Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Stan Van Gundy Fired As Head Coach Of The Magic

ND Football 2012: Projecting the Two Deep



Well it's the end of the 2011 season (except for recruiting). So why don't we look forward to 2012 and try to guess what the two deep will look like? Winner gets bragging rights when the first depth chart comes out in the fall. 1 point for the correct person and 1 point for the correct spot on the depth chart. Feel free to go ahead and use current recruits and potential recruits if you dare. Current player's spot in parentheses. DEs interchangeable. I left out the Mike/Will etc terminology.

Current depth chart can be found HERE

Star-divide

QB:

RB:

WR (Floyd):

WR (Jones):

WR (Toma):

TE:

RT (Dever):

LT (Martin):

RG (Robinson):

LG (Watt):

C:

----

DE:

DE:

NT:

OLB (Shembo):

MLB (Te'o):

MLB (Fox):

OLB (Fleming):

CB (Gray):

CB (Blanton):

S (Smith):

S (Slaughter):

--

PR:

KR:

K:

P:

Comment 64 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

My Guesses

QB: Golson; Hendrix OR Rees

RB: Wood; Riddick

WR (Floyd): Daniel Smith; Deontay Greenberry

WR (Jones): DeVaris Daniels; TJ Jones

WR (Toma): Robby Toma; TJ Jones

TE: Tyler Eifert; Ben Koyack

RT (Dever): Christian Lombard; Matt Hegarty

LT (Martin): Nick Martin; Jordan Prestwood

RG (Robinson): Mike Golic Jr; Conor Hanratty

LG (Watt): Chris Watt; Bruce Heggie

C: Braxton Cave; Matt Hegarty *I do think if Cave went down, Golic would take the spot and Hanratty would move in to RG – just don’t know how this looks on the depth chart though

DE: Kapron Lewis-Moore; Aaron Lynch

DE: Stephon Tuitt; Chase Hounshell

NT: Louis Nix III; Sean Cwynar

OLB (Shembo): Danny Spond; Prince Shembo

MLB (Te’o): Manti Te’o; Kendall Moore

MLB (Fox): Dan Fox; Carlo Calabrese

OLB (Fleming): Ishaq Williams; Darius Fleming

CB (Gray): Bennett Jackson; Lo Wood

CB (Blanton): Jalen Brown; Tee Shepard

S (Smith): Zeke Motta; Ronald Darby

S (Slaughter): Jamoris Slaughter; Eilar Hardy

PR: Ronald Darby; GA3

KR: GA3 and Ronald Darby

K: Nick Tausch; Kyle Brindza

P: Ben Turk; Kyle Brindza

I think the most interesting positions will be CBs. I could see both Shepard and Darby establishing themselves as starters by the end of the season (Shepard as early as spring practice). It will be hard to keep those two off the field. Also interesting to see what they do with GA3. He’s a playmaker and I could see him getting some time at slot receiver.

by Irishane on Dec 31, 2011 8:50 AM EST reply actions  

Darius Fleming?
OLB (Fleming): Ishaq Williams; Darius Fleming

Who did you really mean?

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Dec 31, 2011 11:47 AM EST up reply actions  

would be fine by me

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Dec 31, 2011 2:58 PM EST up reply actions  

Except your RG spot...

(and your granting Zach Martin’s senior year to Darius Fleming), I am largely in agreement with you here.

I think at RG, it’s Nick Martin’s spot to lose (I don’t see Golic coming back with a strong finish recruiting and the staff priming Hegarty to take over at C after Cave leaves).

I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Greenberry pass Daniel Smith quickly and the two deep at RB to be more of a four deep with the talent at that position. There is no reason Mahone and Russell can’t play early.

by alstein on Dec 31, 2011 1:09 PM EST up reply actions  

Maybe Mahone, but I think Russell bulks up for a year.

Kid ain’t but 185 soaking wet. Maybe he pulls a Jonas Gray and shows up at a stout but lean 20 lbs. heavier than his listed weight.

Or maybe he’s just too good in the return game to keep off the field as a freshman.

And I’m not banking on freshmen wide receivers playing early.

by Mouth of the South on Dec 31, 2011 6:45 PM EST up reply actions  

Depth Chart Engineering: The Nickname Remix

Having started the grass roots “Don’t sleep on EG” campaign, I could hardly make another choice at QB.

QB: “Don’t Sleep On” EG
RB: Sprite (Because he’s been too good for too long to be called “The Mist.”)
WR (Floyd): D-Deuce
WR (Jones): TJ Jazzy Jones
WR (Toma): Robby “Loma Loma” Toma
TE: TE
RT: Tate “Area Code” Nichols (Cuz he’s much bigger than a zip code.)
LT: Zima (He’s enough of a badass to make Zima cool. He dares you to make fun of his nickname as not manly.)
RG:Christian "The Barbarian Hoard (pronounced “hard” in Bostonian fashion)" Lombard
LG: Chris “Jumpin Jigo” Watt
C:Captain Caveman

DE: Kaptain Krunch
DE: Stephon Tuitt (because he’s got better size to play a 3-4 end, I’ll give him the nod, though we’ll clearly see a LOT of Lynch)
NT: What It Do Louis
DOLB (Shembo):
MLB (Te’o): Manti “Te’o. Me say Te-ay-ay-O. Daylight come and it’s lights out, B
JLB (Fox): Dan “Foxy Knoxy” Foxy. (Because by next year he’ll be so good that you won’t stop him unless you get an insane Italian prosecutor to wrongfully incarcerate him for murder. And because the team named him defensive newcomer of the year, which tells me that he’s getting entrenched at the position, despite having the more-athletically-gifted K-Mo nipping at his heels.)
COLB (Fleming): Prince “The Linebacker Formerly known as Dog” Shembo
BCB (Gray): Bennett “Redaction” Jackson. (Because he will embarrass you so badly that your athletic department will redact any mention of your existence.)
FCB (Blanton): Tee “The Good” Shepard
FS (Smith): Seargent Slaughter
SS (Slaughter): Zimo. Not as good as Zima.

PR: Theo “The Critic” Riddick. (Because I’m out of ideas, and it rhymes and sounds kind of cool.)
KR: GA-To-The-Trey
K: Kyle “George Dzundza” Brindza
P: Kyle “The Polish Cannon” Brindza

by Mouth of the South on Dec 31, 2011 10:48 AM EST reply actions  

Mouth...

I am personally offended that you used the term “engineering” in such a cavalier fashion. Engineers of the world would normally unite to make your life much more difficult if it weren’t for the threat of endless lawsuits. You have been put on notice sir…

/starting the new year with a bang
//all very tounge-in-cheek of course

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 1, 2012 10:08 PM EST up reply actions  

Engineering is a totally appropriate description of what I did:

I took a problem with a very limited set of solutions, thought it death, then complicated it with unnecessary, esoteric, and inordinately confusing language. I guess it’s not real engineering because I didn’t charge an enormous sum for my work, so techinically it wasn’t engineering, I concede.

/touche
//you violated the second-oldest rule in the book, the first being never to engage in a comment war with a BC fan, but the second, only slightly lesser-known being never to engage in a contest of wit with an attorney when your internet-blogging life or death, your rep, is on the line HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

by Mouth of the South on Jan 2, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions   2 recs

/death

and rec

Well hello there hangover. Fancy meeting you here this bright Thursday morning.

by Cranked_Irish on Jan 2, 2012 1:27 PM EST up reply actions  

I thought the second rule...

was to never engage in a land war in Asia. Or is it to invade Russia in the winter? Either way, you win yet again.

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 2, 2012 1:58 PM EST up reply actions  

Not all of it...

don’t mess with a 6th grade geography bee champion.

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 2, 2012 10:20 PM EST up reply actions  

Rec for Princess Bride quote

Stop rhyming I mean it!!
Anybody want a peanut?

by my name is inigo montoya on Jan 2, 2012 4:10 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions  

Modified and reapplied quotation.

Anyone can just throw a quote out there. The trick is to change it slightly to make it applicable, poignant and timely.

by Mouth of the South on Jan 2, 2012 6:44 PM EST up reply actions  

I'll throw my hat in the ring

QB: EG; Rees
RB: Wood; Riddick
WR (Floyd): Greenberry; Smtih
WR (Jones): Daniels; Jones
WR (Toma): Toma; Jones
TE: Eifert; Koyack
RT (Dever): Nichols; Nick Martin
LT (Martin): Zach Martin; Prestwood
RG (Robinson): Lombard; Hanratty
LG (Watt): Watt; Hegarty
C: Cave; Heggie
--
DE: KLM; Lynch
DE: Tuitt; Hounshell
NT: Irish Chocolate; Cwynar
OLB (Shembo): Spond, Councell
MLB (Te’o): Te’o; Moore
MLB (Fox): Fox; Calabrese
OLB (Fleming): Shembo; Ishaq
CB (Gray): Jackson; Atkinson
CB (Blanton): Wood; Brown
S (Smith): Motta; Baratti
S (Slaughter): Slaughter; Collinsworth

PR: Riddick; GAIII
KR: GAIII; Collinsworth
K: Tausch (FG & XP); Brindza (kickoffs)
P: Turk; Brindza

by burger23 on Dec 31, 2011 12:47 PM EST reply actions  

Anyone know off-hand what the o-line looks like for 2013? How many of our line do we lose after next year?

2012 is going to be a year of learning with a new QB. I hope we get to keep some of our line for 2013, because no matter how much Golson/Hendrix learn next year, they won’t be able to do it from their back in 2013.

#teamGolson
進者往生極楽 退者無間地獄
Notre Dame Fightin' Irish + Hawaii Warriors
The Japanese History Podcast

by Kelly's Gyros on Dec 31, 2011 4:15 PM EST reply actions  

Zach Martin and Chris Watt will be 5th year seniors (assuming they don't go pro - a possiblity with Z-Ma)

Lombard and Nichols (likely starters at RG and RT, respectively) will be a seniors with 5th year eligibility. Center could be any number of players – Heggie, Hanratty, Hegarty, and even Nick Martin could be starting there.

We only lose Cave after next year. Our o-line will be very strong in the future.

by burger23 on Dec 31, 2011 4:28 PM EST up reply actions  

Okay. Losing only one player is what I wanted to hear.

#teamGolson
進者往生極楽 退者無間地獄
Notre Dame Fightin' Irish + Hawaii Warriors
The Japanese History Podcast

by Kelly's Gyros on Dec 31, 2011 5:40 PM EST up reply actions  

Hit enter too quickly.

A strong line coming back means that QB/WR/RB development next year won’t be wasted in 2013.

#teamGolson
進者往生極楽 退者無間地獄
Notre Dame Fightin' Irish + Hawaii Warriors
The Japanese History Podcast

by Kelly's Gyros on Dec 31, 2011 5:52 PM EST up reply actions  

DGB? I’m assuming you mean DGB as in #1 WR recruit in the country Dorial Green-Beckham?

"Viva los Zapatistas y la Revolucion"

by montanajagsfan on Dec 31, 2011 11:23 PM EST up reply actions  

haha nice

"Viva los Zapatistas y la Revolucion"

by montanajagsfan on Jan 1, 2012 11:58 AM EST up reply actions  

I won't be surprised if he starts

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Jan 1, 2012 11:35 AM EST up reply actions  

I won't be surprised either

I think Greenberry might have an incredible freshman season.

Seeing as how Floyd missed a few games in 2008, I think DGB has a good shot at breaking some of Mike’s freshman receiving records.

Sky rockets in flight.

by Eric Murtaugh on Jan 1, 2012 1:45 PM EST up reply actions  

True that

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Jan 1, 2012 4:55 PM EST up reply actions  

Well, who else is gonna play there?

Maybe Danny Smith, but the fact that he barely played this year leads me to believe the coaches aren’t very high on him.

by burger23 on Jan 1, 2012 12:07 PM EST up reply actions  

Daniels?

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Jan 1, 2012 1:04 PM EST up reply actions  

It could very well be

Daniels/TJ Jones/Toma as starters. I think the biggest question for someone like Greenberry is how well can he block? And can he pick up the offense fast enough seeing as he’s not coming in as an EE.

by Irishane on Jan 1, 2012 2:04 PM EST up reply actions  

Yeah, I was thinking Daniels.

Maybe Smith will never make an impact, but I thought that he was limited by his hammy for a big chunk of this season.

by Mouth of the South on Jan 1, 2012 2:30 PM EST up reply actions  

I guess the question is:

Is a Daniels/Jones outside receiver combo better than DGB/Daniels?

by burger23 on Jan 2, 2012 2:13 PM EST up reply actions  

QB: Andrew Hendrix
RB: Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick, William Mahone

WR (Floyd): DaVaris Daniels, Deontay Greenbury

WR (Jones): Justin Ferguson, TJ Jones

WR (Toma):Robby Toma, Theo Riddick

TE: Tyler Eifert, Ben Koyack

RT (Dever): Tate Nichols

LT (Martin): Zach Martin

RG (Robinson): Conor Hanratty

LG (Watt): Chris Watt

C: Braxston Cave

DE: Stephon Tuitt

DE: Aaron Lynch

NT: Louis Nix III

OLB (Shembo): Ben Councell

MLB (Te’o): Manti Te’o

MLB (Fox): Dan Fox

OLB (Fleming): Prince Shembo

CB (Gray): Tee Shepard

CB (Blanton): Ronald Darby

S (Smith): Zeke Motta

S (Slaughter): Jamoris Slaughter

PR: Ronald Darby

KR: GAIII

K: Kyle Brindza

P: Ben Turk

Note: I don’t like the idea of starting two Frosh CBs, but I honestly think they’ll be the most talented on the roster by September 1, 2012.

"Viva los Zapatistas y la Revolucion"

by montanajagsfan on Dec 31, 2011 11:31 PM EST reply actions  

I want to play too!

In my usual fashion, I will do this with minimal research.

QB: Golson, Hendrix
RB: Wood, Riddick NOTE: GAIII and McDaniel also get some reps here.
WR (Floyd): Daniels, Smith
WR (Jones): Greenberry, Jones
WR (Toma): Toma, Riddick OR Jones
TE: Eifert, Koyack
RT (Dever): Nichols, Lombard
LT (Martin): Z Martin, Prestwood
RG (Robinson): Hegarty, Hanratty
LG (Watt): Watt, N Martin
C: Cave, Golic Jr

DE: KLM, Tuitt
DE: Lynch, Hounshell
NT: Nix, Cwynar
OLB (Shembo): Spond, Councell
MLB (Te’o): Te’o, Moore
MLB (Fox): Fox, Calabrese
OLB (Fleming): Shembo, Williams
CB (Gray): Jackson, Josh Atkinson
CB (Blanton): Shepard, Brown
S (Smith): Motta, Collinsworth
S (Slaughter): Slaughter, Hardy

PR: GAIII, Toma
KR: GAIII, Darby
K: Tausch, Brindza
P: Turk, Brindza

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 1, 2012 10:20 PM EST reply actions  

I like what you've done here

My differences:

Lombard at RT.

Niklas at OLB.

And I think Darby is the punt returner.

Sky rockets in flight.

by Eric Murtaugh on Jan 2, 2012 1:13 AM EST up reply actions  

I'm surprised to not see anyone else include Niklas in their 2-deep.

Maybe because his future position is a bit unclear? He had a ton of game experience as a true freshman this year, played well, and really impressed the coaches. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t the no. 1 or 2 guy at whatever his position is next year (probably Dog LB?). Would a guy who red-shirted (Councell) really jump out in front of him with no experience at all?

by fishoutofwater on Jan 2, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions  

I, too, hope that we have a “too deep” depth chart, MotS.

And I hope Niklas is at the top of it at OLB.

by fishoutofwater on Jan 2, 2012 1:37 PM EST up reply actions  

That is what I get for not researching appropriately...

Niklas will see the field somewhere, I am just not sure. I think he could bulk up and play DE, but it all depends on where this recruiting class ends up.

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 2, 2012 2:01 PM EST up reply actions  

Goes right along with the vaunted rush 4, drop 8 defense

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 2, 2012 2:00 PM EST up reply actions  

We should employ this scheme more often

Perhaps this is what Weis meant with “decided schematic advantage”?

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 2, 2012 10:21 PM EST up reply actions  

My stab in the dark:

QB – Golson, Hendrix
RB – Wood, Riddick
WR – Greenbury, Farley
WR – Smith, Furgusen
WR – Toma, Jones
TE – Eifert, Koyack
LT – Martin, Prestwood
LG – Watt, Martin
C – Cave, Heggie
RG – Hanratty, Martin
RT – Lombard, Carrico

DE – Lynch, Jones
DE – Tuitt, Hounshell
DT – Nix, Cwynar
OLB – Shembo, Niklas
ILB – Te’o, Calabrese
ILB – Moore, Fox
OLB – Williams, Spond
CB – Jackson, Darby
CB – Shepard, Wood
S – Slaughter, Motta
S – Shumate, Collinsworth

K – Brindza, Tausch
P – Turk, Brindza
KR – Atkinson, Darby
PR – Darby, Atkinson

by IrishColts17 on Jan 3, 2012 5:25 PM EST reply actions  

Check it yo!

He will clearly start. I see a 6 man rotation at DE.

I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle

by Jim Miesle on Jan 3, 2012 9:45 PM EST up reply actions  

Wow

totally forgot about KLM…my bad…yeah I think he’ll start alongside Lynch with Tuitt as maybe the best backup in America

by IrishColts17 on Jan 4, 2012 5:33 PM EST up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

One Foot Down Community Guidelines

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Img_8102_small
Irish Football and Lost Sleep

Recent FanPosts

Small
Champ Sports condensed/offense-defense cut ups
Small
DaVaris Daniels Cited for Underage Drinking
Small
5 things we need to happen, to have a successful season
C-hurdle_small
Andrew Hendrix Should Start in 2012
Small
College Football Stadium Tour: Michigan Stadium
81375450_small
Off Topic, But Help Me Out
Notre_dame_tradition_is_becoming_dangerously_out_of_control__28funny_cheerleader_picture_29_small
How Steve Bartman is the Cause of SEC Dominance
Nd_stadium_small_quality_small
Athlon Previews the 2012 Fighting Irish
Shamrock_small
Preseason BlogPoll Post-Spring Edition: What Do You Know?

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SHOP THE ONE FOOT DOWN STORE

Gameday Depot University Apparel


Managers

Rocket1_small Eric Murtaugh

Nd_stadium_small_quality_small whiskey OFD

Editors

Jj_small Mouth of the South

Shamrock_small CW

Teo-vs_-service2_small burger23

Nd_national_champs_small Jim Miesle

Febreeze_small 4pointshooter