Outside the Irish Huddle: Gold Triumphs Over Blue
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 17, 2011 9:28 PM EDT
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PrintThe weather didn't cooperate, the field was in terrible shape, and the offense didn't do much, but overall it was a good day to see the Irish back inside Notre Dame Stadium.
Aside from a couple topics there isn't a whole lot to take away from this game, so I'll try to keep it short and sweet (no promises though). I wanted to run through some comments on various players before getting to the quarterbacks, then wrapping it up with some final thoughts.
Deion Walker (5 catches for 56 yards) had a nice game on a day where the receivers did not stand out at all. A lot of that had to do with the QB play to an extent, but Walker showed he's a big body with good hands. I don't think anyone is expecting huge things from him, and he doesn't seem to be anywhere near the explosive athlete he was in high school, but it was a positive sign that he played well.
Danny Spond looks like a real player and is someone who I would be happy with starting. He's undersized and he might be a backup this year, but you can tell that everything the coaches have been saying about him is true. He plays incredibly physical, has great instincts, and hits like someone 40 pounds bigger than his size. I have a feeling we'll be hearing his name a lot in 2011.
Ben Turk can't afford to continue being so inconsistent in the punting game, especially since he's experienced and a veteran. If he is not careful, freshman Kyle Brindza is going to take his job away. Brindza hit his only field goal attempt and looked decent in the punt game, but will need to work on his mechanics and hurry up his punts if he wants to overtake Turk.
Lo Wood is very physical for a smaller corner and made an outstanding play on the game's only interception. I think everyone is getting more and more comfortable with Wood being a solid third corner and not someone who is just going to fade into the background when the talented freshmen show up.
Ishaq Williams was overshadowed by a fellow freshman on Saturday, but he played solid nonetheless. He didn't do anything incredibly flashy, but he proved that he belongs out there and actually made a couple really nice tackles, plus causing the fumble on Golson. I still think he's a little awkward out there, yet I was very content with how well he played as such a young and inexperienced athlete.
Luke Massa had a devestating drop in the end zone on a beautifully thrown ball by Tommy Rees, and generally looked slow and uncomfortable at wide receiver. He did take a screen pass for a nice gain, but he is going to be a long-term project at his new position.
Alex Welch looked great in his first action for the Irish finishing the day as the blue team's leading receiver with four catches and 34 yards. There were precious few routes run vertically down field so it's hard to tell if he has the type of speed and playmaking that Rudolph and Eifert have, but he looks like your typical steady-handed tight end. That he's presumed third on the depth chart says a lot about how good the tight ends are at Notre Dame right now.
I kept an eye on Kendall Moore and thought he played really well. He's listed at 6'1" but he looks much taller and bigger than that. There was a play early in the game where Cierre Wood took a run to the left side and was suddenly stopped for a short gain, and that's because Moore came across from the weak side, shed a block, took an excellent route to the ball, and finished the tackle. He pretty much looked like Te'o there, played well throughout the rest of the game, and has a very bright future.
I know Jonas Gray was dinged up and not close to 100 percent healthy, but he's a clear drop off from the starting running back.
TJ Jones was also slighty dinged up and toughed it out, but I wanted to see a little more explosiveness from the sophomore receiver.
John Goodman made a beautiful catch in the end zone and finished with three total receptions. The passing offense wasn't a well oiled machine, but it would have been nice to see someone like Goodman make a statement. That's not to say he played poorly, but he's the oldest and most experienced player not named Michael Floyd.
As to be expected, Louis Nix played a little bit out of the system, but he was an absolute monster at times during this game. He's clearly big enough and strong enough to be a starting nose tackle at this level and he'll just have to keep working on his stamina. Besides laying a couple massive hits, Nix was able to get a big push anytime he wanted to. I don't think it's hype to say that he's physically the most gifted tackle to come to Notre Dame in a very long time.
Cierre Wood is clearly on another level at the running back position. His level of play, his understanding of the system, and his confidence all prove to me that he is ready for a special season. Notre Dame simply hasn't had a running back of his caliber in years and it shows nearly every time he touches the ball. His speed and elusiveness are close to elite, if not already there, and although we'll likely deal with him trying to kick it outside too often, he's going to make it pay off with plenty of long runs and touchdowns.
Everyone is fawning over Aaron Lynch right now, and let's be real...he deserves the high praise. There are some people nit picking his game, mostly his over-agressiveness, but that just goes to show you how dominant and in your face he was on Saturday. The best part was that he was lining up against a couple starters on the offensive line and still making plays.
Like Brian Kelly, I think we should reign in our expectations, but boy does Lynch have freshman All-American written all over him. It wasn't like he just lined up on the edge all day and beat guys with his speed, he was making plays in a variety of ways showing off his size, strength, instincts, and hustle.
There are big, big things in store for Aaron Lynch over the next few years.
And now to the quarterbacks, starting with Tommy Rees whose gold team took the field first.
Rees finished 7 of 14 for 61 yards with one interception and generally didn't look great in the handful of series he led. His first drive he looked sharp and threw a beautiful pass that was dropped in the end zone, but after that Rees was pretty shaky.
I would agree with Kelly that Rees was the most accurate (he had two drops, plus another ball that was a tough catch but could have been brought in) but he also threw a few dangerous balls that were not pretty, including the aforementioned interception.
Part of me went back to the mindset from last season where I felt comfortable with Rees being accurate on the short throws, moving the chains, and just being generally calm, cool, and collected in the pocket. But this spring game also pointed out yet again his lack of running, poor down field throwing, and the general limitations he places on the offense.
I will allow the weather as a reason for all of the quarterbacks struggling at times, plus it was very apparent the play calls were not very aggressive nor did Kelly say the intent was to put points on the board.
However, the one play where Lynch broke off the line and caught Gray in the backfield was a perfect illustration of how Rees holds the offense back. Some were saying that Lynch over-pursued, but isn't that the smart play in that situation?
In other words, with Rees at QB should the defensive end even worry about him taking the ball there? At worst, Rees bootlegs out and Lynch is probably able to stop, cut back and be disruptive anyway.
Last season the team was executing at such a high level that plays like this weren't hurting the team, but I fear they will become more common with Rees under center.
Dayne Crist wasn't lighting the world on fire either. He finished 5 of 11 for 34 yards with a bunch of short completions.
He continues to look and act the part, but he didn't look any different than the quarterback who was in a new system last year. He drove a couple out routes into the ground (admittedly they were very tough throws across the field, Rees doesn't even attempt to throw those, and there might have been some disconnect with the receivers) but it's a little disheartening to see that still happening.
After watching the game the first time I thought Rees looked better, but going through it a second time I think Crist looked a little better than I thought. The big thing for me was that Crist didn't throw any "dangerous" balls that could have been turned over, whereas Rees had a couple, including a rather ugly pick.
It seemed apparent to me that Crist wasn't going to do anything special out there and was trying to work on some throws. Kelly even admitted as much after the game as you'll see about four of the 11 throws Crist attempted were very tough to complete.
Both quarterbacks can play better and I have faith that they will, but this exhibition certainly didn't get people too excited.
Everett Golson showed why he has so much potential with his rocket arm and supreme athleticism.
I think it's pretty clear that he's a long ways away from being an effecient and disciplined starter, but he is obviously way ahead of the curve for a true freshman in the spring and his combination of skills make him a perfect fit for the system.
Golson finished 9 of 18 for 91 yards including a beautifully thrown fade pass to Goodman for a touchdown. He also chipped in a game high 62 yards rushing on 11 carries as well.
I think his athleticism was just about where I thought it would be (although playing on the slippery cow pasture of ND Stadium probably doesn't help in this regard) but his arm strength and passing abilities are probably better than I expected. He definitely struggled at times and had happy feet pretty much the whole game, but in a lot of ways he looked exactly like the superstar he was in high school and that is a great sign for the future.
I thought Andrew Hendrix was the most consistent quarterback and therefore the most impressive player at this position on Saturday. He doesn't look entirely comfortable yet, but after this game I don't think he is that far away from being in position to start.
He finished 10 for 16 with a game high 113 yards, plus 37 yards on the ground with two touchdowns on only 5 carries for a very potent 7.4 average.
I especially liked his performance backed up near the goal line, and the fact that he took a few huge hits and was able to stay in the game and still perform well. There was one dangerous throw that was almost picked off, but Hendrix generally played within himself and showed off his strong arm, good accuracy, and sneaky good running ability.
I know things might be different with a full crop of 11 BCS defenders facing him, but if Hendrix can get the protection that the quarterbacks received last year, I don't see how he can't be a very good passer right now. Plus, his ability to take the ball on the option read is another major advantage for this team.
How much longer will this be ignored?
Final Thoughts
I think there was a deliberate attempt by the coaches to not push it very hard with Crist and Rees, and it showed. I would give them the benefit of the doubt with their poor play because of the weather, play-calling, and the like. We would have loved to have seen one quarterback step up, but it just didn't happen.
I don't think we should freak out over the receivers, but it's pretty clear to me that we need someone to step up. Without Floyd this group is pretty average, and if the offense is going to hum we'll need someone like Jones or Goodman to be more dynamic than they are right now.
The tight ends look great with the emergence of Welch to back up Eifert and Ragone. The coaches are going to be able to do a lot of different things with three big and talented players.
A couple of veteran offensive linemen were getting abused by Lynch, but overall the unit played well. The defensive line has been getting bigger, stronger, and faster, but the O-line held their own and still looks very good in pass protection.
There were a lot of starting defenders who played sparingly including Ethan Johnson, Kapron-Lewis Moore, Darius Fleming, Carlo Calabrese, Gary Gray, Robert Blanton, Harrison Smith, and Zeke Motta. Pretty much anyone who started last year did not see much action.
There were a ton of walk-ons getting time on defense, but I thought the regular backups on scholarship looked good. I already talked about some of them, but guys like Nix, Lynch, and Moore are now adding quality depth to the program.
Overall, there really wasn't much to take away from the game especially without Floyd and Te'o participating, the game going so quickly, and in such terrible weather. That's usually the case with most spring games, but even more so this year. Think about it, the offense did nothing new (except the inexperienced QB's running), there was one screen pass, and it was as vanilla as could be.
One thing I would take away is that the Irish need to get faster at the skill positions on offense. Theo Riddick is a keeper and will be a big time playmaker and obviously with Floyd the skill level is boosted tremendously, but I think Davaris Daniels, George Atkinson and Cam McDaniel are all going to be seeing the field a lot in 2011.
The defense is shaping up to be the most solid and productive we've seen in quite some time, but will they be dominant?
We'll find out in September.
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Great summary! Eric
As you pointed out, I like most others was in awe of Lynch’s instincts, speed, agressiveness, etc, etc… He is a high school senior!! Maybe it was just a lucky game??
The one play that really impressed me, was a short pass over the middle where he was rushing the quarterback and immediately shifted direction and chased from behind and caught the dancing receiver. WOW!!
He is listed as 260, an undersized DE that might appear to need an additional 20 lbs of
strength. I rested easy over the weekend knowing the NFL cannot get him this coming month.
by Marty Healy on Apr 18, 2011 8:17 AM EDT reply actions
Nice read as usual Eric. The spring game was very vanilla, lots of walkons and didnt really give me that “wow” factor for the up coming season. I was very impressed with the way the defenses played and in particular Lynch, Nix, Spond, Moore, and Shembo and as you say…lots of nice depth to a good defense. On offense Cierre Wood showed a lot for what little time he played…making some nice reads and cuts. I know BK wants to use a 3 TE approach in some situations and Welch showed an awful lot. Now the QB’s…I agree with your take on all 4 of them. Golson, does he redshirt or not, who knows, but he does have a long way to go. Other then his athleticism and strong arm he needs to develope a pocket awareness and not panic and take off running, Reese didnt show me a whole lot of improvement over last year, Crist looked very tentative on a few throws, like he didnt really step into them, wheather the knee was in the back of his mind or not who knows. Hendrix really impressed me with his arm strength, running ability, accuracy and I do think he has a very good chance to compete for the starting postion….but….do we want another “first year QB” like Dayne was 2 years ago, where as Dayne now knows the sytem pretty well.
by bill on Apr 18, 2011 8:45 AM EDT reply actions
Marty,
It truly was a great performance by Lynch. That chase down tackle was a thing of beauty as were a couple other big plays.
Although I cringed when he rocked Hendrix. Love that aggressiveness but don’t hurt him!!
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 18, 2011 9:18 AM EDT reply actions
Bill,
I’m not sure we want another first year starter, no.
But at some point I think the running skills of Hendrix are going to play too much of a factor in the discussion. We know he’s got a great arm, with good accuracy, and unless he’s dumb as a pile of rocks and constantly makes bad reads and turns the ball over, how does he stay off the field?
Now I still think Crist will start, but I really don’t think Hendrix is that far back from being THE GUY.
There was a play in the game that I thought summed up why Hendrix might be a better option. It was the one in which Dayne got great protection, stepped up into the pocket, had daylight ahead of him and then flung a 8 foot pass to Wood, whose momentum was going toward the sideline and he only picked up about 3 yards.
Clearly Crist wasn’t going to run the ball in that situation on Saturday, but by the middle of the season he needs to just tuck the ball for 10 yards and slide. I hope Dayne still has some wheels left, and I think he was a better runner than people remember last year, but he needs to run when it is so obvious that it is the most effective thing to do.
If he’s not running in those kind of situations, and the passing game isn’t looking good/great…well the Voodoo Child may be coming in.
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 18, 2011 9:27 AM EDT reply actions
Excellent analysis, Eric. The question of how much longer Andy Hendrix can be ignored really makes the talk about the QBs look silly at this point. Sure, Crist probably starts against USF with Eifert and Ragone, but hopefully it won’t be long before Hendrix, Eifert, Ragone, and Welch are on the field at the same time.
by Mike D. on Apr 18, 2011 9:32 AM EDT reply actions
Eric, Don’t worry B. Kelly willl probably never allow Lynch in a Blue Gold game again!
by Marty Healy on Apr 18, 2011 11:55 AM EDT reply actions
It definitely looks like we are going to be carrying this quarterback discussion through the 2011 season. Like BK said, I suppose that is better than only having one guy and hoping he stays healthy.
My post spring feel is that Crist starts, Hendrix plays a couple of series per game, Rees spends his Saturdays wearing a red cap, and Golson redshirts. If Crist doesn’t stay healthy then the Hendrix vs. Rees competition will be very interesting.
I also think the defense will be dominant. The system is sound and for the first time in 5 years they’ll be playing in the exact same system for 2 consecutive years. I think that combined with Longo and generally better coaching will show us some significant development. There is also just a lot of quality depth on defense especially in the front 7. I really feel good about the D.
by whiskey on Apr 18, 2011 12:02 PM EDT reply actions
whiskey,
You’re right, I still think we’re a long ways away from the QB competition being over. Probably longer than anyone thinks.
I really hope the defense is nasty, and all signs are pointing to them being very good.
My biggest hope, or should I say confidence, is that we’re not going to allow average offenses and average players to have big days against us.
How many times in the past 4 or 5 years did decidedly average players have career days against Notre Dame? Garbage BC quarterbacks…300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Some running back no one has ever heard of…115 yards and 2 scores.
That’s the kind of stuff I think we’re cutting out immediately. If the opponent doesn’t have legitimate playmakers and a balanced offense, we should shut them down. That’s a very different feeling than watching the San Diego State’s of the world move the ball and continue to pick up key first downs.
I still think being dominant will be tough, but I guess it depends upon how you define dominant. I don’t think we’ll be a top 20 defense…just too many solid teams and like I’ve said before no I-AA team to give us that shut out and 150 yard defensive performance.
But I think USF, Purdue, BC, Wake Forest, and Pitt are all going to find it very hard to do anything offensively against us. I know I might be jumping the gun, but I think we’ll frustrate Air Force and Navy too…I love where our run defense is at right now. Go ahead and throw Maryland in there too. They’re solid but I think we’re past the point where teams like that are going to be pushing 25 or 30 points on us.
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 18, 2011 12:23 PM EDT reply actions
Eric I like the way that you captured that. Very well said. The big days against ND from average or sub par offenses and players aren’t going to happen. But I also feel pretty good about how they are going to stack up against better offenses too. I can’t wait to watch it.
by whiskey on Apr 18, 2011 12:46 PM EDT reply actions
If I were Tommy Rees and really wanted to play football, I’d think about transferring. Now, if he loves being at Notre Dame that much then go ahead and stay, but I don’t think there’s anyway he’ll be the full-time starter here. He’s a bad fit for this offense, as you’ve already mentioned, and there are just too many other options for Kelly to willfully throw up his hands and start Rees. Crist will probably be the opening day starter, but if he goes down again, I don’t see anyway Kelly goes to Rees first. I think Rees could absolutely go to a school like Wisconsin or Iowa, who run more pro-style offenses, and compete for playing time. But he doesn’t fit this one at all. Throw in the fact that Notre Dame will probably recruit another QB this year and…yeah, I’d think about transferring.
I was quite discouraged by how subpar the offense looked, but it may very well be that this defense is just that much better. It’s always hard to know what to take from an intrasquad scrimmage, because an offensive player doing well could just mean the defense really sucks, or vice versa. I’m hopeful that this defense is just THAT good. And I also remember that stars from previous spring games include Nate Montana and Junior Jabbie. So…I’ll hold judgement until after they play South Florida.
What really strikes me is how much bigger this defense is than it’s been in a long time, probably ever. Aaron Lynch is 260 lbs. and looks small. So does Ishaq Williams at 220-230 lbs. It wasn’t that long ago that Kerry Neal was starting at DE at 260 lbs. and Harrison Smith was OLB at 220. I’ve never seen a nose tackle as big as Louis Nix at Notre Dame. Danny Spond looks small, but back in 2005 I don’t think he would have been out of place. There’s a definite shift happening here, and I think it’s that Kelly and Diaco are recruiting and developing true BCS-caliber defensive players.
by Chris on Apr 18, 2011 2:00 PM EDT reply actions
Sorry for the double post, but remember in 2006 when Travis Thomas got moved over to OLB? Imagine that happening to Jonas Gray today. Makes me shudder. With the type of defensive depth Kelly and Diaco are developing (remember, guys like Lynch, Williams, Nix, Moore and Spond aren’t starters at this point), those days are LONG gone.
by Chris on Apr 18, 2011 2:03 PM EDT reply actions
Quarterback was the most important reason to tune in to this game. Weather conditions appeared nice and cozy from my perspective. That is until I opened my balcony door at halftime. Wet, blustery winds, cold, etc. Typical midwest Oct/Nov weather. Perfect to test!
I do not want to comment much on Crist or Reese. There are 13 games last year that an opinion can be justified upon. This was less than a half of football based on non contact drills.
Many of us were here to get a glimse of Nix, Lynch, Williams, etc. Those we have never seen against college competition. I was here to watch the Hendrix/Golson competition.
Hendrix, especially the throw to Deion to end the half, demonstated a rifle arm. If that was into the wind a cannon arm. Golson also demonstated strength and accuracy passing.
Neither one made a really stupid pass. Passing conditions were awful and the coaches
may have been calling plays to almost make them look stupid. They both passed in my opinion.
On to the other dimension: Running
Hendrix: I remember reading a scouting report that characterized Hendrix as an upright runner. I assumed that to mean that he doesn’t seem to know when to hit the turf and not fight for a few extra yards. Defenses might either hurt him or strip him of the ball. That may be a legitimate point. I love the fight in Hendrix. Needs to learn to slide.
Golson: The commentator made reference of Golson bailing out of the pocket at the first hint of trouble. View his high school U Tube clips!!! Thats this kids style. If trouble is brewing up the middle he bails out right or left, sometimes both!!LOL . If trouble is coming from the outside he tends to step up into the pocket and bails out to either side. I am not sure he is panicky at all. I think he may have an instinct of how to find open space in the backfield to buy time as receivers open themselves up downfield. I see why Kelly wanted this kid for his offense. Don’t over coach this kid.
I hope Kelly does not name a one and only quarterback unless it is Hendrix or Golson.
by Marty Healy on Apr 18, 2011 2:04 PM EDT reply actions
Well said, Eric; you’ve articulated part of the reason why I feel so confident about this season.
In the past, our atrocious defense could make average offenses look incredible, turning what should have been a romp into a shootout.
Next season, I have a really hard time seeing how those eight teams you listed hang enough points on us to win.
by Whiskeyjack on Apr 18, 2011 2:15 PM EDT reply actions
Eric, There is only one rational to naming Hendrix as the starter!! He was destined from birth!! “a ND rew he ND rix” Enough said!! lol
by Marty Healy on Apr 18, 2011 2:29 PM EDT reply actions
Chris,
I don’t see Rees transferring, but I also have a hard time believing he sees the field ever again unless Crist is hurt very early next year. We’ve had some arguments on here whether we should recruit a QB in this cycle…I’m one of those who contends we don’t need one (yes I know Kelly wants one per year) and I think with Golson and Hendrix’ play on Saturday it’s pretty obvious it’s not absolutely critical to go after someone knowing this will be a small class.
With that said, I think Rees sticks around as part of the four QB’s into his junior year. As a senior I think it’ll finally be set in stone where the future is. Tough choice for him no doubt.
I really think the offense with Rees and Crist looked bad on purpose, if that makes sense. From Kelly’s comments I think it was clear they were merely “working on some tough throws” and things like that. But of course the defense played well.
Most definitely the defense is bigger. If you’ve seen the comparisons for this current unit to 2006’s it is pretty striking. I think Keith Arnold has that up on Inside the Irish.
In 2006, our linebackers weighed 220, 220, and 209.
Now we have guys that are 255, 250, 245. And they’re talented!!
I know the defensive line is getting a lot of attention for their size, but when you think about it, we’ve had woefully small and under-talented linebackers for years at ND. At least we had Tuck, Abriamari, Laws, and recently Williams. The linebackers in the past all you hear is cricket noises.
Now with Te’o and bringing some others along like Fleming, Shembo, Calabrese…we’re getting linebackers who are bigger, faster, and stronger.
It makes me smile.
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 18, 2011 3:14 PM EDT reply actions
Marty,
I don’t think we’ll see a ton of sliding for Hendrix. He does seem to be the type of player who is not going to shy away from contact. Of course that is a two-way street…he probably doesn’t score his first TD without having that mentality, but it is also a huge injury risk.
I think you have to be smart about it. If he takes the option read and get past the D-line and sees two linebackers and a corner coming up to tackle him…yeah slide down. But in scenarios where he breaks into the open field and only sees one guy in front, I’m okay with him trying to juke him, throwing a stiff arm, or lowering his shoulder for extra yards.
I thought Golson was very jumpy. Yes there were times when there was real pressure and you can’t blame him for bailing out of the pocket, but on a few snaps a defensive lineman merely pushed the offensive lineman back and he was taking off.
I love the athleticism and you can’t knock him for being like that right now, but he will have to learn to hang in there. Especially because he is such a good passer, we don’t need him to run around and try to make plays on his own. Believe me I absolutely LOVE what he brings to the table, but I don’t think it’s smart to have him just winging it out there because he’s such a good athlete. It would be great if he carries the ball 6 or 7 times on the option read, maybe a few QB draws…but otherwise stay in the pocket and beat teams with your arm. If there’s truly pressure then fine…get out of there and try and make a play. But that shouldn’t be happening every other snap.
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 18, 2011 3:24 PM EDT reply actions
Marty,
I just spent five minutes trying to decipher what you’re post meant.
I get it now. I’m good.
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 18, 2011 3:25 PM EDT reply actions
Nice article, Eric. I like the way Ree runs the offense, but arm strength and making the deep passes will eventually separate him from the other three. Golson throws a rocket! Great run. Really, he is a high school senior, too. What a dimension he will bring to Kelly’s attack. We need the QB that can hit the receivers in stride and make the most throws.
I loved hearing Kelly miked up: “See what I have to deal with? Not as easy down here, Mayock, as up there.” “Manage the huddle.” “Keep your head up.” and the question with no acceptable answer – “What were you doing out there?” and his clear change in temperament most of the time from last year.
Drop-off – BK was worried this spring about the drop-off from first team to second team, which is probably why so many of them saw so much action. Lynch has great things ahead. Can’t wait for the rest of this freshman class to come.
Recruiting took another giant step forward with the commitment of Darby, Baratti, and Lyons.
by Michael Collins on Apr 18, 2011 4:57 PM EDT reply actions
I wouldn’t fret about the passing game. other than mike, our WRs don’t have the standout physical tools to beat defenders under a limited playbook as we saw saturday. When all the routes are available to them and they’ve tuned up with a starting QB, I think goodie, Theo and Toma will be very solid.
by Indy on Apr 18, 2011 5:34 PM EDT reply actions
Eric, I agree with you and Whiskeyjack on the overall highly favorable assessment of our defense. My optimism for September is at the top of the brim. Kelly now has the hard part of reigning in expectations. Go ND
by Marty Healy on Apr 18, 2011 6:19 PM EDT reply actions
Michael Collins wrote: “Recruiting took another giant step forward with the commitment of Darby, Baratti, and Lyons.” (emphasis added)
At first I got excited; Wayne Lyons is transferring from Stanford to Notre Dame!?
Then I realized you probably meant Daly.
by Whiskeyjack on Apr 18, 2011 7:25 PM EDT reply actions
Michael,
A few of Golson’s throws were outstanding. His first attempt I loved his release, it was an obvious bullet, and he put it right on the money too. That seam route that was dropped by walk-on Fitzpatrick was as good of a throw as we saw all day. His ceiling is so high right now it’s not even funny.
by Eric Murtaugh on Apr 19, 2011 8:09 AM EDT reply actions
Good detailed analysisi of the game.
As for QB – Crist gives ND the best shot at a BCS bowl. So he needs to get the first shot at QB since that’s B.Kelly’s mission statement every season. I don’t think another QB has the ability or experience to get ND there this season but DCrist needs to meet expectations.
by joeyknucklehead on Apr 19, 2011 8:55 PM EDT reply actions
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