Arik Armstead, USC Decommit

[yikityyakirish 0]

True, but his brother has also played 3 seasons already, and is not playing this year. That leaves him one year of eligibility left. I'm not sure his entire decision would be made for one year with your brother, leaving you 3-4 without.

 

Alabama vs Notre Dame has to be the toughest recruiting decision ever

 

Alabama- going to a school that has the best defensive scheme/coaches/players in the country and has constantly been spitting out NFL talent since Saban rolled in...in the best conference...and contends for a title under saban nearly every year....alabama has also had a good recruiting class in basketball this year and will look to win the sec

 

Notre Dame- going to one of the top universities in the country on a team that is on the rise....one of the most talented front 7 in the country and just keeps getting better...an area with ALOT of competition at the DE position (although im not sure but i figure Alabama does as well)....at a school with THE biggest fanbase in the country and along with Bama and Michigan has the most football history

 

This would be a tough decision for anyone (except us) to make...and i wish the guy luck in making it...hope he ends up IRISH

 

Btw how awesome would it be to go to these games for visits

Notre Dame vs. USC

LSU vs. Alabama

[corysold 0]

Alabama vs Notre Dame has to be the toughest recruiting decision ever

 

Alabama- going to a school that has the best defensive scheme/coaches/players in the country and has constantly been spitting out NFL talent since Saban rolled in...in the best conference...and contends for a title under saban nearly every year....alabama has also had a good recruiting class in basketball this year and will look to win the sec

 

Notre Dame- going to one of the top universities in the country on a team that is on the rise....one of the most talented front 7 in the country and just keeps getting better...an area with ALOT of competition at the DE position (although im not sure but i figure Alabama does as well)....at a school with THE biggest fanbase in the country and along with Bama and Michigan has the most football history

 

This would be a tough decision for anyone (except us) to make...and i wish the guy luck in making it...hope he ends up IRISH

 

Btw how awesome would it be to go to these games for visits

Notre Dame vs. USC

LSU vs. Alabama

 

Yeah no kidding, I am still trying to convince coaches I have one year left, but so far no takers. Apparently my video of throwing to my 4 year old daughter isn't impressing anyone.

 

That said, as long as this kid isn't at USC and starts to shed some light on the sham that is Lane Kiffin, you can't fault a kid for choosing Alabama if he does.

[Katzenboyer 0]

The Tide will be very tough to beat for Armstead's services.

[IrishCalves 0]

I freely admit, this is a half informed stance, but I actually think we've got more than a punchers chance here. This isn't late breaking 6 o'clock news... between our hoops program being relevant enough to stand on it's own two feet (not great in the tournament, but good enough to get ranked in the top 10 mid season pretty regularly), and how consistently our approach has been to recruiting him in the first place, I thought wed have a pretty good shot at getting his signature before he decided to decommit the week before his ND visit.

 

This is big news people. Its never a slam dunk when it comes to recruiting, but we're going to be legitimate players for him. We've done our due diligence to be ready for a moment like this. Kudos to our staff for handling this the right way from the get go. If Bama or some other school swoops in, so be it, but we've set ourselves up well to make a compelling pitch this weekend, and have the footing to carry that pitch all the way through to February.

 

A lot comes down to how much this kid wants to listen to graduation rates and academics. Its one of the few trump cards we have on something like ND vs. Bama. There are other schools in this dog fight though.

[OklahomaIrish 0]

Just read a premium story on Arik and it didn't mention Alabama other then them being on his list. He took an official to Cal for the USC game but didn't tell the Cal coaches he had decommitted. The family was very unhappy with USC for not allowing Arik's brother to be cleared medically. All the test from the hospital were negative. He was Healthy!!!!

 

The timing for our game is very much in our favor. Arik is looking. We have a great opportunity and we need to take care of business.

 

I hear it might rain at the game. I hope not.....

[IrishCalves 0]

Seeing as Wenger was cleared by UF's doctors to play, while our staff wasn't comfortable playing him, I'm not going to throw stones at USC for being cautious medically. We don't know the whole story there, and shouldn't judge that element of this story.

 

The point is, the Armsteads aren't happy with SC football in general.

 

We've stayed on this kid, and aren't at all being caught off guard. We've stayed positive and consistent with our message, and that will pay dividends when it comes time to do the hat dance. If he wants to go play with his brother, we're totally screwed, but we've done what it takes to at least end up among the final two in all likelihood. Kudos to our staff for being there from day 1, and leaving no stone unturned in his recruitment, particularly in involving the ND hoops element (not great in the tournament, but solid during the regular season).

 

With a kid this high profile, one visit will not be the end all be all of this recruitment. Winning by 3 or by 20 won't make the difference - having the footing to carry your message through all the way until signing day will. I'm sure the staff will do what it takes to leg it out if given the opportunity by Arik.

 

Maybe Golson should meet up with this kid after the game and offer some tangible insight into what Kelly's MO is on dual sport athletes.

[jfschellcrna 11]

Seeing as Wenger was cleared by UF's doctors to play, while our staff wasn't comfortable playing him, I'm not going to throw stones at USC for being cautious medically. We don't know the whole story there, and shouldn't judge that element of this story.

 

The point is, the Armsteads aren't happy with SC football in general.

 

We've stayed on this kid, and aren't at all being caught off guard. We've stayed positive and consistent with our message, and that will pay dividends when it comes time to do the hat dance. If he wants to go play with his brother, we're totally screwed, but we've done what it takes to at least end up among the final two in all likelihood. Kudos to our staff for being there from day 1, and leaving no stone unturned in his recruitment, particularly in involving the ND hoops element (not great in the tournament, but solid during the regular season).

 

Maybe Golson should meet up with this kid after the game and offer some tangible insight into what Kelly's MO is on dual sport athletes.

there is more to this than meets the eye............no reasonable parents would be pissed if a group of respected physicians were concerned about the safety of their child.............my bet is they are not happy with the shenanigans of this staff..........

[IrishCalves 0]

there is more to this than meets the eye............no reasonable parents would be pissed if a group of respected physicians were concerned about the safety of their child.............my bet is they are not happy with the shenanigans of this staff..........

 

I'm sure there's more going on here than meets the eye. Doesn't mean we know, or are in a position to judge. Its not smart to declare "guilty!" after the opening arguments have been made, and thats about all we know right now.

[OklahomaIrish 0]

I believe the story mentioned that he wasn't being swayed to go play with his brother. It would only be for one year anyway.

[blackINC2219 0]

Thought I would post the article they have on this on IrishIllustrated:

 

Gerard Martinez

USCFootball.com

 

Talk about it in The Four Horsemen Lounge

Elk Grove (Calif.) four-star defensive end Arik Armstead committed to USC more than a year ago, but Sunday night, his pledge to the Trojans ended in sudden fashion.

 

 

Gerard Martinez

Arik Armstead will officially visit Notre Dame this weekend

 

While Armstead had maintained interest in seeing other schools throughout the recruiting process, his de-commitment from USC was swift.

 

"I'm still looking at SC and I'm still talking to them," said Armstead. "I love the coaches there, so I'm considering them as a possibility.

 

"I haven't talk to coach Clay [Helton] or coach Ed [Orgeron], but my dad did. I have talked to coach Kevin O'Neill and coach [bob] Cantu. They are disappointed, but also understand the situation."

 

Armstead's older brother, Armond, is a senior defensive tackle at USC. However, since last spring, Armond has been withheld from contract drills at USC due to a mystery ailment, which sent him to the hospital in March.

 

According to the Armstead family, tests to diagnose the cause of Armond's hospital stay have all come back negative. Yet, his future at USC remains in question.

 

The family put out a statement Sunday addressing how Armond's situation at USC has affected Arik's recruitment.

 

"Obviously, [Arik] was disappointed with the way things were handled between the school and our family the last six months," said his father, Guss Armstead.

 

However, there has been no decision by Armond to transfer from USC. According to his father, that decision will not be made until December.

 

"Mondo is at USC practicing football," said Guss. "He'll be there everyday practicing doing his thing."

 

As speculation about Armond's future as a Trojan is sure to continue, Arik is excited to find a college that fits his needs regardless of whether his brother is playing for USC or not.

 

"It weighs on me a little bit, and I know I have a tough decision coming ahead, but I'm looking forward to it," said Arik. "Going through the recruiting process, this will definitely change a lot for me. But I'm eager to see what new schools and other options I'll have after making this decision [to de-commit]."

 

Before de-committing from USC, Armstead had narrowed down his list of possible official visit destinations to eight schools.

 

USC, Cal, Alabama, Miami, Nevada, Arizona, Notre Dame and Arkansas made up Armstead's final list of college choices in September. All of those schools were recruiting him for both basketball and football.

 

While many schools on that list still remain options for Armstead, he is no longer limiting his visits to that pool of colleges. This past Thursday, Armstead was in San Francisco to watch USC beat Cal, 30-9.

 

Although the game was played off campus, the trip was considered an unofficial visit for the Golden Bears.

 

"The schools that have been recruiting me well lately have been recruiting me since the beginning," said Armstead. "I have a good relationship with Cal and a few other schools too. I didn't tell the coaches at Cal that I was de-committing this weekend, but I did talk to them after the game."

 

Armstead will officially visit Notre Dame this weekend when the Irish host USC in South Bend. On Nov. 5, Armstead will travel to Alabama to watch the Tide take on LSU.

 

USC basketball and football coaches remain in contact with Armstead, but appear handicapped by the university's decision to not clear his brother Armond medically.

 

"Like I said, we're not going to comment on that," said Guss. "We've been disappointed with that process and that situation.

 

"But I'll say this, when I had the discussion about us opening up Arik's recruitment with the people that are most involved, they were disappointed. Coach O'Neill, coach Cantu, coach Clay and coach Orgeron have been really good to Arik and really classy as it relates to his total recruitment."

 

That is one of the main reasons Arik maintains interest in attending USC.

 

"I have a relationship with all of the coaches, and USC has done the best job of recruiting me," said Arik. "I really like L.A. and really saw myself being able to play there. I could see enjoying myself in that city."

 

Armstead has no time frame for another commitment, but he remains on track to graduate in December.

 

"I'll make the decision when I feel like its a good, thought out, logical decision," said Armstead. "I'll make it when I have the time to think about it and make sure it's right for me."

 

USCFootball.com will continue to bring you the latest on Arik Armstead recruitment throughout his senior year.

[IrishCalves 0]

I believe the story mentioned that he wasn't being swayed to go play with his brother. It would only be for one year anyway.

 

If thats the case, then good for him. Picking a school just because your brother went there is a mixed proposition. Martin brothers; thumbs up. Olsen brothers; thumbs down. McCarthy brothers; bit of a mixed bag perhaps. There should be other reasons why is my point.

 

Considering he was committed to the school his brother is at, and now his brother is upset with how things are being handled by USC, Arik is no longer committed, I'm pretty sure what happens with his brother is relevant in his recruitment, regardless of what they say to the media.

[Pregame 291]

If thats the case, then good for him. Picking a school just because your brother went there is a mixed proposition. Martin brothers; thumbs up. Olsen brothers; thumbs down. McCarthy brothers; bit of a mixed bag perhaps. There should be other reasons why is my point.

 

Considering he was committed to the school his brother is at, and now his brother is upset with how things are being handled by USC, Arik is no longer committed, I'm pretty sure what happens with his brother is relevant in his recruitment, regardless of what they say to the media.

I thought Lane would be smarter than this. Why would you jerk around the older brother of a highly rated guy you're going after and who has a father that is a trainer for NBA and NFL athletes?

[smaster 0]

Kitten has been VERY creative in making his scholarship numbers work. I have to wonder if he was looking for a reason to pull the older brother's ride for next year -- obviously quite stupid if he was looking to retain Arik. I don't even know how good "Mondo" is/was, but Arik is worth two schollies. Then again, Kiffy only has 75 to work with.

[smaster 0]

Any chance at combining threads? I'm like Admiral Stockdale watching a ping pong match here. Thanks!

[4thand1 280]

If I were Coach Kelly I would find a way for Armstead & J. Jones to spend some time with Lynch & Tuitt so they can form a bond. That would be one heck of a wrecking crew. Not to mention Nix & S. Day.

 

Your current players are often your best recruiters.

[SpeedsterX 653]

Any chance at combining threads? I'm like Admiral Stockdale watching a ping pong match here. Thanks!

 

Sure, no problem.

[Guest bornready85]

I thought Lane would be smarter than this. Why would you jerk around the older brother of a highly rated guy you're going after and who has a father that is a trainer for NBA and NFL athletes?

It could be for 2 reasons.

 

1. Its unknown whether or not they have medically cleared him to play.

 

2. Like Michigan with Stonum(who will lose both starting receivers)...simply sitting him out the entire year and bringing him back for a 5th year will provide them more depth for 2012. The medical issue(or suspension in Stonum's case)is a good way to justify bringing him back next year.

[NDsince35 0]

ARIK's older brother has started for USC for 3 years. He had a chest pain and was taken to the hospital where the doctors could find nothing wrong. Lots of tests---but nothing wrong. USC will not let him play fearing a medical problem and law suit.

 

The parents are upset and have been told by USC that that is the way it is---so he is leaving. ARIK is also gone. A simple case of indigestion may be the cause of all the commotion.

 

At any rate the older brother will get his degree and take his a grad work somewhere that will appreciate him. AKIM will decide between ND and Alabama, and all will be well.

[brian_nd88 89]

does anyone know if bama is interested in armondo armstead? i suppose with a history of gray-shirting and other creative recruiting techniques that saban will take armondo if it gets him arik.

[OklahomaIrish 0]

ARIK's older brother has started for USC for 3 years. He had a chest pain and was taken to the hospital where the doctors could find nothing wrong. Lots of tests---but nothing wrong. USC will not let him play fearing a medical problem and law suit.

 

The parents are upset and have been told by USC that that is the way it is---so he is leaving. ARIK is also gone. A simple case of indigestion may be the cause of all the commotion.

 

At any rate the older brother will get his degree and take his a grad work somewhere that will appreciate him. AKIM will decide between ND and Alabama, and all will be well.

 

It just seems like a good thing to get him on campus before Alabama has a chance to speak with him. It is a very emotional time and our opponent being usc just seems to add the the emotions. I like our chances more and more.