Logan Weeks

Notre Dame has been mentioned among the schools to join the Big Ten as a possible 12th team.

Although in the ESPN article athletic director Jeff Swarbrick said “Our strong preference is to remain the way we are,” Swarbrick said, according to the report. “Independence is a big part of the tradition of the program and our identity. We’d sure like to try to maintain it.”

According to the ESPN article, “Big Ten schools receive about $20 million a year in TV and radio rights fees, according to the report.” Even though Notre Dame makes only 9 million in their contract with NBC, other reasons stop Notre Dame from joining a conference.

Notre Dame has a tradition of great rivalries including USC, Boston College and Michigan. Although some of the teams they play are already in the Big Ten, it wouldn’t allow the Irish to wiggle around and play different teams every year.

Many Irish fans would like to see them stick with the usual set of teams they play from various conferences and have the ability to add different teams on to their schedule. Overall, a move to the Big Ten would not sit well with much of the Irish faithful.

The recruiting class for next football season looks solid and could potentially get a whole lot better. With guys like Anthony Barr and Seantrel Henderson (both I have wrote about in previous posts) still undecided, it could really pump this recruiting class to the top five in the nation.

So far the Irish have reached verbal commitments from one five star, eight four star, and nine three star recruits. This ranks them right behind USC who ranks 10th. Despite not having signed one five star recruit the nation, Texas leads the country largely by receiving commitments from 17 four star recruits.

The Irish will have the opportunity to sign more five and four star recruits in up coming months, but so far an 11th ranked recruiting class looks promising even though the Irish have lost two straight games to Navy and Pittsburgh.

Notre Dame has had interest coming from the top three recruits in the nation:

1. Seantrel Henderson, Offensive Lineman

2. Kyle Prater, Wide Reciever

3. Robert Woods, ATH.

They lost both Prater and Woods to USC less than a month ago, both were ranked #2 and 3 on rivals.com, but Seantrel Henderson still remains interested in Notre Dame. Henderson took his official visit to Notre Dame on 10/16/2009. According to numerous sources, the visit went well. Henderson made his visit to USC this weekend to watch the Trojans play Oregon State. The Trojans won the game 42-36. Henderson’s only other visit has been to Ohio State, which he attended 9/11/2009.

Of course the Irish will be battling with other schools to get this guy considering he is the highest touted prospect in the nation, but here are a few reasons the Irish may have the upper handing in landing, Henderson.

Notre Dame looses most of their offensive line after this year due to elegibility, including Sam Young, the right tackle who will be entering the draft this year and is a potential first round pick. Henderson will see himself in a role where he will be starting right away. And at 6 foot 8, 301 pounds, size is not an issue.

Reason #2. Henderson attends Cretin-Derham Hall in Saint Paul, Minnesota. That is the same high school that sophomore stand-out receiver Michael Floyd attended. If Floyd could convince Henderson to come to Notre Dame, it could land their second recruit in the top 100 in the nation this year.

The last #1 recruit in the nation overall that the Irish snagged, Jimmy Clausen.