'10 NC LB Kendall Moore (Notre Dame Signee)

[anarin]

Ive always wondered why he doesnt get PT. Everytime i've seen him he has made plays.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Ive always wondered why he doesnt get PT. Everytime i've seen him he has made plays.

Te'o never came off the field, and Darlo Calabrox was ahead of him on the depth chart. He's got a shot now that Te'o is moving on.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Even if he doesn't start this upcoming season, he is a valuable special teams player and by all accounts a great teammate.

 

[Irishman77]

Moore was almost always the first man in on the kick off team.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

He showed serious run-stuffing ability in the last B/G game. It's a wonder why we didn't see any of him against Mich St or Stanford.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Te'o never came off the field, and Darlo Calabrox was ahead of him on the depth chart. He's got a shot now that Te'o is moving on.

This.

 

[RDU Irish]

I hope this is an example of ND starting to reload instead of retooling. When he hits the field, I have high confidence in Moore getting the job done at a high level. In the meantime, he elevates special teams. As the rest of the team develops this level of depth, it will show through special teams and fewer underclassmen in the starting lineup. Those that do start will be at risk of jumping early to the NFL. Good problem to have.

Big fan of this kid. Can't wait to see more and won't be surprised if he pushes his way to the starting lineup sometime in 2013.

 

[irishff1014]

Even if he doesn't start this upcoming season, he is a valuable special teams player and by all accounts a great teammate.

ST is still very important and you are still on the ND football team.

 

[RDU Irish]

Rather than bump Nix's thread asking why we are talking about K-Moore in there, I'll just bump Kendall instead. Point made that T'eo kind of hogged playing time in the middle which should really get the back ups jacked up for spring practice and some real playing time. Kendall has two years of eligibility left if I am not mistaken and definitely looks the part. I'm hoping this local kid can find his stride and pleasantly surprise a lot of fans.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Rather than bump Nix's thread asking why we are talking about K-Moore in there, I'll just bump Kendall instead. Point made that T'eo kind of hogged playing time in the middle which should really get the back ups jacked up for spring practice and some real playing time. Kendall has two years of eligibility left if I am not mistaken and definitely looks the part. I'm hoping this local kid can find his stride and pleasantly surprise a lot of fans.

I think this is two good points: (1) 2 years of eligibility left; (2) playing behind one of the best MLB not just in the country, but in the country in a few years.

The thing I don't understand--meaning I don't know the positions well enough to understand--is why didn't Moore or Grace take time away from Carlo or Fox if they are pretty good too? Is there that big a difference between MIKE and WILL? Is one more downhill?

 

[EuropeanDomer]

Every time Kelly & the staff talk about the middle LB position, they always talk and praise Grace more than Moore so i think Jarrett has the edge over Moore in this battle.

 

[RDU Irish]

Every time Kelly & the staff talk about the middle LB position, they always talk and praise Grace more than Moore so i think Jarrett has the edge over Moore in this battle.

Great point.

 

[Domina Nostra]

My question is, was the pecking order:

1) Te'o
2a) Fox
2b) Calabrese
3) Grace
4) Moore

or

1) T'eo
2) Grace
3) Moore
------
1a) Fox
1b) Calabreses

 

[Grahambo]

Every time Kelly & the staff talk about the middle LB position, they always talk and praise Grace more than Moore so i think Jarrett has the edge over Moore in this battle.

That or they feel Moore is better but trying to get him to commit himself to that next level. Mind games if you will. Get hungry type of thing.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I really think they look at it as two positions, WILL and MIKE. Diaco said yesterday the MIKE needed to have verbal skills, part of a unique talent set. Made me think that it was

Te'o ----------- Fox
Grace --------- Calabreese
----------------- Moore

 

[Luckylucci]

I believe Domina's first scenario is correct. Manti was never coming off the field. So you put your next two best ILB's at the other spot (WILL) and let them split reps. As of this last season Grace had passed up moore in the staff's eyes, IMO. I believe even the two deep that comes out before every game shows that. If Kendall has a good spring and fall camp we might see a lot of the same out of the MIKE and WILL next season. Where Kendall and Grace share reps pretty consistantly.

 

[Emcee77]

I think this is two good points: (1) 2 years of eligibility left; (2) playing behind one of the best MLB not just in the country, but in the country in a few years.

The thing I don't understand--meaning I don't know the positions well enough to understand--is why didn't Moore or Grace take time away from Carlo or Fox if they are pretty good too? Is there that big a difference between MIKE and WILL? Is one more downhill?

No, basically the same position, just responsibility for different gaps. Deeb told 247, way back last summer, around the time that he committed, that the coaches told him that the only difference is that the MIKE makes the calls, so whichever of the top 2 ILBs is most comfortable doing that plays MIKE, and the other plays WILL.

Kelly has consistently spoken highly of Grace. I assume that the only reason he didn't play much is that there weren't enough reps to go around. Darlo Calabrox had WILL locked down and Teo had MIKE locked down by himself.

 

[Domina Nostra]

No, basically the same position, just responsibility for different gaps. Deeb told 247, way back last summer, around the time that he committed, that the coaches told him that the only difference is that the MIKE makes the calls, so whichever of the top 2 ILBs is most comfortable doing that plays MIKE, and the other plays WILL.

Kelly has consistently spoken highly of Grace. I assume that the only reason he didn't play much is that there weren't enough reps to go around. Darlo Calabrox had WILL locked down and Teo had MIKE locked down by himself.

Interesting. So it will likely be Fox and Calabrese unless either:

1) Neither guy can call the defense; or
2) Grace or Moore overtakes them.

 

[Luckylucci]

Hadn't heard this one yet (Darlo Calabrox). Thats pretty funny.

 

[Emcee77]

Hadn't heard this one yet (Darlo Calabrox). Thats pretty funny.

Credit to Whiskey

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Can anyone else remember Kelly talking about Grace succeeding Manti. It was during a news conference and I swear that his point was that Jared Grace won't equal a Manti (out of the box) but that the overall defense may improve enough that the defense is actually better next year.

That led me to believe that Grace was sliding into Mike. Grace and Moore got some play time this year, after the first three, but that is all I can come up with.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Can anyone else remember Kelly talking about Grace succeeding Manti. It was during a news conference and I swear that his point was that Jared Grace won't equal a Manti (out of the box) but that the overall defense may improve enough that the defense is actually better next year.

That led me to believe that Grace was sliding into Mike. Grace and Moore got some play time this year, after the first three, but that is all I can come up with.

That was my impression as well.

 

[Luckylucci]

Yes, if we had to put a team on the field today, it is my understanding that Grace will be the starter. Kelly did mention that if it was any other ILB that Grace was behind he would have seen the field more but because Teo never came off the field it was hard to get him minutes.

 

[Emcee77]

Kelly stated in today's press conference that he expects Fox, Calabrese and Grace to vie for the starting spots at MILB and WILB. So that doesn't bode well for Moore's prospects as a starter.

That said, Fox will reportedly miss spring camp while he recovers from surgery (torn labrum), so there should be plenty of reps available for Moore to distinguish himself.

Update ... SBT has a fresh interview with Kelly up. When asked about ILB, this time he mentioned some additional possibilities, namely Danny Spond bouncing inside and Kendall Moore getting in the mix. So Moore's prospects may not be as dire as we thought after that previous presser.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiskeyjack
Kelly stated in today's press conference that he expects Fox, Calabrese and Grace to vie for the starting spots at MILB and WILB. So that doesn't bode well for Moore's prospects as a starter.

That said, Fox will reportedly miss spring camp while he recovers from surgery (torn labrum), so there should be plenty of reps available for Moore to distinguish himself.

Update ... SBT has a fresh interview with Kelly up. When asked about ILB, this time he mentioned some additional possibilities, namely Danny Spond bouncing inside and Kendall Moore getting in the mix. So Moore's prospects may not be as dire as we thought after that previous presser.

This provides more information on a bunch of things. If Kelly is talking about bouncing Spond inside, that speaks to Okwara Councell, and Smith, or some combination of them being the future of DOG. If Spond goes inside to WILL that solidifies our inside linebackers in pass coverage, which would be a good move. If they move Spond in, and he starts, do you realize how much our speed at linebacker will improve from last year to this? Let alone from CW's last year?

Next point: with everyone in the mix that Kelly just implied, do you realize how many can play now? With reserves in case of injury?

Finally, Kelly said Carlo will be back. So Danny Fox will be back. Wow.

The best thing about the interview is what he learned from the NCG. The one game season!

And I like the stability he tried to throw in a the end with the NFL fiasco. I just think his communication was a little soft.

 

[stlnd01]

Next point: with everyone in the mix that Kelly just implied, do you realize how many can play now? With reserves in case of injury?

I think that speaks directly to the depth he's trying to build. Which he rightly discussed as a limiting factor in pre-NCG practices, and probably on special teams too. But we still need to develop depth on the offensive line. I realize the O-Line tends to rotate less in-game than defensive front seven, but you can't practice full bore on just one side of the ball. Hopefully that comes with these incoming freshmen.

As for the topic of the thread: All I know about Kendall Moore is that every time I've noticed #8 the last couple of years, he's been knocking someone's head off on special teams or in mop-up time. I'd like to think there's a way to get that guy on the field for more meaningful minutes.

 

[Patulski]

Can anyone else remember Kelly talking about Grace succeeding Manti. It was during a news conference and I swear that his point was that Jared Grace won't equal a Manti (out of the box) but that the overall defense may improve enough that the defense is actually better next year.

That led me to believe that Grace was sliding into Mike. Grace and Moore got some play time this year, after the first three, but that is all I can come up with.

I remember that as well. I remember it as Kelly saying something like Manti was keeping "a pretty good player in Jared Grace" off the field. However, you never know when coaches use the media to encourage players and/or to motivate them.

Nevertheless, I think this will be a heavily contested spot. You do not replace a guy with Manti's talent easily. He didn't win all those post season awards for nothing. If we are to be as dominating defensively in rush defense, we have to replace two solid guys up the middle in Manti and Motta. Let's hope we've got the talent waiting in the wings.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I think that speaks directly to the depth he's trying to build. Which he rightly discussed as a limiting factor in pre-NCG practices, and probably on special teams too. But we still need to develop depth on the offensive line. I realize the O-Line tends to rotate less in-game than defensive front seven, but you can't practice full bore on just one side of the ball. Hopefully that comes with these incoming freshmen.

As for the topic of the thread: All I know about Kendall Moore is that every time I've noticed #8 the last couple of years, he's been knocking someone's head off on special teams or in mop-up time. I'd like to think there's a way to get that guy on the field for more meaningful minutes.

Agreed. I think over the years ND has had a lot of linebackers that it hasn't quite rung true until they were upperclassmen. And it is not like Manti didn't cause his own log jam. Now Grace is ready to explode. And Kendall, if he has a weakness, it has been coverage.

But to the other point. With Fox and Calabrese both back, being that they might not even start, do you know that conceivably, 10 to 12 linebackers could rotate in and out during first team reps? Do you know what that could do for reps down the stretch? Coupled with O-Line depth, that could make all the difference in an NC run!

 

[MJ12666]

I don't recall Grace playing any meaningful minutes (if at all for that matter) last year. So I am just curious as how you came to the conclusion that Grace "is ready to explode"? Have you been able to watch "closed" practices?

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I don't recall Grace playing any meaningful minutes (if at all for that matter) last year. So I am just curious as how you came to the conclusion that Grace "is ready to explode"? Have you been able to watch "closed" practices?

First of all my writing is a bit allegorical and prone to hyperbole. That wasn't the term that I should have used, because if he exploded literally, that would be messy.

I talked to a couple of different people that were at a number of end of season, and NCG practice sessions, as well as a couple who see and know the results of conditioning, etc.

The three cats (or wolves or krugers, if you prefer) that keep coming up are Grace, Okwara, and Jones. Guys to really watch. Back to Grace. He is 6'4", has his weight up, moves well, has improved his quicks and has that same hyper-velocity that Manti did; you know, where his body seems to explode into the tackle? Sorry.