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

[CanadalovesND]

Special teams= one guy runs full speed against someone who is usually standing still

If you aren't aware of your leverage when engaging/being engaged by a player, you will, 9/10, be blocked out of the play.

 

[Patulski]

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.

Just commenting on the game. I had completely forgotten about him and how highly recruited he was. I'll keep watching him.

On the big kickoff return at the end of the game ND had Rabasa on the far left edge in containment, and had safeties inside of him. Navy kept Rabasa on the edge and steamrolled the safeties for their big gain. Strange that ND had Rabasa on the outside. Doesn't make sense.

 

[returnofthemack]

Linebacker Rabasa eyes fresh start with Irish - South Bend Tribune: Football

 

[Emcee77]

Linebacker Rabasa eyes fresh start with Irish - South Bend Tribune: Football

Wow, that's great stuff from Rabasa. Sounds like a smart, thoughtful kid who has his head on straight despite the adversity he's faced in trying to get on the field on gameday. He's definitely got his chance this season with the increased 4-3 stuff we are going to run.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Really hope he is the surprise player this year. He was a very good player coming out of HS (if I remember the reports correctly, he dominated the Carolina shrine game).

Hope he gets an opportunity to make plays and hope he capitalizes on them.

 

[Rack Em]

Really hope he is the surprise player this year. He was a very good player coming out of HS (if I remember the reports correctly, he dominated the Carolina shrine game).

Hope he gets an opportunity to make plays and hope he capitalizes on them.

Do FL players play in the Shrine Game? I thought it was just the Carolinas. Are you thinking about Ben Councell? He dominated the Shrine Game several years ago.

 

[Luckylucci]

Really hope he is the surprise player this year. He was a very good player coming out of HS (if I remember the reports correctly, he dominated the Carolina shrine game).

Hope he gets an opportunity to make plays and hope he capitalizes on them.

He's from Florida, therefore wouldn't be participating in the Carolina Shrine Game. You may be thinking of Councell.

 

[PANDFAN]

He's from Florida, therefore wouldn't be participating in the Carolina Shrine Game. You may be thinking of Councell.

and yes he received glowing reviews from that game

 

[Irish#1]

How many times do we see kids get lost in the numbers game? It appears he's one of them. Hope he shows why he was a top 150 kid.

 

[CanadalovesND]

Really hope he is the surprise player this year. He was a very good player coming out of HS (if I remember the reports correctly, he dominated the Carolina shrine game).

Hope he gets an opportunity to make plays and hope he capitalizes on them.

Would be odd to have a player from Florida play in the East-West Shrine game for the Carolina states..

He played in the USA vs. The World game along with Matt Hegarty, Stephon Tuitt and the Atkinson twins.

 

[ResLife Hero]

How many times do we see kids get lost in the numbers game? It appears he's one of them. Hope he shows why he was a top 150 kid.

I think it was more than the numbers game, and he fell into the same trap Ishaq struggled with except he didn't have the same measurables. Diaco recruited a lot of DEs with the hopes of turning them into CATs, but guys like Rabasa and Williams were so coveted because of what they could do with their ears pinned rather than worrying about dropping back or checking a TE. With the increase in 4-man fronts we're expecting and all the talk of BVG's "attacking" defense, there's a whole new appreciation for guys who can just get after it, and that should benefit Rabasa as well as Ishaq.

 

[connect the dots]

Really hope he is the surprise player this year. He was a very good player coming out of HS (if I remember the reports correctly, he dominated the Carolina shrine game).

Hope he gets an opportunity to make plays and hope he capitalizes on them.

Ben Councell, like Rabasa, played defensive end in high school. He was the one who shined in the Carolina all star game. And, like Rabasa, could not find playing time in Bod Diaco's defense.

 

[irishog77]

Has Michigan State offered Enoch Smith?

 

[Irishnuke]

Really hope he is the surprise player this year. He was a very good player coming out of HS (if I remember the reports correctly, he dominated the Carolina shrine game).

Hope he gets an opportunity to make plays and hope he capitalizes on them.

Not sure if anyone has said this yet, but the shrine game is for Carolina players. You might be thinking of Ben Councell.

 

[Rack Em]

Has Michigan State offered Enoch Smith?

That's the million dollar question. Can anyone shed some light? Should we tweet at Wiltfong?

 

[Ndaccountant]

That's the million dollar question. Can anyone shed some light? Should we tweet at Wiltfong?

Good idea. While we are at it, can we ask him if we will get burned by slow playing Bruce Gaston?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Ben Councell, like Rabasa, played defensive end in high school. He was the one who shined in the Carolina all star game. And, like Rabasa, could not find playing time in Bod Diaco's defense.

Councell played in every game last season before he went down against Navy. The kid was billed as Diaco's prototypical DOLB, and was producing pretty well despite having to split reps with Jaylon. We really missed him against Stanford.

Rabasa only played in 5 games last season, and virtually all of his production came against the two service academies. He's the undersized pass-rushing specialist who couldn't find a role in Diaco's hulking front-seven, not Councell.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Thanks for the correction from each and every one of you

Definitely mistaking Rabasa and Councell. Hoping for both to break out in this new defense.

 

[EddytoNow]

Van Gorder's more aggressive defense could be made to order for players like Rabasa. Pin your ears back and go after the quarterback. Diaco's philosophy over-relied on strength and size. How many times did we have a bigger, slower defender pursuing the quarterback unsuccessfully last season? We were starting to look a whole lot like a big, slow Big 10 defense. Hopefully, Van Gorder can re-introduce speed and aggression to our defensive philosophy.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Rabasa is from Florida.

 

[connect the dots]

Councell played in every game last season before he went down against Navy. The kid was billed as Diaco's prototypical DOLB, and was producing pretty well despite having to split reps with Jaylon. We really missed him against Stanford.

Rabasa only played in 5 games last season, and virtually all of his production came against the two service academies. He's the undersized pass-rushing specialist who couldn't find a role in Diaco's hulking front-seven, not Councell.

Ben Councell, like Ishaq Williams, will benefit from Bob Diaco leaving Notre Dame. In fact, the entire Notre Dame defense will benefit from Bob Diaco leaving his coaching position at Notre Dame.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Ben Councell, like Ishaq Williams, will benefit from Bob Diaco leaving Notre Dame. In fact, the entire Notre Dame defense will benefit from Bob Diaco leaving his coaching position at Notre Dame.

You do realize his scoring defense was top 10 in pts allowed over the last 4 years?

 

[PANDFAN]

You do realize his scoring defense was top 10 in pts allowed over the last 4 years?

he also had potentially 2 1st round dlineman and the most decorated defensive player ever...chicken or egg?

 

[rocket66]

You do realize his scoring defense was top 10 in pts allowed over the last 4 years?

Navy. Bad adjustments.

He had some great players and was the DC during one of the better defenses ND has ever seen, but Diaco didn't stop many of the good offensive teams he faced over his tenure.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I can feel it in my bones, here it comes . . .

Diaco, chickens, eggs, Te'o, defense. Life's mysteries.

 

[IrishLion]

he also had potentially 2 1st round dlineman and the most decorated defensive player ever...chicken or egg?

Both, it was a perfect storm. Diaco is no slouch, but not a superstar in scheming/adjusting either. His defensive style meshed perfectly with the group of players he had to work with... once those defensive players left/were injured, you saw the shortcomings of both the scheme and the athletes.

Diaco and the 2012 defense were a right-place-right-time situation for everyone involved.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Diaco is a fantastic motivator and had a defensive plan that he believed in and for the most part worked in 2012.

With that said, when I look back at that regular season schedule I can't name one elite or even "very good" QB we faced.

 

[Buster Bluth]

but Diaco didn't stop many of the good offensive teams he faced over his tenure.

Wut

The grass is always fucking greener isn't it.

 

[IrishLion]

Diaco is a fantastic motivator and had a defensive plan that he believed in and for the most part worked in 2012.

With that said, when I look back at that regular season schedule I can't name one elite or even "very good" QB we faced.

Holding Denard in check and forcing him to throw arm punts in 2012 was a huge deal. He wasn't "elite" or "very good" as a QB, but he was ND Killer in terms of making plays any way he could. Teo playing nearly flawlessly every time Denard got out of the pocket helped, but the whole D was ready for that challenge (finally. Only took three tries).

And Landry Jones from Oklahoma would go in the "very good" category. I give Diaco the credit for that game. Teo and Co. played well, but it was one of the few games where Diaco got a bit aggressive with play calling early without giving away too much, and it helped to shake Jones up for the game.

 

[gkIrish]

Diaco did a great job. We are probably better off without him. Both can be true.