'12 AZ WR Davonte Neal (Arizona Transfer)

[Irishfan1133]

Guys I'm new to IrishEnvy as a member but I've been following this site for a few years...sorry if I'm out of line here but how do I post a new forum/thread?

 

[greyhammer90]

Guys I'm new to IrishEnvy as a member but I've been following this site for a few years...sorry if I'm out of line here but how do I post a new forum/thread?

You have to post more before you can. Keeps out the riffraff.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

This kid has a swag about him. Did anyone notice at the end of the game he was up in the crowd? I realize he had a scary play with the punt drop however I think he is special.

 

[PraetorianND]

This kid has a swag about him. Did anyone notice at the end of the game he was up in the crowd? I realize he had a scary play with the punt drop however I think he is special.

He just needs some blocking to give him a chance.

 

[georgia irish]

I like all the freshman playing

 

[irishff1014]

This dude doesn't really lose focus at all . I love the guts this young man has we get just a little blocking lookout.

 

[Riddickulous]

Just once, I would like to see Kelly throw a bubble screen to him.

 

[scUM Hater]

He will break some in his ND career, just wait. He is waiting for next week against scUM and against usc. I would like to see him on some end arounds. Put him in a Leprachaun formation.

 

[Kak7304]

If we are going to do a fly right, get C Breezy on the field. The veteran players rave about him, and from all we have seen (albeit in small practice video doses), the kid has serious wheels and good ball skills.

Seeing him break loose on that one overthrow by Golson got me pretty excited.

 

[NDhoosier]

Seeing him break loose on that one overthrow by Golson got me pretty excited.

Both him and Chris Brown... Golson will calm down and make that throw eventually.

 

[yankeeND]

Both him and Chris Brown... Golson will calm down and make that throw eventually.

Yeah we have some vertical threats now and not to mention I guy who can chuck it to them!

 

[Riddickulous]

Needs moar touches.

 

[ThePiombino]

Needs moar touches.

Yeah, and some blocking on punt returns.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[BGIF]

Needs moar touches.

Tough to get more touches when the opposition punts once a game and your offense only runs 50 plays.

 

[Kak7304]

Tough to get more touches when the opposition punts once a game and your offense only runs 50 plays.

Our D should create less turnovers to give him a chance.

 

[NDdomer2]

Bored at work today so was checking out season statistics.

Neal and the team have 8 punt returns for 28 yards, avg. of 3.5 yards per return, which is good for 104th in the nation.

Isn't it amazing how being 5-0 cures the bitching.

 

[DSully1995]

Bored at work today so was checking out season statistics.

Neal and the team have 8 punt returns for 28 yards, avg. of 3.5 yards per return, which is good for 104th in the nation.

Isn't it amazing how being 5-0 cures the bitching.

PR coverage is still a problem....this weeek maybe?

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Lets hope he gets some blocking this week...he is due for a long one!

 

[ab2cmiller]

PR coverage is still a problem....this weeek maybe?

Can someone explain to me our punt return philosophy? Are we protecting against a possibility of a fake punt? Are we avoiding blocking so that we don't get called for a hold? Given how little action he's seen in the slot, it seems like we could've used a RS on Neal instead of using him to either fair catch or him trying to break out of a group of 5 defenders that have him surrounded when he catches the punt. He's dynamic, but we aren't even giving him a chance.

 

[RyCo1983]

Can someone explain to me our punt return philosophy? Are we protecting against a possibility of a fake punt? Are we avoiding blocking so that we don't get called for a hold? Given how little action he's seen in the slot, it seems like we could've used a RS on Neal instead of using him to either fair catch or him trying to break out of a group of 5 defenders that have him surrounded when he catches the punt. He's dynamic, but we aren't even giving him a chance.

It's mind boggling....EVERY single time our opponent punts...there are 5 or 6 guys flying down field, completely unblocked, to surround Neal.

 

[IndyIrishFan1]

I remember BK saying in an interview after a game (possibly Navy) that he had the "punt safe" call on during the entire game. It seemed like he wasn't even trying for a return with that call. Without going back to look at the tape it seems like he is still calling a punt safe coverage because everything is a fair catch without a possibility of a return.

If we are going to be doing that all year why even have Neal back there at all? Put in Goodman to fair catch the ball and save a year of eligibility for Neal.

 

[RyCo1983]

If we are going to be doing that all year why even have Neal back there at all? Put in Goodman to fair catch the ball and save a year of eligibility for Neal.

It's probably too late for that isn't it?

Maybe if the team falls behind and needs a spark he will change up the special teams calls...It's frustrating watching such a talented and confident kid waste a year just sitting back there.

 

[PANDFAN]

It's probably too late for that isn't it?
Maybe if the team falls behind and needs a spark he will change up the special teams calls...It's frustrating watching such a talented and confident kid waste a year just sitting back there.

u would be correct

by the way...love the old nintendo wrestling game...i loved using the pink dude doing flip kicks

 

[RyCo1983]

u would be correct

Well at some point this team will need a momentum changing boost...with Stanford, Oklahoma, and USC to come...Maybe Kelly will switch up the call and give Neal a shot.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Agree with all of this. Said it last week that Neal should've RS since he's not playing on offense. Makes zero sense.

OMM responded saying Neal has the ability to break one when he's back there. This is true, but not w/o blocking.

I hate watching our punt return team for this simple reason:

If the staff wants to secure possession and let their offense and defense control the game, then put Goody out there to fair catch. There's nothing wrong with that game plan EXCEPT, Goody isn't the one back there. A freshman is. And if the argument is that he's a playmaker and can break one sometime, fine. Then get him some blockers and let him at least try.

 

[NDdomer2]

I think we have tried a FEW, and if I am remembering correctly Neal got shoe string'd on one.

The hard thing is we have clearly been OK with playing the field position game since we haven't been down at any point this year.

 

[koonja]

I'm sure the staff has planned to use Neal on offense (and they have on sweeps) so holding him out of PR to save a year is moot; he would have burned it anyways on offense. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he gets a lot of time once our schedule softens up and we SHOULD blow out some teams. I have no problem with him playing this year. He's so talented that he's probably not staying around for 5 years anyways.

Neal wasn't red shirting anyways, so no sense in worrying about it. He wasn't an EE, so obviously he's going to take more time to understand the playbook. He'll get more time on offense as the season goes on.

 

[returnofthemack]

It's also much harder to fair catch when you're surrounded by defenders. If they call a fake punt on fourth, at worst they convert it and our defense probably holds them again. Do we really need to run the punt safe formation even when it's fourth and long EVERY TIME?

 

[Domina Nostra]

I wish he were being used a little more (though I defer to the big man), but I just don't think red-shirting 5 star WRs makes sense.

There are basiclaly two scenarios:

(1) He needs a while to develop, but he lives up to expectations. This is like Golden Tate. He did not stick around for his senior year, much less a 5th year. Better to have gotten those two Go route catches out of him and pull make the safety second-guess things.

(2) He does not live up to expecations. If he turns out to be average, we will hopefullybe recruiting well enough that we'll have some freshman or Sophmore to replace him.

Can you really see him taking off next year and then staying on for a post-graduate year? I can't. The healthier our roster gets, the more those spots will be reserved for linemen, QBS, or emergency depth.

It's also much harder to fair catch when you're surrounded by defenders. If they call a fake punt on fourth, at worst they convert it and our defense probably holds them again. Do we really need to run the punt safe formation even when it's fourth and long EVERY TIME?

Nope. When we trail in a game, hopefully we'll see something different. As of now, its Tressel ball.

 

[Domina Nostra]

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