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.

For The Irish: DT Jarron Jones (Sr.), 6-foot-5, 315 lbs

SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 11: Jarron Jones #94 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against Jon Heck #71 of the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium on October 11, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

After missing the entire 2015 season to a torn MCL, the senior defensive tackle is primed to end his Irish career in a big way. The Irish faithful last saw Jarron Jones at Notre Dame Stadium on Nov. 22, 2014 in a game against Louisville. Jones had a successful year in 2014, recording 40 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Jones also has blocked four kicks in his career, two shy of the Notre Dame all-time record. It takes a special type of 315 pound man to barrel through another large man, jump, then block a kick in just about a 2-3 second range.

It is that type of athleticism that makes Jones a top NFL defensive line prospect despite his injury history. Jones underwent surgery after a suffering a Lisfranc injury – basically a bone break mid-foot. NFL scouts see the upside to Jones, comparing him to 2014 46th overall pick Stephon Tuitt. Both players are strong, athletic, lengthy, and are versatile in defensive front schemes. Jones’ strengths include his quickness, flexibility, power, and length. Jones is projected as a late second round pick in pre-season mock drafts.

The talent for Jones is clearly there, but Brian Kelly’s number one concern is obviously his ability to stay on the field. In a defensive line rotation that includes sophomores Elijah Taylor, Jerry Tillery, and five-star recruit Daelin Hayes, Jones and fellow senior Isaac Rochell will be the leaders on the defensive line.

For The Enemy: Michigan State DT Malik McDowell (Jr.), 6-foot-6, 276 lbs

The junior defensive tackle will be the best defensive lineman the Fighting Irish play this season, as he may just be the best defensive tackle in the country. McDowell is listed a top 10 2017 pick and the first defensive tackle off the board. McDowell is the most talented player on the Spartans and will dictate personnel used on the defensive line.

In his 23 career games, McDowell has recorded 54 tackles, 17.5 for loss, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. The five-star recruit has been head coach Mark Dantonio’s biggest recruit and earned second-team All-Big honors. Similar to Jones, McDowell uses his lengthy arms and athleticism to cause havoc on the defensive line.

The post Defensive Line: Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

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.

SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 11: Jarron Jones #94 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against Jon Heck #71 of the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium on October 11, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

It has been no secret that the Irish defense has significantly lacked a strong and consistent pass rush the past few seasons under Brian VanGorder’s defensive system.

Yes, there have been flashes of well-designed blitzes and convincing individual performances. We all remember the thorough dismembering and countless cans of whoop ass that were opened on Michigan in 2014. How could anyone forget this marvelous shutout? (Quick update: Michigan still hasn’t scored). This was the game we were all formally introduced to the mustache riding, fist pumping, turn down for what defensive coordinator we collectively crushed on for a week.

It was also just a year ago that Romeo Okwara recorded three sacks in one game against Wake Forest. Okwara lead the team with 8 sacks, which was 45th best last year. Alabama, the reigning national champion, lead the country in sacks with 52, more than double Notre Dame’s lackluster output of 25. The Irish were tied for 74th in the country. As explosive as the Irish offense was last year, #NDnation drools at the thought of 10 more sacks potentially putting the offense in even better positions to light up the scoreboard. Since 25 sacks won’t cut it, is there any reason to believe this number will improve?

Yes – the defense will generate a better pass rush than last year. In terms of pass/fail, I would set the goal at 33 sacks. That output last year would have put the Irish in the top 30. I believe they’ll have a more effective pass rush than last year for two main reasons: depth and upgraded athleticism at key pass rush positions.

DEPTH

The defensive line has been a frustrating group to follow over the past few years. Depth has been a nagging issue. Sheldon Day and Romeo Okwara have left behind large voids, but there is still reason to be optimistic about the defensive line. There’s an intriguing mix of inexperience and veteran presences.

Daelin Hayes (und.com)

Daelin Hayes and Khalid Kareem, two early enrollees, provide much needed depth, talent and overall star power. The pair, who both hail from Michigan, were top rated defensive linemen within the recruiting class. Hayes was once a U$C commit and Kareem was pledged to Alabama. They’ll be pushing redshirt freshmen Elijah Taylor and Michah Dew-Treadway, big bodies that are expected to compete for supporting roles.

Sophomore Jerry Tillery – star of Showtime’s “A Season With” documentary series – and battle-tested juniors Daniel Cage and Andrew Trumbetti will be staples on the defensive line this year. All three will be crucial to the group’s success and bring a different attribute to the line. Tillery is a highly cerebral defensive tackle with above average athleticism, giving him the ability to wreak havoc in opposing backfields. Cage is a 315-pound defensive tackle that often requires a double team in the middle of the defense, thus allowing linebackers to roam more freely. Trumbetti has seen two years of work at defensive end and has shown bursts and flickers of becoming a true rush end.

Unproven junior Jonathon Bonner finds himself in a curious grey area. Brian Kelly explained that Bonner was one of the “impressive up-and-comers” of the 2015 spring season; however, Bonner was unable to translate this praise onto the playing field on Saturdays.

Moving into 2016, Bonner explained to Blue and Gold Illustrated that he has settled in and become far more comfortable with his position.

“I do (feel myself getting better).  I actually feel a difference this year compared to even the end of last year. Workouts are much better and you can use everything in your toolbox from last year and really put it into play during spring ball.” Minimally, Bonner provides the defense with additional depth, and has potential to become a solid situational player within the defensive line rotation.

Finally, promising NFL prospects Isaac Rochell and Jarron Jones will set the tone for the group and will likely have the biggest impact on its success.

Jones returns this year after missing the entire 2015 season due to a fall camp knee injury. Jones’ long frame – 6-foot-5.5, 315 lbs. – is uncharacteristic for a defensive tackle. If he can develop an ability to leverage this length against his defenders, he could become incredibly difficult to block.

Rochell has the versatility and experience to play both tackle and end. He is anticipated to fill the leadership void within the position group that departed with Sheldon Day’s graduation. He is also one of my picks as a potential captain.

This evenly distributed amount of talent creates depth that has been dreadfully needed. With this depth in place, it would be a pleasant change of pace to see far more rotation on the defensive line compared to last season. Great defenses, especially defensive lines, have the ability to platoon players in and out, thus keeping the big bodies fresh for key snaps. Notre Dame has not had this luxury in recent seasons, but barring any (*FEROCIOUSLY KNOCKS ON WOOD*) injuries, the Irish should be able to create a steady and fresh rotation of defensive linemen.

UPGRADED ATHLETICISM

The BVG defensive scheme doesn’t shy away from a blitz or two (or three or four or…. you get it).  Sadly, a number of blitzes and a number of sacks are not directly correlated.  Last year, Irish fans witnessed a heavy dose of blitzes that failed to get home – many executed by Mike (middle) linebacker Joe Schmidt. This isn’t the time or place to debate Schmidt’s play, but it’s fair to say that when he blitzed, he rarely got home – twice to be exact.

Nyles Morgan (Credit: Chicago Tribune)

This upcoming year the defense will feature Nyles Morgan at Mike linebacker, and it’s with complete confidence that I conclude this will be an upgrade at the position. Morgan was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team, and to the Sporting News Freshman All-America Team in 2014. Many (including myself) were clamoring for Morgan to get more reps last year, but this simply didn’t happen. Many assumed it was due to a lack of totally understanding defensive schemes.  Morgan addresses this notion along with other intricacies of his position in a “Close Up” interview with WatchND.

Morgan is primed for a breakout year. His overall athleticism and three-year knowledge of the defensive scheme will produce vast improvements in the pass rush and in the defense as a whole.

Irish fans not only saw a bevy of blitzes from the linebackers, but also from the nickelback position. In the past few years, Matthias Farley often made a living firing off the line of scrimmage as a nickelback into opposing teams’ backfields. Redshirt freshman Shaun Crawford was going to be the team’s starting nickelback in 2015 before suffering a season ending injury in fall camp. He’ll be starting this year for sure. Crawford’s “quick twitch” agility and speed should be a deadly combination enabling him to come off the edge as an unexpected pass rusher. His pure athleticism, similar to Morgan, will be an upgrade at the position and a threat to opposing backfields.

Pairing the depth that has been created on the defensive line with the talent upgrades at other key pass rush positions, the Irish defense is in good position to improve from last year’s performance and inflict chaos on opposing pass protections.

Previous 5 Questions:

Will Another Star Receiver Emerge in ’16?

The post Will The Irish Defense Improve Its Pass Rush? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Jaylon Smith was right to play in the Fiesta Bowl because it’s what he wanted to do, because devastating injuries can happen at any time and because playing tentative or afraid won’t make him a great football player.

Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith (9) celebrates a sack during the Notre Dame-Texas NCAA college football game on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

JAYLON SMITH WANTED TO PLAY

Smith, the former Irish linebacker, said he had zero regrets about playing in the Fiesta Bowl, during which he suffered a torn ACL and LCL.

“Even if I had a chance to go back, I would play in the bowl game again. You’re playing in the Fiesta Bowl, first time in my life, against a great team in Ohio State. I would never want to let my teammates down, and no regrets.”

The junior continued to assert that he was not troubled by the decision, even days prior to the draft. Smith told the Chicago Tribune:

“It’s just understanding that everyone is dealt their own hand and just dealing with that. I don’t want people to be sad for me or mad, because I’m not sad for myself. I look at it as an opportunity for growth.”

Smith doesn’t even blame Taylor Decker, the Ohio State offensive lineman who shoved him before the injury. Decker, the Lions’ first round draft pick, told the Detroit Free Press:

“Football is a physical, violent game. I just wanted to reach out to him and wish him all the best. And he told me right back, he’s like, ‘No hard feelings at all.’ So I think that was really mature of him.”

Coming into the Fiesta Bowl, Notre Dame and Ohio State had 19 individuals on their roster that would go on to be drafted by NFL teams. Imagine if Ohio State’s five first round draft picks and Notre Dame’s two first rounders refused to play to protect their draft stock. The fans would lose out, but their teammates would too. There’s no worry about who wins the matchup between wide receiver Will Fuller or cornerback Eli Apple – both would be sitting. Ditto for offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and defensive end Joey Bosa. (Because of Bosa’s ejection, this isn’t a perfect example.)

Setting aside the question of whether players should be paid, they are being compensated. There’s an exchange that takes place: The school offers a full scholarship and the player offers his time and talent when healthy. Jaylon Smith was healthy and in a position to help his team win a game. He took that commitment to the team seriously, and he played when asked. Coaches aren’t offering scholarships to guys who want to play until their team is out of championship contention. They expect their players to give full effort until the end. Frankly, it would undermine the entire system if players decided to unilaterally pick and choose which games to participate in to protect their draft status. It would be less about team and more about the individual. Jaylon Smith isn’t wired that way. He cares about his teammates. The game had meaning to him because it was an opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his teammates on one of the biggest stages against an elite team and to find a way to win.

SMITH’S PAYOUTS ARE RICH ENOUGH

The injury may have cost him up to $21.4 million, and this 20-year-old said he still would have played. So let’s talk about the money.

Smith purchased a loss-of-value insurance policy for $50,000 that paid out up to $5 million if he suffered an injury and fell out of the first round. It’s the sort of policy that’s a wise investment for any highly valued player and, in Smith’s case, a necessary one. The policy will pay out $900,000 – which is tax free, so the true value is closer to $1.7 million.

It’s complete speculation that an uninjured Smith would have gone first overall, especially considering the Rams and Eagles traded up to get a quarterback. The Chicago Bears took the first linebacker with the 9th overall pick.

Let’s compare former Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd’s new contract with Jaylon Smith’s.

Floyd will receive $15,782,861, all guaranteed. He’ll pay an estimated $2.2 million in taxes in 2017 and, assuming a 3 percent fee, his agent will take home about $473,480. That leaves Floyd with about $13 million before 2018 taxes are due.

Smith will receive $6,494,970 plus the $900,000 insurance payout, for a total of $7.4 million. He’ll pay an estimated $877,534 in 2017 taxes and send $87,708 to his agent. That leaves Smith with about $5.5 million before 2018 taxes are due.

Is there a big difference between $5.5 million and $13 million? With prudent investing, both could take care of you for a lifetime.

If Smith never plays another down of football in his life, that $5.5 million and (presumably forthcoming) college degree from Notre Dame could ensure financial stability until his death. (The average American male with a bachelor’s degree can expect to make $2.1 million during his lifetime.)

If he does play, Smith has the opportunity to make tens of millions more in a second contract. This injury didn’t take away his ability to provide for himself and his family; it limited his ability to buy a yacht and a private jet simultaneously.

Notre Dame’s Jerry Tillery (99), left, and Jaylon Smith (9) bring down Clemson’s Deshaun Watson(4). SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

DEVASTATING INJURIES CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME

Bart Hubbach, a NY Post columnist, recently criticized Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly for not forcing Smith to sit.

“Sometimes kids need to be protected from themselves. Kelly and other head coaches need to be the adults in the room,” tweeted Hubbach.

That would be an impossible line to draw. If Notre Dame had lost two or three games early in its season – removing all legitimate hope for a national title – should Kelly sit Smith to protect him from himself? In those “way too early” mock drafts, Smith was a top 25 pick or even top 10 pick before the 2015 season even kicked off. Certainly, that’s higher than he went after the injury. Should he have sat the entire season? Of course not.

Season-ending or career-altering injuries can come at any time. Mike McGlinchey finishes a block on Joe Schmidt during summer practice before the 2015 season, and Schmidt takes out Jarron Jones’ knee. Jones was lost for the season

In the first game of the 2015 season, running back Tarean Folston made a series of nifty moves. Fourteen yards later, he was down…with a torn ACL. In the second game, quarterback Malik Zaire runs a draw play. His ankle is trapped underneath a defender, who is tackling him. Zaire suffers a fractured ankle and is lost for the season. In the third game, Drue Tranquill breaks up a pass in the end zone and celebrates by doing a butt-bump with Schmidt. Tranquill lands on the knee awkwardly and tears an ACL. He’s lost for the season.

Like Jones, Folston and Zaire, Smith was just unlucky. Freak season-ending injuries were a too-common part of Notre Dame’s 2015 season.

AFRAID AIN’T A GOOD LOOK

In a recent interview on SportsBeat 960, Draft Countdown’s Scott Wright said there would “most likely” be negative repercussions for any college player who skipped a bowl game for fear of injury.

“No question. NFL people want to see guys compete and get out there on the field, even though you can make a very good argument that it’s in their best interests to sit it out. Teams would not like that. But ultimately – at the end of the day – what it comes down to are: Hhow talented are you? If you’re a Jaylon Smith-level talent and you skip that bowl game, maybe it would have dropped him a few spots. But I still think he would have gone in the top 10 overall. I think it’s something that players are going to start asking themselves more and more as the years pass. I guarantee you the NFL people would not like it at all and they would have a lot of harsh words for them.”

Smith was asked about being afraid that he would never recover from his injury. “I don’t have time to be afraid,” he told the NFL Network. “I don’t have any time to be afraid. For me, it’s just about putting the work in, controlling what you can control.”

Jaylon Smith leaps over Cardinal Ritter’s Jalen Chandler during the fourth quarter of play in the Class 2A IHSAA football championship game Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Playing scared is also contrary to Smith’s style of play.

Ty Hunt, the coach at Cardinal Ritter High School in Indianapolis, recalled a moment when his team played Smith’s in the Indiana Class 2A state championship.

‘‘They had a third-and-five, and they gave him the ball to the outside,’’ Hunt said. ‘‘I have a DB who’s going to an NAIA school. He’s 6-1 and came off a block and went to get him, and Jaylon hurdled him like he wasn’t there. It was pretty impressive.’’

Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Potash picked up the story from there.

“Smith actually was penalized for hurdling on that play. But it’s that kind of aggressiveness that Notre Dame wants, no matter where Smith plays. Coaches tried to recruit Smith as a running back — he rushed for 1,625 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior — but the kid rather would hit than be hit and insisted on playing defense.”

In a February 2013 scouting report, FoxSports.com Director of Scouting Scott Kennedy raved about Smith in the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette:

”When you speak about players like this, you use a lot of superlatives, because he is one of the top five players in the country in a nation of a million football players. If you are trying to pick him apart, where is his weakness? He can play safety for God’s sake. He’s great in coverage. He’s got flexible hips. He’s got long arms. He’s aggressive. He’s not afraid to go up and smack people. He’s so instinctive that he plays all over the field, so he has a very good feel for the game on what the offense and defense is trying to do. On top of that, he’s a great kid.”

The post Debate This: Jaylon Smith Was Right To Play In Fiesta Bowl appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Defensive line coach Keith Gilmore’s defensive front will face a number of challenges due to personnel changes and the development of defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder’s scheme, but has a good shot at being more disruptive up front than last year’s squad. We’ve seen a blitz work at times for Van Gorder when linebackers and others in the secondary crashed the line. Unfortunately, there have been many more times when the four linemen have been unable to get to the quarterback to force a sack or simply to get him out of the comfort of the pocket.

For 2016, that will have to change and Gilmore’s immediate challenge will be filling the shoes of Sheldon Day. The former captain started in 11 games in 2015 and amassed 40 tackles, another 24 of the individual variety while adding on seven and a half tackles for loss.

With the return of Jarron Jones, Gilmore has an opportunity to place him in Day’s spot on the line and possibly slide freshman Jerry Tillery over. The senior had a very successful 2014 campaign and was expected to be part of a one-two punch on the line until he was injured during fall camp in 2015. His return for the Fiesta Bowl showed he still had the ability to disrupt an offense. But, given his limited snaps, it remains to be seen if he is back at 100 percent.

Jerry Tillery (UND.com)

“When you break rules, that’s something that gets taken away. I know how lucky we are to be here. I’m not perfect. This definitely proves that if you’re given a lot, it can be taken away,” Tillery said. There is still no clear explanation as to what happened in Arizona but to be honest, that’s water under the bridge now.

Daelin Hayes (und.com)

Daniel Cage, Isaac Rochell, Andrew Trumbetti, Micah Dew-Treadway, Jonathan Bonner, John Montelus, Elijah Taylor, Pete Mokwuah and Brandon Tiassum are all veterans angling for available reps and with potential to reach. Early enrollee Khalid Kareem is vying for a spot on the team.

UPDATE: Per several sites, including 247 Sports, Brian Kelly has said Grant Blankenship has been suspended from for a violation of team rules and does not know if he will return to the team. 

“That’s yet to be determined,” Kelly said after Friday’s practice. “The standards that are set within the program have not been met, so I’ll meet with him after the spring game and we’ll decide what the course is from here on out.”

The post Blue Gold Game Preview: Defensive Line appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

PODCAST

• Irish Illustrated (F): Irish hit spring stride (50:55)
• ND Insider: Podcast: ND Insider recruiting update 4-2 (10:42)

RECRUITING – OFFERED

• Bruin Report Online ($): Video: Lucas at The Opening ( AZ RB Chase Lucas)
• Dawg Post (F): Big get for Dawgs – Price commits ( GA OT E.J. Price)
• Irish247 (F): Robinson, family excited about Notre Dame offer ( KY CB Davonte Robinson)
• Irish Turning Point: The buzz buzz
• Scout (F): Offers coming in for Ulmer, Robinson ( KY CB Davonte Robinson)
• Scout ($): 4-star TE Angeline planning Penn State return (PA Cary Angeline)
• Scout ($): 4-star TE Angeline gets Michigan fill (PA Cary Angeline)
• Scout ($): ND history on, off field impresses 4-star TE (PA Cary Angeline)
• Scout ($): Fulton likes LSU’s DB track record ( LA CB Kristian Fulton)
• Slap the Sign: Notre Dame offers ’17 Florida offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons
• USC Football.com: Trevon Sidney steals the show ( CA CB, also CA WRs Tyler Vaughns and Dylan Crawford)

RECRUITING – ND INTERESTED, NO OFFER

• Big Red Report (F): Brendan Scales talks about Nebraska offer ( MO TE)
• Big Red Report (F): D.J. Morgan adds Nebraska offer ( CA S)
• Irish Illustrated ($): LaBruna visits dream school (CA QB Andrew LaBruna, no rating yet)
• Scout ($): Alloway has two on top ( CA WR Damian Alloway)
• Show Me Mizzou ($): Mizzou offer for Scales ( MO TE Brendan Scales)

CURRENT TEAM

• CSN Sportsnet Chicago: Notre Dame won’t be surprised by Will Fuller’s growth
• Inside the Irish: Opportunities await Notre Dame’s running backs
• Inside the Irish: Spring practice breakdown: A look inside (finally!)
• Irish247 ($): Irish staff navigating through quarterback competition
• Irish247 (F): Denbrock: ‘(QB) is going to be a hard decision to make’
• Irish247 (F): Smythe leads the way for Irish at tight end
• Irish Illustrated (F): From a one in a thousand chance to…
• One Foot Down: Notre Dame football – Spring practice recap for April 1
• Rant Sports: 5 questions for Notre Dame football during 2015 spring practice

COACHING

• CBS Sports: Power Five college football coach rankings: The top 25 (Brian Kelly is #13)
• Irish Illustrated (F): The village voice(s)
• Irish Illustrated (F): Sanford scouting style, substance

IRISH IN THE NFL

• Bleacher Report (Monaco): Notre Dame football: DaVaris Daniels, Kendall Moore eye NFL careers
• ESPN: Atlanta Falcons waive safety Zeke Motta
• Irish247 (F): Daniels ready for next step
• Irish247 (F): Boosting draft stock was Koyack’s Pro Day focus
• Irish Turning Point: Pro Day results
• State of the Texans (F): Vince Wilfork is “here for Houston” (Louis Nix)

MISC.

• USA Today: College football playoff will keep weekly rankings

The post Morning Roundup: April 3, 2015 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

PODCASTS

• Irish Sports Talk: DaVaris at NFL Combine & Notre Dame scholarship at 82 – Feb 23 IST153 (46:45)
• Irish Illustrated: Insider Podcast #166 – Turnover margins (44:55)

VIDEO

• StudentSports: GoPro: Manti Te’o – Hawaii linebacker coach (2:06)
• WatchND: Tire Wars (0:42)

CURRENT TEAM

• Irish Illustrated: Spring questions: Defensive line (Jarron Jones, Isaac Rochell, Romeo Okwara, Andrew Trumbetti, Grant Blankenship, Jhonny Williams, Jonathan Bonner, Jay Hayes, Sheldon Day, Kolin Hill, Daniel Cage, Jacob Matuska, Pete Mokwuah, Jerry Tillery, Micah Dew-Treadway)
• Inside the Irish: Spring solutions: Wide receivers (Will Fuller, Corey Robinson, Chris Brown, C.J. Prosise, Amir Carlisle, Torii Hunter Jr., Corey Holmes, Justin Brent)
• Athlon Sports: College football’s top 20 running backs on the rise for 2015 (Tarean Folston)
• Bleacher Report: 1 thing opponents should fear about every Power 5 college football team in 2015 (“The defense has figured it out”)
• Slap the Sign: Notre Dame spring battles: Malik Zaire vs. Everett Golson
• UHND: Where’s the rush for Notre Dame football? (Romeo Okwara, Jhonny Williams, Kolin Hill, Jaylon Smith, Andrew Trumbetti, Grant Blankenship)
• The Observer: Seniors share advice with University freshmen (Matthias Farley)

RECRUITING

• Scout: Ohio QB still adding offers (Messiah deWeaver)
• Scout: Pylon 7v7: Auston Robertson
• iSportsWeb: Michigan State football recruiting: Auston Robertson names leader
• The Patriot-News: Penn State 2016 recruiting: ‘All-wish list’ offense includes commits Jake Zembiec, Miles Sanders (Cary Angeline)
• Bleacher Report: 2016 college football recruits who could change a program instantly (Dwayne Haskins, Rashan Gary)
• NJ.com: Cedar Creek’s Ahmir Mitchell, N.J.’s top wide receiver, to visit Rutgers Monday
• Eleven Warriors: Defensive line options abound in 2016, Buckeyes searching for new bullets (Naquan Jones, Rashan Gary, Kyree Campbell, Auston Robertson, Austin Mack)
• TigerNet: 5-star DB: “I love Clemson with all my heart,” commits to LSU (Savion Smith)
• Irish Turning Point: Dwayne Haskins
• Irish Turning Point: Woody Barrett
• UHND: Notre Dame recruiting ’16 needs: Defense (Auston Robertson, Josh King, Damar Hamlin, Eric Monroe, Craig Watts, Devin Studstill, Lokeni Toailoa, Jaquan Yulee and Curtis Robinson)
• Irish Sports Daily: Gicewicz enjoys Irish brotherhood on visit (Paul Gicewicz)

COACHING

• Inside the Irish: All signs (still) point to Keith Gilmore as defensive line coach
• UConn Huskies: Strong coaching ties have influenced Verducci
• ND Insider: Archive photos: Todd Lyght at Notre Dame

IRISH IN THE NFL

• ESPN: Fantasy football combine review: Maxx Williams most likely to succeed in weak tight end class (Ben Koyack)
• Awful Announcing: Fox’s Brady Quinn making a comeback bid?

SCHEDULING

• Official Notre Dame Athletic Blog: Where will the 2015 Blue-Gold Game be played?
• FB Schedules: BYU A.D. talks future football games with Utah & Notre Dame
• Anderson Independent Mail: 2015 lookahead: Pre-spring Clemson football projections

MISC.

• Sportsnet: Greatest uniforms in Sports, No. 8: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• NewsOK: Media report: Oklahoma State receiver Ra’Shaad Samples to transfer

The post Morning Roundup: Feb. 25, 2015 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Included in this episode is about thirty minutes of us being downright giddy about the result, raving about Notre Dame’s performance, and fighting through technical difficulties that I had to edit out.

Seriously, Google+, why do you hate HLS so much? WHAT DID WE EVER DO TO YOU?!

Anyways, let’s revel in Michigan despair because the 24 hour rule doesn’t apply to us!

The post HLS TV Episode 2: Michigan Still Hasn’t Scored on Notre Dame appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

To refresh, here’s how ND started to assign players to defend the option after the 2010 disaster in the Meadowlands:

1. FB Dive (Blue) – The DE and NG function as true interior DTs and attack the A-gaps that they line up over to stuff the dive.
2. QB Keeper (Red) – The Cat and DE get to the outside of the tackle and either make a play on the QB, force him back inside to the waiting safeties in second level support, or force a pitch.
3. Pitch to RB (Yellow) – The outside Will and Dog LBs contain the RB (or “pitch-man”), ensuring they are never beaten to the outside. As soon as they see the pitch, they attack the RB. The CBs serve as additional outside containment.
4. Manti Te’o (Orange) – Read the play and attempt to disrupt in the backfield if possible

While options #1-3 take care of the usual possibilities of the triple option, #4 was where Notre Dame’s defense was truly dangerous. Diaco used Te’o’s natural instincts and superb closing speed to force Navy into mistakes or quicker decisions on what to do with the football.

In 2011, Te’o had 23 tackles combined against Navy and Air Force, with 5 of those being tackles for loss (TFL). In 2012, Navy managed to avoid any Te’o TFL, but Te’o still managed 8 total tackles and 1 INT. As much as Navy tried to avoid Manti, they couldn’t do so completely.

To put it lightly, Diaco leaned on Manti and depended on him for defensive success against the option. So now that Manti’s gone, who fills his role? Or does Diaco go back to the drawing board and use a more traditional scheme without any unique wrinkles?

Personally, I would love to see Jaylon Smith slide inside and get a shot at filling Manti’s role in this kind of defense. He definitely has the raw talent and he demonstrated some impressive instincts against Southern Cal. If you are going to pick one guy from this LB corps to pretend to be Te’o flying to the ball, give me the one with the best instincts and closing speed.

This would give us a front seven that looks like this:

• DT (FB Dive): Rotation of Nix/Day/Schwenke
• DE (QB): Rotation of Shembo/Tuitt/Ishaq/Jones
• OLB (RB): Fox/Calabrese
• MLB (Rover): Smith

All that being said, and as awesome as I think it would be, I seriously doubt Kelly and Diaco would go for that idea. It would be a lot for a freshman to absorb and, if Kelly’s history is any indication, he does seem to favor experience in considering such large moves (remember, Jaylon likely isn’t playing as much as he is if Councell is healthy). So most likely the front seven will look like this:

• DT (FB Dive): Rotation of Nix/Day/Schwenke
• DE (QB): Rotation of Shembo/Tuitt/Ishaq/Jones
• OLB (RB): Fox/Smith
• MLB (Rover): Calabrese

Now, Carlo doesn’t have the same physical tools that Jaylon does, much less Manti. While I think he can do an adequate job in this role, I don’t see him completely filling the void. Because of this, I expect to see a lot more safety help than we are used to seeing. Specifically, look for the Strong Safety (SS), Elijah Shumate, to fill this role, giving almost a 4-4 look to the defense and, in a sense, having two people fill in the Manti void.

This then leaves the Free Safety (FS), Austin Collinsworth, to play “center field” and serve as the last line of defense on any run and ensure no receiver beats the secondary deep should Air Force sneak in a deep pass.

The Irish will most certainly miss Manti in defending the option, but Diaco has more than enough talent on this current squad to compensate.

The post Defending the Option: Who Takes Over for Te’o? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.