No Notre Dame recruiting cycles have been as crazy as Brian Kelly’s–Period. No Notre Dame coach has worked harder to build a team in a fashion that will lead to success in today’s college football–Period. Kelly lives true to his Irish heritage, puts his dukes up, and battles for the type of difference-making recruits not seen since the Holtz era. Recruits that the “so called” experts have said Notre Dame can no longer get. Explosive and powerful kids on the defensive side of the ball that chew up ground (no, not like The Mad Hatter) quickly and get to the ball to make plays.

Last year, Kelly pulled out all of the stops in getting the signatures of 5-star defensive studs Aaron Lynch (who committed, de-committed, and re-committed), and Stephon Tuitt (who did the same–Kelly changed his mind in one day). Defensive Coordinator and Kelly protege Bob Diaco waited outside of 5-star Ishaq William’s Brooklyn home at 5 a.m. (sans even a Starbucks coffee–and I mean coal-black coffee–nothing wussy for Diaco I would assume), and got him to commit on the spot before he headed over to Penn State. California stud linebacker Troy Niklas was a surprise commitment on signing day (over USC) thanks to the staff’s hard work.

No Irish staff in recent memory could have pulled those coups. Not Weis. He could get skill offensive talent, but lost out on stud defensive players, and lost many players to the poaching of other coaches. As Kelly showed with Lynch and Tuitt, he would sooner lose his ability to spontaneously combust on any sideline than give away a recruit without a fight. Not Willingham. His only successful class (Brady Quinn’s class) was based of a surprising 10-win first year. Not Davie. His only difference-maker in FIVE YEARS was running back Julius Jones. Holtz got it done, but the recruiting competition isn’t what it is now.

Kelly is fighting the recruiting battle, and Notre Dame’s recruiting world is wackier than ever, as illustrated above. This year is no different (perhaps even more of a roller coaster), and with a week to go until National Signing Day, here are some of the happenings is a second straight year of “What The?” moments:

-Notre Dame got hot, with a commitment form stud safety Elijah Shumate at the U.S. Army Bowl. 4-star athlete Kei’vare Russell surprised many and left Washington to attend ND. Then, even more shocking, Parade All-American and 2010 recruit Amir Carlisle decided to transfer from the hated Trojans to South Bend. Tee Shepard, perhaps the best cornerback in the land, got over a hot and heavy affair with home state USC, and kept his promise to enroll early at Notre Dame (thereby guaranteeing his cousin and elite receiver Deontay Greenberry, will also call ND home on NSD).

-Then, Notre Dame got cold. The other stud cornerback (and perhaps the fastest player in the country), Ronald Darby, said goodbye. Urban Meyer scoffed at the fact that another school took an elite Ohio offensive lineman, and reeled back Taylor Decker to his home state. Would there be more attrition?

-In the third act, #1 quarterback Gunner Kiel sent shockwaves when he never went to LSU as planned, and instead enrolled at Notre Dame Jan. 17th. Rumors were that the Irish also had a shot at California stud defensive end Arik Armstead (and his brother, USC transfer Armond). Stud corner Yuri Wright seemed like a heavy Irish lean as well.

-Then, things slowed yet again, with the Armsteads putting a halt to their recruitment (choosing a future is slightly more difficult than picking soup or salad) until Arik picks a school on NSD (oh, even schools like Alabama and USC are trying to get involved now), and Yuri Wright basically made himself radioactive with Twitter comments about weed, and his favorite part of the female anatomy–dooming himself to play football at Colorado today. Nice skiing to be sure. Football? Not so much.

So, how will recruiting end this year? One week left, with the Irish trying to gain just a few more good men. The targets are:

-Nelson Agholor (3rd-best receiver in the country?)
-Ronald Darby (trying to sway him back)
-Brian Poole (current UF commit and stud corner)
-Arik Armstead (probably with Armond)
-Davonte Neal (aaathlete)
-Anthony Standifer (former Michigan commit)
-Ken Ekenam (good linebacker and backup plan)

Bring on the wacky come Feb. 1st. Let’s see how this plays out. Willy Wonka would like this kind of shit.

(Part II comes tomorrow with guesses on how this will play out.)