It was a big weekend for the Irish-securing 4 national recruits in just two days. I don’t recall too many times over the years where there has been this kind of rapid-fire success for an Irish coaching staff. Charlie Weis had some big Blue and Gold game spring weekends, securing 5-star guys like Jimmy Clausen in 2006, and 5-star DE Chris Martin (who would later renege) two years ago, and Brian Kelly himself started surprisingly well, nabbing studs Ben Koyack and Matthew Hegarty before spring evaluation period was over. But, to do something like this, earning pledges from a group of national recruits in a dead recruiting period (The initial excitement of the Kelly era is long gone, and will no longer sway recruits, while the season is a month away, so the on-field results aren’t there yet for the recruits to see momentum.), during his first year, is impressive.

If Kelly was a prize fighter, this weekend showed his mettle in the ring. He can “sting like a bee”, indeed. There were positives in every recruit that committed this weekend, which is something that Kelly still needs to show at this stage in his coaching career. While BK has won every step of the way, and has helped form a battle cry against those that think the Irish are dead (Brian Kelly is in town, he took Cincinnati to #3, and they tailgate in parking garages for crying out loud!), the fact is he needs to “up” his recruiting game. He needs to compete against Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, and USC for kids. Cute acronyms like “RKG” are worthless. (What the hell is an “RKG”? What the hell is a “TPS” report, for that matter? Nobody knows what these acronyms are supposed to mean.)

Notre Dame needs to recruit the nation’s best. Not a few of the nation’s best, like Weis did at the skill offensive positions, but an entire roster filled with speed and depth. The Irish need to go into the big name states (Florida, Texas, California, etc.), and walk away with some of their best players. If he can do this, the Irish will be back, you can write that down and stick it to your refrigerator.

Here are some quick notes on the verbals, all of which are further ammo that Brian Kelly can recruit like the Irish need him to.

Justice Hayes, RB. Speed, and elusiveness are the names of his game. His high school coach likes him as a better threat catching the ball out of the backfield than reigning Heisman-winner Mark Ingram. Michigan and Tennessee were after him, and he is a Rivals100 recruit.

Anthony Rabasa, DE. Big (6′3″ frame) and athletic, Rabasa hails from Florida, talent-rich Dade County, no less. (ND must keep recruiting that state well). The Florida big boys, and schools like LSU an Auburn were after him.

Jalen Brown, CB. I don’t know a lot about him, but the defensive-minded Bo Pelini was after him, and he is a Texas kid-a state where Notre Dame would really like to get a pipeline going.

Aaron Lynch, DE. A huge pick up. A 6′5″ frame with room to grow, he can be a terror off the edge. Another Florida boy, another Rivals100 guy, and his offer list is the cream of the crop in college football.