The update is this: Stay tuned and continue to groan and wonder about how chaotic recruiting has become.
Placer High School defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes, a national top recruit, will formally announce where he will sign - or has signed - at just after 5 p.m. local time today on his Auburn campus. That has not changed, but the speculation is rampant.
Earlier today, Notre Dame released his name along with others the Irish had received national letters of intent, then in full scramble mode, announced that it was a mistake and that Vanderdoes hadn't formally signed with the Irish.
Who does that? How does a school "mistakingly" put a name on a received letter-of-intent list moments before coach Brian Kelly has a press conference to talk about his haul?
Vanderdoes tweeted after the Notre Dame confusion that he has not signed with anyone. He spoke for every national recruit when he lashed out at national recruiting service reporters constanly dropping "sources" - including those that reported via social media that he was headed to Alabama, then to UCLA, then to Notre Dame. Why not one year at each school?
Tweeted Vanderdoes, "Got these grown men trying to mess up what I've been dreaming of since I was little. Stop it with these 'sources' and just wait till 5."
He also tweeted, "I'll put my life on it that I have NOT signed one paper yet"
Fans have even created fake Vanderdoes Twitter profiles - like the one with UCLA as the cover picture. Vanderdoes expects to get an avalanche of negative comments from "jilted" fans when he makes a decision that doesn't go their way, the sickest aspect of social media. Arik Armstead of Pleasant Grove and Shaq Thompson of Grant endured the same wraith last year when they signed with Oregon and Washington, respectively.
Vanderdoes wanted a specific announcement time to accomodate others. He wanted it at 5 p.m. to share the stage with three of his classmates - Hannah Gregg signing with Sonoma State golf, tight end Stone Sander to Sacramento State and quarterback Peter Denham to Northern Arizona.
Vanderdoes wanted it after school and not before school so classmates and friends and family can attend. None of this was to big-time the game. Yes, college coaches want those letters faxed at the crack of dawn, but signing day is the first day an athlete can sign, not the only day, and there is no deadline on when one sends in paper work.
UCLA by design scheduled a 5:30 press conference today so coach Jim Mora can talk about the Bruins haul, with or without Vanderdoes. UCLA is going at 5:30 to allow plenty of time to see if Vanderdoes is headed to Pasadena. Notre Dame apparently couldn't wait, until someone noticed the blunder.
We'll know soon enough. The event today will be live streamed on MaxPreps.com.
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