'14 OH OL Jimmy Byrne (Notre Dame Signee)

[Luckylucci]

I will say one of Kelly's philosophies is to have fresh players on the field giving 100% every snap. In order to do that you have to have depth. You if look at positions that have depth the two deep will play frequently. The only time I have noticed that #2 doesn't play on a weekly basis is if they're not ready to be on the field (our offensive line the last couple of years) or the player on the field is too good to take off (Manti). I am by no means saying we'll play 10 lineman over the course of the game but I am very confident saying that Kelly would want 10 Olineman that can play at any time. In order to do that you need to recruit a lot of bodies.

 

[irishog77]

I will say one of Kelly's philosophies is to have fresh players on the field giving 100% every snap. In order to do that you have to have depth. You if look at positions that have depth the two deep will play frequently. The only time I have noticed that #2 doesn't play on a weekly basis is if they're not ready to be on the field (our offensive line the last couple of years) or the player on the field is too good to take off (Manti). I am by no means saying we'll play 10 lineman over the course of the game but I am very confident saying that Kelly would want 10 Olineman that can play at any time. In order to do that you need to recruit a lot of bodies.

Yeah. And it wouldn't be strange to play, say 7, OL in a game (legit offensive snaps-- not counting Special Teams snaps).

Assuming all 13 games are close (no blow outs, either way), Kelly may play 6-8 OL in any given game (not necessarily every game though and doesn't mean he will). If/when games turn into routs, I could see Kelly playing 9-11 OL.

I'm not quite sure the depth is there yet this year to employ such a strategy, but it's close. If not this year, then definitely next.

 

[vmgsf]

OMM thanks for the time you take to give us intelligent and well thought out analysis. I like IE because it has differing opinions and disagreements but "you can disagree without being disagreeable." IE has a basic civility and courtesy and even tolerates trolls until they have fully shown their "trollness."

Urban Meyer thank you for taking Ed whatever his name is off ND's hands so Kelly could hire a truly outstanding offensive line coach who loves coaching the offensive line, who is tough but fair, who is a demanding teacher who will help all his linemen reach their maximum potential and who is respected and viewed with great affection by the linemen under his tutelage. I think the recruits see this when they visit, get to know the current offensive linemen and observe what is going on. I think the recruits also eyeball the current offensive linemen and say to themselves I would like to look like them.

The university giving the football team a training table and the great work of Paul Longo all play into this. Everyone working together makes me more optimistic than I have been since the era of Ara.

I think Kelly has had Harry Heistand thoroughly evaluate every potential offensive line recruit and that no offer is extended unless Heistand is on board.

Jimmy Byrne I am glad to have you as a member of the Fighting Irish family.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I was thinking about this a bit and I came up with two different things. Jimmy dominates at St. Ignatius. They are back to the top of their game. That is saying something!

I was talking with a friend. We both wondered whether the health risks of playing full go football with no equipment was worth it. 30 years ago it wouldn't have happened. Money wasn't that important, and coaches were less worried about making big names for their recruits and more about their health and well being.

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Found out I got nominated for the @<a href="https://twitter.com/armyallamerican">armyallamerican</a> bowl and coach hiestand stopped by school. not a bad day!</p>— Jimmy Byrne(@Jimbo_Slice76) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jimbo_Slice76/status/331883548778848257">May 7, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[STLDomer]

Anyone know if he had anything going on that he didn't compete at the NFTC today? His teammate earned an invite to The Opening

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Kuehnja comment in 3...2..1..

 

[CanadalovesND]

Those are some thick *** kids.

Nelson and Bars, prototype tackles right there.

Byrne just looks like a guard, no sugar coating it, kid looks like he was born to be Guard.

 

[Kak7304]

Bars appears to be a fit and slim 290. Kid could add a decent amount of good weight.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Glad he wasn't in another picture with someone standing in front of him, people don't seem to understand perspective. This time it's Bars who looks a little smaller.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

People are criticizing Jimmy? Those arms? His chest is like 60"! He is just thick top to bottom. And he is seventeen. He gots a little baby fat. So what? Jimmy gwen just be fine!

 

[Kak7304]

People are criticizing Jimmy? Those arms? His chest is like 60"! He is just thick top to bottom. And he is seventeen. He gots a little baby fat. So what? Jimmy gwen just be fine!

Chance Warmack doesn't exactly have a svelte body. I think Jimmy will be just fan at OG.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Chance Warmack doesn't exactly have a svelte body. I think Jimmy will be just fan at OG.

Agreed. Brilliant minds. Kak, brilliant minds!

 

[chubler]

Now that we've collected ourselves about Jimmy, I want to go back to the idea of more than 5 OL regularly playing in a game. I just don't see it happening, EVER.

I'll defer to anyone with actual knowledge of the subject, but I've never even heard of an OL "subbing out". In fact, I've often heard the opposite, especially with NFL teams who are looking for "the five who play best together" etc (as a Packers fan we've had a lot of these problems recently). A lot of emphasis always seems to be placed on the chemistry of the 5 OL and how they work together, as well. WR's, TE's, DB's, etc sub out all the time, searching for more advantageous matchups, but I don't think that's something you do with the boys who protect your QB.

 

[RuntheBall]

Not that I have followed the discussion closely, but I agree to an extent. When healthy you will have your 5 starters. But if you go through a season without an injury... wow thats amazing. You need depth to ensure there is not a huge drop off if someone gets injured. Also after the NCG Kelly stated that he had to be careful with live reps because we were so thin along the lines. That probably hurt us. Even if an OLineman doesn't start he can provide great value by allowing the D to play against very good (starter caliber) linemen.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

There is always how soon you bring non-starters in and there is always a question of whether you use a different OLmen for a different offensive package.

Left versus right handed quarterback?

Heavy run versus spread pass packages?

What say you all?

 

[ResLife Hero]

Wrong thread, I know, but DAMN Nelson has some long arms!

 

[FLDomer]

Personally I don't like the idea of subbing oline in and out. I played oline all my life all the way through college. The oline is a unit in all sense of the word. You learn the strengths and weaknesses of your fellow olineman. As you play together you move as one, doing your own parts to hit your assignments. Throwing in new bodies in and out only throw off your rhythm. I knew where my guard was on every play because we played side by side play after play through games and practice.

 

[OCIrish]

Personally I don't like the idea of subbing oline in and out. I played oline all my life all the way through college. The oline is a unit in all sense of the word. You learn the strengths and weaknesses of your fellow olineman. As you play together you move as one, doing your own parts to hit your assignments. Throwing in new bodies in and out only throw off your rhythm. I knew where my guard was on every play because we played side by side play after play through games and practice.

Not only do I not like coaches who sub on the OL during a game, I have an absolute disdain for coaches who flip flop their line during pass plays vs. run plays.....dead giveaway for shat you're planning to do......never made a damn bit I'd sense to me.

 

[dudesthisisthebest]

I'll defer to anyone with actual knowledge of the subject, but I've never even heard of an OL "subbing out"

It actually does happen in the NFL. Definitely not the norm or optimal. I know the Jets did it last season. I think the Texans may have a little as well.

 

[Old Man Mike]

On Jimmy Byrne: that is one of the thickest high school athletes I've seen. He ought to be a roadgrader.

On OLine: the guys who actually played OLine seem to have spoken already, but I'll add to their chorus --- The OLine coach determines the five in pre-season and it takes something very unusual or an injury to dent this "Iron Five". Changes in the Iron Five only occur when:

a]. a guy is nicked up during the game, or can't go even though he lied to his OLine coach about his injury not bothering him. {even then the OLine coach sometimes lets a stud try to tough it out, because that's what the hogs do}.
b]. game's out of hand.
c]. playing in extremely hot circumstances or low-oxygen; "blows" sometimes occur in such games.
d]. some rare gimmick formation, but even that doesn't count as the Iron Five are still in there somewhere anyway.

The fact that it is extremely likely that we will have [after the 2014 OLine group gets to campus and are sophomores] MORE than two-deep killer-talent OLines merely means that they will have to wait their turns. This seems funny given that it is different than most any other position, but QB is actually a similar deal.

So, yeh, it's possible by two-plus seasons from now we could even see OLine transfers a la QB.

 

[Kak7304]

It actually does happen in the NFL. Definitely not the norm or optimal. I know the Jets did it last season. I think the Texans may have a little as well.

I think the Jets doing it is an argument for not subbing on the OL.

 

[Domina Nostra]

if there is one thing a Northern school with excellent academics and the best tradition in football should be able to recruit, it's offensive linemen.

Order is being restored to the universe.

 

[Irish#1]

Yup. You only get 5 on the field at one time...The 6th best lineman on the team could be an absolutely outstanding player, but he's still not a starter. I'd say it's a good problem to have.

And it doesn't hurt when you can bring in 2 or 3 in the first half to give the starters a breather.
when the second half rolls around they have that little extra in the tank.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/CleveHSsports">@CleveHSsports</a> is hosting a live chat with <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NotreDame&src=hash">#NotreDame</a> OL commit Jimmy Byrne at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Link: <a href="http://t.co/kHfmFj7daL">http://t.co/kHfmFj7daL</a></p>— Jake Brown (@Jake_Brown) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jake_Brown/statuses/390522843915513856">October 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Senior highlights

<a href="http://t.co/AJ6dglXSfy">http://t.co/AJ6dglXSfy</a></p>— Jimmy Byrne (@Jimbo_Slice76) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jimbo_Slice76/statuses/404770137812639744">November 25, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[rtrn2glory]

team got beat last night in the regional finals to mentor...absolutely horrible conditions throughout the state of ohio yesterday to play football...many fields in the northeast covered in snow by games end.

hopefully we get some better weather next weekend

 

[Booslum31]

Went to the game. Froze my tail off...didn't dress warm enough. Jimmy pushed some guys around but St Ignatias was a little over matched. The wind was off the charts. Honestly I left shortly after the third quarte started.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Brian, you deserve a medal.

I hope everyone looks at Jimmy as a warrior after seeing this tape. He comes off the line fast and pretty low. He moves his opponent out and he plays to the whistle. He makes smart decisions, too!

The competition he plays is among the best you will see. More so on the line than even skill positions, Ohio NE Division I was is and will be top notch football.

 

[KPENN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Great home visit with coach Kelly and coach Hiestand &#55356;&#57152; <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GoIrish&src=hash">#GoIrish</a> <a href="http://t.co/YYlhLjr5aZ">pic.twitter.com/YYlhLjr5aZ</a></p>— Jimmy Byrne (@Jimbo_Slice76) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jimbo_Slice76/statuses/408378355583438848">December 4, 2013</a></blockquote>
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