'12 NC DE Romeo Okwara (Notre Dame Signed LOI)

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Turning 18 hahaha. So ridiculous that he was 17 the entire season. I see big things in his football future.

https://twitter.com/romeond45/status/343806414256500736

 

[magogian]

crazy

 

[Kak7304]

Matthias Farley's response is pretty great:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>“@<a href="https://twitter.com/romeond45">romeond45</a>: Turning 18 next Monday...not sure how I feel about that &#55357;&#56883; <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23foreveryoung">#foreveryoung</a>” I remember junior year of HS too.... &#55357;&#56834;&#55357;&#56834;</p>— Matthias Farley (@MatthiasFarley) <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthiasFarley/status/343813048382922754">June 9, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[dwshade]

Matthias Farley's response is pretty great:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>“@<a href="https://twitter.com/romeond45">romeond45</a>: Turning 18 next Monday...not sure how I feel about that <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23foreveryoung">#foreveryoung</a>” I remember junior year of HS too.... </p>— Matthias Farley (@MatthiasFarley) <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthiasFarley/status/343813048382922754">June 9, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Love that response.

 

[NDWorld247]

I'm pissed he wasted a year of eligibility on special teams. I rarely question the staff but this move was puzzling and one that I thought would be a no brainer.

 

[Luckylucci]

He was very good on special teams but I have to agree he should have been redshirted. Especially because theres not going to be a lot of PT for him this year either.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

He may make the playing time!

 

[STLDomer]

Moved to DE per Andew Williams per ISD...

He mentioned him by name that he was moved to DE in the context that he (Williams) then would then be in the two deep when he steps on campus

 

[AdmiralBackhand]

I like.

 

[WestCoast]

Moved to DE per Andew Williams per ISD...

He mentioned him by name that he was moved to DE in the context that he (Williams) then would then be in the two deep when he steps on campus

If Okwara to DE means Williams would be in the two deep (at Cat?), does that mean Rabasa is also moved? If so, to where?

 

[ScooterIrish]

Didn't Rabasa play some DE is a couple games?

I like the move for Okwara..hopefully he can redshirt too...

 

[BGIF]

Didn't Rabasa play some DE is a couple games?

I like the move for Okwara..hopefully he can redshirt too...

Has ND changed their "we don't redshirt policy"?

It's my understanding that ND doesn't redshirt that is holding out players out of play in a given year to promote better balance on the team roster. Rather ND restricts some freshman from play based on size, development, and academics.

The NCAA allows athletes 5 years to play 4 years. However ND expects students to graduate in 4 years so a student athlete held out of play as a freshman may only get 3 years of PT at ND. A 4th year of PT can be made available as a Graduate Student known as 5th Years. Potential 5th Years have to be in qualified academic standing (degree, GPA, prerequisites, and faculty recommended) and must be offered a football scholarship.

I recall ND upperclassmen be held out a season for injury or surgery, such as Joe Montana, but don't recall an upperclassman be held out of play to balance the depth chart. As Romeo played as a freshman holding him out as a Sophomore to bulk up for another position and smooth out the depth chart would be within NCAA rules but would be a significant change in ND policy.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Kelly attempted to do that with Kona his sophomore year but he was forced into action by injury and Tuitt's suspension for the Purdue game if I remember correctly.

 

[dublinirish]

Rabasa is an ILB now right?

 

[woolybug25]

Has ND changed their "we don't redshirt policy"?

It's my understanding that ND doesn't redshirt that is holding out players out of play in a given year to promote better balance on the team roster. Rather ND restricts some freshman from play based on size, development, and academics.

The NCAA allows athletes 5 years to play 4 years. However ND expects students to graduate in 4 years so a student athlete held out of play as a freshman may only get 3 years of PT at ND. A 4th year of PT can be made available as a Graduate Student known as 5th Years. Potential 5th Years have to be in qualified academic standing (degree, GPA, prerequisites, and faculty recommended) and must be offered a football scholarship.

I recall ND upperclassmen be held out a season for injury or surgery, such as Joe Montana, but don't recall an upperclassman be held out of play to balance the depth chart. As Romeo played as a freshman holding him out as a Sophomore to bulk up for another position and smooth out the depth chart would be within NCAA rules but would be a significant change in ND policy.

I never understood this concept. Notre Dame redshirts players, they can call it what they want, but we do. Every other school holds out freshman for a variety of reasons, but regardlessof the reason, they call it redshirting. Furthermore, the graduate study stuff in a 5th year is the same for everyone as well. A kid still has to be in school when they do their 5th year.

I have seen it written a million ways, but I still haven't seen an explaination any different than what every other school in the country is doing when they "redshirt" players.

 

[Buster Bluth]

I never understood this concept. Notre Dame redshirts players, they can call it what they want, but we do. Every other school holds out freshman for a variety of reasons, but regardlessof the reason, they call it redshirting. Furthermore, the graduate study stuff in a 5th year is the same for everyone as well. A kid still has to be in school when they do their 5th year.

I have seen it written a million ways, but I still haven't seen an explaination any different than what every other school in the country is doing when they "redshirt" players.

Notre Dame has to approve the fifth year, which is actually an advantage most schools don't have.

The difference is everyone of them graduates and is in grad school. At other schools they're still in undergrad dicking around taking more 101s to stay eligible.

 

[woolybug25]

Notre Dame has to approve the fifth year, which is actually an advantage most schools don't have.

The difference is everyone of them graduates and is in grad school. At other schools they're still in undergrad dicking around taking more 101s to stay eligible.

Other schools approve 5th years too. Shoot... they approve 2nd, 3rd, and fourth too, ha.

If the only difference is that 100% of our 5th year guys are in grad school, where other schools just want their players to be taking classes and be eligible, than I am not seeing a difference. It's redshirting still, everyone can call it what they want, but there aren't any real big differences.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Okay, has anyone seen any reliable evidence from on campus that this is happening?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

If Okwara to DE means Williams would be in the two deep (at Cat?), does that mean Rabasa is also moved? If so, to where?

AFAIK, Rabasa is still a ROLB, and I think he's likely to remain one since he seems to be pretty one dimensional. The comment about Williams stepping into the two-deep, if accurate, may have assumed he'll enter the depth chart higher than Rabasa from the get go.

 

[Emcee77]

AFAIK, Rabasa is still a ROLB, and I think he's likely to remain one since he seems to be pretty one dimensional. The comment about Williams stepping into the two-deep, if accurate, may have assumed he'll enter the depth chart higher than Rabasa from the get go.

I think this is right. I guess it's possible that Williams thinks Rabasa will be at ILB, but I haven't yet seen evidence that he can be more than a pass rusher. In garbage time last year I remember him lining up at DE, not even CAT.

 

[greyhammer90]

AFAIK, Rabasa is still a ROLB, and I think he's likely to remain one since he seems to be pretty one dimensional. The comment about Williams stepping into the two-deep, if accurate, may have assumed he'll enter the depth chart higher than Rabasa from the get go.

WTHDTAM?IMSI23STMTOTIAHNSSOTAPOTS.ITYGAJMTSU.*





*What the hell does this acronym mean? I mean seriously I'm 23, spend too much time on the internet and have never seen some of the acronyms posted on this site. I think you guys are just making this stuff up.

 

[Emcee77]

Kelly attempted to do that with Kona his sophomore year but he was forced into action by injury and Tuitt's suspension for the Purdue game if I remember correctly.

I never understood this concept. Notre Dame redshirts players, they can call it what they want, but we do. Every other school holds out freshman for a variety of reasons, but regardlessof the reason, they call it redshirting. Furthermore, the graduate study stuff in a 5th year is the same for everyone as well. A kid still has to be in school when they do their 5th year.

I have seen it written a million ways, but I still haven't seen an explaination any different than what every other school in the country is doing when they "redshirt" players.

Right, and right. No question that we hold guys out of competition so they will have a 5th year available ... but we call it "preserving a year of eligibility" instead of "redshirting."

As someone else pointed out, the difference is just that 5th years aren't guaranteed at ND. You have to prove that you deserve it both academically and athletically.

 

[greyhammer90]

As someone else pointed out, the difference is just that 5th years aren't guaranteed at ND. You have to prove that you deserve it both academically and athletically.

Sorry but isn't it the same way with every other school? Coaches always get the choice as to whether or not a redshirt gets his 5th year correct?

 

[Big23Head]

WTHDTAM?IMSI23STMTOTIAHNSSOTAPOTS.ITYGAJMTSU.*





*What the hell does this acronym mean? I mean seriously I'm 23, spend too much time on the internet and have never seen some of the acronyms posted on this site. I think you guys are just making this stuff up.

Assuming "As Far As I Know"

 

[OCIrish]

Rabasa may have moved inside......there was talk of him being able to make that switch, not sure if that's the case or not......

 

[Whiskeyjack]

*What the hell does this acronym mean? I mean seriously I'm 23, spend too much time on the internet and have never seen some of the acronyms posted on this site. I think you guys are just making this stuff up.

lol wtf? idgaf if u know wth afaik means.

"As far as I know".

 

[woolybug25]

As someone else pointed out, the difference is just that 5th years aren't guaranteed at ND. You have to prove that you deserve it both academically and athletically.

That's not a difference though. Kids at every other school have to be a) academically eligable and b) good enough on the field to keep their scholarship.

As I said, we can call it whatever we want. But it's redshirting.

 

[greyhammer90]

That's not a difference though. Kids at every other school have to be a) academically eligable and b) good enough on the field to keep their scholarship.

As I said, we can call it whatever we want. But it's redshirting.

The only reason ND doesn't call it redshirting is because the student athlete has to have graduated. In other schools they get 5 years to earn the 4 year degree (or not earn it, whatever, they don't care).

 

[Emcee77]

Sorry but isn't it the same way with every other school? Coaches always get the choice as to whether or not a redshirt gets his 5th year correct?

I think that's right (not totally sure how it works at other schools), but I know at least one difference is that at ND it isn't just the coach's call. The Faculty Board of Athletics has to approve the 5th year. At other schools, players that the coach wants to stay just get the 5th year if they have eligibility remaining and there's a schollie available.

 

[woolybug25]

The only reason ND doesn't call it redshirting is because the student athlete has to have graduated. In other schools they get 5 years to earn the 4 year degree (or not earn it, whatever, they don't care).

I get that, but it's an academic difference, not an eligibility difference. Redshirting is about eligibility, not about academics. Notre Dame also requires higher test scores and gpa than most schools, but they don't call their verbal committment something different than all of the other schools. The whole thing is just silly and I feel it makes us look dumb when we tell fans of other schools that "Notre Dame doesn't redshirt" when we absolutely do.

The fact remains that Notre Dame allows students to utilize 5 years of school to use up their 4 years of athletic eligibility... just like every other NCAA div1 football program. The common term for that is redshirting.