Weis ecstatic with class
When you're one of the top-rated high school football players in the country and you have orally committed to a program that can't beat Navy or Air Force, you can't expect much compassion or understanding.
"Try being those guys walking into their schools and into their grocery stores and everyone in town is saying, 'You're going to Notre Dame? Why are you going to Notre Dame?' " said Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, moments after introducing his 23-man recruiting class, which has been rated No. 1 nationally by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming and No. 2 by rivals.com and scout.com.
"These guys really understood and bought into Notre Dame . . . and what we're trying to get done."
Weis is trying to revive a program that didn't just stumble to a 3-9 record in 2007; it stepped off the ledge and fell a couple of dozen floors. From back-to-back Bowl Championship Series games to Bottom 10 polls, the Irish were rarely competitive.
But Weis was building upon 19 victories his first two years, and those who came on board after the 3-9 campaign was completed saw a chance to contribute early.
"If you really want to take a negative season and turn it into a positive, you say to these guys, 'Do you want to play? You're watching the games, right? If you think you can play here, let's go, and if you don't, go somewhere else,' " Weis said.
According to rivals.com, the Irish signed three five-star players -- quarterback Dayne Crist, receiver Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph -- as well as 16 four-star performers, led by receiver Deion Walker and defensive ends Ethan Johnson and Darius Fleming.
Weis said he is excited about the passing game.
He praised Crist, in particular, for staying true to his commitment, despite being "pummeled the worst during the process." Crist, the No. 3 rated quarterback in the country, threw 16 touchdowns and just one interception as a senior.
"I told him that would be OK, if he kept that ratio," Weis quipped.
The Irish appear to be bringing in one of the most talented collections of football talent in the country.
"I've liked the last couple (of classes), but the one thing I felt this class did better than the last two was it filled a bunch of significant holes," Weis said.
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