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Morning Roundup: Sept. 11, 2016

andrewwinn — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 14:37:04 +0000

The Irish trounce Nevada. Cornerback Shaun Crawford is lost to a season-ending injury. Michigan State awaits next week. These stories & more from the past 24 hours below.

LAST GAME: NOTRE DAME 39, NEVADA 10

AP: Kizer leads No. 18 Notre Dame to 39-10 win over Nevada
ASAP Sports: Brian Polian press conference
Bleacher Report: Nevada vs. Notre Dame: Game grades, analysis for Irish
College Football News: Florida, Alabama, USC, Notre Dame, Wisconsin: 5 things that matter
CSN Chicago: Notre Dame CB Shaun Crawford out for the season with reporter torn Achilles
CSN Chicago: On day of upsets and scares, Notre Dame cruises past Nevada
CSN Chicago: Notre Dame’s defense gains momentum with Michigan State looming
Goshen News: Notre Dame rebounds to take care of Nevada, 39-10
Inside the Irish: Five things we learned: Notre Dame 39, Nevada 10
Irish Illustrated: Player reaction: Kizer, Luke, Jones and Adams
Irish Illustrated ($): Snap judgments: Nevada vs. Notre Dame
Irish Illustrated: Video: Kelly high on Kizer, Adams
Irish Illustrated: Gallery: Notre Dame vs. Nevada
Irish Illustrated ($): Instant analysis: Watch and learn
Irish Illustrated: Irish rebound, hammer Nevada
Irish Sports Daily: Irish bounce back in home opener
Irish Sports Daily ($): Instant reaction: Notre Dame 39, Nevada 10
Irish Sports Daily ($): BK notebook: Nevada
Irish Sports Daily: Video: Post Nevada
Irish247 ($): Sharpley’s halftime adjustments
Irish247: Watch: Dexter Williams finds the end zone for the Irish
Irish247 ($): Sharpley’s snap judgments: Notre Dame vs. Nevada
Irish247 ($): Witfong: ND gets exactly the performance needed in win
Irish247: Impressions: Notre Dame vs. Nevada
Irish247: Shaun Crawford comments on his injury
MLive: Notre Dame overcomes sloppy start, rolls Nevada to set up Michigan State showdown
ND Insider: Photos: ND vs. Nevada pregame photos
ND Insider: Photos: Notre Dame vs. Nevada (first half)
ND Insider: Notre Dame runs away from Nevada in home opener
ND Insider: Scoring summary: Notre Dame 39, Nevada 10
ND Insider: Notre Dame’s Jarron Jones dedicates his interception to his mother, No. 944
ND Insider: Notre Dame running backs not looking out for No. 1
ND Insider: Notre Dame defense finds footing in bounce-back win over Nevada
One Foot Down: Cole Luke wearing No. 1, Studstill, Coney, Holmes and Sanders make first starts for Notre Dame
One Foot Down: Notre Dame’s Shaun Crawford injures Achilles, leaves field on crutches
One Foot Down: Notre Dame’s Jarron Jones interception leads to Stepherson’s first TD
One Foot Down: Notre Dame vs. Nevada: Game recap
Slap the Sign: Notre Dame thumps Nevada, 39-10, for first win of the season
Sporting News: Notre Dame CB Shaun Crawford out for season with torn Achilles
UHND: Notre Dame CB Shaun Crawford injury update: Torn Achilles
UHND: Watch: Notre Dame NT Jarron Jones interception
UHND: Notre Dame-Nevada ’16 highlights
UHND: Notre Dame v. Nevada ’16: Post game six pack
UND: Balanced attack dooms Nevada
UND: Postgame quotes
UND: Notre Dame-Nevada 2016: What the Irish learned in their home opener

NEXT GAME: vs. MICHIGAN STATE (7:30 p.m. ET SATURDAY, NBC)

Chicago Tribune: Beating Nevada is nice, but can Notre Dame take down Michigan State?
ND Insider: Lesar: Is this Notre Dame team good enough for Michigan State?

2016 TEAM

College Football Talk: Brian Kelly talks Notre Dame, QBs and playoffs
Inside the Irish: Behind the Irish: Playing for Notre Dame
Irish Sports Daily ($): Youth movement shows progress

DEFENSE

ND Insider: Notebook: Notre Dame defense must adjust again after losing CB Shaun Crawford

RECRUITING

Irish247 ($): Notre Dame commits bond during visit

MISC.

WNDU: Officer involved in altercation with ND football player removed from street patrol

The post Morning Roundup: Sept. 11, 2016 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Morning Roundup: Sept. 9, 2016

andrewwinn — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 09:00:37 +0000

Mike Tirico says he’s not a Michigan man. Bleacher Report has us reaching for the tissues with its remembrance of Greg Bryant. These stories and more from the last 24 hours of Notre Dame football below.

Analyzing the Fall Camp Depth Chart

BJ Konkle — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 09:00:05 +0000

Fall camp produces the perfect mix for any college football junkie – immeasurable aspirations coupled with unlimited potential. The 2016 Fighting Irish are no exception. Many positional battles follow #NDFB into fall camp and understandably so with the solid depth at all positions. Let’s do a quick rundown of what to expect.

Depth, baby! Everything this fall will revolve around the exceptional depth that has slowly been built year over year. The coaching staff has recruited exceptionally well over the past few years (the 2017 class aka #IRISHEL17E and the 2018 class aka #IrishBouND18 are stacking up quite nicely as well) especially addressing specific positional needs.

The depth is far and above where it has been in years past. The offense returns multiple assets at every position. Proven running backs Tarean Folston and Josh Adams will lead the ground game along with Dexter Williams guaranteed to be fighting for carries.

The offensive line depth is nothing short of incredible considering it lost two future NFL starters from last year in Ronnie Stanley and Nick Martin. Junior guard Quenton Nelson has been named a Sports Illustrated preseason All-American and senior tackle Mike McGlinchey is garnering elite status as the 64th best player in the nation – according to ESPN. These two woolly mammoths will anchor the left side of the offensive line, and the right side anticipates a battle between junior Alex Bars and seniors Hunter Bivin and Colin McGovern.

Tight end, once a surging position of depth, took a hit in the academic ineligibility ruling against Alize Jones. As reported, Jones will miss the entire 2016 season. The return of transferring/not transferring Tyler Luatua provides the group with a huge (255 lbs. pun intended) veteran h-back, and his decision to not transfer now proves to be vital to the position group. Nic Weishar and Durham Smythe are both capable and consistent targets from a three point stance and split wide – this groups presence and overall utility within the red zone should not be understated.

Credit: Matt Cashore

The wide receiver cupboard is full – yet unproven. The only shoe-in to start is senior Torii Hunter Jr. Behind him will be an intriguing battle between Equanimeous St. Brown, Corey Holmes, Miles Boykin, C.J. Sanders, and potentially true freshman/early enrollee Kevin Stepherson. Finishing on the offensive side of the ball, who could forget the quarterback situation, in which the Irish arguably have the most collective talent at the position in the entire nation (including Brandon Wimbush)? *Insert your own opinions about the QB situation* and find my own here.

The defensive line (also unfortunately known as the Irish’s Achilles heel in recent years) is loaded with talent and (FINALLY) depth. Isaac Rochell, Jarron Jones and Daniel Cage are battle tested veterans while Andrew Trumbetti, Jay Hayes, Jerry Tillery, Jonathan Bonner, Micah Dew-Treadway and Elijah Taylor all look to make significant impacts and potentially break out. Also, look for the word “sub packages” to be thrown around as highly talented true freshman defensive ends Daelin Hayes and Khalid Kareem could be utilized as pass rushers in such schemes.

Nyles Morgan (Credit: Chicago Tribune)

Nyles Morgan is an automatic upgrade at the Mike linebacker position, and while replacing the “once in a century” freakish athleticism of Jaylon Smith is no small task, the linebacker corps is well stocked with young talent. Te’von Coney saw limited action last year and is reported to be fully recovered from a shoulder injury suffered in the Fiesta Bowl. His classmates and other blue chip linebacker recruits, Asmar Bilal (2015 defensive scout team player of the year) and Josh Barajas redshirted last year. This young talent will push upperclassmen, Greer Martini and James Onwaulu for reps.

The secondary returns Jekyll and Hyde aka Max Redfield along with sixth year Cal transfer Avery Sebastian and fan favorite Drue Tranquil – all at safety. Garnering spring ball notoriety was true freshman and early enrollee Devin Studstill, who was my “most likely to make an immediate impact” of the 2016 recruiting class.

Rounding out the secondary at cornerback is senior multi year starter Cole Luke along with juniors Nick Watkins and Devin Butler. They are surrounded by younger talent in sophomore Nick Coleman and Shaun Crawford, who was slated to be the team’s starting nickel back last year until suffering a torn ACL in fall camp. Crawford drew incredibly high praise during the 2015 fall camp before his injury, and his return provides a massive athletic boost to the secondary.

Credit: UHND.com

Over the past few years the Notre Dame special teams have often been regarded as the “not-so-special teams.” Last year, however, the group made great strides and improvements. Returning “The Big Three” key specialists in kicker Justin Yoon, punter Tyler Newsome, and long snapper Scott Daly should pay dividends for the special teams in 2016. DeShone Kizer has been relieved of his holding duties and he will be replaced by Montgomery VanGorder. The Irish also have the luxury of Sanders’ electric and ever-elusive return skills. As a true freshman, Sanders returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown last season. The special teams should continue to build off of last year’s success.

With the well-rounded depth in place, #NDFB is primed for an entertaining fall. Don’t forget that it is your civic duty as a Domer to recite one Hail Mary each day of camp for the shake of keeping this vital depth healthy!

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post Analyzing the Fall Camp Depth Chart appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Four Irish Footballers Turning 21 During Fall Camp

andrewwinn — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 10:00:32 +0000

Credit: Gameface Media

Perhaps you’ve heard of the “beer mile,” where participants drink a full-sized beer and then run a quarter mile four times over. It’s a competitive event, sure, but not one I’d suggest doing during the hot August heat in South Bend, Ind.

Fall camp under Brian Kelly usually opens in the first week of August, which is great if you’re not happening to reach legal drinking age soon thereafter. So let’s pour one out for senior TE Durham Smythe, junior RB Justin Brent, junior S Drue Tranquill and junior DE Jay Hayes who will be turning 21 between Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 this year. (Incidentally, Smythe was born on the day Jerry Garcia died.)

Here are some other facts about the Notre Dame football team, some stranger than others:

The most popular day to be born among scholarship players is Wednesday. The least popular day is Sunday.
The most popular month to be born was October – 11 players. The least popular was February, May and November – three each.
Four of the players born in October were born on a Wednesday – junior OL Jimmy Byrne, sophomore NG Brandon Tiassum, sophomore S Nicco Fertitta and freshman WR Kevin Stepherson.
Six players will have game this year on their birthdays: OL Hunter Bivin & LB James Onwualu (vs. Texas); Stepherson (vs. Syracuse); OL Colin McGovern & RB Josh Adams (vs. Miami); and TE Jacob Matuska (vs. Navy).
The Notre Dame football team went 5-0 on days their players were born, beating Washington twice and Vanderbilt, Navy and Michigan once apiece.
There’s a whopping 2,025 days difference between the team’s oldest player (OL Mark Harrell, 23) and its youngest (LB Jonathan Jones, 17).
Harrell is the team’s lone 23 year old. There are three 22-year-olds, 16 21-year-olds, 17 20-year-olds, 21 19-year-olds, 21 18-year-olds and 2 17-year-olds.
Credit: C’est La Vie Cakes

Freshman DE Ade Ogundeji is likely the only player on the team whose shoe size (18) is higher than his age (17).
Harrell, a fifth year senior, is older than 6th year safety Avery Sebastian.
DL John Montelus is the youngest senior on the team. He won’t be 21 until September. Sophomore K Justin Yoon is 29 days younger than Montelus.
WR Corey Holmes is the oldest junior on the team. He’s already 21. TE Tyler Luatua is the youngest junior; there are nine sophomores older than him.
DT Micah Dew-Treadway is the youngest sophomore. He’s 18 and there are six freshman older than him.
S Spencer Perry is the oldest freshman. He’s 19.
Players who share the same exact birthdate (day, month & year): Bivin & Onwualu; junior OL Alex Bars & Montelus; junior OL Quenton Nelson & NG Peter Mokwuah; Luatua and sophomore CB Nick Coleman; sophomore QB Brandon Wimbush & long snapper John Shannon; freshmen WR Chase Claypool & S Jalen Elliott.
Yoon was born four days after O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of double murder.
Freshman S Donte Vaughn was born on the same day that musician John Denver died.
Wimbush and Shannon lived on the same Earth as comedian Chris Farley for just one day.
The Drudge Report gains national notoriety after breaking news of President Bill Clinton’s affair with intern Monica Lewinsky. The Eichenberg family welcomes their son Liam the following day.
Freshman S Devin Studstill and J.K. Rowling’s second Harry Potter novel, “Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets” emerged on the same day.

Thanks to Blue & Gold Illustrated’s fall preview for the birthdates of most Notre Dame players.

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After Trolling ND Fans, C.J. Holmes Is All Irish

andrewwinn — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 14:00:20 +0000

Four-star running back C.J. Holmes announced his commitment to Notre Dame this morning, mere days after excluding the Irish from a “top 4” graphic he released on Twitter.

Holmes, a 5-foot-11, 200 pound dynamo out of Chesire Academy (CT), is at Nike’s The Opening camp this week in Oregon.

Holmes attended Irish Invasion and had previously admitted he considered committing at that time. He held offers from Alabama, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and UCLA, among others. He released a top four of Alabama, Michigan, Penn State and Syracuse on Monday, then chastised tweeters for insisting they knew where he would play.

idk why the world is trying to tell me where im going lmaooo! Watch me break twitter on July 8th. ?

— ㅤ (@CjHo1mes) July 5, 2016

Credit: @CjHo1mes / Twitter

Brian Dohn, a Scout recruiting analyst, said he didn’t read much into Holmes’ tweets.

“You go back and you look, he visited Notre Dame and he comes out of the Notre Dame visit saying he almost committed and then he said he’s going to announce at The Opening,” he told Irish Illustrated. “What changed? Then you don’t put Notre Dame in it? He’s just having a little fun. Let a kid be a kid.”

Tom Loy, a recruiting analyst for 247Sports, recently praised the Connecticut product, saying, “After seeing Holmes at the Irish Invasion, he immediately jumped on my radar as one of the most talented offensive weapons nationally. There is very little he can’t do. He is shifty and quick in space, he catches the ball comfortably out of the backfield, he can split out wide and fill in as a receiver on command, and he even has the athleticism and hips to play defensive back if that was required. Holmes is the definition of an elite athlete and it’s no surprise why so many schools have him high on their board.”

Previous to Holmes’ commitment, 247Sports already considered Notre Dame to have the 8th best recruiting class in 2017 with 13 commits. Holmes is considered by that site to be the second best Connecticut prospect, 20th best “athlete,” and 292nd best player overall.

Bleacher Report, which also released the commitments of Irish players Parker Boudreaux and Daelin Hayes, handled today’s announcement.

With C.J. Holmes’ commitment, the 2017 Irish will feature WRs C.J. Sanders and Corey Holmes and RB C.J. Holmes. I suppose we can be thankful C.J. Prosise is no longer on the team.

Robert Hainsey, a four-star offensive lineman from Florida’s IMG Academy, is expected to announce his commitment on Sunday from The Opening. Notre Dame is considered by recruiting experts to be the destination for 6-foot-4, 276 pound talent.

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A Trio of Irish Injuries

andrewwinn — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 18:46:06 +0000

Devin Butler / Credit: 247 Sports

Senior cornerback Devin Butler, junior running back Justin Brent and junior cornerback Nick Watkins are among Irish injured during recent football activities, with Butler’s injury expected to sideline him until late September.

Coach Brian Kelly revealed Monday that Butler sustained a second fracture to his left foot. After starting in place of the injured KeiVarae Russell, Butler missed the Fiesta Bowl after breaking the long bone on the outside of his foot that connects to his little toe.

Kelly said Butler has had “a great semester academically. We really see him trending in the right way. And then to have an injury like that was very disappointing for him. And we’re disappointed for him.”

The 6-foot-1/2, 200 pound senior was expected to compete for an open position opposite fellow senior cornerback Cole Luke. Watkins, who suffered a fractured left humerus April 2, was also vying for the position. The junior is expected back when camp reconvenes in August.

Redshirt freshman Shaun Crawford, who may have already hopped Butler before his recent injured, is now a favorite to open the season with Luke at cornerback. Irish Sports Daily’s Jamie Uyeyama said sophomore Nick Coleman, who played primarily on special teams last year, and redshirt freshman Ashton White will probably get more attention for a spot behind Luke, Crawford and Watkins.

The Irish certainly lack experience at the corner position, with Butler giving them a little more than they’ll obviously have without him.

Justin Brent / Credit: 247 Sports

Butler started against Arizona State and USC in 2014; against the Trojans, he recorded a career-high 7 tackles. The junior also made seven tackles on special teams last year, third highest among the Irish. Butler also recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half against Navy, which ultimately resulted in a touchdown. He started against Stanford last year, recording three tackles.

Brent, who has struggled to crack the depth chart at running back, suffered a Lisfranc injury and had a screw inserted into his foot.

“He could be slowed for the first week or two,” Kelly told Blue Gold Illustrated’s Lou Somogyi.

Other injury news:

Corey Robinson, who suffered multiple concussions during his football career, will announce Wednesday if he will continue to play. Robinson, who is the university’s student body president, is a senior with one year of eligibility remaining.
Sophomore wide receiver C.J. Sanders is progressing nicely from surgery to repair a hip flexor. Kelly told Blue Gold Illustrated that “CJ is ahead of schedule by almost three weeks, which is really good news.” Sanders is expected to compete for the starting role at the slot position with redshirt sophomore Corey Holmes and may also be the Irish’s primary kick and punt returner.

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Notre Dame Football’s Most Promising “Rookies”

andrewwinn — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 10:00:07 +0000

The Irish Illustrated staff collectively ranked the top Irish “rookies” based on who they felt would have the best Notre Dame careers. My top 10 list differed from theirs, so let’s take a closer look:

1. Brandon Wimbush (II Staff: #2)

Credit: UND.com

If you consider the question, you’ll notice it’s a little tricky.

“Who among the three dozen will have the best careers at Notre Dame?”

Brandon Wimbush is a quarterback with all the tools: strong arm, fleet of foot and accurate. I’m not certain that he’s going to demonstrate that talent at Notre Dame, however.

Here’s what the quarterback depth chart could look like in 2017 (in alphabetical order):

IAN BOOK – Redshirt freshman; 4 years eligibility remaining
AVERY DAVIS – True freshman; 4 years eligibility remaining
DESHONE KIZER – Redshirt junior; 2 years eligibility remaining
BRANDON WIMBUSH – Redshirt sophomore; 3 years eligibility remaining
MALIK ZAIRE – 5th year; 1 year eligibility remaining

I put Wimbush at No. 1 because I’m betting he gets two years as a starter. Here’s my guess: Kizer beats Zaire for the starting job this year and does well enough to declare for the NFL Draft. Zaire graduates and transfers to another school for a one-year shot at making an impression on NFL teams. Wimbush starts 2017 and beats out Davis, Book and true freshman Phil Jurkovec to be chief signal caller in 2018 as well. Is this an optimistic view of Notre Dame football that does not include quarterbacks getting injured or struggling? You bet it is.

2. Tommy Kraemer (II Staff: #3)

Tommy Kraemer is a five-star offensive lineman who enters Notre Dame with more hype than Ronnie Stanley, who just got picked sixth overall in the NFL Draft. The 6-foot-5, 310 pound right tackle is praised for his “outstanding wide base, combined with a low pad level while showing balance every step of the way.” He’s also impressed scouts for his ability to “sustain and finish his blocks” and his “comfortability” with playing either the right or left side.

I picked Kraemer because the decks have been cleared for him to make an immediate impact. Stanley and Nick Martin are in the NFL. Steve Elmer has left football to join the business world. Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson probably have the left side locked down, but the middle and right is still an open competition. I see Kraemer pushing Alex Bars, Sam Mustipher and Hunter Bivin and Tristen Hoge and making the two-deep at some point in the 2016 season. It’s a guarantee if there’s injury to one of the six “incumbents” mentioned.

3. Shaun Crawford (II Staff: #1)

Credit: UND.com

I really like Shaun Crawford. I like his hustle. I like his doggedness to play as hard as he could during the spring game although he was supposed to be taking it easy. He always seems to be where the ball is going to be – and half the time it seems like he’s sticking his hand out before the ball can even get to the receiver. After tearing his ACL his freshman season, Crawford dedicated himself to studying film and learning the playbook. I like that he didn’t lose focus.

Here’s what concerns me about Shaun Crawford. He’s 5-foot-9, which is small in a position where getting vertical is essential. And he’s a largely unknown commodity, having never played a down of real college football. I’m almost 5-foot-9 myself, so I always root for the little guys. Crawford will be no exception. But for the Irish Illustrated staff to say he’ll have the best career out of three dozen (plus) guys? I think that’s a tad too optimistic.

4. Corey Holmes (II Staff: Unranked)

Credit: UND.com

If the Irish Illustrated guys are too high on Crawford, then they are definitely too low on Corey Holmes. Now removed from the shadow of Will Fuller and Chris Brown, Holmes is poised to have a break out year. I’ve written extensively on why I believe Holmes should start this year, and that was before we learned he clocked a 4.41 second 40-yard dash and jumped 41 inches vertically (which is 7 inches higher than Will Fuller at the NFL Combine).

I’m expecting Holmes to be the Irish’s No. 1 or No. 2 receiver for the next two years. The beat writers are higher on Torii Hunter Jr. – and many still like the attributes of Equanimeous St. Brown. But Holmes has remained healthy, unlike Hunter and St. Brown, and he’s my fourth pick for a great Notre Dame career.

5. Donte Vaughn (II Staff: #10)

I love Donte Vaughn because he is so freakin’ tall for a cornerback. Six-foot-three?! He’s as tall as Richard Sherman, with beautiful long limbs that can frustrate wide receivers trying to get a jump off the line. Forget about the end zone corner fade. Unless he stumbles or is slow to make a redirect, Vaughn is going to have a good chance in any jump ball situation.

Even if Vaughn doesn’t develop the loose hips or backpedal needed to excel at cornerback, he could easily find a home at either safety or outside linebacker. I’d love to see him develop as a guy who can just neutralize a team’s best receiver, however.

6. Daelin Hayes (II Staff: #4)

Credit: Tim Sullivan / Detroit Free Press

I honestly considered putting freshman defensive end Daelin Hayes at the top of this list. I also strongly considered leaving him off the list entirely.

Hayes’ high school career can be summed up in one phrase: brief flashes of brilliance. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound power pass rusher attended four high schools and saw limited action because of two shoulder injuries, a custody battle and some transfer rules. When he did play, people were impressed with his “innate quickness,” “low center of gravity,” and mental toughness.

Hayes wore a no-contact jersey throughout Notre Dame’s spring practice, as he was still recovering from shoulder surgery. Writers were impressed with what little they saw of Hayes during drills. Notre Dame desperately needs a pass rush to complement whatever Isaac Rochell can produce from the other end. Look for a healthy Hayes to push junior Andrew Trumbetti for playing time.

7. Devin Studstill (II Staff: #8)

Scout.com photo

Max Redfield once quipped that learning Mandarin Chinese was easier than understanding the full complexities of Brian VanGorder’s defense. To my knowledge, Devin Studstill doesn’t know a lick of the world’s most popular language. But the 6-foot, 190 pound product ingested enough of the Notre Dame scheme to take first team reps away from Redfield this spring.

Although VanGorder denied promoting Studstill to put a fire under Redfield, I still think the safety position is the senior’s to lose. Redfield was nursing a minor ankle injury this spring, which hopefully won’t extend into the summer.

Besides Studstill’s ability to interpret the scheme and translate it to others, he’s been praised for his excellent ball location skills. There’s a lot of bodies in the defensive backfield. But, so far, Studstill is standing shoulders above the rest.

8. Chase Claypool (II Staff: #7)

Chase Claypool is a guy with tremendous upside who hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself against the best competition. He runs a respectable 4.6 second 40-yard-dash for a man that is 6-foot-5, 215 pounds. It’ll be interesting to see where he shakes out. He could be a tight end or a wide receiver. Or, if neither pans out, he may make a respectable linebacker. Claypool has been able to rely on his physical gifts in a weaker Canadian high school league, so he’s got room to improve – especially when it comes to route running. But because of his versatility, his size and his hands, he makes my list.

9. Jay Hayes (II Staff: Unranked)

Credit: UND.com

We’ve come a very long way from Jay Hayes tweeting in frustration over his perceived lack of advancement on the defensive line. With Grant Blankenship’s future very much in doubt, Hayes has one less competitor at the weak-side defensive end position. Hayes provides more power than speed, which will likely force him to split reps – at least initially – with the quicker Andrew Trumbetti. Daelin Hayes could compete for playing time here or slide into Rochell’s spot for the 2017 season.

Hayes is one of the bigger, more jovial presences on the team. Surely moving from defensive tackle to defensive end has been tough on him. But he’s got three more seasons of eligibility left to prove himself as a presence to be reckoned with on the line.

10. Troy Pride Jr. (II Staff: #5)

Photo: 247sports.com

I put Troy Pride Jr. at the #10 position mostly for his achievements not on the football field, but in track and field. Pride took home 4 South Carolina Class AAA track titles last month, including the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash events. His fourth medal was in the 4-by-100 relay event.

Pride Jr. was listed at 160 pounds when he committed in December, but seems to have added about 15 pounds since then. He’s average height for a cornerback at 6 feet, but I’m worried it’ll take him a little while to adjust to his newer, beefier frame. It’s going to be a necessity, though, if he wants to win those physical matchups at the line.

By including Crawford, Vaughn, Studstill and Pride in my “top rookies” list, I’m almost assuredly wrong about someone in defensive backfield. But, hey, let’s hope they all work out!

TIDBITS

Irish Illustrated put freshman wide receiver Kevin “K.J.” Stepherson at #6 on their list and freshman offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg at #9.

So who is on your list? Here are the candidates to consider, per Irish Illustrated:

Redshirt sophomores Brandon Wimbush, Justin Brent, Jay Hayes and Corey Holmes
10 redshirt-freshmen from 2015: Josh Barajas, Asmar Bilal, Miles Boykin, Shaun Crawford, Micah Dew-Treadway, Tristen Hoge, Trevor Ruhland, Elijah Taylor, Brandon Tiassum, and Ashton White.
The 23 players in the class of 2016.

Leave your rankings in the comments below.

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Will Another Star Receiver Emerge In ’16?

BJ Konkle — Mon, 16 May 2016 10:00:37 +0000

Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver William Fuller (7) catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Stanford Cardinal cornerback Terrence Alexander (11) in the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to a series of posts we’re calling “Five Question Marks.” In this inaugural entry, BJ Konkle answers a question on the minds of many Notre Dame fans: Is there another star wide receiver waiting to emerge?

Notre Dame football has recruited, developed and ultimately produced extraordinary college football wide receivers. Some of these athletes – Jeff Samardzija, Michael Floyd, Golden Tate, T.J. Jones, and most recently Will Fuller – have gone on to successful (and lucrative) professional careers.

While Irish fans are proud to celebrate these “Domers,” it’s human nature to wonder: “Who’s next?”

Thankfully for the Irish fandom – and for quarterbacks Malik Zaire and DeShone Kizer – Notre Dame currently has an embarrassment of riches in regards to talented wide receivers. The position is probably the most well recruited of any in the recent past (with offensive line nipping at its heels.)

Here’s the talent currently on the roster, with their 247sports.com composite rankings:

Recruiting class of 2013: Torii Hunter Jr., 4 stars; Corey Robinson, 3 stars
Class of 2014: Justin Brent and Corey Holmes, both 4 stars.
Class of 2015: Equanimeous St. Brown, Miles Boykin and C.J. Sanders, all 4 stars
Class of 2016: Javon McKinley and Chase Claypool, both 4 stars; Kevin “K.J.” Stepherson, 3 stars

This provides 9 scholarship wide receivers to potentially pick from – 10 if you throw in talented walk-on Chris Finke, who I believe is likely to earn a scholarship.

K.J. Stepherson

As talented as this group is, they lack experience as Fuller, Chris Brown and Amir Carlisle took the lion’s share of snaps in 2015. Among those remaining, three are realistically poised and positioned to be the next potential standout wide receiver (and I’m going to throw in a dark horse candidate). It will be difficult for the incoming freshman – even one as impressive early as Stepherson – to be physically and mentally able to crack the depth chart and contribute meaningful snaps. With that being said: Purchase a nice pair of shades, because the future is bright.

Robinson’s current health concern – multiple concussions within a year – likely removes him from this conversation. Sanders introduced his slippery elusiveness in the return game last year with a punt return against UMass and a huge kickoff return against Stanford. The possibility of Sanders’ distinct threat in special teams being converted to an offensive threat makes any Irish fan grin, but he will likely remain a return specialist with the current talent that is in front of him. Brent is now fighting for carries at running back. This leaves us with a diversely talented foursome.

Torii Hunter Jr.

Here’s the case for senior Torii Hunter Jr.: He has the most game time experience and possesses the unique mental and physical ability to play all three wide receiver positions. Playing all three wide receiver positions is nothing when you consider Hunter also found himself on defense last year, contributing as a situational defensive back. He also makes time to run down fly balls in the outfield for the Notre Dame Baseball program (#NDBB). Torii’s versatility oozes out of him and is unmistakably his most attractive attribute. After graduating three seniors, Hunter finds himself in a leadership role among the wide receivers. In a candid interview on WatchND, he elaborates on this role, his ability to play multiple sports, his versatility, and his expectations entering 2016. For these many reasons, he may be the next great wide receiver to emerge from Notre Dame.

Credit: Matt Cashore

The praise that Corey Holmes has received from coaches this spring has been a pleasant surprise to many Irish faithful. The decision to redshirt Holmes last year (his sophomore season) raised questions about his ability to contribute in the future. Holmes credits his father for helping him work through the frustrations of redshirting as a sophomore. “It wasn’t until halfway during the season when I finally stopped worrying about other people and worried about my own game,” Holmes explained. This mindset paid off and the questions were answered when Holmes posted a spring 40 yard dash time of 4.39 – officially making him the fastest player on the roster. Confidence will be key for the Florida wide out as he continues to progress into fall camp. If he can translate his raw speed into football speed – similar to Will Fuller’s path to success – he may become a go-to threat and poised for a breakout junior season.

Notre Dame’s Josh Equanimeous St. Brown celebrates a touchdown during the Fighting Irish’s game against the University of Massachusetts. (SBT Photo/ Becky Malewitz)

Holmes may be the fastest player for the Irish, but Equanimeous St. Brown may be the most polished receiver on the team. “EQ” played sparingly as a freshman as a back-up to Fuller, a future first round NFL Draft pick. The sophomore is listed at 6’4 and weighs 205 lbs. Brian Kelly alluded to the California blue chip’s athleticism stating, “(He) runs like a deer!” Kelly continued his praise during the 2015 season, “I think (St. Brown) would start for a number of power five teams. He’s ready to play right now. I’m just not taking Will (Fuller) off the field unless I have to.” “EQ” has the size and athletic abilities to become a transcendent wide receiver and 2016 may be the year the country learns how to correctly pronounce “Eq-uan-i-me-ous.”

Consider Miles Boykin the dark horse candidate to break out in 2016. Boykin is listed at 6’3 and an overpowering 225 lbs. He has been linked to lapses of inconsistency, whether that is drops or mistaken routes. But the sheer girth Boykin adds to the receiving corps is apparent in his frame. Boykin referred to his size in a recent interview, saying, “Knowing how to use (size) is the difference between knowing how to use it in the high school level, and knowing how to use it in college. People are stronger and you just have to fight through that, like running through friction and going up and getting balls and being physical with them.” Stepping up to the learning curve has been a process. If the consistency can begin to shine through, Boykin could immediately become a red zone threat, utilizing his size to essentially box out defenders in the end zone. Boykin has the summer and fall camp to convince position coach Mike Denbrock and ultimately Coach Kelly that he belongs on the field come game time.

The talent, especially young talent that #NDFB has at its disposal entering the 2016 season is second to none. The question still remains: Who will Zaire or Kizer turn to when the game is on the line…?

The post Will Another Star Receiver Emerge In ’16? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Blue Gold Game Preview: The Wide Receivers

tricerapops — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 09:30:38 +0000

Certain story lines and narratives have floated to the surface as we approach the Blue Gold Game, likely leaving a lingering aftertaste once the final whistle blows during the annual scrimmage.

Here’s a current glimpse into what we have seen/read/heard so far, along with a healthy dose of extrapolation and unrealistic expectations/hope (it’s spring after all) – with specific focus on the Irish wide receivers.

The wide receiver position group has been steadily featured in the Watch ND practice videos this spring, and invites a number of questions that will be intriguing to see answered come the fall. Fortunately, the questions are not of the “OH NOES, WHO WILL CATCH THE BALL?” but more along the lines of our typical, “Who will step up?” variety.

It almost feels like an annual tradition that we have a good spring season for our WR heir apparent(s) and a number of names surfacing both old and new to keep us guessing into the season. History tells us that BK will settle on 1-2 guys that will be feature dudes in the receiving corps – but damn if it doesn’t feel like we have a fleet of all-Americans now in April!

Corey Holmes – So word out of camp is this guy is fast as all-get-the-heck-out-of-here. Is he Charlie Weis/Munir Prince “whoosh” fast? That remains to be seen (that was a fall camp reference, but work with me here). BK has already placed a qualifier that Holmes’ speed needs to translate onto the football field, but one has to be optimistic that this isn’t fool’s gold.
Torii Hunter Jr. – exciting video highlights + positive feedback via BK press conference snippets + word of flexibility (i.e., we shouldn’t expect Hunter Jr. to be relegated to just the slot receiver position) gives many a Notre Dame fan heart palpitations. It sounds like a good problem to have, in that THJr can play anywhere on the field and we have the ability to mix and match guys based on what the defense is giving us. He would be the smart bet on the heir apparent as our go-to receiver for 2016 (if I wasn’t so enamored with E. St. Brown).
Kevin Stepherson – NEW GUY ALERT! NEW GUY ALERT! Along with the trees that smell weird when they bloom in the spring, we have our annual tradition of naming a freshman who is making major noise within practice…only to never see them during the season. Again, not a bad problem to have and I’m not complaining. But Kevin Stepherson, with your acrobatic/athletic catches and your press conference praises, I hope you like the sidelines.
Chris Finke – WALK ON ALERT! WALK ON ALERT! Chris Finke, with his speed/hustle/good looks has become the darling of the ND podcast circuit and practice report snippets – even getting video love from the FIDM team. The kid has some skills and if we are to believe the hype, he’ll earn a scholarship before his time is done. Now will he see the field?
CJ Sanders – had to bow out early for surgery (bummer). Fans will be left wondering if he will be able to display more of the razzle dazzle he brought to the return game, in a WR capacity. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until fall camp for any indication.
~~Equilibrium~~ ~~Equidistant~~ ~~Egregious~~ ~~Evangelical~~ Equanimeous St. Brown – I personally have high hopes for this guy heading into 2016 as he showed flashes of brilliance in 2015 and was a Will Fuller away from being able to show his stuff last season. We haven’t seen much by way of glowing practice reports/video/press conference snippets that leads us to think that Elephantine is having a standout spring, but that’s not to say the dude isn’t making plays.
Corey Robinson – Student body presidente, national anthem singing, entrepreneurial aspiring – the renaissance man that ND fans love to simultaneously brag about and to question. A minor set-back with a concussion, but reports/videos were steady in showing what Robinson was able to do before he suffered the injury (enough to keep the fans continuing to fret about his course load and its impact on his ability to run routes).

So you have a few guys banged up and not necessarily having remarkable springs, and a few names popping up that you expect (Hunter Jr.) and names you don’t (Stepherson). Sprinkle in a name you may have forgotten (Miles Boykin) and it’s a standard spring. Maybe in the B/G game, someone will make a host of plays that will introduce further questions in the mix. But the overall story on WR remains the same heading out of spring 2016. We have a lot of options and guys that can fill the void that was left behind after our featured WR and his veteran counterparts left, and that is a good thing – open questions and all.

The post Blue Gold Game Preview: The Wide Receivers appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

The Case For Corey Holmes

andrewwinn — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 15:18:51 +0000

Corey Holmes is the forgotten receiver on the Notre Dame depth chart. In this post, I’m going to make the case for why the redshirt sophomore should play – and hypothesize about what may be keeping him from the field.

Holmes was a four-star prospect from St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), who was considered both “highly overlooked” and “underrated” by professional talent evaluators coming out of high school. Holmes’ best attributes were his length, his speed and his route running ability. The then-senior was most often compared to T.J. Jones, a former Notre Dame captain who now plays on Sundays for the Detroit Lions.

Here are Holmes senior season highlights:

In the highlights, you see a receiver who is fast, who can get open and who does a fairly decent job of blocking downfield on running plays.

Holmes did enough to impress Notre Dame’s coaches in his freshman year, seeing the field for a few plays versus Rice & Michigan in 2014. But he’s sat since; the only opportunity for us to see him play has been during the 2015 Blue-Gold game.

COREY HOLMES CATCHES

In his best catch of the afternoon, Holmes (bottom of the screen) appears to stumble off the line. Travis Allen (#25), a walk-on DB, tries to check him and misses. Holmes finds a seam between the linebacker (Te’von Coney) and the deep safety (Nick Watkins). Everett Golson’s pass is high, but Holmes snags it without a problem. On his high school highlight reel, Holmes is listed as having a 39 inch vertical. That’s more than 5 inches higher that Will Fuller’s result at the NFL Combine recently.

Two different catches here. On the left, Holmes (top of the screen) runs a slight comeback route and then leaps over an unprepared defender (Allen again) to make the first down grab. It’s a nice catch in traffic. On the right, it’s pretty straightfoward. Watkins is giving Holmes (bottom of the screen) a cushion, so Holmes runs six yards and stops. Malik Zaire’s pass is waiting for him. Holmes absorbs the hit without bobbling the ball.

COREY HOLMES GETS OPEN

Holmes (very top of the screen) beats his man – cornerback Jesse Bongiovi, who gives him a slight shove – and gets past deep safety Matthias Farley. It’s hard to say if Farley would had let him get over the top if Zaire’s pass wasn’t looking like a wounded duck. But Holmes was open if Zaire could have stepped into the pass instead of throwing off his back foot.

On a designed pass play, Zaire ends up feeling the pocket collapsing and scampers for a first down. Holmes – at the bottom of your screen – beats Devin Butler with a nice outside fake to inside pivot. My only criticism is that Holmes doesn’t get himself downfield enough to assist with blocking after Zaire continues to run – although Torii Hunter Jr. (#16 – middle of screen) appears to do the same.

Holmes can first be seen in the back of the end zone. He follows DeShone Kizer, who is on a rollout, and manages to get himself open a bit – despite some light holding by Nick Watkins. Unfortunately, Kizer throws the pass out of bounds. Holmes’ athletic attempt isn’t enough.

Holmes (lined up at the top of your screen), gets inside position against Nick Watkins. The throw is low; it’s difficult to tell from the broadcast if Holmes had an opportunity to get his hands under or if the ball skipped right when it got near him. Regardless, it’s an incomplete pass on what could have been six.

AREAS OF CONCERN

True freshman Equanimeous St. Brown passed Holmes on the depth chart last year. As Will Fuller’s backups, neither were expected to see a lot of playing time. Brown managed 15 snaps; Holmes never got one. When St. Brown was hurt during the Wake Forest game, Holmes was listed as Fuller’s backup for the Boston College, Stanford and Ohio State games.

While Holmes was considered a diamond in the rough coming out of high school, St. Brown was even more highly regarded.

Holmes was rated most favorably by ESPN, which had him the 94th player overall in the 2014 class. He was #200 on Scout’s list and #224 on Rivals. St. Brown, meanwhile, was ranked #63 in ESPN’s 2015 class, #144 at Rivals and #207 at Scout.

St. Brown may be higher on the depth chart because he’s about four inches taller than Holmes and – if high school statistics can be believed – runs as fast as Holmes. (St. Brown was listed as running a 4.44 40-yard dash, while Holmes allegedly ran a 4.0 40.)

But it may be other attributes. Holmes’ biggest issues, it appears, is his physicality and his situational awareness. Chris Brown is a similar height and weight to Holmes, and he was an excellent downfield blocker. It can be done by a “lanky” receiver type. These clips would give any coach pause.

Holmes (bottom of your screen) does a poor job of keeping Butler (#12) out of the play. Butler pretty easily pushes Holmes aside. Although the play was, for all intents and purposes, over before Holmes lost his block, the wide receiver would not have known that. Losing contain on your primary responsibility is problematic.

There’s two different plays here. On the left, Holmes (bottom of your screen) makes a late block on the defender – who has sniffed out the play and gotten a good break on Amir Carlisle. The pass is too high – perhaps Carlisle should have walked more toward the sideline so that Holmes’ block could have been more effective. Then he’d have to beat just one defender before the end zone.

On the right, Holmes – playing the slot (top of your screen) – makes contact with his defender but doesn’t keep engaged with him. Meanwhile, a second defender has run right past him to grab Carlisle for a two yard loss. Zaire’s pass is low, causing Carlisle to almost kneel down to get the pass. But Holmes’ block leaves much to be desired.

CONCLUSION

With St. Brown completely healed from a late-season shoulder separation, I’d expect he’ll see the majority of the first team reps at the X (Fuller’s old position) initially. I’d imagine Holmes will see reps with the second team with freshman Kevin Stepherson and others nipping at Holmes’ heels. I’m obviously not privy to practices, so I don’t know why Holmes isn’t seeing the field. But I know this is his make-or-break year. If he can’t find the field this year – whether through talent or through opportunity due to injury of another player – I expect the situation to only worsen for him in 2017.

I’m hopeful Holmes will have a break out junior season, just as Will Fuller emerged on the scene during his sophomore season in a very unexpected (but fantastic!) way.

The post The Case For Corey Holmes appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Corey Holmes Archives - Her Loyal Sons

Morning Roundup: Sept. 11, 2016

Morning Roundup: Sept. 9, 2016

FROM OUR SITE

PODCAST

NEXT GAME: vs. Nevada (3:30 ET Saturday, NBC)

2016 TEAM

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

RECRUITING

LAST GAME: Texas 50, Notre Dame 47

MISC.

Analyzing the Fall Camp Depth Chart

Four Irish Footballers Turning 21 During Fall Camp

After Trolling ND Fans, C.J. Holmes Is All Irish

A Trio of Irish Injuries

Notre Dame Football’s Most Promising “Rookies”

1. Brandon Wimbush (II Staff: #2)

2. Tommy Kraemer (II Staff: #3)

3. Shaun Crawford (II Staff: #1)

4. Corey Holmes (II Staff: Unranked)

5. Donte Vaughn (II Staff: #10)

6. Daelin Hayes (II Staff: #4)

7. Devin Studstill (II Staff: #8)

8. Chase Claypool (II Staff: #7)

9. Jay Hayes (II Staff: Unranked)

10. Troy Pride Jr. (II Staff: #5)

TIDBITS

Will Another Star Receiver Emerge In ’16?

Blue Gold Game Preview: The Wide Receivers

The Case For Corey Holmes

COREY HOLMES CATCHES

COREY HOLMES GETS OPEN

AREAS OF CONCERN

CONCLUSION