'13 CA S Max Redfield (Notre Dame Signed LOI)
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Redfield and his coaches at Mission Viejo High School in the talent-***** region of Southern California thought he had the ability to make an immediate impact on Notre Dame’s defense. He ranked as the third best safety in the country and the third best player overall in California accord to the 247Sports Composite rankings. But because of the safety’s demanding role in the Irish secondary, he’s yet to play significant minutes on defense.
“High school doesn’t compare to Notre Dame’s concepts on defense,” Redfield said Tuesday in his first meeting with the media since getting to campus. “I felt like I was a good communicator in high school but obviously that’s not going to carry over as much when you have a whole new defense to learn.”
Learning the first defensive formation was manageable for Redfield in the summer. Then came another, and another. Less than a week into his stay in South Bend he, like most freshmen, was swimming in new terminology. Notre Dame’s defense filters most of its communication and signals through its safeties, which means understanding those calls is the top priority for newcomers at the position.
Training camp is difficult for the rookies. Notre Dame’s coaches have a month to install the entire playbook into their players’ memories. During the regular season, those downloads come in more manageable sizes when they’re tailored around a specific opponent and game plan.
“Playing deep safety for us is the most difficult thing that a freshman can do maybe outside of quarterback,” safeties coach Bob Elliott said in August. “When I worked for Hayden Fry he would say, ‘We’re baking a big pie in training camp but we’re only going to serve one slice per game.’ It’s hard for young guys to bake the big pie and remember all of it. It’s a lot easier in game day when we slice a portion of that pie out and use only that.”
Redfield said he’s come a long way in recent weeks in understanding his job and being more demonstrative on the field. When Elliott talked about the freshman during fall camp he said he might not be ready for regular game action until the middle of the season, or even late in the season.
In the meantime Redfield has been busy on most of Notre Dame’s special teams, jumping in on a pair of tackles while making appearances in five games. That doesn’t make the waiting period any easier to stomach.
“I feel frustrated still,” he said. “I still don’t have everything down like I obviously want to. I’m still making the little mistakes that you obviously need to get down to be a contributor in the game. That’s obviously why I’m not there. It’s a process like the coaches keep telling me. I’ve tried to accept it, but it’s still frustrating.”
The bye week, when coaches decrease the reps they give to many veterans to allow them to rest, could be an important one for Redfield. It can open a gate to more playing time moving forward. He said he feels big parts of the defense starting to click into place in his head, and he’ll have a chance to prove that during the midseason break.
The timing couldn’t be much better for the Californian one week before USC visits for a night game. Redfield grew up less than an hour from the USC campus and originally committed to play for the Trojans before flipping to the Irish last winter. If he gets a chance to play, he’ll be going head-to-head with old high school teammates and friends from the recruiting process.
“I keep in touch with a lot of them. I went to high school with a few of them, got really close with a few of them. We talk probably close to a weekly basis,” he said.
Irish head coach Brian Kelly said there were too many complex coverages in last Saturday’s game plan for Arizona State to get Redfield into the action. He expects the bye week will be a nice boost for him and some of his freshmen teammates in the secondary.
“We are hoping to get him some work this week,” Kelly said. “…He's getting a ton of reps right now. He's getting closer and closer.”
“High school doesn’t compare to Notre Dame’s concepts on defense,” Redfield said Tuesday in his first meeting with the media since getting to campus. “I felt like I was a good communicator in high school but obviously that’s not going to carry over as much when you have a whole new defense to learn.”
Learning the first defensive formation was manageable for Redfield in the summer. Then came another, and another. Less than a week into his stay in South Bend he, like most freshmen, was swimming in new terminology. Notre Dame’s defense filters most of its communication and signals through its safeties, which means understanding those calls is the top priority for newcomers at the position.
Training camp is difficult for the rookies. Notre Dame’s coaches have a month to install the entire playbook into their players’ memories. During the regular season, those downloads come in more manageable sizes when they’re tailored around a specific opponent and game plan.
“Playing deep safety for us is the most difficult thing that a freshman can do maybe outside of quarterback,” safeties coach Bob Elliott said in August. “When I worked for Hayden Fry he would say, ‘We’re baking a big pie in training camp but we’re only going to serve one slice per game.’ It’s hard for young guys to bake the big pie and remember all of it. It’s a lot easier in game day when we slice a portion of that pie out and use only that.”
Redfield said he’s come a long way in recent weeks in understanding his job and being more demonstrative on the field. When Elliott talked about the freshman during fall camp he said he might not be ready for regular game action until the middle of the season, or even late in the season.
In the meantime Redfield has been busy on most of Notre Dame’s special teams, jumping in on a pair of tackles while making appearances in five games. That doesn’t make the waiting period any easier to stomach.
“I feel frustrated still,” he said. “I still don’t have everything down like I obviously want to. I’m still making the little mistakes that you obviously need to get down to be a contributor in the game. That’s obviously why I’m not there. It’s a process like the coaches keep telling me. I’ve tried to accept it, but it’s still frustrating.”
The bye week, when coaches decrease the reps they give to many veterans to allow them to rest, could be an important one for Redfield. It can open a gate to more playing time moving forward. He said he feels big parts of the defense starting to click into place in his head, and he’ll have a chance to prove that during the midseason break.
The timing couldn’t be much better for the Californian one week before USC visits for a night game. Redfield grew up less than an hour from the USC campus and originally committed to play for the Trojans before flipping to the Irish last winter. If he gets a chance to play, he’ll be going head-to-head with old high school teammates and friends from the recruiting process.
“I keep in touch with a lot of them. I went to high school with a few of them, got really close with a few of them. We talk probably close to a weekly basis,” he said.
Irish head coach Brian Kelly said there were too many complex coverages in last Saturday’s game plan for Arizona State to get Redfield into the action. He expects the bye week will be a nice boost for him and some of his freshmen teammates in the secondary.
“We are hoping to get him some work this week,” Kelly said. “…He's getting a ton of reps right now. He's getting closer and closer.”
IrishFaninTX
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I know it's early and probably a bit premature but based on this kid's interview and how well-spoken and knowledgeable he seems, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if he is one of our defensive captains by his junior year. I think next year will be Shumate and Redfield as starters. Can't wait to see those guys on the field together once they both understand their assignments better.
T Town Tommy
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In complex defenses, it will take safties a couple of years to really catch on to everything. I would expect Redfield to grow by leaps and bounds with another year in the Irish system.
illmatic630
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“2 Minute Drill” with Max Redfield | Notre Dame Football Blog
Favorite safety growing up is Brian Dawkins
Favorite safety growing up is Brian Dawkins
Chris P. Bacon
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Kelly said in his post game press conference that Max got some PT, any idea when he was in the game, besides special teams?
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Saw him in dime a little. Butler, Hardy, and Redfield got PT sporadically. It's crazy how much Hardy/Rabasa/Hounshell have had their careers derailed by injuries.
TheSunIsRising
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I may be mistaken, but thought he was playing deep cover on the play where Jaylon got his pick.
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Bogtrotter07
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I think you are right. It is so hard to tell with all the duplicate numbers, on coverage teams, but I think I saw 10 in on that play covering deep.
irishfan
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Really? I didn't remember seeing him, and thought he moved to WR.
GoldenIsThyFame
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'13 CA S Max Redfield (Notre Dame Signed LOI)
I was so pumped when I saw him in on a play, thinking that he was going to in for a while, then he subbed out the next play and I didn't see him again.
I was so pumped when I saw him in on a play, thinking that he was going to in for a while, then he subbed out the next play and I didn't see him again.
GoldenIsThyFame
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It had to have been Hardy or Butler. No way Atkinson would have been in before Wood or Brown even.
TheSunIsRising
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He was also in for a play or two on the series after Tommy was hurt (at least on the 2nd and long; can't remember if he stayed in for 3rd and long)
Grahambo
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From my memory:
BJ
KvR
Farley
Collinsworth
Luke
Butler
Hardy
Redfield (Based on BK and what others have said)
Maybe Kinlaw?
TheTurningPoint
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Josh Atkinson did not play last night. My guess is Lo Wood might have been on the field.
NDBoiler
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FightingIrishLover7
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This kid is a natural leader.
I'm not even worried with him.
It'll come.
I'm not even worried with him.
It'll come.
NDhoosier
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Five Guys is great, but it is expensive for a burger joint. Plenty of fries though, have you had a large order of fries there?
Redfield seems like a quality athlete... RKG... RKG... RKG
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Buster Bluth
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I'm waiting for the day there is a recruit whose initials are RKG.
IrishSteelhead
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And he turns out to a be a less disciplined version of Marshall Henderson for irony's sake.
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Cackalacky
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He looks up to Farley. That says a lot about Farley to me, regardless of what the haters say.
irishff1014
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Either Max is slow at learning or Farley pays Kelly to play him. He isn't NOT good Come on Max Get it together.