FROM OUR SITE

• Good Fridays with Padre: Sunday Services
• Revisiting ND-Texas ’96: A Win and a Wedding (guest post from Jamie Reidy ’92)
• Friday Roundup: The “We Made It!” episode
• Scouting report: Texas

NEXT GAME: vs. Texas (7:30 p.m. ET Sunday, ABC)

• Barking Carnival: The Q&A: Texas vs. Notre Dame
• Bleacher Report: Get fired up as No. 10 Notre Dame takes on Texas in CFB’s huge opening weekend
• Blue & Gold Illustrated: Notre Dame-Texas: Irish not taking anything for granted
• Burnt Orange Nation: Staff predicts the Texas vs. Notre Dame game
• Burnt Orange Nation: How Texas can isolate the vulnerable Notre Dame secondary
• Burnt Orange Nation: Texas is seeking validation vs. Notre Dame, not redemption or revenge
• Burnt Orange Nation: Trench warfare will loom large in Texas-Notre Dame game
• Burnt Orange Nation: Texas preparing for both Notre Dame quarterbacks
• CBS Sports: Notre Dame at Texas line, game pick: Longhorns seek revenge against the Irish
• Chicago Tribune: Notre Dame’s two-QB experiment is about to go into the lab
• CNN Money: The most expensive college football ticket can be found here
• CSN Chicago: For Notre Dame (and Texas), plenty of questions to be answered Sunday night
• CSN Chicago: Notre Dame feels better prepared for turned-up Texas tempo
• Goshen News: Still much to learn about Irish, Texas ahead of opener
• Hook ‘Em Headlines: Texas football: Week 1 schedule, preview, prediction vs. Notre Dame
• Hook ‘Em Headlines: Trent Domingue X-factor for Longhorns vs Notre Dame
• Horns Digest: Call your shot: Texas vs. Notre Dame
• Inside the Irish: Pregame six pack: Sunday night special
• Irish247: Onwualu looking for repeat of last year’s Texas game
• Irish247: Rochell, team prepared for Texas’ tempo
• Irish247: Irish pore over Tulsa tape in advance of Sunday’s opener
• KVUE: Georgetown man plays at Notre Dame to coach at home
• ND Insider: How the game day shift from Saturday to Sunday may affect Notre Dame
• ND Insider: Notre Dame Club of Austin offers an array of events for Irish football fans
• NESN: Notre Dame or Texas: Which school has a better college football tradition?
• NewsOK: Tough Texas schedule starts with Notre Dame
• N2K Sports: Keys to victory: Notre Dame at Texas
• One Foot Down: Game preview: Notre Dame at Texas
• One Foot Down: Notre Dame vs. Texas: Staff picks
• Slap the Sign: When does Notre Dame vs Texas kick off and other questions
• SportsChatPlace: Pick, odds and prediction
• The Players’ Tribune: Dear Longhorns
• UHND: Frankie V’s prediction: Notre Dame vs. Texas
• USA Today: Week 1 games that most affect the College Football Playoff
• WIBC: Four arrested Notre Dame players suiting up for season opener
• ABC57: Notre Dame’s quarterbacks ready to play their first game of the season
• Armchair All-Americans: Big 12 road trip: Notre Dame at Texas
• Irish Sports Daily ($): The bigger picture: The importance of the Texas game

2016 TEAM

• Irish Sports Daily (Part free, part $): ISD Intel
• The Wave: Notre Dame football preview 2016

OFFENSE

• Irish247 ($): Hunter, Irish wideouts have something to prove
• Irish247: Folston looking to show he’s a top back nationally
• Irish247: Now a veteran, Hunter looks back at first time in Irish uniform
• ND Insider: Video: DeShone Kizer: “This is why you play football at Notre Dame”

DEFENSE

• Irish Sports Daily: Crawford ready for showtime

RECRUITING

• Irish247 ($): Notre Dame commit update (Sept. 2)
• Irish247 ($): Sharpley’s Notre Dame offense recruiting board No. 10-18

SCHEDULE

• Huffington Post: Notre Dame, Ohio State are college football’s priciest teams in 2016
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Frank’s 2016 predictions
• Irish Sports Daily ($): McCollum’s 2016 predictions
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Freeman’s 2016 predictions
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Uyeyama’s 2016 predictions
• Slap the Sign: Predicting Notre Dame football: Record and bowl game
• UND.com: All 2016 Irish home football games sold out
• Inside the Irish: Notre Dame announces sellout streak continues

IRISH IN THE NFL

• State of the Texans: The Houston Texans need to address some roster issues (Nick Martin)
• Viking Update: Minnesota Vikings teammates visit Teddy Bridgewater in the hospital (Kyle Rudolph)

MISC.

• Irish Sports Daily: ISD looking for passionate fans
• UHND: #4: The Four Horsemen: Notre Dame football’s top 25 players

The post Morning Roundup: Sept. 3, 2016 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.

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

• Will The Irish Defense Improve Its Pass Rush?
• Will Another Star Receiver Emerge in ’16?
• Will Redfield Prove Five-Star Talent?
• Can Notre Dame Avoid the Injury Bug?

The post Who Should Start At QB? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Houston Texans center Nick Martin (66) snaps the ball to quarterback Chuckie Keeton (6) during rookie mini camp at The Methodist Training Center on Saturday, May 7, 2016, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Nick Martin will likely be starting for the Houston Texans by season’s end, a blogger covering the team predicted Monday.

“He is as close to NFL ready that the draft class has to offer and he is already catching up to the curve with the demands of the position to help out in calling out pass protections,” wrote Patrick Starr of the State of the Texans blog. “The Texans need consistency and a long term answer at center. Martin could be just the player needed.”

Martin was a model of consistency during his tenure at Notre Dame, starting 26 consecutive games – and 36 overall – during his three years playing at both the center and left guard positions. The Texans’ second round pick is competing against Tony Bergstrom for the starting position vacated by Ben Jones, who is now with the Tennessee Titans. Bergstrom is entering his fourth year in the league, having played 25 games with the Oakland Raiders but started just four times.

Martin has so far impressed his boss, former Penn State Coach Bill O’Brien.

“So far it looks like a rookie who is mature beyond his years,” O’Brien told the Houston Chronicle. “He understands the work ethic. I’m sure his older brother has helped him with that a little bit, but he has come in here and done some good things.”

Nick Martin’s older brother is former Irish guard/center Zack Martin, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys.

Starr said former Irish wide receiver Will Fuller, the Texans’ first round pick, will be “a key rotational piece at the wide receiver position.” The blogger has been impressed with Fuller’s route running and noted his ability to catch passes has improved even since his college days. Fuller may also log time on special teams, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The  Texans are now finished with their offseason program. The AFC South representatives open training camp July 29 at the Houston Methodist Training Center, across from where they play on Sundays.

The post Nick Martin Will Likely Start For NFL’s Texans appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

1. Brandon Wimbush (II Staff: #2)

Credit: UND.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Tommy Kraemer (II Staff: #3)

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

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

3. Shaun Crawford (II Staff: #1)

Credit: UND.com

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

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

4. Corey Holmes (II Staff: Unranked)

Credit: UND.com

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

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

5. Donte Vaughn (II Staff: #10)

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

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

6. Daelin Hayes (II Staff: #4)

Credit: Tim Sullivan / Detroit Free Press

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

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

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

7. Devin Studstill (II Staff: #8)

Scout.com photo

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

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

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

8. Chase Claypool (II Staff: #7)

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

9. Jay Hayes (II Staff: Unranked)

Credit: UND.com

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

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

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

Photo: 247sports.com

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

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

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

TIDBITS

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

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

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

Leave your rankings in the comments below.

The post Notre Dame Football’s Most Promising “Rookies” appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

South Bend Tribune Photo/GREG SWIERCZ

Harry Hiestand is arguably the most coveted assistant in the Brian Kelly coaching cabinet. One could argue that he’s certainly not the flashiest (hey there Prince Sanford), but his presence has significantly improved the ground game, offensive line recruiting and development, and #NDFB as a program. Let’s dive into an eight-year rabbit hole worth of running statistics – four “Pre-Harry” and four “Post-Harry.”

From 2008-2011, the running game ranged from mediocre to piss poor. These four years established an average of 131 rushing yards per game, 4.0 yards per rush, 15 rushing touchdowns per year, and 1,674 rushing yards per year.

The worst year came in 2008 (oh Charlie…) where the Irish ranked:

• 101^st in both yards per rush (3.3) and rush yards per game (110)
• 102^nd in rushing touchdowns (11)
• 97^th in total rush yards (1,426)
• Obligatory bullet note to apologize for even compiling these numbers and putting them on virtual paper.
• Bonus points for anyone who can guess the 2008 offensive line coach who helped orchestrate this stellar running campaign…John Latina. Latina was unsurprisingly let go following the 2008 season, and recently retired from coaching this past February after serving as the offensive line coach at Duke.

In the years following Hiestand’s hiring, the Irish have averaged 177 rushing yards per game, 4.8 yards per rush, 22 rushing touchdowns per year, and 2,299 rushing yards per year. These averages show improvements of 46 rush yards per game, 0.8 yards per rush, 7 rushing touchdowns per year, and a solid 625 rushing yards per year. This past year proved to produce possibly the most effective running game in over a decade wherein the Irish offensive line helped propel the run game to:

• 28^th in rush yards per game (208)
• 8^th in yards per rush (5.6)
• 30^th in rushing touchdowns (29)
• 27^th in total rush yards (2,699)

Hiestand was able to drastically improve these numbers by developing the talent he inherited when hired, but also by stocking the cupboard with top talent across the country.

From 2008-2011, Notre Dame recruited 14 offensive linemen (not including unranked/preferred walk-ons). Among these 14 linemen were eight athletes who were considered 4-star talent according to 247Sports composite rankings. Five were ranked 3 stars and one was a 2 star.

Hiestand has established himself as one of the most effective recruiters as it relates to his position group. As evidence, look no further than the improvements made since his arrival in South Bend.

From 2012-2015, his recruiting efforts manufactured 15 letters of intent from offensive linemen.  This haul included twelve 4 stars, three 3 stars, and no player ranked lower (again, not including unranked/preferred walk-ons). Hiestand undoubtedly has recruiting trending in the right direction.

Credit: Andrew Ivins / BGI

Let us not forget about the incoming 2016 class. A trio of offensive linemen mammoth human beings: 4 star Tommy Kraemer, 4 star Liam Eichenberg, and 3 star Parker Boudreaux will soon be joining the Irish.

Kramer was the closest offensive lineman to have the coveted 247sports composite 5 star ranking with a final grading of .9819, good enough for 27^th best player in the country. Eichenberg also graded within the top 100 players with a final ranking at 80^th.

Without getting too carried away (because college football fans never do that), it would be no surprise if Hiestand added to his list of first round draft picks with Kraemer. Kraemer is already listed at 6’6 and 309 lbs. as a high school senior. To put that into perspective, he already outweighs every starting offensive linemen from Notre Dame’s 2012 team. Hiestand has demonstrated a distinct ability to attract the country’s top talent to South Bend, which has given the Irish the luxury of formidable depth at the offensive line position that it likely hasn’t seen in decades.

The positive residual effect of Hiestand’s presence doesn’t stop at rushing stats or recruiting rankings, but also the number of penalties committed by offensive linemen.

With the aid of @andrewwinn, I analyzed every Irish offensive penalty over the past eight years (103 games total). The data suggests that an offensive line coached by Hiestand is far more technically sound than those that haven’t been blessed by his infinite wisdom.

From 2008-2011, the offense committed a total of 176 penalties, of which 80 were specifically attributed to an offensive linemen (disclaimer: not all penalties listed were directly credited to a specific player – for example these four years included 13 holding penalties where no player was specifically named).  Of these 80 penalties committed by offensive linemen, 33 were false starts, and 34 were holding calls.

Photo credit: Irish Sports Daily

From 2012-2015 the offense committed a total of 153 penalties, of which 79 were attributed to offensive linemen (throughout these more recent four years all holding calls were attributed to a specific player).  False starts were admittedly far more frequent with 59 occurrences. However, over the course of these four years the offensive line was astonishingly only credited with 10 holding calls.  The false starts may have increased since Notre Dame has had six quarterbacks under center in Hiestand’s four years. It may also be due to Hiestand’s more aggressive approach to pass blocking. The decrease in holding penalties is truly remarkable, especially when one considers a Hiestand line has averaged only 2.5 holding penalties per year.  This is a testament to the progress and development of the offensive line as a unit under Harry Hiestand.

Obviously, Hiestand is not the single determining factor in the many improvements made over the course of eight years.  One would be remiss to not shed light on how far #NDFB has come as a program: the institution of training table, the addition of analysts to the coaching staff, the facility updates, etc. Brian Kelly deserves a ton of credit for putting his assistant coaches in opportunities where they can flourish and succeed.

With all of this being said, the old adage that “it all starts up front” still holds true even in today’s spread offense era. Four years’ worth of significant and consistent progress suggests it is no fluke that Harry Hiestand continues to develop one NFL draft pick after another (Chris Watt, Zack Martin, soon to be Ronnie Stanley and Nick Martin).

Couple Hiestand’s developmental gift with his ability to draw top high school talent to South Bend, and #NDFB has one of the best in the biz. The Irish were able to quickly recover from the loss of beloved assistant coach Tony Alford this time last year, but here’s to hoping Hiestand has found his home for the long haul.

The post Harry Hiestand’s Impact Is Unmistakeable appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

This week, we here at HerLoyalSons are previewing your 2016 Fighting Irish in the run-up to Saturday’s Blue Gold game. To make the task manageable and add some degree of coherence (I know, you don’t come here for coherence), we’re evaluating the team by position-group. Today, we start with the offensive line.

If the Irish are to surpass the performance of the squad from 2015, they will need to replace massive losses along the offensive line. Gone is Ronnie Stanley at left-tackle, a likely first round pick in the NFL draft, now just weeks away. Gone is Nick Martin, a probable second-rounder, at center. This will be Coach Harry Hiestand’s first season, and Coach Kelly’s, if you can believe it, without a Martin on the line. Gone, too, is Steve Elmer, perhaps too soon, to chase his dreams in politics and business.

Thankfully, mass, and talent, are in abundance at Notre Dame. While there will be shuffling to account for the losses, and a drop in game snap-based experience, no one can really quibble or complain about a likely starting five of Mike McGlinchey at left tackle, Quenton Nelson at left guard, Sam Mustipher at center, Colin McGovern at right guard, and Alex Bars at right tackle.

McGlinchey, a niggling penchant for false starts aside, is about as solid a replacement for the quality lost in Ronnie Stanley as one will find. At 6’7 and 310 pounds, McGlinchey has the athletic ability to play tight end and should have little difficulty adjusting to his new position. This move, theoretically, gives the Irish the best left side of the O-line in the country, as junior Quenton Nelson, a returning starter at left guard, could be the first Irish guard to be selected in the NFL draft’s first round since Aaron Taylor. Nelson is also not small. He’s 6’5″ and 330 pounds.

Sam Mustipher, a 6’2, 305 pound junior, is the likely starter at center. He’s the end of the likelihood, however, as the staff seem still uncertain about the line’s right. Alex Bars, if any, is most likely to appear, and at right tackle. A junior, Bars, 6’6″ and 320 pounds, was more than capable when called upon last season to fill in when Nelson went down with an ankle injury at Clemson. Thus, the guard position is most uncertain, with McGovern and Hunter Bivin fighting it out. McGovern, a 6’4″ 315 pound senior, is fighting concussions, but he seems more likely, to me, than his fellow senior, who stands 6’5″ and weighs  308 pounds.

Parker Boudreaux (Photo: CNN)

There is, of course, the potential for one of the three freshmen, arriving in June, to upset the entire thing. Tommy Kraemer, Parker

Boudreaux and Liam Eichenberg are all monsters and have the tangibles and talent to break into the mix, especially at right guard. Kraemer is 6’5″ and 310 pounds. Eichenberg is 6’6″ and 300 pounds, and coming off meniscus surgery on his right knee. Parker Boudreaux, a natural guard, is 6’5″ and 291 pounds. Of the three, he is my tip as most-likely to break in, but only if he makes huge strides in improving his footwork.

One of the things of which I am fond includes comparing the Irish to Alabama. Face it, they’re the gold-standard. ON the field, mind you, only on the field. But, if you look at our likely front five versus their likely front five, it seems that we’re making a weighty case for supremacy:

Left Tackle: Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame), 6’7″ 310 lbs. v. Cam Robinson (Alabama), 6’6″ 327 lbs.

Left Guard: Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame), 6’5″ 325 lbs. v. Ross Piershbacher (Alabama), 6’4″ 304 lbs.

Center: Sam Mustipher (Notre Dame), 6’2″ 305 lbs. v. J.C. Hassenauer (Alabama), 6’2″ 297 lbs.

Right Guard: Colin McGovern (Notre Dame) 6’4″ 315 lbs. v. Alphonse Taylor (Alabama), 6’5″ 345 lbs.

Right Tackle: Alex Bars (Notre Dame), 6’6″ 320 lbs. v. Charles Baldwin (Alabama), 6’5″ 297 lbs.

So, that’s 1,575 pounds for the Irish, and 1,570 pounds for the Elephant. Admittedly, that’s about one decent breakfast of difference, but hey. Now I’m hungry.

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

JAYLON SMITH’S INJURY EXAMINED

Courtesy of NY Jets / Twitter

Linebacker Jaylon Smith gave contradictory – or confusing – answers to reporters’ questions about possible nerve damage in his left knee. Smith tore his ACL and LCL during the Irish’s Jan. 1 loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

NFL team physicians were allowed to examine Smith today to evaluate the extent of his injury. Doctors will need to determine what nerve damage, if any, has been suffered – and if Smith will be able to recover from it.

In the media scrum, Smith initially said there was no nerve damage. In later questioning about an Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) brace he’s wearing, the junior linebacker said: “It’s helping the nerve heal.” He maintained throughout that the nerve was not “stretched” during the accident.

A FoxSports.com source – who was not named – told the publication that two doctors who evaluated Smith today had diverging opinions. The second doctor, the report said, pegged Smith’s chance at a full recovery at only 10 percent.

Smith was unsure of his own recovery timeline. Ian Rapoport, a NFL Network reporter, said teams – which he did not name – believe the linebacker will miss the entirety of the 2016 season.

Before today, the Fort Wayne, Ind. native was considered a certain Top 15 pick – with at least one mock draft having him as high as #7. If these evaluations cause Smith to tumble out of the first round, he will likely be able to collect on a $5 million loss of value insurance policy he purchased last year.

You can watch Smith walk, seven weeks removed from surgery, in this video shot today.

C.J. PROSISE BLAZES

Running back C.J. Prosise ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds today, which made him the eighth-fastest back at the Combine among 22 participants. The 4.48 second mark tied Prosise with former Irish running back George Atkinson III, who participated in the 2014 Combine.

C.J. Prosise runs an unofficial 4.46 in his first 40-yard run at the NFL Combine. pic.twitter.com/3FHHYrrxLz

— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews) February 26, 2016

Prosise’s overall performance was quite similar to Michael Floyd’s output in 2012.

• Prosise: 6 foot tall, 220 pounds, 4.48 40-yard dash, 35.5 inch vertical leap, 121 inch broad jump
• Floyd: 6 foot 3 inches, 220 pounds, 4.47 40-yard dash, 36.5 inch vertical leap, 122 inch broad jump.

Having seen this comparison, Floyd tweeted:

He making $$$$$$ https://t.co/h5v1gsM7eX

— MichaelFloyd (@MichaelMFloyd) February 26, 2016

Not really the natural hands you want to see from a converted WR. C.J. Prosise was hit and miss in drill work today. pic.twitter.com/XvzdGlXAqb

— Ethan Young (@EthanYoungFB) February 26, 2016

Prosise is projected to be a second, third or fourth round selection during the NFL Draft, which will be held April 28-30 in Chicago.

RONNIE STANLEY BATTLING TO BE FIRST TACKLE PICKED

Ronnie Stanley and Ole Miss’ Laremy Tunsil are widely considered to be the best tackles in the upcoming draft. Many weak teams are looking for a left tackle to protect their quarterback’s blind side and today was an opportunity for teams to evaluate Stanley and Tunsil side-by-side.

While Tunsil opted to skip most timed events, Stanley ran a respectable 5.20 second 40-yard dash (16th out of 47 offensive linemen), took 4.90 seconds to complete the 20-yard shuttle and 8.03 seconds to finish the three-cone drill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tSe2XGaR7E&feature=youtu.be

Tunsil did his best to impress as well, demonstrating absurd athleticism and causing scouts to gush about him more than any other player who participated in drills Friday.

The Rebels top lineman only had one hiccup today. His former teammate, Robert Nkemdiche, said Tunsil was in his hotel room when a drunken Nkemdiche fell 15 feet out a window before the Sugar Bowl. Nkemdiche was cited for marijuana possession, but did not connect Tunsil to the drugs.

Here’s a fun drill that allowed Stanley to play “mad dog” to Tunsil’s mirror:

Tunsil vs Stanley (as the mad dog) pic.twitter.com/BWz8d9Fj2B

— Rolo (@RoloEdits) February 26, 2016

ALSO APPEARING TODAY

• Center Nick Martin ran a 5.22 second 40-yard dash, did 28 reps on the bench press, jumped 97 inches in the broad jump, took 4.72 seconds to complete the 20-yard shuttle and 7.57 seconds to finish the 3-cone drill. His performance is similar to that of former Irish offensive lineman Eric Olsen, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 draft.
• Defensive end Romeo Okwara was measured today – and his results are remarkably similar to former Irish tight end Troy Niklas’ measurables during the 2013 NFL Combine.
  • Romeo Okwara: Height: 6-5; Weight: 265 lbs.; Arm length: 34 1/8″; Hands: 10 1/8
  • Troy Niklas: Height: 6-6; Weight: 270 lbs.; Arm length: 34 1/8″; Hands: 10″
• Will Fuller logged 10 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press. Chris Brown skipped the event.
• Sheldon Day’s measurables: 6 feet tall, 286 pounds, Arm length: 32 7/8″; Hands: 9 3/8″

THIS WEEKEND

The NFL Network will air the Combine from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

SATURDAY

• On-field: Chris Brown, Will Fuller
• Bench press: Sheldon Day, Romeo Okwara & Jaylon Smith
• Measurements, interviews and medical exams: KeiVarae Russell, Elijah Shumate

SUNDAY

• On-field: Sheldon Day, Romeo Okwara
• Bench press: KeiVarae Russell, Elijah Shumate

MONDAY

• On-field: Elijah Shumate

The post Notre Dame At NFL Combine: Early Results appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Credit: Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports

Last Friday, Notre Dame received the expected news that KeiVarae Russell was back with the Irish. Yesterday, another one of the Frozen Five had their fate become a little clearer:

Ishaq Williams has been formally re-admitted to Notre Dame by the Committee on Readmission.

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) June 1, 2015

The important thing to note here is that Ishaq is back only academically at this point. His status on the football team is up in the air.

The reason? It’s one that we’ve mentioned several times this offseason. Scholarship numbers are tight and a fifth year isn’t a guaranteed thing, even for a former five-star recruit (NB: Russell is entering his senior season. ND unofficially guarantees scholarships for athletes for four years, thus why Russell is a definite while Ishaq is up in the air).

As of right now, without Ishaq, the Irish stand at 86 scholarships, one more than the 85 maximum. Of those 86, Chase Hounshell is the likely fifth year candidate to be first on the chopping block. Hounshell swapped to TE from DE, but based on reports from spring ball, it doesn’t appear that he has done enough to solidify his spot on the roster.

The remaining fifth years (minus Williams and transfer Avery Sebastian) are the following:

• Amir Carlisle
• Nick Martin
• Jarrett Grace
• Joe Schmidt
• Matthias Farley

Yeah, have fun figuring out which one of those gents that you’d like to ask to not come back.

Of course, the one eternal truth of the Notre Dame offseason is that strange things happen to this roster. Already we’ve had Everett Golson deciding to transfer, but we’ve also seen incoming freshman Bo Wallace announcing, seemingly out of nowhere, that he wouldn’t be attending Notre Dame.

There’s a reason why Brian Kelly has mostly dodged the question about what to do about the roster until the zero hour. He’s been through this dance too many times and knows all too well that he may not even have to make such a tough decision by the time fall camp breaks.

So for now, the Irish and Ishaq will remain in a holding pattern. Remain buckled, Irish fans, the offseason ain’t over yet.

The post Ishaq’s Back (in School) 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.