NDL Forum

Is Gunner Kiel Notre Dame-bound after all?
Notre Dame begins spring semester classes Tuesday.

Will the nation's top quarterback recruit be among the student body after all?

Recruiting sites and message boards suddenly were awash Monday with reports and rumors that Gunner Kiel, the prized quarterback once committed to Indiana and then presumably set to enroll at LSU this week, would have yet another change of heart and arrive at Notre Dame instead.

It would be, unmistakably, an enormous recruiting coup given Kiel's talent and the sheer unexpectedness and insanity of the process. The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound Columbus, Ind., native is Rivals.com's No. 1 quarterback and No. 18 overall prospect in the Class of 2012.

Originally, Kiel committed to Indiana. After backing off that pledge, he apparently anguished over a decision between Notre Dame, LSU and Vanderbilt, with LSU earning his oral commitment Dec. 27.

Now the only certainty with Kiel on the eve of the first day of class at Notre Dame and LSU is utter chaos.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports reported Monday that "good things are happening" with Notre Dame and Kiel. Irish Illustrated reported, citing a source, that "it's expected that Kiel will enroll at Notre Dame this week." Tiger Sports Digest reported, also citing a source, that Kiel did not attend an early enrollees meeting at LSU on Monday.

Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell, meanwhile, reported sources telling him both sides of the story: That Kiel would arrive at Notre Dame and that Kiel would stick with LSU.

If Kiel arrives this week in South Bend, Ind., it immediately throws even more uncertainty into the quarterback situation for 2012. Kiel's mobility makes him a fit for Brian Kelly's spread attack and he would have months to absorb it, as opposed to a crash course after showing up in the summer.

And then there is the small matter of the two experienced quarterbacks on the roster (Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix) and the presumed "ideal fit" in sophomore-to-be Everett Golson, who didn't see any game action in 2011. Could Kiel beat out all of them in a relatively abbreviated time frame? If he did, how long would any of them stick around?

As for the academic side of things, a Notre Dame spokesman indicated that it wasn't necessarily a strict policy that early enrollees at the school attend class on the first day -- that it may be a matter of individual policies of professors as to whether a later arrival would be problematic.

Another Notre Dame spokesman said there will be official confirmation of Notre Dame's early enrollees sometime Tuesday.

Or Kiel arrives at LSU this week and all the consternation is moot. But until the nation's No. 1 quarterback shows up somewhere, grip seats tight and clench your teeth as recruiting tumult thoroughly and utterly prevails.

LetsGoPeay wrote:Actually this may be a win given the shitstorm this kid seems to enjoy stirring up with his "commitments"

BIGmike wrote:I don't get the hype with him. Watched his highlights and didn't think much of him.

hugme49 wrote:This has been a shitty time for the LSU faithful, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE THIS?

shel311 wrote:It's still Monday, so I do have time for one more shot for my WOAT sports week, so this seems fitting.

LetsGoPeay wrote:Actually this may be a win given the shitstorm this kid seems to enjoy stirring up with his "commitments"

Yea, cause heaven forbid a 17 year old be indecisive...especially when millions of people are awaiting his every decision making national news of it.

It's also the biggest decision of his life, throw that in there as well.

JohnnyP wrote:

BIGmike wrote:I don't get the hype with him. Watched his highlights and didn't think much of him.

+1. Also Brian Kelly > Les Miles, coaching QBs. We ran Brian Kellys offense in highschool since our OC son played for Grand Valley and is the winningest QB in college history. We made a so so QB look like an all stater. It is a very complicated offense to understand at first but fun and easy to execute once you know it.

packsyD22 wrote:This explains weasels man crush on Brian Kelly now...

JohnnyP wrote: We ran Brian Kellys offense in highschool since our OC son played for Grand Valley and is the winningest QB in college history.

Weasel wrote:

packsyD22 wrote:This explains weasels man crush on Brian Kelly now...

I wish the old boards were archived, I was pumping him up back when he was still at GVSU!

Cnasty wrote:

hugme49 wrote:This has been a shitty time for the LSU faithful, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE THIS?

The devil has come to collect from Les selling his soul on all those lucky ass fakes and shit

shel311 wrote:Don't care one bit about losing any prospect.

Just sucks for my kid.

WJ5811 wrote:Looks like I'll be set at QB for awhile

Uuaww wrote:

WJ5811 wrote:Looks like I'll be set at QB for awhile

not as long as randawg has been. I swear if Keenum gets another year of eligibility I am going to lose my shit.

BFiVL wrote:WJ. Time to come back home to lsu