Reviewing the Redshirts: OLB Ben Councell
by Eric Murtaugh on Dec 19, 2011 7:00 AM EST
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Brian Kelly was fortunate to come to Notre Dame and not have to burn many redshirts, or force true freshmen into key roles because there was already quality depth up and down the roster.
This past year was no different with a handful of really talented freshmen sitting out the season. So far, we have covered two of those players.
Up next in this series is another linebacker that the coaching staff has high hopes for.
OLB Ben Councell
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Height: 6'4" 1/2
Weight: 230
RECRUIT RANKINGS
Rivals: No. 5 WDE, No. 6 North Carolina, No. 91 National
ESPN: No. 19 OLB, Grade: 79
Scout: No. 32 OLB
247: No. 7 OLB, No. 4 North Carolina, No. 97 National, Grade: 95
Need at Position: Medium to High
Expected Spot on 2012 Depth Chart: Third String
Analysis:
Councell was one of the more intriguing prospects last year, not just within Notre Dame's 2011 class, but out of the entire country.
He was the picture-perfect recruit to play the Dog linebacker position in Diaco's 3-4 scheme: tall, lanky, speedy, and with a good nose for the ball. After watching his tape after his verbal commitment to Notre Dame we had an internal discussion at One Foot Down that went something like this:
A) Councell is terribly underrated
B) Councell is a huge need on the edge
C) Will he see significant time as a freshman?
As it turned out, Councell was redshirted, but he is still a huge need on the edge. After a big senior season and a standout performance in the Carolina's Shrine Bowl, Councell also shot up a couple of the services' recruiting rankings and came to Notre Dame as a borderline elite prospect.
Councell remains a very intriguing player because he fits the prototype for his position, but there is currently a log-jam of players vying for minutes there.
As such, I have him going into next year as a third-string player. Councell will probably play a ton of special teams, but he has Prince Shembo, Danny Spond, and Troy Niklas standing in his way at the Dog spot.
Therefore, Councell's playing time next year might depend on the staff shuffling the linebackers around as much as it will his performance in practice.
With Darius Fleming graduating and playing his last game in a couple weeks, there is a huge void left at the Cat position. Only true freshman Ishaq Williams returns---and he played very sparingly this year finishing with just 5 tackles.
The odds are probably fairly decent that Prince Shembo (physically a clone to Darius Fleming) will move to Cat, especially after he struggled this past year in a more drop-back role at the Dog (29 tackles in 11 games). This move would provide a good two-deep at the Cat while freeing up some room at Dog for someone like Councell.
Even without such a move by Shembo or someone else, there needs to be vastly improved play at the Dog position and that might necessitate Councell moving up the depth chart this offseason if he can prove to be a playmaker.
At 230 pounds, Councell might need to add another 10 pounds by next August to satisfy the coaches, but there has to be a premium put on speed and pass coverage at this position with what we've seen over the the past year-plus.
Keep an eye out for Councell in the spring because he might be a surprise playmaker ready to blossom if given the opportunity.
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I think you hit the nail on the head...
with Shembo moving over to Cat. He was terrible at Dog this season and really was just out of place. I would have to imagine that Shembo and Ishaq would rotate quite a bit with each other and play like a 60-40, 70-30 kinda split. Spond seems to be a great fit at Dog and I would think he is the odds-on favorite to start if healthy. I’m not sure if Niklas stays at LB too much longer or maybe goes to DE, but this is just conjecture on my part based on what he was projected as (and he’s freakin’ tall). If that is the coaching staff’s long-term plan, then Councell’s development could go a long way towards determining if and when that happens.
Good stuff, as usual, Eric.
I'll be shocked if Shembo isn't a top the Cat depth chart in spring
I just can’t see Ishaq starting next year, plus there’s no one to back him up now anyway. There’s no way they go into next season with Williams-Okwara on the two deep, right?
Nilkas is another interesting player, and he could move to Cat too. But remember, Kelly loves the way he plays in space, which would seem to indicate he’ll stay at Dog. We definitely can use his length out there.
Can we get some tipped balls or something!?!?
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Dec 19, 2011 9:35 AM EST up reply actions
I think Shembo looked to be getting victimized at Dog because
(a) he’s not a natural dog, and
(b) we played a lot of base defense against 3-wide-receiver sets.
I think Shembo will benefit from a move to Cat, given his physicality and pass-rushing ability.
Among Spond, Williams, Councell, Shembo, and Niklas, I think we’ll be at good shape at OLB. I thought the same thing heading into this year, though. It seems like every year, our OLB’s need to overcome a steep learning curve before they start playing to their potential.
by Mouth of the South on Dec 19, 2011 10:53 AM EST up reply actions
To add to your thoughts
I think the Dog position is naturally a ridiculously hard position to play and a reason why I’m not crazy about the 3-4 defense. You need a combination of size, speed, and intuition, mixed with an ability to play like a linemen and take on blocks, and then drop back and play like a corner far away from the line of scrimmage.
We also didn’t have much continuity at the Dog position this year with Shembo missing a couple games, Spond out for quite a long time, and Niklas being a true frosh. They did combine for 62 tackles on the season though—-which is a decent amount from that position. Yet, I can’t think of a single play any of them made, outside of maybe a Shembo sack or something.
Here’s some more crazy info:
The linebackers this year had 8 pass break-ups, and 10 pass deflections.
The three dog linebackers didn’t register a single stat in either category.
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Dec 19, 2011 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
I didn't realize that pass break-ups and pass deflections were different stats.
Is it a deflection when it happens at the LOS?
by Mouth of the South on Dec 19, 2011 12:46 PM EST up reply actions
I'm think yes
Because Fleming led all LB’s in deflections.
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Dec 19, 2011 1:09 PM EST up reply actions
Adding further to your additional thoughts...
Agreed that Dog is an absurdly difficult position to play. If we can’t find a couple good solutions there, that will be a strong argument in favor of shifting to a 4-3 (particularly with all the talent we’ve got on the DL).
Glad we’re all agreed that Shembo will start at Cat next year with Ishaq. I also expect Niklas to end up at Cat or on the DL; I just have a hard time seeing a 6’7’’ 250+ lb behemoth finding a long-term home at a position that requires covering WRs in space. To make matters worse, our only current OLB verbal— Okwara— also looks like Cat is in future. Thus, we’ve only got two “true” Dogs on the roster— Spond and Councell.
Spond was hamstrung for much of the year, so I don’t know if his lack of production this season is an accurate representation of his talent. Either way, our only two long-term options at Dog are mostly unknown, which is worrisome since it’s been a persistent weak spot in our defense this year.
Ifeadi Odenigbo is arguably the most important recruit left on our board for this reason, but it seems we trail Stanford and Northwestern for his services at the moment. Part of me wants to see Baratti at the Dog; he’s got the frame to grow into a LB, and as a Zbikowski-like prospect, he could really fit the bill. Perhaps the staff should stop looking for high school LBs who can play in space and instead look for over-sized high school Safeties.
by Whisk3yjack on Dec 19, 2011 11:31 PM EST up reply actions
I concur on your first paragraph
It will be interesting to see how the coaches handle the Dog position in the coming months or years.
Do you think Niklas moves to Cat next year though? He’s probably more likely to move when he’s junior I think.
Spond looked good in the preseason, but we never got to see him fully healthy. I hope he’s as good as some of us hoped because he might be starting next year.
I’ve been advocating for a while that they focus on speed at Dog, and I agree that Baratti should be a possible solution there. I honestly think we could have played Slaughter at Dog a lot of the time and made the defense better. We’ll see what they plan on doing.
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Dec 20, 2011 8:15 AM EST up reply actions
Whisk3yjack back in this mix after a very long hiatus.
Good to have you back, big fella.
What to do at Dog? I know, we’ll just hope that Councell pans out.
Murtaugh, I think we never played an oversized safety at dog because Bobby D was concerned first and foremost with not letting anyone run the ball on us. If we put a small dog out there, then it’s no longer the Dog position. It’s the Shih Tzu position and we’re getting run over when the other guy has three wide but one tight. I think that’s the theory anyways. Maybe we should have played more nickel, but against one tight, you’re more susceptible to the run.
by Mouth of the South on Dec 20, 2011 10:43 AM EST up reply actions
The solution is to have a nickel guy
Or a smaller Dog, who tackles well above his weight.
I think Slaughter is that kind of player, but I’m just a blogger.
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Dec 20, 2011 11:12 AM EST up reply actions
Whisky, Niklas isn't so much of a "behemoth" as his numbers suggest.
He’s extremely tall, but really well-proportioned – not a hulking sort of guy at all, very long arms, very strong; he looks like a guy who can move very quickly and have a lot of power in his reach. It was crazy to me to see him on kick-off coverage this year – at his size, he still almost always reached the ball carrier right alongside Collinsworth and McDaniel. Kelly likes him in space. He also showed himself an impressive pass rusher on the line vs. BC and Stanford.
by fishoutofwater on Dec 20, 2011 11:34 AM EST up reply actions
I wasn't impugning his athleticism by calling him "hulking"...
… but the fact remains that he’s 6’7’’, ~250+, and runs a 4.7 40. Those are excellent measurables for a Cat OLB, and he could easily bulk up a bit and play DL for us (he was actually used as an interior pass rusher for us in Tuitt’s absence a few times).
But the Dog OLB is a hybrid S/ LB. He spends most of his time in space covering the field side against slot WRs. A guy with Niklas’ measurables is not destined to settle in long-term as a pseudo-DB.
The Dog needs to be an oversized DB who likes to play in the Box; not a DL with surprisingly good instincts in coverage.
The coaching staff isn't really recruiting oversized DB's for the position.
Look at Councell—dude could probably play a 4-3 DE, so I’m not sure that this Dog position is supposed to be just an oversized DB.
by Mouth of the South on Dec 20, 2011 4:04 PM EST up reply actions
I agree...
I think it’s just supposed to be a Sam LB. Cover TEs/Backs in man coverage or take the hook-to-flats in zone. Be able to blitz sometimes. The idea behind 3-4 is that anyone can be rushing the QB on any given play. I think many coaches would argue that it’s easier to find tweeners to be a 3-4 OLB than prototype 4-3 DEs. That’s the logic at least. And if your front 3 ties up 4-5 lineman and gets penetration, forget about it, I’ll take the 3-4 anyday.
We're a vertical-and-horizontal-wall-of-defenders 3-4.
Penetration is anathema and grounds for excommunication.
by Mouth of the South on Dec 20, 2011 6:01 PM EST up reply actions
I think
you’ll see ND have multiple options at Dog depending on the offense we are up against. Sometimes a player better against the run and sometimes the pass. As stated to think we’ll have a player adept at both might not be a realistic position.
That said we should be looking forward to watching Councell play.
For sure we might see that
But it can be difficult to juggle a bunch of different players there within each game too.
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Dec 20, 2011 8:28 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
Councell will be a beast
Third string you say? Haruph!
In all seriousness, Shembo needs to move to Cat. Okwara is coming in and the some of the review that I read from the Shrine Bowl practices were that he was fast and raw. I like that combo, and could mean that he moves to the Dog LB.
Niklas is an interesting one to project…very much a tweener—could bulk up and play DE (more likely in a 4-3) or stay where he is at OLB in the 3-4. I think he played pretty well this fall with only having camp to learn his position.
The thing that will be great to watch in 2012 and on is the amount of rotation that the staff will use on the defense. Talent-wise, anyone on the two-deep would be starting for most schools, and you can say that across the board. BK and DIaco are building a defense that will absolutely dominate the 4th quarter.
I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle
I guess I should have said more about Councell...
I think he is the prototype Dog ’backer in this defense. As Eric said, perfect combination of size and speed. With a full year to learn the defense, he should make an impact in 2012 on defense and special teams. I am looking forward to watching this kid play
I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle
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