Quenton Nelson Archives - Her Loyal Sons https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog A Notre Dame Football Blog Tue, 02 Jan 2018 17:46:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.3 https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/HLS-Avatar-Option-2-150x150.png Quenton Nelson Archives - Her Loyal Sons https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog 32 32 There and Back Again: A Citrus Bowl Tale https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2018/01/02/back-citrus-bowl-tale/ https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2018/01/02/back-citrus-bowl-tale/#comments Tue, 02 Jan 2018 17:46:32 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=38700 In Camping World Stadium there lived many a nightmare for Notre Dame fans. Not a nasty, windy, wet monsoon game, filled with questionable play-calling decisions and an all-to-familiar lack of execution, nor a game in Hard Rock Stadium where the mere presence of the Irish brings a blowout; it was the Citrus Bowl, and that...

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]]> In Camping World Stadium there lived many a nightmare for Notre Dame fans. Not a nasty, windy, wet monsoon game, filled with questionable play-calling decisions and an all-to-familiar lack of execution, nor a game in Hard Rock Stadium where the mere presence of the Irish brings a blowout; it was the Citrus Bowl, and that means things could be different.

Still, a game with rainy conditions, in Florida, on New Year’s Day, facing an opponent with a solid defense, especially in the secondary against a shaky passer, with multiple key ND players suspended, and seeing a last minute stripping of a captaincy from a defensive star didn’t inspire much pre-game confidence. An opening 35 yard strike from Brandon Wimbush to Equaniemous St. Brown restored it. Watching Josh Adams rush for a loss of three on a 4th and 1 behind the Joe Moore Award winning offensive line snatched it back away.

And so started another ride on roller coaster that is Irish fandom. The defense, as they have so often this season, upheld their part of the bargain. While they failed to register a single takeaway all game from an LSU team that does a fantastic job protecting the ball, although in this game, it appeared they really wanted the Irish to recover one of their many fumbles, they forced the LSU offense to enter in to a first quarter punt fest.

The problem: Notre Dame decided LSU needed another team to tango and joined the dance.

But with the maddening frustrations the first half, Wimbush failing to complete the easiest of passes, the Irish running questionable trick plays, and #33Trucking trying to figure out how to start its collective engine came glimmers of hope. The Irish defense stood tall on the goal line to force an LSU field goal which they promptly missed. After the Irish forced another LSU field goal attempt, this time with a different LSU kicker missing the try, Ian Book took the helm in the two minute drill and, showing shades of Thomas Rees (I cannot believe I just typed those words), led the Irish down the field for successful Justin Yoon field goal.

The 3-0 Irish lead at the half still wasn’t much to inspire confidence. Whether Wimbush was still suffering from migraines or just flat-out failing to execute, it was hard for us to all believe that Notre Dame once again was staring a QB controversy in the face. Not only that, it was abundantly clear that Book had to take over.

And, in seemingly true Irish fashion, the QB issue that we all thought would dominate the second half ended up being the last thing on anyone’s mind. An almost inexplicable error on a rolling punt saw a ball careen off an Irish player’s leg and into the waiting arms of the LSU punt team. The Tigers made the Irish pay for the mistake, scoring the first touchdown of the game via a pass completion to stud LSU RB, Derrius Guice.

If 7-3 didn’t seem an already insurmountable task to come back from in this sloppy game, Ian Book threw an interception after leading the Irish into LSU territory. Not only that, the play preceding the interception was a fantastic nine yard run from Tony Jones Jr. that put the Irish into the red zone that was promptly wiped out by a terrible illegal shift penalty that made the already nearing purple-faced Brian Kelly want to explode on the sidelines.

All the nightmares for Irish fans came rushing to the surface. Notre Dame found themselves trailing. They made far more mistakes than their opponent. LSU looked content to bleed the clock, showing the Irish they could dominate on a 75 yard TD drive that lasted 6:34 to bring the lead to 14-6 in the fourth quarter. Hope was all but lost. Painful reminders of past failures from this team and this coaching staff swelled to the surface. Same song, second verse. We’ve all seen this story before and we know how it ends.

Little did we know Book would rewrite the ending to this story.

An impressive 75 yard TD drive, highlighted by a 31 yard Dexter Williams run (who, sadly was promptly yanked after having far too big a role in a sack the next play), a 29 yard completion to Miles Boykin and a career-first TD reception from Louisiana native, Michael Young, brought the game to 14-12. We all knew what was coming next: a two-point try in the rain. If thoughts of the failures in a rain-soaked game at Clemson weren’t already in the front of my mind, my wife made sure that I would by asking me why ND would do this with about half the fourth quarter to go.

This time around, the Irish executed on a beautiful play call. It was a pass, but a high percentage shovel. It put the ball into Josh Adam’s hands. It called upon the strength of the Irish team, the offensive line, to blow LSU off the ball and Quentin Nelson gets all the bonus points in the world for his effort.

With the game tied up 14-14, LSU did their best to rip out hopeful Irish hearts. Then the unthinkable happened. We saw an opposing coach play not to lose, kicking a field goal just inches away from the goal line. Coach O’s inexplicable desire to not go for the throat after a review confirmed Guice fell just short of the goal line, on a similar shovel pass that the Irish just converted their two-point conversation, gave a Book-led Irish team one more chance.

After complaining all season that Irish receivers failed to make big plays, we got an all-timer:

One of the best secondary’s in the nation flat out got dunked on. An offense led by a Purdue QB transfer, despite how good a game he played, wasn’t enough regardless of how much time the Irish left LSU. Book ended the game with a single kneel down and that was that. The Irish had their first fourth quarter comeback of the season to claim their first January bowl victory since the 1994 Cotton Bowl against Texas A&M.

I will absolutely revel in this fantastic start to 2018 (especially considering Michigan and Stanford both blew leads in their bowl games, Southern Cal got embarrassed in theirs and, if your pettiness extends to Miami and Boston College, you can laugh at them as well); however, you won’t see me walking around in a Citrus Bowl Champion gear. There is still much work to be done and this game alone had examples of every issue that plagued the Irish all season. Plus, ND now stares yet another QB competition this season that will see four horses in the race, a trend that is getting highly concerning in the Brian Kelly era.

Still, this win is quite sweet. Notre Dame beat another quality opponent on a rather decent stage at a neutral site. LSU came to play and threw one hell of an effort at the Irish. Personally, I’m excited to see whether or not the Irish will be able to build off of this victory into the 2018 campaign.

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]]> https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2018/01/02/back-citrus-bowl-tale/feed/ 2 Morning Roundup: Sept. 16, 2016 https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/09/16/morning-roundup-sept-16-2016/ Fri, 16 Sep 2016 08:45:28 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=35843 The Morning Roundup is now available as an easy-to-digest e-mail. Sign up at the bottom of this post and be sure to check your spam filter for a confirmation message from newsletter at herloyalsons dot com. Once you’re signed up, you’ll get all the headlines from Notre Dame athletics delivered to your inbox before breakfast....

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]]> The Morning Roundup is now available as an easy-to-digest e-mail. Sign up at the bottom of this post and be sure to check your spam filter for a confirmation message from newsletter at herloyalsons dot com. Once you’re signed up, you’ll get all the headlines from Notre Dame athletics delivered to your inbox before breakfast.

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]]> Offensive Line: Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/08/29/offensive-line-know-thyself-know-thy-enemy/ Mon, 29 Aug 2016 07:00:28 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=35443 They used to make things in South Bend. Men, alchemists, melted and manipulated the earth’s elements. They were gods. They labored under furnaces as big as freight trains to bend, cut, melt, and twist great sheets of steel into the new machines that drove the American Century. Today, the inheritors of that tradition live up...

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]]> They used to make things in South Bend. Men, alchemists, melted and manipulated the earth’s elements. They were gods. They labored under furnaces as big as freight trains to bend, cut, melt, and twist great sheets of steel into the new machines that drove the American Century. Today, the inheritors of that tradition live up the road and toil under the tutelage of Coach Harry Hiestand. For he makes linemen.

In this installment of our critically-acclaimed (in Finland) series, Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy, we take a look at that most-important of position groups, the offensive line. The Irish will face some of the nation’s best O-lines in 2016, with Stanford and USC the best of bunch.

For The Irish: LT Mike McGlinchey (Sr.), 6’7″, 310 lbs.

Offensive lineIf you need to know why Harry Hiestand might just be the most important coach at Notre Dame, you need look no further than the talent he has recruited and developed, year after year. Despite an aura of “inexperience” about the group, the nation’s ranking services are high, very high, on Hiestand’s charges. In McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame has the best left-side in college football. Across the front, though, there is talent and depth in spades.

McGlinchey is athletic enough to play tight end, which explains his ability to transition so effectively from right tackle, his natural position, to left tackle this season. After redshirting his freshman year, McGlinchey played in all 13 games his sophomore and junior season and comes into 2016 with 14 starts under his belt. He is also on the Outland Trophy watch list. O-linemen are graded on blocking. They get a “plus” when they complete their blocking assignment and a “minus” when they don’t. McGlinchey is Notre Dame’s highest-graded lineman. For what it’s worth, ProFootballFocus has Notre Dame as their number one unit in the country for 2016, on the heels of a 2015 season in which they graded out +61.6 in run blocking and +18.6 in pass blocking.

For The Enemy: RT Zach Banner, USC (Sr.) 6’9″, 345 lbs.

BannerMy favorite stat about Zach Banner is not that he lost forty pounds since he started playing college football but that he is, at his lightest, twice as heavy as Adoree Jackson.

Banner’s a monster among monsters. Like WWE greats of old, when it was called the WWF, he is surprisingly agile for his size, with the ability to crash and pull with the best of them. With 27 starts under his belt, Banner has the experience and the physical attributes to back up his preseason accolades. He was a five-star recruit out of high school and the only knock against him is the potential he has to pack on the pounds. NFL talent runs in his blood as well. His father, Lincoln Kennedy, played eleven seasons in the bigs.

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]]> Analyzing the Fall Camp Depth Chart https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/08/11/3-fall-camp-buzzwords/ Thu, 11 Aug 2016 09:00:05 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=35116 Fall camp produces the perfect mix for any college football junkie – immeasurable aspirations coupled with unlimited potential. The 2016 Fighting Irish are no exception. Many positional battles follow #NDFB into fall camp and understandably so with the solid depth at all positions. Let’s do a quick rundown of what to expect. Depth, baby! Everything...

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

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

adamsThe 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

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 (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

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!

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]]> HLS Review: The 2016 ND Insider Football Preview https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/07/23/hls-reviews-nd-insider-fb-preview/ https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/07/23/hls-reviews-nd-insider-fb-preview/#comments Sat, 23 Jul 2016 10:00:07 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=35018 The South Bend Tribune’s 96-page preview of Notre Dame’s football team is an invaluable resource for the Irish fan looking to get informed before the 2016 football season kicks off Sept. 4. Mike Vorel wrote the magazine’s cover story, “Avoiding A Split Decision,” on the quarterback competition between redshirt sophomore DeShone Kizer and redshirt senior...

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]]> 2016 Notre Dame Football PreviewThe South Bend Tribune’s 96-page preview of Notre Dame’s football team is an invaluable resource for the Irish fan looking to get informed before the 2016 football season kicks off Sept. 4.

Mike Vorel wrote the magazine’s cover story, “Avoiding A Split Decision,” on the quarterback competition between redshirt sophomore DeShone Kizer and redshirt senior Malik Zaire. Vorel interviewed former Texas head coach Mack Brown, former Notre Dame quarterbacks Joe Theismann and Brady Quinn and ESPN’s Austin Ward, who covered a similar competition at Ohio State last season. These experts have all previously endured summer-long speculation on who starts and who sits, and know how the student athletes will be evaluated, what intangibles will give one the lead over the other and importance of establishing an identity around the player ultimately chosen.

Brown’s probably got the most interesting tidbit, in explaining to Vorel how Vince Young got the starting nod at Texas in 2003.

Chance Mock was the No. 1 passing efficiency quarterback in the country, but we were really young up front and we couldn’t pass protect. … Chance wasn’t a great runner. So we put Vince Young in when we had the No. 1 passing efficiency quarterback in the country, because we needed to run the ball. We just couldn’t throw. Then we won 30 games and lost two. Was it fair to Chance? Probably not. But it was the best thing at that time for our football team.

Eric Hansen, the Tribune’s ND Football Insider, writes about middle linebacker Nyles Morgan, who was blocked from playing time by captain Joe Schmidt. Now that Schmidt has graduated, great things are expected of Morgan at the middle linebacker position. Morgan, from Crete, Ill., told Hansen:

Even though I was playing behind him, people assumed we had bad blood, but I loved Joe. If I had a question, Joe would answer it anytime.

I love Hansen’s writing style, especially when he described Morgan’s practice partner, Quenton Nelson, as a “garage with arms and a snarl.”

In a separate article, Shane Walton shares with Hansen what he sees from the current Notre Dame secondary. Walton, a 2002 graduate, is the Irish’s last All-American at cornerback. Will this be the year that senior Max Redfield consistently displays the talent that earned him five stars from recruiting services in high school?

Hansen also got an one-on-one interview with Coach Brian Kelly, including his insights on quarterback gurus, academic suspensions and playing the Shamrock Series overseas. Tyler James, the Tribune’s football recruiting expert, offers a piece on the risks and rewards of offering scholarships to three-star recruits. He also talks to three of the recruiting world’s most respected analysts about how Notre Dame can become a consistent top 10 powerhouse.

The magazine also includes smaller stories written by Vorel, Hansen, James and Tribune columnist Al Lesar about freshman quarterback Ian Book, senior running back Tarean Folston, sophomore wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, nose-guard-turned-tight-end Jacob Matuska, junior offensive guard Alex Bars, junior defensive tackle Jay Hayes, sophomore linebacker Asmar Bilal, freshman safety Jalen Elliott, redshirt freshman cornerback Shaun Crawford and fifth-year senior long snapper Scott Daly. There’s also a preview of all 12 teams on Notre Dame’s 2016 schedule.

Lesar has a lead-off column that, frankly, befuddled me. He argued that, in light of a “dead heat,” that Kelly should pick Zaire because he is “brash,” the “biggest talker” and has “attitude” and “swagger.”

Trailing Michigan State by five with four minutes to play and the ball at the Irish 20, the Notre Dame offense won’t be able to look at a blueprint of how to mount a comeback. It’s going to take a unit determined to get the job done, led by a guy who defines the word moxie. He might not always have the most accurate passes or the most seamless execution, but Zaire isn’t timid about improvising his way to a successful outcome.

Perhaps Lesar missed last year’s Virginia and Temple games?

The digital edition contains audio and video segments that just can’t be included with the magazine. I’d definitely recommend paying the $4.99 for the digital version, although I’d do so only if you have an iPad or comparatively sized tablet. Even with a generous text size, it’s impossible to read the stories on an iPhone without zooming in, which in turn makes scrolling a hassle. If you’re old school, the magazine is available for $9.95 on local racks in the South Bend area. (It costs $12.95 for a mailed copy.) I’ll definitely be dog-earing my copy as the season progresses.

Buy the digital version (Android or Apple) and the hard copy here.

Disclosure: The South Bend Tribune provided Her Loyal Sons with a complimentary hard copy. I paid for the digital version.

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]]> https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/07/23/hls-reviews-nd-insider-fb-preview/feed/ 1 Four Irish Footballers Turning 21 During Fall Camp https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/07/20/four-irish-footballers-turning-21-fall-camp/ Wed, 20 Jul 2016 10:00:32 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=34939 Perhaps you’ve heard of the “beer mile,” where participants drink a full-sized beer and then run a quarter mile four times over. It’s a competitive event, sure, but not one I’d suggest doing during the hot August heat in South Bend, Ind. Fall camp under Brian Kelly usually opens in the first week of August,...

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]]> Credit: Gameface Media

Credit: Gameface Media

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

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

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

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

    Credit: C’est La Vie Cakes

    Freshman DE Ade Ogundeji is likely the only player on the team whose shoe size (18) is higher than his age (17).

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

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

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]]> Notre Dame’s Most Talented Opponents https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/06/28/notre-dames-talented-opponents/ Tue, 28 Jun 2016 09:30:52 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=34678 Pro Football Focus unveiled its 101 best college players Monday, offering an early glimpse at some of the players that will likely give the Irish fits come this fall. Before we look at Irish opponents, let’s look at the two Notre Dame players that made the list: Offensive linemen Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson. Here’s...

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]]> Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) runs the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Joe Schmidt (38) during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) runs the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Joe Schmidt (38) during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

Pro Football Focus unveiled its 101 best college players Monday, offering an early glimpse at some of the players that will likely give the Irish fits come this fall.

Before we look at Irish opponents, let’s look at the two Notre Dame players that made the list: Offensive linemen Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson.

Here’s what PFF’s Steve Palazzolo said about McGlinchey, who he ranked #36 overall.

McGlinchey has made great strides since arriving at Notre Dame as a high-upside freshman. Last year was his first as a starter and he responded with the nation’s highest grade for a right tackle at +23.2. He’s expected to move to the left side to replace top-ten pick Ronnie Stanley, bringing his strong run blocking that ranked ninth among all tackles in the country in 2015.

Nelson came in at #94, with Palazzolo saying:

Nelson wasn’t out of place in his first college action. He was excellent in the running game, as he was strong at the point of attack and impressive as a puller. Nelson finished with a positive grade in pass protection as well, and his debut bodes well for the future of Notre Dame’s offensive line.

Now here are the top 11 individuals who’ll play against the Irish, as determined by PFF:

  1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford (#1 overall)
  2. JuJu Smith-Shuster, WR, USC (#21 overall)
  3. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State (#23 overall)
  4. Zach Banner, OT, USC (#45 overall)
  5. Adoree Jackson, CB/WR, USC (#47 overall)
  6. Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech (#62 overall)
  7. Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State (#68 overall)
  8. Wyatt Teller, G, Virginia Tech (#75 overall)
  9. Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami (#87 overall)
  10. Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford (#98 overall)
  11. Ed Davis, LB, Michigan State (#100 overall)

Here are some other Irish headlines:

  • Golson Signs With CFL Team – The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed former Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson to their practice squad. The Cats are 1-0 on the season, with former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli going 27-for-37 with 318 yards and 3 TDs against the Toronto Argonauts. Masoli is playing in place of Zach Collaros, who played for Brian Kelly at Cincinnati. Collaros torn his ACL last September and is still recovering. Here’s video of Golson talking about his first day with the team.
  • Jersey Football Field Named After Theo Riddick – Immaculata High School, the Somerville, N.J. alma mater of former Irish RB Theo Riddick, named their playing field after the Detroit Lions’ backfield specialist. Riddick ran for 4,042 yards and scored 52 touchdowns in high school career. He graduated from the school in 2009.
  • Pat Connaughton Chucks It DEEEP – The former Irish basketball standout, now playing for the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers, threw a football a long, long way with what seems to be minimal effort. He says it went 80 yards on the fly, but it’s super hard to tell. I see at least 60 easy.
  • Breaking down the cost of bringing Navy-Notre Dame to Jax – The city of Jacksonville is expected to invest $350,000 into operating EverBank Field during the Midshipman’s Nov. 5 matchup with the Irish. The city is also installing 3,500 seats to replace those lost during recent renovations.

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]]> Notre Dame Football’s Most Promising “Rookies” https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/06/06/top-rookies/ Mon, 06 Jun 2016 10:00:07 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=34501 The Irish Illustrated staff collectively ranked the top Irish “rookies” based on who they felt would have the best Notre Dame careers. My top 10 list differed from theirs, so let’s take a closer look: 1. Brandon Wimbush (II Staff: #2) If you consider the question, you’ll notice it’s a little tricky. “Who among the...

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

1. Brandon Wimbush (II Staff: #2)

Credit: UND.com

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 KraemerTommy 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

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

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)

Donte VaughnI 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

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

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 ClaypoolChase 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

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

Photo: 247sports.com

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

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

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

TIDBITS

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

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

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

Leave your rankings in the comments below.

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]]> Blue Gold Game Preview: Offensive Line https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2016/04/11/blue-gold-game-preview-offensive-line/ Mon, 11 Apr 2016 08:00:12 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=33842 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...

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]]> Harry Heistand, credit: und.com

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)

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.

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]]> Morning Roundup: March 18, 2015 https://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2015/03/18/morning-roundup-march-18-2015/ Wed, 18 Mar 2015 12:00:31 +0000 http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/?p=28529 Good morning! Here are your headlines: FROM OUR SITE Step one: Northeastern VIDEO WatchND: Brian Kelly press conference – March 17, 2015 (42:18) Blue & Gold Illustrated: Video: Kelly previews spring ball (3:03) Irish247: Video: Kelly previews spring practice (3:08) Irish Illustrated: Video: Kelly welcomes QB battle (3:03) Irish Sports Daily: ISD video: Brian Kelly...

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]]> Good morning! Here are your headlines:

FROM OUR SITE

VIDEO

PODCAST

RECRUITING (2016 offers / 2017 offers)

CURRENT TEAM

COACHING

SCHEDULE

MISC.

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