his college decision today. The 6-foot-4, 190 pound Rodamer, a high school teammate of current Irish player Chris Yura will choose between Notre Dame and Clemson.
* Quarterback Carlyle Holiday from San Antonio, Texas, has narrowed his schools to Notre Dame and Nebraska. Holiday, who would join Matt Lovecchio and Jared Clark in an already-impressive group of quarterback recruits, is expected to make his decision this week.
* This coming weekend is a big recruiting weekend for the Irish. Twelve recruits have planned to visit the campus. The players are: offensive linemen David Baas (Sarasota, Fla.) and Max Starks (Orlando, Fla.); running backs Caron Bracy (Jacksonville, Fla.), Renaldo Works (Tulsa, Okla.) and Brandon Russell (Atlanta, Ga.); wide receiver Carlos Perez (Holboken, N.J.); linebackers Derek Curry (Sealy, Texas) and Ronbrose Jones (Brastow, Okla.); defensive linemen Bennie Mills (Metairie, La.) and Kenny Parker (Warner Robbins, Ga.); and cornerback Gus Scott (Jacksonville, Fla.)
All Sports Stories for Thursday, January 20, 2000
