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Morning Roundup: Sept. 6, 2016

andrewwinn — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 09:00:16 +0000

Here are the headlines about Notre Dame football from the past 24 hours.

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

Irish Sports Daily ($): Nevada preview

2016 TEAM

Blue & Gold Illustrated: Brian Kelly takes a defensive stance after Notre Dame defeat
Forbes: Despite opening game loss, Notre Dame is national championship material
Irish Illustrated ($): Crossing the lines
Irish Sports Daily: Kelly says tap the brakes
UND: Brian Kelly teleconference transcript

OFFENSE

Bleacher Report: Torii Hunter Jr. injury: Update on Notre Dame WR’s possible concussion, return
CSN Chicago: Brian Kelly will wait on Notre Dame QB decision, but not for long
CSN Chicago: Too early for clarity on injured Torii Hunter Jr., Avery Sebastian
ESPN: Wide receiver Torii Hunter is in concussion protocol after Notre Dame’s loss to Texas
Irish Illustrated ($): Can St. Brown lead with Hunter in doubt?
One Foot Down: Bagpipe Monday: The duel is over

DEFENSE

Blue & Gold Illustrated: Defensive woes remain offense at Notre Dame
Chicago Tribune: Brian Kelly says to ‘tap the breaks’ on criticism of Notre Dame defense
Goshen News: Brian Kelly preaches patience on defense after Texas loss
Irish Illustrated ($): Tim Prister’s Point After
ND Insider: Lesar: Brian Kelly stays the course with Notre Dame defense
UHND: Brian VanGorder’s Notre Dame defense shredded, again
UHND: Torii Hunter Jr., Avery Sebastian injury updates

SCHEDULE

CSN Chicago: Schedule watch: Rough opening week for Nevada, USC
Detroit Free Press: Notre Dame presents golden opportunity for MSU in eye test
UND: Q&A on Notre Dame Stadium football game days for 2016

RECRUITING

Blue & Gold Illustrated: DE target Josh Paschal shines in season opener
Irish Illustrated ($): Recap: Werner returns to form

IRISH IN THE NFL

State of the Texans: Nuggets: Veteran leadership from within and more (Will Fuller)
Viking Update ($): ‘Steep learning curve’ for Bradford (Kyle Rudolph)
Viking Update: Bridgewater remains among teammates (Rudolph)

MISC.

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Who Should Start At QB?

BJ Konkle — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 10:00:51 +0000

Welcome to a series of posts we’re calling “Five Question Marks.” In his final entry, BJ Konkle answers a question on the minds of many Notre Dame fans: Which quarterback gives Notre Dame the best chance to win?

Getty Images

I’ve saved the most debated question of all for last – Malik or DeShone, Zaire or Kizer, lefty or righty?

The position is still very much up for grabs as we head into fall camp. Coach Brian Kelly has said that while either player is capable of taking the team to a championship, the offense first and foremost will need to establish an identity based around the quarterback position.

Kelly hits the nail on the head with this approach. Last year, Ohio State struggled to find an identity offensively due to its inability to choose a quarterback, and build the offense around that quarterback’s skill set. Moving forward into fall camp it will be crucial for the coaches to choose a quarterback early in the process and begin building the offense around the chosen quarterback’s specific talents. But…which guy should they pick?

It would appear that the majority of fans, pundits and analysts are in favor of giving DeShone Kizer the nod.

The common argument presented is that Kizer has the most experience after helping lead the team to a 10 win season last year. While I’m not sure that a “right or wrong” answer exists when it comes to picking between two Maxwell Award watch-list-worthy QBs, I believe there is a stronger argument to be made to start Malik Zaire.

Former Irish quarterback, Brady Quinn, laid out his reasoning for believing that Notre Dame should start Zaire. His argument is largely based around seniority. While I agree with Quinn’s choice, I disagree with his logic.

My argument revolves primarily around Coach Kelly’s identity initiative, and the general idea that the current offensive unit – and team as a whole – suits Zaire’s talents and style better than Kizer’s.

It is important to define where each quarterback’s talents and style differ before diving any deeper. Both players can make all of the throws. Both players have demonstrated an advanced understanding of the offense. Zaire, however, is unquestionably the more talented and feared runner. His ability to create outside the pocket and the sheer threat of his running ability puts the offense and team in a better position to succeed.

Again, piggybacking off of Kelly’s rationale to cultivate an identity, the Irish are better positioned to identify as a heavy and dynamic rushing team with Zaire as the signal caller of the offense. Three main premises support this argument: 1) young and unproven wide receivers, 2) young and unproven right side of the offensive line, 3) control the time of possession to protect the defense.

INEXPERIENCE AT WIDE RECEIVER

Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) throws a pass against Navy during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, in South Bend, Ind. (AP / Jeff Haynes)

Last year DeShone Kizer had the luxury of a first round NFL draft pick wide receiver in Will Fuller. Any quarterback salivates over the incredible speed that Fuller possessed. This speed forced defenses to play a safety over the top of Fuller, thus allowing the run game to profit schematically. Kizer also had the advantage of throwing to two additional seasoned veterans in Chris Brown and Amir Carlisle.

This year the wide receiving corps returns only one real contributor from the prior season: Torii Hunter Jr. It has already been established that the cupboard is certainly not empty for wide receivers coach Mike Denbrock, but the 2016 team will likely not have the same ability to take the top off of a defense as consistently as they did last year with Fuller. Taking all of this into consideration, the young and inexperienced receivers will benefit from the strongest rushing attack possible, relieving them of any added pressures to contribute while also allowing them to flourish in vital play action calls.

I don’t believe that #NDFB would have a poor rushing attack with DeShone Kizer. Kizer showed an above average ability to run the ball last year, but I believe Zaire gives the Irish the most dynamic rushing attack possible. It is also important to note that unlike many fans, I do not buy into the common narrative that because Zaire is the more gifted runner, then by default Kizer must be the better passer. I reject this theory while recognizing that Zaire does not possess the 6-foot-4, 220 lbs. frame that Kizer and many great passers do. But we haven’t seen enough of Zaire through the air to determine who the better passer is. Again, taking into consideration the youth and inexperience of the current wide receiving core, I believe they would be put in the best position to succeed in an offense that identifies with a strong running quarterback giving the Irish the most dynamic rushing attack possible.

A POTENT RUSHING ATTACK HELPS O-LINE GAIN CONFIDENCE

Harry Hiestand and the offensive line have a difficult test this upcoming season in replacing first round draft pick, Ronnie Stanley, and second round draft pick (and likely NFL starter), Nick Martin.

Thankfully, Hiestand and the Irish have developed tremendous depth at the position and the likely replacements are extremely talented. However, having new full time starters at center, right guard and right tackle isn’t guaranteed to be a seamless transition. Similarly to the young and inexperienced receivers, over half of the offensive line will be largely inexperienced and benefit from the most formidable running game possible. Getting the big fellas up front into a rhythm running the ball will be crucial to the group’s success. Zaire gives the Irish the best rushing attack possible, while also providing the offense with the most elusive capability to avoid a pass rush. With three new full time starters on the offensive line, it is understood that there will be some breakdowns in pass protections. Zaire’s legs provide the best opportunity to break contain and create outside of the pocket, whereas Kizer is certainly not a sitting duck, but doesn’t deliver the running threat that Zaire does. Combining the loss of the vaunted home run threat in Fuller with the loss of key pass protectors in Stanley and Martin, the Irish offense is not positioned to have sustained success in long passing down situations regardless of who is behind center. Given the inexperience on the offensive line, it is important for the Irish to promote a rushing culture in order to put the offensive line in as many 2^nd and short and 3^rd and short situations as possible. Zaire is best fit to accomplish this task.

DEFENSE NEEDS TO STAY OFF THE FIELD

Over the last few years under defensive coordinator, Brian VanGorder, the defense has been… admittedly less than stellar. In order for #NDFB to be of playoff caliber this upcoming year, the defense must improve while also not be depended on too heavily. The offense can aid the defense by keeping them off the field and putting them in good field position. In order to do this the Irish must – you guessed it – develop the best rushing attack possible. By running the ball successfully, the Irish can maintain control over the time of possession, thus keeping the defense off the field.

In 2015 the Irish ranked 62^nd in rushing defense. If this trend continues (c’mon BVG…), the best rush defense will be our rush offense – if you pick up what I’m putting down. It will also be important to eliminate turnovers and sudden/quick change scenarios for the defense. In his limited action, Zaire has not recorded a turnover. This isn’t to say that he will never turn the ball over, but he has not shown any signs of being reckless or careless with the football. This bodes well for the defense. Zaire provides the best opportunity to sustain long drives while also showing a unique ability to throw the deep ball if necessary. It’s not only in the best interest for the offense to start Zaire, but also in the best interest for the defense.

Laid out for you is an argument to start Malik Zaire at quarterback for the 2016 season. I’m convinced that both men will play this year, but I believe that the talent assembled among the entire team is best positioned to succeed with a gifted runner behind center. Cultivating an identity around running the football effectively provides the best opportunity for success. One final thought to add to the argument: with a very capable back up in Kizer, Kelly and his “play calling committee” would no longer need to keep Zaire on a “pitch count” threshold for the number of times to run him. They could unleash a full-fledged rushing attack with no need to worry about how many hits the quarterback may take, thus increasing the threat and effectiveness of Zaire’s running abilities. I’m confident in either quarterback, but I believe that the team is best suited to identify as a run first offense and Zaire is the quarterback that provides the most dynamic rushing attack possible.

Cheers and Go Irish!

Previous “5 Questions” Posts

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Does Notre Dame Have a California Problem?

tricerapops — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 13:06:08 +0000

I’m admittedly a fan of prospects out of California that go on to become great college football players. I especially love it when they buck the trend and go out of state, and take a chance on Notre Dame. From my days of cheering on Kory Minor, I have always had a soft spot for guys on our roster from the Golden State.

Fresh off signing day 2016 and the anticlimactic Caleb Kelly announcement, I wanted to know how Brian Kelly has fared recruiting wise compared to his predecessor, Charlie Weis. My fuzzy memory tells me that Weis had better success in CA and landed a good number of kids from the state. With the help of my HLS compatriot, @andrewinn, I looked at the data. Here are some summary points:

Charlie Weis in California

Through Weis’ years (2005-2009) Notre Dame targeted 45 prospects in CA.
Weis had 12 commits during this period, representing a 27% hit rate on pulling guys from out west.
11% of Weis’ commits transferred or left Notre Dame, guys of note – Joe Fauria and Shaq Evans who went on to become good players at UCLA (note that Evans left after Weis was fired, and it seemed he never was in the good graces of the new coaching staff)
Notable misses from CA: honestly? Looking at the guys we didn’t get and looking at star ratings and what they went on to become – the only guy that could be a ‘miss’ was Mark Sanchez.

Brian Kelly in California

Obviously Brian Kelly has a few extra years on Weis, but if you just consider his first five years – ND offered 70 prospects. If you include through 2016’s class – a whopping 123 total prospects offered.
Unlike Weis, we didn’t land as many guys out of our targeted prospects. BK only signed 13% through his first five years, overall through 2016 ND has signed 11% of its CA targets.
Not a lot of transfers out of ND for CA guys – one guy of note, Tee Shepherd (only for the drama), and most recently Tyler Luatua. Not a transfer but kind of a bummer – Troy Niklas leaving early for the NFL.
The guys we missed on reads like an all-star roster (or the starting roster for USC): George Farmer, Robert Woods, Anthony Barr (still irks me that we couldn’t get him), Arik Armstead, Eddie Vanderdoes, Deontay Greenberry, Su’a Cravens, Matt Dickerson. It would be an understatement to say that the recruitment of these guys (and others from CA) were eventful and came down to the wire, and then some.

So what can we say about ND’s presence in CA? It would appear that Weis had better success from a bottom line perspective, targeting fewer guys but landing all of our top targets in the state. I mean, the guy called Jimmy Clausen on day one of the kid’s recruitment. Weis had Brian Polian running CA for the most part if I recall, and Polian really worked hard in the state for the most part.

Brian Kelly, although not as successful, is targeting more guys in the state, and going toe to toe against USC, UCLA, and Stanford to a certain extent, for a lot of the in-state talent. We hear of Denbrock running recruiting for CA, which at first seemed iffy. But he’s had a good run in the state and the addition of Mike Sanford is a good sign for CA recruiting.

I’m a believer in hitting to win – and you can’t get guys from CA if you’re not offering. It’s a good sign that we are offering as many guys over time in California; if anything to keep our traditional opponents on their toes (USC, Stanford). I think as painful as these long recruitment sagas can go, I appreciate that ND is in it for a lot of guys late in the game. I think an energetic guy like Sanford could move the needle a bit for CA recruiting and we can have the best of Weis and Brian Kelly with regards to success out west.

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Morning Roundup: April 3, 2015

andrewwinn — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 12:00:59 +0000

Good morning! I’m here to catch you up on all that has transpired with the Notre Dame football program in the last 24 hours. Here are your headlines:

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

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Morning Roundup: March 9, 2015

andrewwinn — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 12:00:31 +0000

Good morning! We’re still collecting pledges to purchase the Boda collection and return it to Notre Dame. Read more about this important piece of history and make your pledge here.

Here are your headlines:

FROM OUR SITE

BK era: Scoring offense and defense

RECRUITING

One Foot Down: OFD opinions: 2016 recruiting top target (Joejuan Williams, Josh King and Rashan Gary)
247 Sports: Six earn invite to The Opening at LA regional (Matt Fink)
AL.com: Auburn in good position with RB Elijah Holyfield; yes, he’s Evander’s son
TigerNet.com: Clemson offers 4-star DE after Junior Day visit (Julian Okwara, younger brother of Romeo Okwara)