Will new offer change things for Talley

There aren’t many things that Detroit Renaissance strongside defensive end Ronald Talley can’t handle.

Offensive linemen trying to block him are just speed bumps on his way to the quarterback. But there is one thing that he is working hard to tackle right now – his literature class.

After reading the Invisible Man, next up on the list is Hamlet.

“I love the challenge of diving into these novels,” said Talley, a 6-foot-3, 233-pounder with a 3.0 grade-point average and an ACT score of 18. “You can only be as strong on the field as you are off of it. So that means, going to the library and studying and reading as much as you can.”

That and his great play-making ability makes Talley a hot target with football factories and with good academic schools. He has offers from Wisconsin (came last night), Iowa, Louisville, Michigan State, Indiana, Northwestern and Bowling Green.

But there is a new team that has fully put itself on the map with Talley and with a scholarship offer he could see himself playing in the future at.

“I went to Notre Dame last week for the BYU game, and everything they say about the tradition and the feeling that you get while you’re on campus there is true,” Talley said.

“I just got a great feeling from talking to coach (Tyrone) Willingham. That’s a coach that really cares about his players. He said they’re putting my transcript through the academic people now and they are probably going to offer me this week. I’m hoping that if Northwestern can offer, then so can Notre Dame.”

When asked if he could commit if he receives the offer from the Irish, Talley paused and thought a few seconds before answering.

“I just might,” he said. “I’m kind of feeling that I’m ready to get this over with. Right now, Michigan State and Iowa are my top two with Notre Dame right up there at the top if they offer.”

Talley, ranked as the nation’s No. 42 strongside defensive end by Rivals.com, is set to visit Iowa on December 12 and he was originally set to visit Indiana on December 5, but that’s likely now going to be changed up with the Irish in the picture.

“I might do some re-constructing on my visits,” he said. “I want to know where I’m going by Christmas, so I might just visit my three favorites and then decide.”