1) Chuck Martin should have been the OC from Day 1
2) It's got to be between Golson and Hendrix at this point, and Golson just looks so much smoother than Hendrix out there.
3) We've still got plenty of studs on the DL. Tuitt is a frickin' beast. Nix, KLM, and even Shwenke also look very solid.
4) Eifert is the best pass-catching TE ND has ever had. And that is not hyperbole.
5) My biggest concern remains the CB spot opposite of Bennett Jackson. Don't be surprised if Slaughter ends up playing that spot.
Running game will be as good as we've seen in years, but if opponents don't respect passing ability, then our expectations need to be lowered.
Jabi has a point re pass rush, but there is enough quality depth on the DL, that makes Lynch's departure less than a crisis.
Outside LB play is still a question mark, and pray to God that the secondary stays healthy.
ND was a power-house way back when we could stack the bench to keep "stars" away from other teams.
Those days are gone and through several coacing debacles we will be relegated to mediocrity for as far as the eye can see.
Either accept it, stop paying attention or find another team...this chess match is a fait accompli.
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I think Kiel will almost certainly be sitting out next year.
Beyond that, it is completely up in the air. Kelly has put a ton of pressure on Rees with his comments about TOs and "escapability". So far, Rees seems to be reacting to that pretty well. I think he can still win the job.
I'd love to see EG or AH step up and take it away, but it doesn't seem like either has done that.
I agree, it is Rees unless and until we find someone better. At this time, he is it.
Tuitt is good but without Lynch on the field, his pass rushing abilities are negated. The rest of the DL has zero pass rush abilities.
Lynch was the only ND member for the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team.
In his freshman season, Lynch played in 12 games, starting in 6 of them. He recorded 33 tackles including 7 tackles for loss, a team high 5.5 sacks, and a team high of 14 quarterback hurries.
ND needs difference makers and Lynch certainly was one of them.
Link: Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team
I don't expect consistent dedication to applying pressure to the opposing QB.
The motto will continue to be "keep the ball in front of you."
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If anything, it puts him in position to rush the QB more. Hopefully Shembo and Ishaq can step up and help with pass rush.
Tuitt? We had Tuck. We had Abiamiri. Who am I missing?
Losing Lynch hurt, no doubt. He would have brought our defense to another level, but you're being a drama queen when you say our pass rush will be non-existent. When you add Nix and Williams to the mix with Kap and Te'o, I think you are still looking at ND's best front 7 in years.
but I wouldnt expect you to see the big picture.
fuck you are talking about. And if you think that Nix and Tuitt won't eat up blockers for him, you're bat shit.
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which isn't bad for a true freshman who only played sparingly. But that's neither here nor there because nobody is calling him the next LT. I was responding to your statement that our pass rush will be non-existent. That statement is false.
Tell me, in the past 10 years, which ND front 7 was better equipped to rush the passer?
that is fact.Lynch wreaked havoc and opened it up for other players.Watch the tape. Sorry but KLM and Nix wont rush the passer or get pressure on the QB. Teo only rushes when he is blitzing and he has not been successful. The DL lacks pass rushers period.I like you optimism but you are missing how much better Lynch made the other guys look.
I don't expect the bend but don't break approach to change. Almost all of the pass rush has to come from the DL.
It should be better than last year but losing Lynch hurts a ton.
Asshole.
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Usually the cat linebacker is coming anyway. Even with Lynch, when ND only brought 3 guys, there wasn't much rush.
Crap, and we were thinking he'd get even better as he got stronger
I think Golson still has a ton of potential, but he has a lot of things to clean up before being named the starter. Kiel is obviously not ready either from what I have seen, but I also didn't expect him to be at this point. I really hope they go with Hendrix. He has shown great ability during parts of last season but everyone seems to hold the FSU int against him. I though he played pretty good against everyone he faced last year, but I thought he was put in some really tough spots in that FSU game. I really hope he comes to play in the spring game and is annoited as the starter going onto fall camp.
Agree about the OC...because he will stand up to Kelly which is desparately needed...and I am guessing he will really pick the QB.
Ever hear of Dave Casper?
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Mike Ditka, followed by Dave Casper / Kellen Winslow.
Casper was before my time, but from what I understand he also played tackle and was primarily used as a blocker while at ND. I'm not saying Eifert is the best overall TE ever, just that he's the best one at catching the football.
Leon Hart was the only player to win the Heisman Trophy, a national championship, and be the first overall pick in the NFL draft all in the same one-year span, until Cam Newton did this in 2011.
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in the pros we found out why...he couldn't run fast enough to get away from anyone. The 49ers tried to make him a guard
Casper was easily the greatest. Blocked like a tackle, ran like a wide receiver. He had the softest hands ever too. Made Willie Mays type catches in football. Super intelligent too. A RKG in any generation on any team.
I know he is still learning, but for god's sake the kid doesn't even know how to hold a football to throw it. See picture at the link, his hand is on the opposite side of the football from the laces. WoW!
Link: http://notredame.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1355053
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On quick throws many elite QBs just throw it how they catch it...that you would pray to 'God' it's not him because of this, well you can fill in the blanks.
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it hits your hands.
Also, the laces thing is for extra grip that little kids need, once you get to high school your hands should be big enough to grip the ball and throw it any way you want
I'm certainly sold.
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1) Remains to be seen, anyone can look like they are the cure in practice...besides, the OC wasn't the problem last year. If the OL played more consistently and we had better QB play then our offense would have been shit hot.
2) Its obvious all four are still in the running, but from the footage we've seen, IMO Hendrix looks the best with the execution of the plays and his ball placement.
3) True, but losing a player the caliber of Lynch is NEVER a good thing no matter how well you're manned at the position.
4) That is hyperbole at this point.
5) Yeah, this is definitely correct and on top of that it remains to be seen if Jackson will be up to the task.
I think it will come down to Rees and Hendrix because of their knowledge base and whichever one can protect the ball and scramble the best will win. If Rees can protect the ball and at least extend plays a bit, then I think it's his to lose. But I believe Kiel and Golson are way behind the curve right now. I would love to see either one because I think they are the better QB's by far but if they can't run the offense, then they won't get the nod. Agree on everything else. I do think Eifert is a hell of a TE, which has surprised me because I didn't expect this type of production from him when he was recruited or when Rudolph got hurt. But it's a really great kind of surprise.
Clear cut 1st team AA IMO, but saying he is the best we've ever had is just going too far "for now".
Eifert is not nearly the blocker that Fasano, Rudolph, Derek Brown, or Irv Smith was. Although Casper was before my time, I assume he was a better blocker as well.
I just don't think any of them are as good as Eifert in the passing game.
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Recently, Fasano and Rudolph to name a couple.
I forget where I read that. I also think Kelly is giving Reese a chance to keep the job but has made it pretty clear he is still not happy with Rees' immobility. Kelly is trying to push him to be more mobile and to make better decisions. Kelly has made it clear Golson is trying but still hasn't distanced himself in a positive way. I probably have missed it, but I don't recall seeing Kelly comment specifically about Hendrix one way or another. Guess I'm pulling this totally out of my ass but I think all this means it is Hendrix position to lose right now.
All I can clearly see right now is Golson is a better runner/scrambler, but I expected that. I can't speak to anything relating to the QB's passing based on clips.
I must be getting old.
Is that Golson has quicker feet and a quicker release.
Usually we don't see where the ball lands so his footwork/release may not matter if Hendrix is getting it there better (Hendrix certainly throws it harder).
At least not on the QB front and it's hard to judge how good the offense or defense is when they are just scrimmaging each other. I always wonder does it mean the defense sucks if Riddick can carry the ball 40 yards or does it mean our offense is really good? If the DB's intercept a pass, does it mean they are really good or we are screwed at both QB and WR again?
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But I think the competition has been designed to put Rees at a disadvantage (or at least negate his mental advantages). That tells me the staff wants to see one of the other guys do it. But maybe Rees will still beat them out.
But he knows that turnovers will cost him his job so if Rees can't get that corrected, then he won't be. But yeah, I wouldn't count him out at all and would say he is probably still the man to beat.
I agree, but I do not see Coach Kelly being concerned about his
job. He is our coach for many more years. I don't see any 'known' coach being interested and I thank 'somebody' that Mr. Meyer already has a job.
Because this team is going nowhere if Rees is the #1 qb.
Rees just doesn't have the arm strength nor the mobility Kelly prefers in his qb.
I am sure it is hard not to like Rees. He works hard and manages the game well, at least until he throws another interception or gets sacked.
Just seems like he is doing everything possible to give Rees a chance to win the job. Maybe he is trying to make things even between them all.
and win the job. I guess we will have to wait until fall to see if one of them can do it. If not I am concerned because I think Rees will improve but probably not enough.