Matt Carufel -- He Gone

Matt Carufel mulled it over -- and decided he wants out of South Bend.
The sophomore right guard called Charlie Weis on Sunday night and told him of his decision to transfer.
"He informed me that he was going to leave the team and withdraw from the University of Notre Dame," Weis said in a statement. "I appreciate all Matt has done for Notre Dame and wish him nothing but the best."
The statement is eerily similar to the one released when tight end Konrad Reuland decided to transfer.
Carufel is the fourth member of the sophomore class to transfer and the fourth since the summer. Quarterbacks Zach Frazer (Connecticut), Demetrius Jones (Cincinnati) and Reuland all transferred, at least in part, because playing time issues. Carufel, though, had been a starter for the past three games this season before he left the team Wednesday. He was listed as No. 1 on the depth chart at right guard for Saturday's game against Boston College.
An e-mail sent to Carufel was not returned.
The Forest Lake, Minn., native is the fourth player, joining Jones, Reuland and defensive end Ronald Talley, to leave the Irish mid-season in the last two years.
A starter's departure midseason begs the question of what is going on within Notre Dame's program. As for Carufel, his high school assistant coach told the Chicago Tribune that Carufel didn't know if he fit in like he thought in South Bend.
"He's struggling with if he's going to stick around there or not," Cretin-Derham Hall assistant coach Andy Bischoff told the Tribune on Friday. "He just doesn't know if he fit at Notre Dame like he thought he would."
Bischoff told the Tribune he is considering Big Ten schools Iowa and Minnesota as options.
The other question is if Carufel's departure will damage the pipeline being built between Cretin-Derham Hall and Notre Dame. In recent years, tight end Marcus Freeman, offensive tackle Ryan Harris and fullback Rashon Powers-Neal all came to South Bend from the school. Plus, the Irish are among the candidates for elite wide receiver prospect Michael Floyd, who is also from the school.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Jason D]

You know what, if the only names that come up in this discussion are Ryan Harris, Rahson Powers Neal, and Marcus Freeman then I say good riddance! Other than Ryan Harris, which of those players has contributed to the Notre Dame sqad? Matt Carufel, I wish you all the best, but I am not going to lose any sleep over your departure. It is not like our line was playing perfect ball before you left. Can it get any worse? From an O-line standpoint...NO! Don't let the door hit you on the way out! If you are not with us, you big Momma's boy, you are against us! C'est La Vie! See ya! Not like this is going to make or break our season! Sorry, just had to vent!

[Pete Freehill]

I had read that Carufel had been demoted to 2nd string last Tuesday and replaced by Eric Olsen. It was following this demotion that Carufel decided to take a vacation. So I think Carufel's decision was related to playing time. He got his chance when Dan Wenger was hurt and received a starting nod for three games and then lost it. Talley, Frazer, Jones, Reuland and Carufel all seem directly related to playing time. These guys all probably see themselves playing on Sundays and if they can't start at ND how can they expect to play on Sundays? Thus they may think if they can start somewhere else their dream is still alive.

[paddy]

Not getting Floyd will hurt but he's been leaning Ohio St. for a while it sounds like. See Charlie Walters @ the Pioneer Press.

I think the CDH pipeline is a little over rated. I think CDH is very over rated in general. This isn't a knock against Harris or Neal or Freeman at all but CDH is playing men against boys 95% of the time. Every time they play a real team, see Eden Praire, Minnetonka, Wayzata they get punched in the mouth and go down and stay down.

[Brian]

This is a big concern for many reasons. Yes, the o-line has struggled this year, but depth at the position is something every team needs. What is happening to our top 10 recruiting class of 2006? We already lost 4!!! Not getting Floyd will hurt a great deal. We need one more big play receiver. We need to land Floyd or Deion Walker!!!

[GA]

I agree Brian. I understand the comraderie amongst the fanbase, but players leaving is never a positive sign. Every single Irish player needs to contribute because all positions are thin, not because ND has quality depth (you know who you are). ND needs O-Lineman bad and WR's worse! Regardless of how loyal you are to ND, this is not good news and something to make light of.

[The Biscuit]

Carufel left because he got leap-frogged by Olsen. He didn't agree with the coaches' decision and didnt like it and decided to bail rather than fight for his job. Leaving this fact out of your post is lame and irresponsible and sensationalistic. It's the same reason the other guys left - they want to play and it didnt look like they were going to and they didn't want to fight for their job. Trashing CDH is foolhardy and ignorant. Do you KNOW any of the players there? Floyd is a Top Tier recruit, and no matter where he's leaning, we'd all LOVE to have him join the Irish. Saying good riddance is foolish if you're really an Irish fan that wants this team to win...Most fans know we need to keep the talent flowing at WR, and as this offense develops there are great opportunities to make a huge impact at the position. Regardless of rumors of 'lean', ND is very much in the mix for Floyd and we'd be lucky to get him.

[Mi]

I'm beginning to worry, top 10 recruiting classes are great, but they don't mean much when half the class leaves the next year. please tell me everythings ok and ND will be fine.

[paddy]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for Floyd to be Irish but he isn't going to be. I talked to somebody that's going to see Marcus Freeman on Friday and told him to tell Marcus to put the screws to Floyd.

Do I know the players @ CDH?
Do you mean do I see them get blown off the ball week in and week out by their mediocre Suburban East opponents no matter if the score is a million to nothing or not? Yeah I do.
Did I see them get dominated in the Section Finals last year? Yeah I did.
Have I seen them lose in the State Tournament for the umpteenth year in a row to their first quality opponent? Yeah I have.
S-O-F-T
Carufel was the second coming of Kurt Vollers and that's not a compliment.

[Gregg]

Paddy,

Why is CW recruiting softies then?

[Guillermo Ramos]

Come on guys.. quit tearing down guys and sports you don't know anything about! You all must of been "Tuba players" or something challenging, as it were. Charlie Weis and his staff have made some big mistakes and they don't want to admit it. Like at the start of the season no one could admit the football program was in a rebuilding year. Politics! Weis was reacking for the stars when he chose a freshman to start the season. Why are so many players leaving the football program?? It is because the staff of experts were not telling their players the truth! Now, Weis and his staff and the university, is in trouble in knowing what move to make on the chessboard! Evan, should of been the first pick, because the high school he came from was a school where every player on the team knew how to play on both sides of the football! Evan, knew how to take a hit at the QB spot but, also knew how to give a lick, too!!! If I can do the research on athletes why can't the staff who is getting paid for doing this, do their job??

[Gregg]

One postscript. As noted in the South Bend Tribune, 17 players have left the program for some reason or another during the Charlie Weis tenure. Here is a breakdown of those who left, where they went, and the publicly given reasons for their departure.

Didn't want to play football anymore
Tregg Duerson: Still enrolled at Notre Dame.
John Kadous: Still enrolled at Notre Dame.

Academic Reasons
Joey Hiben: Student at Minnesota. Just walked on to the Gopher football team.

Suspended from University
Chris Vaughn: Transferred to Louisville.

Left in search of more playing time
Freddie Parish: Transferred to Stephan F. Austin.
Brandon Nicolas: Transfered to Colorado.
LaBrose Hedgemon: Transferred to Jackson State.
Justin Hoskins: Transferred to Central Michigan.
David Wolke: Transferred to Western Kentucky.
Zach Frazer: Transferred to Connecticut.
Demetrius Jones: Transferred to Cincinnati.
Konrad Reuland: Currently at Saddleback Junior College for the year.
Matt Carufel: Considering Minnesota or Iowa.

Injury-forced retirement
Abdel Banda: Still enrolled at Notre Dame.

No official reason given
Ronald Talley: Transferred to Delaware.

Early Entry into the NFL Draft
Darius Walker: Currently on Houston Texans practice squad.

[Josh]

Gregg, you are dead on and obviously know some things. Last fall ESPN did a great 5 minute cover with Lou about why so many kids were leaving. It was pretty clear that kids leaving was an issue and it was directly related to the coaching staff's handling of things. Perhaps something Charlie didn't count on was the difference in personalities from the pros to the collegiate level.

[Josh]

Gregg, you are dead on and obviously know some things. Last fall ESPN did a great 5 minute cover with Lou about why so many kids were leaving. It was pretty clear that kids leaving was an issue and it was directly related to the coaching staff's handling of things. Perhaps something Charlie didn't count on was the difference in personalities from the pros to the collegiate level.