Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder yells from the sideline during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring football game on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. South Bend Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

VanGorder was hired in 2014, following the departure of Bob Diaco to become Connecticut’s head coach. The criticism of Diaco was his “bend but don’t break” approach made his defenses appear somewhat vanilla or “boring.” So what? They were fundamentally sound, rarely beat themselves and were always in the top half of the nation in total defense.

Much enthusiasm ensued when the Irish brought VanGorder and his NFL pedigree to South Bend. Many media types ballyhooed Van Gorder as an NFL mind that would immediately upgrade the Irish to an SEC style of defense. The media types quickly sold the fans on his various “exotic blitz” packages.

This brought great excitement to the masses.

Apparently no one saw or really seemed concerned with the uneven career of VanGorder prior to his arrival at Notre Dame. For starters: In 34 years as a coach prior to coming to Notre Dame, VanGorder made 18 different stops with various levels of success. Not much was made of VanGorder’s stint as the defensive coordinator at Auburn, which was his college stop previous to coming to Notre Dame. During that season the Tigers went 3-9 and VanGorder’s defense was ranked 81^st in the nation.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder on the sideline during the Notre Dame-Michigan State game. (Photo: SBT Robert Franklin)

VanGorder’s defenses at Notre Dame were inconsistent, undisciplined at times, and often gave up points and big plays in bunches. Trouble was brewing early in VanGorder’s first year. After a very good start, the Irish were scorched for big plays as they stumbled to an 8-5 finish. This included giving up 43 against North Carolina and Northwestern and being lit up for 55 versus Arizona State. We may have gotten some fool’s gold at the end of the year when they played reasonably well vs. LSU in the Music City Bowl.

At that point, we were told that year two of “Uncle Rico” would be better. It was, slightly, as the Irish improved from 69^th in total defense to 45^th. Though the numbers improved and the team went 10-3, they still surrendered a late lead at Stanford and were just beaten down vs. Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Additionally, this was a defense that featured Jaylon Smith and Sheldon Day, two of the better players in recent memory at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly looks back at an official during the Notre Dame-Texas NCAA college football game on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. South Bend Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

Despite the experience and high level talent, VanGorder’s defense was nowhere close to a dominating unit. Enter 2016, the Irish are ranked 109^th in the nation, play with zero sense of urgency, and seemingly cannot tackle. Duke was the final straw. But, a fair question is: How did we even get to this point?

In my opinion, the hiring of VanGorder seemed to be a panic move from the get-go, like a gambler in Las Vegas back at the ATM chasing the money he lost. Perhaps Kelly gambled that he needed to change to grab the ring that has eluded Notre Dame since 1988? With the offenses that he features at Notre Dame and the changing landscape of college football, he needs discipline over pedigree and consistency over resume.

Kelly is at his crossroads at Notre Dame. His next hire will likely help define his own tenure at Notre Dame.

The post I Never Liked The VanGorder Hire appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder yells from the sideline during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold Spring football game on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. South Bend Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

Much has been discussed, written, and analyzed of the 50-47 loss Texas handed Notre Dame this past Sunday. Many have called for change among the defensive coaching staff as it relates to the 50 points a young Texas team hung on the Irish defense.

Ironically, the change that is being clamored for is due to the inability to do just that – change. In the ever evolving landscape of today’s college football, it is more important now than ever for coaches to adjust, adapt, and yes – change. The evolution of the spread offense, read option, and dual threat quarterback are prime examples of how defenses around the country have been forced to adapt in order to defend the relatively new, innovative, fast paced offensive systems.

In regards to Notre Dame, changes must be made in one way or another if the Irish hope to salvage the 2016 season. Look no further than the recent game at Texas as an example of the failure to successfully adjust and adapt.

Irish Illustrated’s Pete Sampson offered this interesting stat: Against Notre Dame’s 3-man defensive line, Texas rushed 38 times for 214 yards, or 5.63 yards per carry. Against a 4-man line, Texas rushed 11 times for 38 yards, or 3.45 yards per carry. Hindsight is 20/20, but why the Irish ever went back to the 3-man front in the second half may forever remain a mystery.

I have never been a defensive coordinator – nor do I pretend to be – so forgive me for what may appear as a naive interpretation of the “VanGorder Experiment.” To the common fan, the easiest change to make on defense would be to “simplify the scheme.” This is, and remains, the platitude that Irish fans continue to cling to. It wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to suggest that the complexities of Brian VanGorder’s NFL-esque defensive system have become counterproductive to general defensive goals.

Sadly, these complexities continually appear to be far more complex to our own defense than to the opposing offense. The current defensive scheme can be easily characterized by numerous busted coverages, players “overrunning” the ball carrier, failed blitz attempts, and quite simply poor tackling. When these miscues develop into patterns, rather than isolated incidents, you end up with historically poor results as summarized by long-time Notre Dame Football beat writer Lou Somogyi at Blue and Gold Illustrated:

The 132 points Notre Dame has surrendered in its last three games — a 38-36 loss at Stanford, a 44-28 defeat to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl and the 50-47 setback in Austin — set a school record for the most over such a stretch. Those 132 points yielded come out to an average of 44.0 points per game. The previous record was 129, or 43.0 per game, in 2014.

Unfortunately, that also occurred during VanGorder’s first season at the helm when Notre Dame lost 55-31 at Arizona State, 43-40 at home to Northwestern in overtime, and 31-28 versus Louisville. That’s not even including a 49-14 drubbing at USC in the regular season finale, or a 49-39 victory versus Navy the week before traveling to Arizona State. When you add those five games up, it comes out to 43.5 points per game, just short of the current 44.0 number through the past three contests.

Once again, a healthy dose of “simplify the scheme” would appear (on the surface) to be a potential cure to the poor defensive performances. If not a cure, perhaps simplifying a defensive philosophy rooted in NFL teachings could provide a much needed cough drop to the current disease defense.

Perhaps a simplification would allow for less scheme teachings and more fundamental tackling teachings, thus providing better results considering the original tally of missed tackles against Texas reached an inexcusable 24. Maybe even a Bob Diaco “bend don’t break” style defense would more justly fit the current defensive personnel. Comparing the Diaco era versus the VanGorder era provides for a nostalgic juxtaposition:

• Yards allowed per game: 343 (Diaco) vs. 393 (VanGorder) +50
• Points allowed per game: 19.0 (Diaco) vs. 27.1 (VanGorder) +8.1
• ND Offense points per game: 27.1 (Diaco) vs. 34.0 (VanGorder) +6.1 – essentially BVG has the luxury of a 6 point cushion that Diaco wasn’t fortunate enough to have.
• 2012 defense allowed one touchdown drive of over 75 yards (Diaco) vs. 2015 defense allowed 26 touchdown drives of over 75 yards (VanGorder) – also the Irish defense gave up four touchdown drives of 75 yards or more against Texas. (Stats courtesy of @NDMcFLY  & @PeteSampson_)

While these statistics may be superficial, they do make an ND fan appreciate the old adage: “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.”

The upshot is that the coaches can’t lose sight of their overall goal – to put the players in the best opportunities to succeed. This beautifully simple idea has been conflated and overshadowed on defense over the past three years by perplexing gap assignments, stunts, blitzes, and coverage responsibilities.

Looking back at the 2015 team, the lack of success on defense is maddening, especially after considering five members of that defense are currently on NFL rosters (Jaylon Smith, KeiVarae Russell, Sheldon Day, Romeo Okwara and Matthias Farley). Yes, the 2014 and 2015 defenses suffered unprecedented injuries, but would that not then prompt a coaching staff to change and/or adapt their complex philosophy to fit a young and inexperienced personnel? One could argue it certainly would not hurt.

This change needs to be made in order to put the current personnel in the best opportunities to succeed. Drue Tranquil and Avery Sebastian are very talented safeties who lack the physical traits necessary to succeed given their current responsibilities within the current system. Their backups, true freshmen Devin Studstill and Jalen Elliott, also can’t be expected to fully grasp the complex scheme when no one has truly demonstrated a distinct understanding in the three years of its implementation.

The last three years have been a clinic on how to handicap above average athletic talents due to strenuous mental expectations. It is expected that the defense “play fast.” But in order to do so requires less thinking and a more natural read and react style of play. In order to put the players in the best positions to succeed, the coaching staff must adapt and change their philosophies to fit their current personnel.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin

The coaching staff must learn to adapt to the personnel at their disposal. Otherwise, fans can expect more of the same – busted coverages and missed assignments, which put the Irish on a path to a painfully mediocre season. If the coaching staff can’t make a philosophy change, the only other feasible option is to change the philosopher.

The post Defensive “Change” Must Come, One Way Or Another appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

For the Irish: #5 Nyles Morgan (Jr.)

Credit: Irish Sports Daily

Nyles Morgan takes over the linebacker corps and is tasked with comprehending Brian VanGorder’s defensive scheme. Joe Schmidt’s graduation clears the way for Morgan’s elite talent, and the defense will look to rebound from large portions of 2015 where their red zone performance suffered.

While Morgan appeared in all 13 games last year, it was mostly in spot duty and accompanied by all-everything Jaylon Smith, who’s now departed for the Dallas Cowboys. Opposing offenses hope to capitalize on Morgan’s relative inexperience and the youth in Notre Dame’s defensive secondary, so the linebacker’s dual role in stopping run & pass efforts will be crucial to the team’s overall success.

Across the front seven, the Irish have enough experience to stack up well against most offensive rosters they’ll face. Morgan is the key cog in Notre Dame’s defensive system. If his potential turns to dependable play, the linebacker unit will perform well. Should Morgan’s inexperience lead to mental lapses, miscommunication on the field, or subpar positioning and fundamentals, the 2016 offense will be playing from behind more often than is prudent.

Preseason news implies that Morgan has grasped the linebacker role, and that mental understanding has caught up with his elite physical gifts. Let’s hope he can continue his improvement as fall camp concludes and the season commences.

For the Enemy: #46 Malik Jefferson (Soph. / Texas)

SEPTEMBER 5, 2015 – Texas’ Malik Jefferson, left, and head coach, Charlie Strong come out onto the field for the second half against Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., on Saturday, September 5, 2015. Notre Dame defeated Texas 38-3. (RODOLFO GONZALEZ / AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

As soon as the euphoria of last year’s 38-3 Texas victory wore off, I’ve been dreading this defensive rematch with Malik Jefferson. Playing in his first collegiate game at Notre Dame and with the game out of reach for most of the second half, Jefferson still notched 9 tackles (5 solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss (a season high for him). The preseason watch lists already have tabbed him for a host of various defensive awards, and he will look to make his presence known opening weekend against Notre Dame with a large TV audience watching.

His 2015 freshman campaign was good enough to earn him a consensus spot on the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America squad as well as Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 honorable mention. His size and impact on the defensive side of the ball will remind Irish fans of Jaylon Smith, and Longhorn fans certainly hope Jefferson makes a sophomore leap as the defense’s leader. Much of the critique of Charlie Strong’s Texas tenure has been directed at his scoring offense, because the defense has been stout — the 2015 defense ranked 7th-best in yards allowed per play (4.68).

For a top-25 defense that returns seven starters, Texas will pose an immediate thread to the Irish offense. Win or lose, ND fans should expect to see Malik Jefferson quite a bit on the evening of Sept. 4.

The post Linebacker: 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.

Notre Dame lineman Jarron Jones, right, chases Florida State quarterback Jameis Winson during the second half. (Photo: Mark Wallheiser , Associated Press ).

Florida State and Notre Dame are on a collision course to meet at season’s end in the Orange Bowl, according to SB Nation’s Jason Kirk.

Kirk correctly predicted that the Irish would be Fiesta Bowl bound in 2015 after narrowly missing the playoffs, although he had Boise State as the opponent. (The Broncos would finish 9-4, although they’d win the far less glamorous Poinsettia Bowl.)

Kirk doesn’t like the Irish this year, because their schedule “has a bump too many” – although he has USC slotted as the second-best Pac-12 team, Michigan State as the second, third or fourth best Big 10 team and Stanford as the fourth best Pac-12 team. When does it get hard, Jason?!

Historically, the Irish have struggled against Florida State, going 2-6 all time. While the 1993 “Game of the Century” was memorable for Notre Dame fans, more recent clashes have included an 18-14 loss in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl (TOMMY NO!) and a 31-27 loss in Tallahassee (IT WASN’T A PICK) that took a once-promising 2014 season and set it into a tailspin.

While the prospect of two teams with ACC ties seems like a bit of a snooze for a New Years Six game, the Irish and Seminoles aren’t scheduled to meet again until November 2018. That game will be played in South Bend.

(For @SavedNDAClick, the answer to the headline is: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Kirk slotted Irish opponents in the following bowls:

• Foster Farms: Wisconsin vs. Stanford (Pac-12 #4)
• Tax Slayer: Miami (ACC #3-#6) vs. Georgia
• Alamo: Texas (Big 12 #2) vs. USC (Pac-12 #2)
• Belk: Virginia Tech (ACC #3-#6) vs. Auburn
• Holiday: Michigan State (Big 10 #2-#4) vs. UCLA
• Military: NC State (ACC at large) vs. Temple
• Quick Lane: Syracuse (ACC at large) vs. Indiana

There were no bowl assignments for Nevada, Duke, Army and Navy.

Here are some other Irish headlines:

• Irish Still in the Mix for 2017 Top OT – Jedrick Wills, a four-star tackle from Kentucky, pared his list of teams to eight schools Wednesday. Wills eliminated Ohio State and Michigan State from consideration, but Notre Dame survived the cut. Wills is a “fixture” at Kentucky sporting events, but the Irish have recruited exceptionally well under the guidance of offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. Steve Witfong, a national recruiting analyst for 247 Sports, even believes Wills is Notre Dame bound – although that is, at this point, a minority opinion.
• 

  Parker Boudreaux

  Boudreaux Out of The Hospital – Freshman offensive guard Parker Boudreaux has been released after two days from a South Bend hospital while he continues to recover from viral meningitis. This is great news, considering you couldn’t blame Irish fans for fearing the worst when word first leaked on Twitter that Boudreaux had was a teammate called a “serious brain infection.”

• Georgia OL To Announce His Pick At The Opening Camp – Andrew Thomas, who is considered the top offensive lineman prospect in the Peach State, will choose between Georgia, Notre Dame and Clemson on July 9 or 10 while attending Nike’s camp, The Opening. The smart money is on the Bulldogs to land the 6-foot-5, 318 pound mass of man.
• No Significant Improvement In Smith’s Damaged Knee – ESPN’s Ed Werder said the damaged nerve in former Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith’s knee has shown no “significant improvement.” It looks like 2016 will be a lost year for the Dallas Cowboys’ second round draft pick.

The post Could FSU Grudge Match Await Irish At Season’s End? 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.

Courtesy: Getty Images

Debate This is a recurring series on HerLoyalSons in which two writers take opposing sides on a hot topic. Today and tomorrow, we will debate whether or not Jaylon Smith should have played in the Fiesta Bowl. Today, IrishJimmy leads us through the “he should have skipped it” argument. Tomorrow, andrewwinn takes the other side.

Jaylon Smith should have skipped the Fiesta Bowl because it was far more important for him to stay healthy and protect his financial future than it was to win a meaningless bowl game.

MONEY LOST

In a Feb. 19 interview, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. said:

To get anything out of Jaylon Smith this year would be a surprise. But this is a kid, unlike Cedric Ogbuchi last year, or even Todd Gurley — you can make an argument that Jaylon Smith is the best player in this draft.

Smith tore his ACL and LCL and suffered nerve damage during the first quarter of the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl. Had he skipped the bowl and stayed healthy, Smith could have been the top overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Jared Goff, the actual first pick, will sign a $27.9 million contract – all guaranteed – with an $18.5 million signing bonus.

Smith dropped to the fourth pick of the second round and will sign a contract estimated to be worth $6.5 million, with a $2.9 million signing bonus. He’ll also capitalize on a loss-of-value insurance policy worth $900,000, which is not subject to taxation.

If these numbers are accurate, Smith’s injury cost him as much as $21.4 million.

MEANINGLESS GAME

Smith’s injury could be the impetus for high profile stars to skip essentially bowl games that are essentially meaningless in the playoff era. If this is the case, the players who opt not to play couldn’t be more right.

Jaylon Smith is a perfect example. The linebacker was not going to return to Notre Dame to play his senior year, so why play in a bowl game that has zero national championship implications?

Sure, people will say all the right things. As athletes – or, in my case, former athletes – were are conditioned from a young age to finish what we have started. Some will argue that college players have an obligation to the team and the university.

However, we are well past the point of blasting athletes who leave college early for the NFL. Although they may not like it, most people understand that these athletes have a ton of money at stake.

There was an era when Notre Dame would not play in a bowl game unless it could significantly improve the final ranking. In this day and age, though, almost every college participates in a bowl game regardless of ranking.

Imagine if Smith has suffered this catastrophic injury in the Quick Lane Bowl, playing for a 6-6 Notre Dame team. Perhaps even more people would make the suggestion that players should avoid these games.

Most colleges enter these games simply for the bowl payout, of which nothing goes to the player. And don’t forget: It isn’t the bowl game that poses the only risk. Most coaches who advocate for accepting a bowl bid do so because it entitles them to 15 additional practices. That, in essence, amounts to 15 more opportunities to have a devastating injury.

BLAMING COACHES IS MISPLACED

https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/726108303877660672

https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/726111324451799041

https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/726115630118801408

With all the above being said, I don’t blame the coaches for this situation. Bart Hubbuch, the New York Post columnist who publicly blasted Brian Kelly for playing Smith, is, at best, naïve and, at worst, pointing the finger in the wrong direction.

Coaches are employed and retained purely for winning percentage. No coach has ever saved a job because of a high graduation rate, team GPA or lack of player injuries. They have to win. As such, they should be purely evaluated on win-loss record.

The responsibility for this issue falls squarely on the NCAA. If the NCAA cares about the “kids” as much as they claim to, they should foot the bill to insure potential high draft picks prior to bowl game participation.

Some schools out there don’t even guarantee scholarships for four years. Conceivably, it’s possible a underclassman could have a career-ending injury in a meaningless bowl game and later find themselves without a scholarship.

While it paints me to think that high-profile Notre Dame players may skip these games in the future, I truly believe they have every right to do so. In fact, a projected Top 5 pick would be foolish, in my mind, to play.

Players would be wise to view Jaylon Smith’s injury as a cautionary tale on the downside of bowl game participation.

The post Debate This: Jaylon Smith Should Have Skipped Fiesta Bowl appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

“I am going out on the record saying that the #9 legacy will carry on,” said Smith. “Malik Zaire will be wearing #9 this upcoming fall. That’s my guy. All the way from the ‘IrishMob13.’ Malik said he would hold it down.”

Zaire’s Instagram account has a post confirming the change but it has not been made official by ND Football.

Malik Zaire (m.zaire8) Instagram post on April 20, 2016

Of course, a number change like this creates a domino effect. Alize Jones has a poll on his twitter account asking followers if he should stay with no. 10, his current number, or switch to Zaire’s 8, his high school number.

Which jersey number should I rock this year?

— ALIZÉ JONES (@AlizeJones8) April 20, 2016

C.J. Sanders currently wears the number on the offensive side of the ball. If he wanted to switch to his high school number, three, it’s there for the taking. Amir Carlisle wore the number this past season and no one picked it up during the spring game.

The last ND quarterback to wear the number was Pat Dillingham in 2002. More important to note, the last successful quarterback to wear no. 9 was Tony Rice during his championship run in 1988.

The post Zaire Switching To Smith’s No. 9 This Fall appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

David Kenyon, a Bleacher Report columnist, suggested this in “Ten College Football Trades We Wish Could Happen This Spring.” Kenyon acknowledges there’s no such thing as trading college football players (although Kyler Murray & Trevor Knight did a switcheroo that looked like one.)

Kenyon’s caveat was that his trades were “subjective” but “made as fairly as possible.”

I can’t argue with the subjective part, but this is a terrible hypothetical deal for Notre Dame.

THE IRISH PERSPECTIVE

Malik Zaire (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Malik Zaire is a talented quarterback who is returning from a season-ending ankle injury. Under Zaire’s brief leadership, the Irish offense was more productive than it was under DeShone Kizer (when comparing equal playing time). Zaire hasn’t fumbled the ball or thrown an interception. He’s also a charismatic fellow who may well become a team leader. A recent poll of Blue & Gold Illustrated readers picked Zaire as the second most-likely captain this coming year.

I don’t know who Coach Brian Kelly will tap to start the season at quarterback. Even if it’s Kizer, it’ll be nice to have Zaire if Kizer struggles or is injured. Even if Kelly decided not to redshirt sophomore Brandon Wimbush, his options for backup would be Wimbush (who has attempted five passes in his college career) and true freshman Ian Book, a three-star prospect.

Jarrad Davis is an outstanding weak-side linebacker who registered 98 tackles, 4 hurries, 11 hits & knockdowns, and 3 sacks last year. The Irish lost talented junior WILL (weak-side LB) Jaylon Smith to the NFL. Smith had 113 tackles, five pass breakups and six QB hurries last year.

Smith’s backup was Te’Von Coney, who saw limited action before replacing the injured Smith in the Fiesta Bowl. Coney then injured his shoulder in the same game and was replaced by the now-departed Jarrett Grace. Coney will likely battle redshirt freshmen Josh Barajas and/or Asmar Bilal for the WILL position, with Coney the favorite if he’s healthy.

THE GATORS’ PERSPECTIVE

Jarrad Davis / Kim Klement – USA TODAY Sports

Davis would undoubtedly start if he was Irish. But his absence would hurt the Gators tremendously. Davis’ backup at Florida is senior Daniel McMillian.

In a GatorBait.net article, writer Thomas Goldkamp writes:

Beyond those two [Davis and senior Alex Anzalone], the depth really drops off quickly. Both McMillian and Rolin have some experience now as fourth-year players, but neither has been productive at all on the field. Injuries have kept Rolin from getting up to speed, while McMillian frequently finds himself in the wrong position to make a play.

For the Gators to be good at linebacker in 2016, Anzalone must stay healthy and some of the younger players like Jackson, Reese and the other freshmen coming in this summer need to be able to play some snaps.

Joshua Hammond is a freshman wide receiver who plays the X (split end) position, where the Irish also lost a player to the NFL Draft – Will Fuller. But the Irish have the gifted Equanimeous St. Brown, senior Corey Holmes and freshman Kevin Stepherson at that position. Javon McKinley, who could also play there, was rated higher than Hammond in 247Sports’ composite rankings. Chase Claypool, another Irish signee, was rated one slot lower than Hammond.

Dre Massey plays a mixture of slot, running back and kick returner. He was Scout’s 22nd best junior college player in 2015; Notre Dame, to my knowledge, has never recruited a junior college player. Massey is expected to challenge for a starting role in the Y (slot) position at Florida; the Irish have Torii Hunter Jr. and the speedy C.J. Sanders there already.

CONCLUSION

Joshua Hammond

Thankfully, David Kenyon is not the general manager of the Notre Dame football team and there are no trades. Because this would be a lopsided one in favor of the Gators.

Zaire’s departure would leave the Irish in a tenuous position if Kizer struggled or was injured. With Kizer running the ball nearly 120 times last year, his chance of being banged up is pretty good. Add in the fact that only one QB has played a full season under Kelly (Tommy Rees in 2011), and you could see why the Irish would be reticent to deal Zaire.

What they give up – stability at the most important offensive position – would not be worth what they got back – a stud linebacker and two wide receivers with great potential (but not much else). The move would hurt the Gators at linebacker, although their wide receiver corps would function fine without Hammond or Massey. The Irish have plenty of depth at wide receiver. What they need is an explosive edge rusher or a shut down corner.

The post Don’t “Trade” Malik Zaire appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith (9) celebrates a big stop in the Wake Forest red zone during the Notre Dame-Wake Forest game on Nov. 14, 2015. SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

Jaylon Smith believes he’s still a Top 10 pick despite his serious injury. If he falls past the first round, the former Notre Dame linebacker may be silently rooting to drop all the way to the middle of the third round.

What is seemingly a perverse incentive – to diminish your draft stature – may actually be a sound financial decision for Smith, according to NFL draft expert Jason Fitzgerald.

Because NFL rookie contracts are fixed according to the league’s 2011 collective bargaining agreement with its players’ association, an accurate projection can be made about what each pick stands to earn.

There are three ways at looking at this.

MAXIMUM CONTRACT

Fitzgerald, founder of OverTheCap.com, projects the final pick of the first round – currently held by the Denver Broncos – will be paid $8,235,538 over the life of the four year contract.

Smith purchased a “loss of value” insurance policy before suffering an ACL/LCL injury in the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl. It will reportedly pay out $700,000 if he is not among the first round picks. It will also pay $100,000 for each subsequent pick in which he is not selected, up to a maximum of $5 million. Darren Rovell, ESPN’s business reporter, said the policy pay out is tax free.

Smith’s policy maxes out at the 75th pick, a middle-of-third-round selection currently owned by the Raiders. That pick will be paid $3,126,100 over the four year contract, Fitzgerald says. Therefore, the linebacker would make $8,216,100 including the insurance payout.

If Smith is selected with the first pick in the second round or up to the 10th pick in the third round, he’ll paid be paid between $7.29 million and $8.05 million.

Conclusion: If Jaylon Smith isn’t selected in the first round, he should hope to go in the mid-third round to maximize his money.

GUARANTEED MONEY

Jason Fitzgerald / OverTheCap.com

Fitzgerald says, in general, guarantees are as follows:

• The first 23 or so picks: Entire contract is guaranteed.
• The remaining first round picks: Full signing bonus, plus three years of salaries guaranteed
• Second round: Full signing bonus plus first two years’ salaries guaranteed**
• All other rounds: Full signing bonus guaranteed.

The insurance policy, I’ll assume based on reporting, is guaranteed money.

The final pick of the first round is paid $8.24 million, of which $6,662,509 is guaranteed money. Then Smith’s insurance policy kicks in, creating a roller coaster where some picks are more valuable than others.

They are, in order of most valuable to least valuable to Smith:

• Round 2, Pick 5
• Round 2, Pick 32 (last pick of the round)
• Round 2, Pick 6
• Round 2, Pick 3
• Round 2, Pick 7
• Round 2, Pick 8
• Round 2, Pick 9
• Round 2, Pick 4
• Round 2, Pick 2
• Round 2, Pick 10
• Round 2, Pick 12
• Round 2, Pick 11
• Round 2, Pick 31
• Round 2, Pick 1
• Round 2, Pick 13

…and so on.

Conclusion: If Smith doesn’t go in the first round, he’ll want the team who holds the fifth pick in the second round – currently the Jaguars – to select him to maximize his guaranteed money.

** Fitzgerald says: “The second round is actually a little less than the first two years as it gets later and it fluctuates team to team. But that’s a safe estimate to use.”

Longhorns quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (18) is tackled by Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) in the second quarter. Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

AFTER FEES & TAXES

Fitzgerald made a great point.

“If this policy is truly tax free, then to do a full analysis you would probably need to pull the tax money and agent fees out of the contract numbers too. With that in mind you may be able to make a case that being picked 76 is better than being picked say, 23,” he wrote.

Agents earn up to 3 percent on money actually received, and a draft pick will have to pay Uncle Sam next April for any earnings made this year. I’m not a tax professional, but I have a rudimentary understanding of how tax brackets work. Using Bankrate.com as a reference, I’ve determined:

The 28th pick in the draft will earn $9,269,432 over the life of a four-year contract, of which up to $226,662 would go to his agent (over a four-year period) and $1,277,056 would go to the federal government for 2016 earnings. (I can’t calculate taxes beyond 2017 because we may have a different tax system by then. I also didn’t attempt to calculate state taxes, since those vary.) That leaves him with approximately $6.05 million.

If Smith falls below that pick, by my analysis, the best way to maximize his take-home pay would be to be selected with the final pick of the second round. In that instance, he would collect $3.8 million from the insurance policy (remember, it’s reportedly tax free) and an additional $2.13 million from his contract (minus fees & taxes). Smith’s take home pay would be $5.93 million.

Conclusion: If Smith falls below pick #28 – currently held by the Chiefs – he should hope to be picked at the end of the second round (in a pick currently held by the Broncos).

Credit: South Bend Tribune

OTHER VARIABLES TO CONSIDER

If Smith has to take a “redshirt” year to fully recover from his injury, but then subsequently plays a lot for his team, it could be a blessing to fall to the third round. Rookie contracts include a “Proven Performance Escalator” which rewards players selected in rounds 3 through 7 for exemplary play.

Smith would receive a increase to his fourth-year salary by either 1) participating in at least 35% of his team’s defensive plays for either two of his first three seasons, or at least 35% over the course of his first three years.

“If you were certain on playtime, he would also stand to earn an extra $900,000 to $1 million in the fourth year of his contract as a third rounder,” said Fitzgerald. “That would definitely bump it into a better position than a late first rounder.”

The contract expert said the other side should be examined as well.

“Generally, players picked in the first and second rounds have an easier time securing a second contract even if the play is average,” Fitzgerald said. “You generally need to work harder to get on the field as a third rounder than a higher pick.”

Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith (9) leaps over Boston College’s Myles Willis (23) as QB Jeff Smith (5) passes during the second half of the Notre Dame-Boston College NCAA football game on Nov. 21. SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

IT JUST TAKES ONE TEAM

Smith, according to several media reports, failed his physical examination with multiple teams and at least 3 clubs say they won’t consider drafting him before a re-check of his knee in April. NFL Media’s Kimberly Jones said Sunday “that the first round now seems unlikely for Smith based on what she’s hearing from NFL decision makers.”

But it’s important to remember: Smith doesn’t need to convince every team to draft him; he just needs one.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King reported Monday that at least one G.M. is still high on Smith.

“No way he won’t play at some point, and play well,” the G.M. said.

Les Snead, Los Angeles Rams’ general manager, may have said it best: “Like I’d tell Jaylon, whether you got hurt or not, it really doesn’t matter where you get drafted. It matters, whether we’re talking about Jaylon or any other player who has been injured in four, five, six, seven, eight to 10 years.”

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