'10 NC LB Kendall Moore (Notre Dame Signee)

[Domina Nostra]

With all the normal caveats... I would love to see this:

CAT: Shembo/Okwara/Williams
MIKE: Grace/Fox
WILL: Spond/Calabrese
DOG: Councell/Smith

I think we need more speed on the inside, and Spond has the size to play the position. We have enough talent at DOG to make the move. If we don't do it, we are going to be weak in the center and keep Councell and Smith off the field at the same time. Just my opinion...

 

[Bogtrotter07]

With all the normal caveats... I would love to see this:

CAT: Shembo/Okwara/Williams
MIKE: Grace/Fox
WILL: Spond/Calabrese
DOG: Councell/Smith

I think we need more speed on the inside, and Spond has the size to play the position. We have enough talent at DOG to make the move. If we don't do it, we are going to be weak in the center and keep Councell and Smith off the field at the same time. Just my opinion...

Excellent!

My personal would be:

CAT: Shembo/Williams/Okwara/
MIKE: Grace/Moore/Fox
WILL: Spond/Fox/Calabrese
DOG: Councell/Smith/Okwara/

I would see this as all three get first team reps. We certainly have the same idea!

 

[scUM Hater]

Just remember Calabrese can't cover anybody......anybody.

 

[stlnd01]

Just remember Calabrese can't cover anybody......anybody.

But his people...

 

[Redbar]

I'm pulling for Kendall, really been a team guy, and the guy hits with bad intentions. I hope he earns some reps.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Wish the best for Kendall but I haven't really heard nor seen anything yet that makes me believe that he'll bust the two-deep.

Kelly's comment about Spond is loaded with possible meaning. I tried to think like Diaco [unsuccessfully of course] several weeks ago when we were discussing the abundance of talent that we have at linebacker [with three starters returning and their backups as well]. I tried to imagine who are my best "eight", and how do I get them on the field?

I thought that the best eight were Spond, Councell, Grace, Fox, Calabreese, Shembo, Williams, and JSmith --- this because I stubbornly refused to think of Okwara as a LB. But, I'm giving up on that, so I'm replacing Williams with Okwara.

Because Kelly hints of Spond going inside, that would mean that he believes that JSmith is just too good to play only special teams. If Spond REALLY DOES move inside, then my next stellar wrong "plan" is:

Will: Spond, then Fox;
Mike: Grace, then Calabreese;
Cat: Shembo, then Okwara;
Dog: Councell, but watch-out!, JSmith.

This would get tremendous athleticism on the field. Sadly, it would leave some pretty fine athleticism off it. [including Kendall].

 

[STLDomer]

I really don't think Kelly was inferring that moving Spond was in the cards. Hansen brought up moving him inside among other possibilities and Kelly just reflected those possibilities back at him, it's not like Kelly brought up Spond. Just my opinion though.

 

[Patulski]

I tried to imagine who are my best "eight", and how do I get them on the field?

I thought that the best eight were Spond, Councell, Grace, Fox, Calabreese, Shembo, Williams, and JSmith --- this because I stubbornly refused to think of Okwara as a LB. But, I'm giving up on that, so I'm replacing Williams with Okwara.

Will: Spond, then Fox;
Mike: Grace, then Calabreese;
Cat: Shembo, then Okwara;
Dog: Councell, but watch-out!, JSmith.

Here's what Kelly just said about Williams, who you've apparently relegated to 3rd string Cat.

"We think the combination of those two guys (Shembo and Willliams) gives us the best chance at that position. And so what I think you’ll see, across the board with this team, is the sum of this team is going to be greater than any one of its parts. If you stand back and look at it, that’s this kind of football team that’s coming together — a lot of guys playing, a lot of guys contributing. And the strength of us will be Ishaq and Shembo playing that position.

That's a pretty definitive statement about Williams' value in a pre spring ball climate.

 

[Emcee77]

I really don't think Kelly was inferring that moving Spond was in the cards. Hansen brought up moving him inside among other possibilities and Kelly just reflected those possibilities back at him, it's not like Kelly brought up Spond. Just my opinion though.

True, we don't want to get carried away; Kelly was just mentioning possibilities.

But it's important news that Kelly is open to some of these options. When asked about ILB at his last presser, he said he expected Grace, Calabrese and Fox to compete, with no mention of Spond or Moore. Now we have more possibilities to keep an eye on this spring.

 

[IrishLax]

When it comes to Spond playing ILB, I imagine you'd only see that on passing downs in a formation like...

Ishaq-Tuitt-Vanderdoes-Shembo

J. Smith/Councell - Spond - Nickel

The idea being you want you best coverage LBs on the field and you want to get after the passer. Last year Manti NEVER came off the field... that won't be the case this year. Jaylon on Day 1 will be able to drop in coverage better than any other LB on our roster AND can rush the passer from that OLB position giving him incredible flexibility on passing downs. Councell can probably do similar things and might be a better overall package than Jaylon to start due to experience. Spond we've already seen be quite proficient in zone coverage and seems like the ideal "ILB" to leave on the field if you're going to have one.

I strongly doubt you'd see Spond play any ILB on first down and extremely rarely (if ever) on second down.

 

[Redbar]

Bump. Dominating play at the end of the Air Force game.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Making his case for a 5th year....

 

[CanadalovesND]

He certainly is.

Could be next year's MIKE with Grace at WILL.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

He better get a 5th year with our issues at ILB next year. He showed yesterday that he's good enough to play for Notre Dame, and it's not like we have way too many ILBs.

 

[Emcee77]

He certainly is.

Could be next year's MIKE with Grace at WILL.

Reverse that and I agree. He looked like a hell of an athlete out there. If he can do that against non-option teams without getting lost, he should definitely be in position to take a starting role next year.

 

[stlnd01]

I don't know how he doesn't get a fifth year. We need ILBs. And he could certainly play his way into the rotation. Guy's always hit like a truck on special teams and when he's in during mop-up time. I guess coverage skills (and Teo?) have kept him from more significant minutes. But that's teachable.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I thought that his play yesterday was as good as anybody's against the AFA competition. He looked like he could deliver a quarter ton load pretty damned fast to me.

I remember earlier in the season on punt coverage when the ball hit him because he was standing way too under it.

But I don't see how they can keep this kid out of the lineup. He looks like he can fold people in half to me. I would like someone who really knows something to 'splain this one to me!

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Never understood why he doesn't get more tick. I assumed he was in Diacos dog house or something. I figured coming into this season he would be a starter or at least in the rotation.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Bogs&Joey: I don't know the answer to your puzzlement, but for what little it is worth, my opinion --- Kendall tends to be lost, sometimes wildly so, many times when the ball is not simply run. I have seen him confused in the way Carlo gets at his worst. Kendall is in some ways like Carlo: a downhill slobberknocker and rarely in touch with the passing game. If a Light popped on for him at Air force, great. We can certainly use his physicality.

 

[rtrn2glory]

thing is with kendall since we seem to play 2 option teams a year bringing him back for a 5th may be worth having him for those two games alone.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Bogs&Joey: I don't know the answer to your puzzlement, but for what little it is worth, my opinion --- Kendall tends to be lost, sometimes wildly so, many times when the ball is not simply run. I have seen him confused in the way Carlo gets at his worst. Kendall is in some ways like Carlo: a downhill slobberknocker and rarely in touch with the passing game. If a Light popped on for him at Air force, great. We can certainly use his physicality.

For gods sake, then, do the right thing! Put him on the field and tell him where to go and who to destroy!


It works for the SEC!

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Bogs&Joey: I don't know the answer to your puzzlement, but for what little it is worth, my opinion --- Kendall tends to be lost, sometimes wildly so, many times when the ball is not simply run. I have seen him confused in the way Carlo gets at his worst. Kendall is in some ways like Carlo: a downhill slobberknocker and rarely in touch with the passing game. If a Light popped on for him at Air force, great. We can certainly use his physicality.

You're probably right. I figured it was something to do with his lack "scheme comprehension" etc in practice. I obviously defer to coaches when it comes to playing time because they see these kids everyday but at a fan it's a bit puzzling when you see his game day performance, albeit he has had limited time unusually against string and on special times. But as bogs suggest sometimes you just have to recognize him for what he is a go let the kid rip it from time to time. I hope we see him a bit more the last 1/3 of the season.

 

[BGIF]

You're probably right. I figured it was something to do with his lack "scheme comprehension" etc in practice. I obviously defer to coaches when it comes to playing time because they see these kids everyday but at a fan it's a bit puzzling when you see his game day performance, albeit he has had limited time unusually against string and on special times. But as bogs suggest sometimes you just have to recognize him for what he is a go let the kid rip it from time to time. I hope we see him a bit more the last 1/3 of the season.

Wasn't that exactly what fans said about Alice's boy?

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Wasn't that exactly what fans said about Alice's boy?

Haha ya. I would be ok with him and her still being Irish though.

 

[STLDomer]

Kelly in the spring:

“Kendall runs and hits. We've just got to get him to run and hit the right people on a consistent basis. He's got great energy and great enthusiasm.”

 

[Emcee77]

Kelly in the spring:

Thanks for finding this. I was about to paraphrase and then I got paranoid that I was going to butcher it.

No question that Moore has the physical ability to be a star ILB for us. The question that remains is just whether he has the mental ability/instincts to be in the right place at the right time no matter what the opponent is doing to confuse him. He looked great against Air Force, but when we play the academy teams, everyone knows just what they are going to do. That won't be true for most of our opponents. I get the impression that for every rep in which he makes a great hit and tackle, there's another in which he is lost.

 

[dublinirish]

you would think Kendall would be in on goal line/short yardage situations where his bulk and hitting would be of use.

 

[RDU Irish]

Great game, Kendall! Looks like he will have another chance at big minutes this week vs. Navy too.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

Hes had a few off field issues too but good kid and obviously high effort kid. Itll be interesting if he does comeback, im all for it.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

For gods sake, then, do the right thing! Put him on the field and tell him where to go and who to destroy!


It works for the SEC!

A few NFL teams, too