The Omar Hunter Saga

Now it is known. Notre Dame defensive line recruit Omar Hunter of Buford, Georgia is going to take a trip to Gainesville. This has come as a big blow and shock to Irish fans. Hunter has expressed almost the entire year on how solid his verbal was to Notre Dame. Now, he may leave to go play under, of all people, Urban Meyer, the former Notre Dame assistant coach who passed up on the Irish in 2005, a big surprise to everyone around the program. Meyer has been the king of negative recruiting. He is a recruit-stealer with poor tactics. Of course, this means war.

Omar Hunter has been one of the most promising recruits in this phenomenal 2012 class. He was recruited to play defensive tackle or nose guard in Notre Dame's 3-4 defense, but now says he wants better weather and to be closer to home. He is considering Florida and Southern Cal now.

Buford High School went undefeated this season and won the Georgia state championship. Southern Cal seems to be unlikely because of his desire to be close to home, so Georgia and Notre Dame are his final 2.

Wherever he goes, he will be a stud. The question is for how long. At Notre Dame, Dwight Stephenson and Trevor Laws, the tackles for the 2007 squad, have both graduated and Justin Brown has one year left. At Florida, there are four freshman defensive tackles and two freshman defensive ends. At Notre Dame, he would possibly be a starter or at least in the rotation from day one. At Florida, he would probably not be a starter until at least his junior year.

There are many bad things to say about Charlie Weis and Notre Dame, but poor recruiting is not one. Weis and Corwin Brown are going to figure out a game plan for Hunter. Weis, Brown, Polian, and Ianello are going to make a visit to Buford, or else Hunter's scholarship will be given to Mike Martin, a Michigan commit who does not want to play under Rodriguez it appears, or Masengo Kabongo (awesome name, I know) of Maryland. Maybe it is a little hypocritical when 2 Notre Dame recruits were committed to Nebraska earlier, and ND looks to be putting a full court press on Michigan recruits, but Meyer and his staff have been known to negative recruit and visit them almost to the point of stalking.

My take on this situation: Notre Dame had a lot of decommits last year. Greg Little and Arrelious Benn come to mind. The Irish can't afford to lose recruits. Hunter, however, will stay Irish. He has been too solid on Notre Dame to suddenly change. Don't worry Irish fans, he's ours. Urbie, go pester other teams and recruits. You are dead to us Notre Dame fans.

Hunter is still going to be part of the Irish recruiting class. Notre Dame fans can worry about Deion Walker now.