The South Eastern Conference. The best of the best in college football. The rowdiest of the rowdy fan bases (bad-mouthing Bear Bryant to an Alabama fan can get you shot-and it can happen before said fan even has his bacon and eggs for breakfast). The baddest of all who barbeque (All hail the state of Mississippi). 3 of the last 4 college football champions have resided from this conference. Listen to Kirk Herbstreit for 2 minutes, and he will tell you that night SEC games are just a different level of football (speed, speed, defense, more speed) than what the rest of the college football is playing. Half of the top 10 teams in the preseason polls will be SEC. Ditto for the real polls at the end of the season. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and LSU all have as good a shot to win the national championship as anybody. All of that, plus the best are recruits from the south.

And if that wasn’t enough, the whole country will now get an overload of SEC propaganda due to their recent contract with ESPN (SEC games everywhere, oh my!):

“The 2009 season marks the beginning of a new 15-year, $2.25 billion contract with ESPN, which coincides with a 15-year, $825 million deal with CBS.”

In this strange and frightening world, Notre Dame may no longer be the only team available on every television set.

(Read this Stewart Mandel article for more info.) Basically, it’s the rich getting richer. It’s like once only being able to get Absolut Vodka at liquor stores, and now being able to buy at any Kroger you walk into.

But, if the SEC was smarter and really wanted to make some money for their conference, why not make an exclusive channel boasting the girls of the SEC (the highest quality that there is)-pillow fighting, mud wrestling (or hell, just standing around) for all to watch. Then, they really could take over the world.

You might cut off your own foot to watch an SEC girl like this

Notre Dame needs big recruits. Of the 5 star variety. Skill positions are a bonus, but any position will do. One guy that the Irish had a good chance on was Rivals #1 receiver-Kyle Prater. Big (6′5), fast and studly, he was also from the same hometown as Irish safety Sergio Brown (Hillside, Illinois). The Irish coaching staff was working him hard, and coveted this guy to be the next big play receiver.

The following is why.

What SI’s recruiting guru Andy Staples has to say:

“Even against some of the best defensive backs in the nation, Prater made tough catches appear effortless and ran much faster than someone his height and weight (a solid 210-215 pounds) should be able to run. That’s why Rivals.com ranks the Proviso West star as the No. 1 receiver in the country. The ranking certainly isn’t a stretch; Prater looks an awful lot like Alabama’s Julio Jones and Georgia’s A.J. Green did in high school, and those two made an immediate impact in college.”

You look at that skill set, and then take into account the area Prater was from, the Weis offense (big numbers for receivers, possible Biletnikoff contention), and things seemed to be mutually beneficial for both Prater and the Irish.

So, when Prater narrowed his choices to 5 with no Notre Dame on the list, it sorta felt like this:

“For the love of God, stay away from zippers, will ya?”

Almost every year, a big time program has a true freshman that is skilled enough to get on the field and add a new kind of explosiveness to an already formidable team. That team is then propelled to heights that would have been unattainable otherwise. Reggie Bush for USC, Adrian Peterson for Oklahoma, Ted Ginn and later Terrelle Pryor for Ohio State. These are some names that come to mind. Notre Dame has been lacking in this department lately (though Michael Floyd certainly impacted the offense last year), but every year brings a new possibility.

So…which of the Irish new bloods have the talent to make an impact for the Irish this year?

Tyler Stockton, DT. Look, the Irish still lack depth up front, and this kid is big enough (6′1, 290) and strong enough to play as a true. Defensively, the only guys that are true 300 pounders are Ian Williams and Brandon Newman, so this kid has the physical stature to play. The recruiting word was that he has great quickness for an inside guy, and could mature into one of the best defensive tackles in this class. Lack of depth, along with a size, strength, and quickness combo mean that this kid could play in his first season.

Tyler Eifert, TE. At 6′6, and 220, this kid has a receiver’s build and athleticism. He will be a matchup nightmare for linebackers. He will also be a blocking liability, but should get a chance to play when Mike Ragone injures himself dunking Oreo cookies in milk during a late night snacking session.

Jordan Cowart, LS and Ben Turk, K. Giving a scholarship to a kid solely because of his talent to missile a football from his crotch while leaning over means that Cowart has to play. As for Turk, the Irish kicking game is often a mess, so he has a chance to either kick off, or put the ball through the uprights.

Shaquelle Evans, WR. Another receiver for the Irish with size (6′1, 205) and speed. An Army All-America, Shaq was considered one of the best receivers in the nation, backed up by the fact that Pete Carroll and USC coveted him. He can play small and quick versus safeties or tall and strong (jump balls) versus corners. Has a chance to lay receiver if Kamara, Goodman, and Walker falter, and if that doesn’t happen, his explosiveness could lead him to kick return duties.

Cierre Wood, RB. A 6 footer with long legs and good speed, Wood could bring a perimeter threat to the Irish running backs. Quick and elusive, he can make something out of nothing, and that is something Notre Dame running backs have been lacking for years. Armando Allen is the guy, but if Hughes and Jonas Gray don’t improve, Wood can find his way into the mix. Then again, the most likely scenario is that he impacts the return game with fellow Californian Shaq Evans.

Manti Te’o, LB. The most likely freshman to make a big impact. 6′2 and 225, he has the size and strength to be on the field from day 1. Combine that with explosiveness when closing in on the ball, and being able to read plays and move laterally-this kid has all the tools. The Irish have talent with Fleming, Filer, Toryan Smith, and Anthony McDonald, but these guys haven’t proven to be a certain thing. Manti has as good chance as any to chase opposing offenses out of Notre Dame Stadium.