Notre Dame's big finish to the 2010 season carried over to the start of 2011 when the Fighting Irish officially introduced their incoming class on Signing Day.

Anywhere you look, the Irish were in the top 10 in the nation with this class. Scout.com had them No. 8. Rivals had them No. 10.

It appears the ND football program is indeed back.

Coach Brian Kelly, ready to enter his second year at the ND helm, one he has to hope is far less tumultuous than the first, brought in a class that included three five-star defensive ends, a list headed by 6-5, 270-pound Stephon Tuitt from Monroe, Ga.

"I spoke at this press conference last year and said, listen, (for) 2011 our focus is the edge of our defense," Kelly said on Signing Day. "It's speed. It's length. And we hit that. So I would say more than anything else is, the plan came together."

Like so many of the things around the program in recent month. Notre Dame was down, there were problems on and off the field, but things just seem so much better now. The improved play of the defense down the stretch likely had an effect of the number of quality players the Irish were able to bring in on defense.

"You can't fake it on defense," Kelly said. "You can fake it a little bit on offense. But defensively, you have to win the one-on-one matchups.

"It's about players making plays, and you can't hide there. So the recruiting efforts start with the defensive line, and they work out from there."

TOP OF THE CLASS

DE Stephon Tuitt (Monroe H.S., Monroe, Ga.) -- One of four five-star recruits heading for South Bend, Tuitt, in the words of coach Brian Kelly, "is beginning to scratch the surface" of how good he can be. "We're excited about what his upside is.," Kelly said. "He's a young man that's only going to get better and better and better as he develops physically. He's all of 6-5. I don't know if he's done growing. He's 270 pounds right now. Moves extremely well."

DE Aaron Lynch (Island Coast H.S., Cape Coral, Fla.) -- We hate to leave out fellow five-star recruit Ishaq Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y.), but the Irish really loaded up on defensive front talent.

TE Ben Koyack (Oil City H.S., Oil City, Pa) -- Another five-star recruit in a loaded class. "Big, skilled player for us ... We had him on our board as No. 1 tight end in the country," Kelly said. "Great size."

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