Linebacker Aaron Nagel, who did not see any action as a freshman in 2007, informed Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis on Wednesday afternoon that he will be leaving the program and transferring to another school.
According to Aaron’s father, Ron Nagel, there was a “real good meeting” with Weis, who had just returned from a weeklong trip to the Middle East. The conversation lasted about an hour.
“Coach Weis is a stand-up guy,” the elder Nagel said. “He said he thinks it’s a mistake. He thinks Aaron showed a lot this year…But Aaron said, ‘Coach, I’ve made up my mind.’ He wanted an opportunity to compete for the second (linebacker) position, and he didn’t really get a chance.”
The primary sticking point appeared to be that during spring practice, the Irish defensive coaches were almost exclusively using the first and second units. Nagel, who was listed as a No. 3 inside linebacker heading in, was left out in the cold as a result.
Weis was reportedly hurt by the news – he had offered Nagel a scholarship personally in March of 2007, getting a verbal commitment that same day – but conceded that he couldn’t convince Aaron to stay if his decision had already been made.
“Charlie’s a good guy,” Ron Nagel continued, adding that he and Aaron will both remain fans of Notre Dame. “I think he’s very misunderstood by a lot of people…I don’t blame Charlie Weis.”
As for what lies ahead in Aaron’s football future, things are still up in the air. Internet speculation over the past week has had Nagel already lined up to play for Northwestern or Stanford – but Ron Nagel stated on Monday that he and his son had not yet spoken to any schools about a transfer.
On Wednesday, he mentioned many of the same top academic institutions that had previously recruited Aaron – Boston College, Purdue and Vanderbilt, as well as the aforementioned Wildcats and Cardinal.
BC, Purdue and Stanford would appear to be out of the running, since Weis told the Nagels he won’t grant a release to any team on the Irish schedule. The smart money would point toward Northwestern, since it’s close to Nagel’s Lemont, Ill. home – and his brother, Brett, will be playing for the Wildcats as a freshman this fall.
That’s a decision that hasn’t yet been made, however.
“We don’t know right now,” Ron Nagel stated. “We’re just getting through this day right now.”
It certainly hasn’t been an easy one for the Nagel family or for Weis.
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According to Aaron’s father, Ron Nagel, there was a “real good meeting” with Weis, who had just returned from a weeklong trip to the Middle East. The conversation lasted about an hour.
