The Bigger the Better

As I review the roster of players this year one thing is for sure, these young men are getting bigger every year.   We have 14 players weighing 300 pounds or more with sophomore Nose Guard Louis Nix tipping the scales at a reported 326 lbs. (I think that may be on the light side)  and several others knocking on the door at 295 plus.  With four freshman weighing 290 lbs. or more, the future seems stable.  

We also have 36 players standing 6’4” or taller, with Offensive Tackle Nichols Tate leading the way at 6’8” who also weighs in at 320 lbs.  With 13 freshman standing 6’4” or taller, height will not be a concern down the road.  Of the 13 verbal commits from the class of 2012, five are 6’3’ or taller headed up by 6’8” offensive tackle Taylor Decker.

We know that Brian Kelly recruits athletes, lets his coaching staff loose on them and then places them in positions that fit their abilities and the team’s needs.  A key player in this strategy is Director of Football Strength and Conditioning Paul Longo.  With 24 years of NCAA experience, Longo will ensure that the Irish have the strongest, best conditioned athletes possible.   Along with the fantastic facilities and equipment in South Bend, the players work hard all year long. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKl0kKE35Wo

The Guglielmino Athletics Complex known as the “Gug {Goog}” on the Notre Dame Campus along with the Joyce Center and Loftus Sports Center  makes just about the best facilities college or pro.  The Gug is a 96,000 square foot facility with a 25,000 square foot fitness center in it with the latest and best state of the art equipment available anywhere.

For Starters

Okay, it’s official - Dayne Crist was named the starting quarterback for the season opener against South Florida.  This is no surprise and we can now move on with our lives.  I can’t say that I am happy or disappointed, but I guess that’s what you get with Crist, vanilla.  Don’t get me wrong; I like Dayne and feel good with him behind center.  He carries himself well, is a solid presence on the field.  Hell, you’d even let him take your daughter out on a date and not worry.  Tommy Rees was not too flashy either, but at least there was an exciting storyline with a true freshman leading the Irish.  Can Crist lead this team to a BCS Bowl?  I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Dayne may be more developed physically with a 2 inch height  and a 20 pound weight advantage over Rees.  Dayne has more game experience but Rees has the edge in winning percentage as a starter.  Although the quarterback situation was the big question to be answered, there were several other starting positions still in question. 

6’4” 230 lb. Junior Dan Fox out of St. Ignatius High School beat out fellow junior Carlo Calabrese for the inside linebacker position opposite Mati Te’o.  Like Carlo, Fox did not see any action his freshman year; however, the both saw game time as sophomores.  Dan played in 13 games, primarily on special teams, and Calabrese started 11 games at inside linebacker.  This does surprise me, but both may start different games this year, and both will see a lot of the field for sure.  This is a great example of being able to bring in another player for rest or injury, for a play or a season and not miss a beat.

Junior Chris Watt will start at left guard, beating out Graduate Student Andrew Nuss.  Although Chris Watt did not play his freshman year, he did see action in all 13 games last season, providing depth at right guard for Chris Stewart.  With 23 games played, Nuss will use his experience and see is fair share of playing time this year, thanks in great part to his ability to play guard or tackle.

It was announced by Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco that Sean Cwyner will be starting at nose guard.  The nose guard position will be played by committee anyway.  Louis Nix will play on running downs and short yardage scenarios.  Cwyner will see the majority of the rest of the workload with Hafis Williams picking up any other available snaps.  This is another position where the Irish have good depth.

The final announcement that caught my attention is that freshman kicker Kyle Brindza will be handling the kickoff duties.   Kyle has a leg for kickoffs, converting 60 of 63 kickoffs his senior season for touchbacks.   In addition to giving him game experience to build confidence, it will allow Davis Ruffer to focus solely on field goals.  He will be kicking field goals for the Irish soon enough and he will be doing it well.   Brindza set a Michigan State high school record with 19 made field goals as a senior in 2010, including six of nine from 50 yards or more.

My First Sip

Friday evening, I took my first sip of the Kelly Kool-Aid.  I have always loved his attitude, personality, confidence and realistic outlooks.  Holtz was well known for telling everyone how terrible they were and we would be lucky to be in the game or make a bowl.  Kelly is not as harsh as Holtz but he has kept the excitement at bay and has made sure no one is expecting too much.  This is important; fans don’t need to be too jacked up, talking crazy about undefeated seasons and National Championships – at least not yet anyway.  From enthusiastic fans to conservative analysts, people are willing to concede that Kelly may be able to have those conversations in two to three years.   But on Friday I saw a tell.  What is a tell? A tell is any clue, habit, behavior or physical reaction that gives other players more information about your hand.

I was watching coverage from team photo day on Tuesday when Kelly first made me think there may be more at play this season than improving on last year’s 8-5 record and going for a BCS Bowl Bid.  During team photo day there’s more than just the team picture.  Players march through the locker room stopping in front of different screens and backdrops for individual pictures, onto the field for group shots both organized and impromptu, then into the stands for the full team picture.

The first tell was more of a slip or maybe just fun talk with a player.  As each player funneled through the gauntlet of photographers snapping pictures, one stop is a photo in front of the famous “play like a champion sign” for a shot with Coach Kelly.   Kelly takes a moment with each of his players to chat for all of five seconds about something personal from “you’re doing great, keep it up” for freshman tight end Ben Koyack or “you’re mom’s going to love this one, this is for mom” to Aaron Lynch, freshman defensive end.   However, with cornerback Gary Grey, a fifth year graduate student it was a little different.  As Gary came down, Kelly said “Alright Gary, last time with me buddy,” three clicks of the camera then Brian says, “That’s the National Championship photo right there.”  With so many guys coming through many would say he could only come up with so many things to say to them.  Brian would never say that with a media presence around.  His guard was down, just UND.com filming, he was around the inner circle.  Not to over think it, I know the public goal is a BCS Bowl and national prominence, but is the in-house goal a National Championship run this year?

The second tell was a little less, well let’s just say a little less subtle.  While watching Friday’s post practice press conference, I sensed something from Kelly I had not seen before from him.  Something I thought I had gotten from Charlie Weiss, but in the end wasn’t there.  It was like he almost gave a wink indicating “yeah we got it and we got it now.”  I know Brain Kelly has won National Championships at the Division II level, tons of big games and coaching awards at all levels but he’s in another stratosphere being in South Bend and I don’t know if he can know if this team is that good.  With the Irish ranked 18^th in the pre-season USA Today Coaches poll and 16^th in the Associated Press poll, I guess it’s not out of the question, but let’s keep it a little more grounded for now.

Player Roulette – What’s best for the team

We know Brian Kelly plays the best players where he thinks they will help the team the most.  This is not always what the player planned on or what they were recruited as from high school or even have been playing in South Bend.  Several players have switched positions in preparation for the 2011 season.

Austin Collinsworth was recruited by the Irish as a wide receiver out of high school where he not only played receiver but running back and defensive back as well.   As a freshman, Collinsworth saw action on special teams, making a lot of tackles and made the switch at the beginning of spring practice.  Austin has an open mind and a positive attitude about the move and has the football IQ and athleticism to play several skilled positions on the field.  Starting is out of the question for this year, but playing time is definitely in his future this season.  More reps and experience in practice will result more game time.

Another second year player, Bennett Jackson, was also recruited out of high school as a wide receiver and has moved to add depth to the defensive backfield.  As a freshman,  Jackson saw most of his action on special teams, returning kick offs and making tackles on punt coverage.   Bennett was named the Irish special team player of the year and with his great athleticism and quickness, he will no doubt make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.

With so much talent and potential at the quarterback position, sophomore Luke Massa moved from behind center to the wide receiver position.  At 6’4” he will be a big target for whoever is throwing the ball.  As freshman, Massa served on the scout team and did play some receiver in addition to quarterback.   It will take some time to make the transition, but I do expect to see him on the field occasionally this season learning the role.

There has been and will be movement along the offensive and defensive lines, which is usually a standard among interior linemen.  Bruce Heggie is a sophomore who did not see any action during his freshman year, but is switching from the defensive line to the offensive line to serve as a backup center and guard.  Troy Niklas played offensive guard and defensive end in his senior year of high school where he won the LA Times Lineman of the year award, but is listed as a tight end for the Irish this season, a position he played until his senior season in high school.  Although I wish we would redshirt, he is a man-child and will see reps.

Player Roulette – What’s best for the team

We know Brian Kelly plays the best players where he thinks they will help the team the most.  This is not always what the player planned on or what they were recruited as from high school or even have been playing in South Bend.  Several players have switched positions in preparation for the 2011 season.

Austin Collinsworth was recruited by the Irish as a wide receiver out of high school where he not only played receiver but running back and defensive back as well.   As a freshman, Collinsworth saw action on special teams, making a lot of tackles and made the switch at the beginning of spring practice.  Austin has an open mind and a positive attitude about the move and has the football IQ and athleticism to play several skilled positions on the field.  Starting is out of the question for this year, but playing time is definitely in his future this season.  More reps and experience in practice will result more game time.

Another second year player, Bennett Jackson, was also recruited out of high school as a wide receiver and has moved to add depth to the defensive backfield.  As a freshman,  Jackson saw most of his action on special teams, returning kick offs and making tackles on punt coverage.   Bennett was named the Irish special team player of the year and with his great athleticism and quickness, he will no doubt make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.

With so much talent and potential at the quarterback position, sophomore Luke Massa moved from behind center to the wide receiver position.  At 6’4” he will be a big target for whoever is throwing the ball.  As freshman, Massa served on the scout team and did play some receiver in addition to quarterback.   It will take some time to make the transition, but I do expect to see him on the field occasionally this season learning the role.

There has been and will be movement along the offensive and defensive lines, which is usually a standard among interior linemen.  Bruce Heggie is a sophomore who did not see any action during his freshman year, but is switching from the defensive line to the offensive line to serve as a backup center and guard.  Troy Niklas played offensive guard and defensive end in his senior year of high school where he won the LA Times Lineman of the year award, but is listed as a tight end for the Irish this season, a position he played until his senior season in high school.  Although I wish we would redshirt, he is a man-child and will see reps.

What to do with Freshmen

With 28 freshmen on this year’s roster, many won’t see any action and many of them should not.  Why waste a year of eligibility on a handful of reserve or special teams play when you can learn, develop grow and contribute more down the road?   With a solid base of returning starters and good depth in second and third stringers with plenty of game experience, the Irish don’t need a lot of help from freshman.  Making the transition to college life is difficult enough without the added pressure of having to prove yourself on front of millions of fans every Saturday.  There are, however, a few freshmen who could play and contribute this year.

With only Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray having any real playing experience, George Atkinson III will be needed and I believe able to help get Wood and Gray some rest.  Atkinson is talented and physically developed enough to play right away in a support role.

Wide Receiver DaVaris Daniels will probably add some more depth to a receiver corps with a lot of talent but not a lot of experience.  Because of his athleticism, Daniels will probably be able to contribute immediately on special teams.

With a log jam at quarterback, Everett Golson is so physically talented you have to find something for him to do.  I suspect there will be special plays and situations where Brian Kelly will have plans set in place for Golson to provide shock and awe.

At 6’6’ and 265 lbs., Aaron Lynch had been a man among boys and showed why he could start at the Division I level right away at the Blue and Gold game in the spring.   With seniors Ethan Johnson and Kapron Lewis -Moore returning to anchor the defensive line at the ends, Aaron will have no chance of starting for the Irish unless an injury knocks someone out.   Lynch will see solid game action rotating in to keep the attacks from the end fresh.

Because of the lack of depth at running back, Cam McDaniel will probably see the field, rotating with Atkinson so that Wood and Jones can catch some breaks.  Although Cam is not as ready as George Atkinson, he can hold his own.

Another defensive end who is physically ready to play as a freshman is Stephon Tuitt.  At 6’5” and 295 lbs., he could make an impact.  Again, with two proven starters at defensive end, Stephon will most likely rotate in with Aaron Lynch to give the line a rest and fresh legs. 

Outside linebacker Ishaq Williams is another great athlete who has a great physical presence at 6’5” and 255 lbs.  Again, he is not really needed in this area immediately, but will be able to rotate in and keep the defense fresh.

With the exception of being able to relieve starters in a blowout and giving them a little rest during games and the opportunity to gain game experience, I would love to redshirt all freshman this year.  I believe the above players will definitely see the field, contribute and be better for it with my blessing. The following players have the ability to play and may also see action, but will do so without my approval.  

At 6’5” 253 lbs., freshman tight end Ben Koyack  is a perfect physical prototype for that position.   The Irish already have seasoned tight ends and are quickly becoming Tight End U. Let’s save this guy for the future, in case the well dries up. 

Wide receiver Matthias Farley, who could also play as a defensive back, is a gifted athlete who could contribute on special teams, but why waste a year of eligibility on special teams?   Since he did not start playing football until his junior year of high school, a year of football development could take him to the next level.

Troy Niklas (6’6.5” 250 lbs.) was recruited as a tight end but is ideal for defensive end or outside linebacker.  Brian Kelly loves to get great athletes and move them around to get the best match.  Let’s figure out where he belongs first.

On the offensive line, freshmen Matt Hegarty and Conor Hanratty could both serve as backups on a second or third string line, but again, why waste a year of eligibility sitting on the sidelines?

Starting Battles

As fall practice enters its second week and the Kelly system enters its second year, most starting roles have been decided and even back-ups are pretty well cemented.  There are, however, some battles going on for first team spots.   Of course, we all know about the quarterback situation, and I have already stated my thoughts on that.

Starting on the defensive side of the ball, the nose guard position has options and excitement.  With Louis Nix being the heir apparent but still a work in progress (mostly in conditioning), I don’t think there will be a solid number one this season.  While the same player may “start” every game, there will be a lot of rotation getting fresh legs in between plays and series.   Although Sean Cwynar is listed as a defensive tackle, he spent the final four contests at nose guard, filling in for the injured Ian Williams.  That, along with 24 games of playing experience, makes him a valuable veteran who will see a lot of time on the field.  The nose guard position will be determined by committee this season.

Darius Fleming has one outside linebacker spot secured, but the other is still up for grabs.  With 13 games of playing experience, junior Dan Fox has the edge and is my pick to be the other starting outside linebacker.  However, sophomore Danny Spond also has some game experience, mostly with special teams, and has a great upside.  I like Spond to push Fox and may even get a few starts, definitely seeing significant playing time.   Throw 6’5” 255 lb. freshman Ishaq Williams into the mix, and the depth at this position will keep the defense fresh and solid.

Future All-World linebacker Manti Te’o is locked and loaded at one inside linebacker position, and junior Carlos Calabrese’s breakout sophomore season last year makes him my favorite at the other inside linebacker slot.  Sophomores  Prince Shembo and Kendall Moore are knocking on the door and will push and motivate Calabrese to play hard every down, and both will see playing time and keep the inside linebacker position fresh.

Danny Spond and Prince Shembo are also interchangeable between inside and outside linebacker positions and can be moved around for defensive packages.

At the safety position, Harrison Smith solidified his role as the lead man with a dominate performance in the Hyundai Sun Bowl.  The other starting safety position is up for grabs and the battle is between junior Zeke Motta and senior Jamoris Slaughter.  However, there are several other players in the mix for solid playing time.  Senior Dan McCarthy, brother of former Irish Captain Kyle McCarthy, has two years of game experience while sophomore Austin Collinsworth, son of former NFL wide receiver Chris Collinsworth, who moved at the beginning of spring practice to the secondary, may see some significant playing time.

On the offensive line, there is a guard battle between graduate student Andrew Nuss and junior Chris Watt for the starting role opposite of Trevor Robinson.   Right now, it’s a toss up, and with freshman legacy Conor Hanratty waiting in the wings, this may be a battle that goes down to the last week.