'11 CA ATH George Atkinson III (Signed Notre Dame LOI)

[Sherm Sticky]

Notre Dame Football - 2012 Blue-Gold Game Highlights - YouTube

Watch his run on 3:19. That's the reason why he needs to play a lot this year

Wood, Riddick, GA III & Carlisle...how can you go wrong

 

[Irishman77]

GA , theo and wood will be unbelievable. Snap it to Golson out of the gun and hand it to one of them or dump it off to them and we win.

 

[cody1smith]

Is there anywhere i can watch the whole spring game? Perhaps somewhere on the world wide web?

 

[Ironman8]

Is there anywhere i can watch the whole spring game? Perhaps somewhere on the world wide web?

Both the first and the second half in their entirety can be found on youtube.

 

[NDhoosier]

2nd half is worthless though, you only get to see like 6 plays because of the stupid TV guidelines.

1st half = all of the good parts worth watching
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1q8D1N_YNKY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

2012 Blue-Gold Spring Game Recap - UND.COM - University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Ehhh idk. If they have GA as the third back I think they are making a mistake

Did you watch Theo in those highlights? He played very well also. Look I know GAIII made some jaw dropping plays but he also fumbled twice and needs to take care of the ball. To say it would be a mistake not making him #2 based off one spring scrimmage is a little premature but you are definitely entitled to your opinion. I do think he will have a big year though.

 

[arrowryan]

Did you watch Theo in those highlights? He played very well also. Look I know GAIII made some jaw dropping plays but he also fumbled twice and needs to take care of the ball. To say it would be a mistake not making him #2 based off one spring scrimmage is a little premature but you are definitely entitled to your opinion. I do think he will have a big year though.

But he didn't make silly, stupid mistakes last year like Theo did

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Did you watch Theo in those highlights? He played very well also. Look I know GAIII made some jaw dropping plays but he also fumbled twice and needs to take care of the ball. To say it would be a mistake not making him #2 based off one spring scrimmage is a little premature but you are definitely entitled to your opinion. I do think he will have a big year though.

My question is where does Carlisle fit in...Maybe Carlisle will play in the slot more often this year?

 

[arrowryan]

My question is where does Carlisle fit in...Maybe Carlisle will play in the slot more often this year?

My guess would be obvious passing downs and screen plays because of his speed and ability to catch the ball

 

[IrishLion]

My question is where does Carlisle fit in...Maybe Carlisle will play in the slot more often this year?

I was thinking Theo gets most reps at slot with Carlisle spelling him; both have the ability to motion to the backfield and present a 2-RB look (along with Toma and Neal getting reps as well, but in the more "pure" slot sense).

This leaves Wood as the feature back, but with GAIII getting plenty of reps spelling him... if he protects the ball in practice. If he does that, he has the physical skills to present a one-two punch alongside Wood just like Gray did last year (except less power, more speed).

In the end, it depends on how much BK wants to run the ball. If Hendrix/Golson starts, and BK wants the true spread rushing attack, Carlisle/Riddick will both see more time in the slot than Toma/Neal because of the all the different options it presents in running the ball (jet sweep, motion to backfield, bubble screen, no huddle to a 2-RB look, etc.), and GAIII will get reps behind Wood. But if BK wants an even split, or calls for more passing, Neal/Toma will see more time in the slot, meaning Riddick takes reps from GAIII in the backfield.

 

[cody1smith]

I think if Carlisle stays healthy is there a chance he is the number 2 back. This kid was a stud in the short time he played in LA

 

[Old Man Mike]

Kelly can't get them all on the field even splitting time. This is why we are having trouble recruiting RBs this year; those kids know this too. On topic, if GAIII can get ball security discipline [and he's really not too good at that], then he will play a lot of regular offense as he has surprised everyone with better patience and sudden explosion to the hole than most suspected he had in him. But he doesn't quit fumbling Coach has WAY too much other talent to put out there for Kelly to just ignore it.

 

[arrowryan]

Having too many good runningbacks is a good problem to have

 

[greyhammer90]

Having too many good runningbacks is a good problem to have

I'm having trouble keeping up.

 

[Walter White]

I think if Carlisle stays healthy is there a chance he is the number 2 back. This kid was a stud in the short time he played in LA

We have so much talent at RB right now. Not much is proven beyond Wood and maybe Riddick, but I love the guys we have. I wonder how much Riddick will play RB. I would bet that Kelly is going to weigh how well Toma and Neal can hold down the slot versus how reliable Carlisle and Atkinson prove to be to determine where to put Theo.

I am predicting 2500+ yards of output for the whole group. That maybe a little on the optimistic side, but I think we are going to be running a whole lot more this year especially if Hendrix or Golson win the QB job.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I was thinking Theo gets most reps at slot with Carlisle spelling him; both have the ability to motion to the backfield and present a 2-RB look (along with Toma and Neal getting reps as well, but in the more "pure" slot sense).

I doubt Riddick spends a lot of time at Z WR this year; he's looked so much better coming out of the backfield. I expect him to split carries with C. Wood fairly evenly; with Wood running more between the tackles and Riddick being more of a scat back.

This leaves Wood as the feature back, but with GAIII getting plenty of reps spelling him... if he protects the ball in practice. If he does that, he has the physical skills to present a one-two punch alongside Wood just like Gray did last year (except less power, more speed).

Ball security is going to determine how many snaps GAIII sees. Given what we saw in the B&G, I expect he'll be the #3 RB, who gets a lot of reps in trash time.

Seems like the current depth chart is Wood/ Riddick > GAIII > Carlisle at RB and Toma/ Neal > Russell at Z WR. For 2013, that should flow nicely into GAIII = Carlisle > Mahone at RB and Neal > Russell at Z WR.

 

[Chamellion]

On the topic of RB depth, is it pretty much a foregone conclusion that Cam Roberson is done with football?

 

[Emcee77]

On the topic of RB depth, is it pretty much a foregone conclusion that Cam Roberson is done with football?

Everyone is saying so. I don't know if the university has confirmed it though. I asked Lou Somogyi about it a few months ago, and he said that from everything he had heard Roberson was not close to being able to play. And they say that if you aren't back from a knee injury within a year or so, then you aren't coming back.

 

[IrishLion]

]I doubt Riddick spends a lot of time at Z WR this year; he's looked so much better coming out of the backfield.[/B] I expect him to split carries with C. Wood fairly evenly; with Wood running more between the tackles and Riddick being more of a scat back.



Ball security is going to determine how many snaps GAIII sees. Given what we saw in the B&G, I expect he'll be the #3 RB, who gets a lot of reps in trash time.

Seems like the current depth chart is Wood/ Riddick > GAIII > Carlisle at RB and Toma/ Neal > Russell at Z WR. For 2013, that should flow nicely into GAIII = Carlisle > Mahone at RB and Neal > Russell at Z WR.

I agree with your point that Riddick looks better coming out of the backfield, but the spring game seemed to show (in my eyes at least) that BK really would like for Riddick to work out of the slot more often than spelling Wood in the backfield. This means Wood and Riddick are on the field at the same time. If this is the case (meaning Theo has cured his case of the "drops" and operates at Z), then I expect Atkinson to spell Wood in the backfield, since Riddick would be on the field already anyway.

EDIT: again, this is all assuming BK wants to run the ball more often than passing, rather than having an even split. As I mentioned in my original post, if run/pass ratio is even, then Riddick will spell Wood as Toma/Neal will be at Z as more of a "pure" receiver.

 

[gmnysdad]

I was deployed, and just watched the B&G game. Wow, if GAIII holds the ball we have an electric playmaker!!!

 

[Whiskeyjack]

EDIT: again, this is all assuming BK wants to run the ball more often than passing, rather than having an even split. As I mentioned in my original post, if run/pass ratio is even, then Riddick will spell Wood as Toma/Neal will be at Z as more of a "pure" receiver.

I think that's a pretty safe assumption. Our offensive strengths project to be OL, TEs, RBs, and (God willing) QB mobility. Our offensive weaknesses project to be WRs and QBs experience/ decision-making. Given all that, if we're not running the ball 40+ times per game, at least to start, I'll be very disappointed.

 

[GBdomer]

Amir is a stud. Some people are saying riddick might start over cierre he has been that good. It's not a bad problem to have

 

[Rhode Irish]

Is Amir working out yet or is the ankle still an issue? Don't recall seeing an update.

 

[ryno 24]

Cierre is a possible NFL back and riddick is very talented but I see him playing Z more than splittting reps with Cierre. I could still possibly see Cierre getting 1000 yards again he is that talented.

 

[cody1smith]

I was deployed, and just watched the B&G game. Wow, if GAIII holds the ball we have an electric playmaker!!!

welcome back!!!

 

[Buster Bluth]

the spring game seemed to show (in my eyes at least) that BK really would like for Riddick to work out of the slot more often than spelling Wood in the backfield. This means Wood and Riddick are on the field at the same time. If this is the case (meaning Theo has cured his case of the "drops" and operates at Z), then I expect Atkinson to spell Wood in the backfield, since Riddick would be on the field already anyway.

If that were the case, then Riddick would have stayed at Z.

The spring game showed absolutely nothing, whether your assumption is correct or not. Coaches simply don't show any cards in a spring game.

 

[IrishLax]

Amir is a stud. Some people are saying riddick might start over cierre he has been that good. It's not a bad problem to have

I've been saying for months upon months that I thought Riddick might be the best back on our roster. And I was scoffed at. SMH.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Yeah welcome back gmnysdad!

Cierre is a possible NFL back and riddick is very talented but I see him playing Z more than splittting reps with Cierre. I could still possibly see Cierre getting 1000 yards again he is that talented.

You are one of the few, including the coaches. Wood was electric going into last season, well this season Riddik has been nuclear at runningback. This offense is going to seriously look different.

 

[NDhoosier]

I've been saying for months upon months that I thought Riddick might be the best back on our roster. And I was scoffed at. SMH.

Theo is good, but Wood is a NFL caliber back, I think you are underestimating Wood, not overestimating Theo. Wood should easily be the premier back in my opinion.