'11 FL DE Anthony Rabasa (Signed Notre Dame LOI)

[Irishman77]

So Grace has one inside spot who starts at the other next year? Do we keep one of Fox/Carlo for a 5th or does Rabasa step up. in 14 I feel Grace and Anzalone. Any feedback on our ILB situation in 13?

 

[Riddickulous]

So Grace has one inside spot who starts at the other next year? Do we keep one of Fox/Carlo for a 5th or does Rabasa step up. in 14 I feel Grace and Anzalone. Any feedback on our ILB situation in 13?

I think we keep Fox for sure, and Carlo if we have enough room.

 

[Emcee77]

Rabasa is listed at OLB on this week's two-deep. Unless things change this off-season, it looks like his future is as a backup CAT, possible starter his 5th year after Ishaq leaves.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Inside backer is pretty loaded next year.

Carlo, Fox, Grace, Moore, Rabasa (not sure if he will stay inside), Anzalone, Deeb, Schmidt.

 

[Emcee77]

I think we keep Fox for sure, and Carlo if we have enough room.

this

 

[Ironman8]

I would bet an awful lot at least one, if not both, get 5th years. To me, those two plus Grace, Moore and Joe Schmidt is pretty good depth, plus the incoming freshmen.

 

[Irishman77]

I think we keep Fox for sure, and Carlo if we have enough room.

I hope so. that sures things up and makes for a smooth transition. I don't see Rabasa at a Cat at all given the talent we have and will be bringing in.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I would bet an awful lot at least one, if not both, get 5th years. To me, those two plus Grace, Moore and Joe Schmidt is pretty good depth, plus the incoming freshmen.

Hopefully you are correct. Fox was great in coverage last week and Carlo was killing the run fits last week.

 

[Ironman8]

Hopefully you are correct. Fox was great in coverage last week and Carlo was killing the run fits last week.

It's a no brainer to me. The staff is going to need battle tested guys that they trust in the middle next year with Manti gone (not to mention other leaders in Kap, Motta and possibly Slaughter). Those two may not be the most explosive ILBs we will ever see, but they are certainly solid (and seemingly improving) and well versed in our schemes. Diaco of all people knows the value of veteran defensive leaders.

 

[rtrn2glory]

personally i think both fox and carlo get 5ths as long as carlo stays consistent, but i think fox for sure.

grace is going to be a good one imo. rabasa could turn into a utupo type where the depth at cat and ILB could move him to the D line later in his career, which may not be bad with his experience with his hand down he had in the prep ranks.

 

[Emcee77]

I think Rabasa is like Ben Councell: not quite where the coaches want him to be physically to get a lot of playing time at OLB. Both are listed at 240, and I know Councell has said he wants to gain 5-10 more pounds to contend with TEs, and I imagine Rabasa wants to gain at least 10 more pounds to play CAT.

Rabasa was a high school DE and I don't know if he has the cover skills to play ILB. But then again, Councell was also a high school DE, and he has great cover skills. Hard to know at this point whether Rabasa will be like Justin Utupo (another high school DE in a linebacker-sized body who could never learn to play another position) or Councell, who seems to be taking to DOG.

edit: rtrn2glory beat me to some of this ... great minds think alike bro.

 

[DillonHall]

I'd be shocked if Fox and Carlo weren't both asked back for a fifth year. They're big time contributors and have tons of experience.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

personally i think both fox and carlo get 5ths as long as carlo stays consistent, but i think fox for sure.

grace is going to be a good one imo. rabasa could turn into a utupo type where the depth at cat and ILB could move him to the D line later in his career, which may not be bad with his experience with his hand down he had in the prep ranks.

I was thinking the same thing about Rabasa.

 

[rtrn2glory]

I think Rabasa is like Ben Councell: not quite where the coaches want him to be physically to get a lot of playing time at OLB. Both are listed at 240, and I know Councell has said he wants to gain 5-10 more pounds to contend with TEs, and I imagine Rabasa wants to gain at least 10 more pounds to play CAT.

Rabasa was a high school DE and I don't know if he has the cover skills to play ILB. But then again, Councell was also a high school DE, and he has great cover skills. Hard to know at this point whether Rabasa will be like Justin Utupo (another high school DE in a linebacker-sized body who could never learn to play another position) or Councell, who seems to be taking to DOG.

edit: rtrn2glory beat me to some of this ... great minds think alike bro.

calling my mind great is way overstated

 

[Irishman77]

good discussion fellas...Our D depth chart is loaded after the 13 class reloads the LB positions.

 

[Riddickulous]

I'd be shocked if Fox and Carlo weren't both asked back for a fifth year. They're big time contributors and have tons of experience.

Ideally, I'd like both, but if it came down to Carlo and say, Alquadin Muhammad...

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Saw some action today...had a tackle!

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Saw some action today...had a tackle!

Nice. Hope he keeps it up

 

[CanadalovesND]

Saw some action today...had a tackle!

He was credited with 3 tackles, 1 for loss.

 

[TheSunIsRising]

The one for loss was a really good play by him (he was in at MLB I think - damn streaming). Good to see him get some PT, and make a play like that after his injury issues.

 

[Emcee77]

The one for loss was a really good play by him (he was in at MLB I think - damn streaming). Good to see him get some PT, and make a play like that after his injury issues.

I wish, since I'd like to think that he could play there next year if necessary, but he was coming out of a three point stance on that play.

 

[Irishfan33]

He was credited with 3 tackles, 1 for loss.

Yea, i was so happy for him.
I called him after the game to say congrats and nice play on the TFL.

He said thanks and it's about time they put me on the field.
Going up to see him this weekend for the Navy game... Talk to him about his future.

Anybody tailgating, would like to meet some of you and hangout

 

[Emcee77]

Yea, i was so happy for him.
I called him after the game to say congrats and nice play on the TFL.

He said thanks and it's about time they put me on the field.
Going up to see him this weekend for the Navy game... Talk to him about his future.

Anybody tailgating, would like to meet some of you and hangout

Cool, let us know. I think we are all pulling for him to break his way into the LB rotation somewhere.

 

[Old Man Mike]

In my poorly-supported opinion, Anthony Rabasa is a bigtime athlete who has gotten mired in two dilemmas: 1). a preferred position [hand on ground and violent rush] which has been occupied by several NFL-quality players [Tuitt, KLM, Day... even non-NFL studs like Hounshell when healthy] and 2). is not quite fitted for the linebacking corps [somewhat a la Ishaq] in that he hasn't acquired linebacking instincts.

Still, Rabasa is a very good athlete, and if we had not been so loaded at some of these positions so that he could get reps, I believe that he could have been/ will be{?} productive. I saw a play in the Spring Game where his pass-defense-in-space instincts looked very good. This is one of those things which happens so often at a school like Notre Dame which can recruit so many elite and near-elite potential starters.

Biggest mystery to me is that no more of them transfer. Some of that must relate to the ND degree they'll be getting.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

He still has some time left also. After this season he still has two seasons of eligibility.

 

[NDhoosier]

I forgot he was 2011 class. Would love to see him develop, we will need LBs next year.

 

[ndfi78]

Me too, he was a guy I was pretty excited about when he signed.

 

[Patulski]

In my poorly-supported opinion, Anthony Rabasa is a bigtime athlete who has gotten mired in two dilemmas: 1). a preferred position [hand on ground and violent rush] which has been occupied by several NFL-quality players [Tuitt, KLM, Day... even non-NFL studs like Hounshell when healthy] and 2). is not quite fitted for the linebacking corps [somewhat a la Ishaq] in that he hasn't acquired linebacking instincts.

Still, Rabasa is a very good athlete, and if we had not been so loaded at some of these positions so that he could get reps, I believe that he could have been/ will be{?} productive. I saw a play in the Spring Game where his pass-defense-in-space instincts looked very good. This is one of those things which happens so often at a school like Notre Dame which can recruit so many elite and near-elite potential starters.

Biggest mystery to me is that no more of them transfer. Some of that must relate to the ND degree they'll be getting.

I watched Rabasa on the kickoff return team against Navy. He got thrown aside like a rag doll by Navy's sophomore 6-1 220 lb linebacker named Tyler Goble, who went on and made the tackle in what could have been a big return for Atkinson. Goble's best offer besides Navy was Bowling Green. I don't think Rabasa's ever going to play if he cannot even perform on special teams against this caliber of player.

 

[Pachuco]

I watched Rabasa on the kickoff return team against Navy. He got thrown aside like a rag doll by Navy's sophomore 6-1 220 lb linebacker named Tyler Goble, who went on and made the tackle in what could have been a big return for Atkinson. Goble's best offer besides Navy was Bowling Green. I don't think Rabasa's ever going to play if he cannot even perform on special teams against this caliber of player.

I'm not sure you can assess his entire career on one bad play, but then again, I'm not a coach. Is it possible that Rabasa made a mistake that he can learn from? Could it also be possible that Goble made a good play, and played above his presumed talent level? I dunno. Again, I'm not a coach.

 

[RyCo1983]

I watched Rabasa on the kickoff return team against Navy. He got thrown aside like a rag doll by Navy's sophomore 6-1 220 lb linebacker named Tyler Goble, who went on and made the tackle in what could have been a big return for Atkinson. Goble's best offer besides Navy was Bowling Green. I don't think Rabasa's ever going to play if he cannot even perform on special teams against this caliber of player.

How many of our D boys got beat one on one by undersized Navy players?
Don't judge any of them based on that trainwreck of a day.