Projected depth chart and area's of concern.....

[IrishLax]

It's so tough as scheme can mask or expose a lot of issues.

There is maybe no more critical a position in an aggressive 4-3 than MIKE and you basically never want a true frosh playing there. So if Joe Schmidt can't play or gets hurt then we could be a world of trouble. ILB was horribly recruited by Diaco.

Our secondary projects as really freaking good. In 2012 we had 1st year Jackson, 1st year KVR... neither of those guys had played the position before. We had Motta who was solid but a tad slow and 1st year Farley. Compare that to this year... it's unreal.

DL is thin but I love our starters. Only thing we lack is game changing DE.

OL is a bigger question mark for me than most. We've got the horses but no Martin and no Watt is tough to get over. Those guys were great.

Our skill positions are the biggest wildcard to me. Could be excellent or could be mediocre.

 

[Spitfire]

There is maybe no more critical a position in an aggressive 4-3 than MIKE and you basically never want a true frosh playing there. So if Joe Schmidt can't play or gets hurt then we could be a world of trouble. ILB was horribly recruited by Diaco.

What about Deeb? He does not seem to be getting much talk, but the kid looks bigger this year and has a redshirt season under his belt. Is he not a someone in the conversation to start at that MLB position this year? I would be surprised if he was not a better option then Schmidt to start there.

 

[IrishLax]

What about Deeb? He does not seem to be getting much talk, but the kid looks bigger this year and has a redshirt season under his belt. Is he not a someone in the conversation to start at that MLB position this year? I would be surprised if he was not a better option then Schmidt to start there.

Yeah, I expect Deeb to be a player at ILB. I think his value right now is strictly against the "power" teams on the schedule. He's substantially stronger at the point of attack than Schmidt, but by all accounts Schmidt displays great instincts and quickness and is the most complete MIKE right now. But at 230, that's a bit undersized... ideally it'd be great for him to be 240 but if he had that kind of frame he probably would've been a 3-4 prospect in high school.

I think Morgan will have a very tough time breaking through without injuries in front of him.

The most interesting position battle is SAM. I could see 5-7 different guys reasonably getting PT there. The LB prospect most likely to see lots of action this year, IMO, is Drue Tranquill who can provide depth everywhere. He'll probably start off backing up Jaylon at WILL and then maybe transition into a better version of Turner/Onwualu at SAM but he also has potential to get up north of 235 and play MIKE. Tranquill is incredibly underrated because most services viewed him as a safety but when you project his speed/athleticism as a LB it's insane. There simply aren't linebacker out there running 11 second 100m dashes. And I do think he has the frame to get big enough.

 

[alohagoirish]

I really don't get the concerns about the QB spot. Indeed the opposite should be true , in this day CFB & NFL football are driven by QB play. Golson is a terrific talent , the dream QB for Kelly's offense.

Remember after a few early season struggles, we won all our regular season games with EG as the starter, he had nothing less then one of the best underclassman performances at QB in ND history. You may have to go all the way back to Hanratty to find more frosh/soph success. Think about Brady & Jimmy in year one! He also clearly improved as the season went on , showed poise and precision in formidable venues like Norman and LA, he took the team on his back against PITT and showed more playmaking ability at QB then we have seen in a long time. And its fair to say was one of the few irish that showed up in Miami against bama.

Golson is a sharpshooter that wins and wins big, I for one am confident this bigger, experienced version of EG , barring injury of course, will simply light it up wire to wire with this offense and these playmakers. No worries at QB, just excitement!

 

[GoIrish41]

Yeah, I expect Deeb to be a player at ILB. I think his value right now is strictly against the "power" teams on the schedule. He's substantially stronger at the point of attack than Schmidt, but by all accounts Schmidt displays great instincts and quickness and is the most complete MIKE right now. But at 230, that's a bit undersized... ideally it'd be great for him to be 240 but if he had that kind of frame he probably would've been a 3-4 prospect in high school.

I think Morgan will have a very tough time breaking through without injuries in front of him.

The most interesting position battle is SAM. I could see 5-7 different guys reasonably getting PT there. The LB prospect most likely to see lots of action this year, IMO, is Drue Tranquill who can provide depth everywhere. He'll probably start off backing up Jaylon at WILL and then maybe transition into a better version of Turner/Onwualu at SAM but he also has potential to get up north of 235 and play MIKE. Tranquill is incredibly underrated because most services viewed him as a safety but when you project his speed/athleticism as a LB it's insane. There simply aren't linebacker out there running 11 second 100m dashes. And I do think he has the frame to get big enough.

Good post. I hope you are wrong about Morgan though. I would love for him to give us some stability inside. I assume you think it will be more mental than physical?

 

[Buster Bluth]

OL is a bigger question mark for me than most. We've got the horses but no Martin and no Watt is tough to get over. Those guys were great.

Glad to see someone saying this. I don't get how people expect them to be better than 2013 or 2012. I think by the end of the season theyll have developed to that point, but theyre probably way too young to start off incredibly well.

I do think that if the WRs are as good as they should be, then obviously the scheme change will make things easier for them. But I don't think Kelly can put them out there to dominate from day one. Lord Hiestand's boys are likely a season away from that level of play.

 

[autry_denson]

Glad to see someone saying this. I don't get how people expect them to be better than 2013 or 2012. I think by the end of the season theyll have developed to that point, but theyre probably way too young to start off incredibly well.

I do think that if the WRs are as good as they should be, then obviously the scheme change will make things easier for them. But I don't think Kelly can put them out there to dominate from day one. Lord Hiestand's boys are likely a season away from that level of play.

Agreed. Really tough to win a lot of games without a solid, experienced OL and DL. We have neither, which is why I'm not optimistic about this year. I see it as a building year, next year I think ND will be very good.

 

[Jebediah Springfield]

Martin and Watt were great, but the dropoff shouldn't be that bad.

Stanley
Elmer
Martin
Lombard
McGlinchey

Only one with no experience is Mcglinchey and he is good enough to push Elmer and Lombard into different slots. I don't see how this OL is going to cause any big problems or cost us any games.

 

[Black Irish]

I believe Springmann has shown plenty of ability-he's not a question mark.



Leader on D? You have Sheldon Day on the line, Jaylon with the LB's, and KR in the secondary.

My concern is not finding leadership, but finding playmakers outside those three. ND has players but what they need are difference makers. Plenty of talent IMO to fill spots.

Talent is one thing, leadership is another. A guy like Te'o had both in spades. But last year, we had talent (e.g. Irish Chocolate), Sheldon Day, Jaylon) but not much leadership. We need a guy who can make big defensive plays AND be a leader. They are 2 distinct traits and we need someone who can bring both to the table.

 

[GoldenDomer]

14 Storylines for the 2014 Football Season: The Man in the Middle - One Foot Down

 

[IrishLax]

Glad to see someone saying this. I don't get how people expect them to be better than 2013 or 2012. I think by the end of the season theyll have developed to that point, but theyre probably way too young to start off incredibly well.

I do think that if the WRs are as good as they should be, then obviously the scheme change will make things easier for them. But I don't think Kelly can put them out there to dominate from day one. Lord Hiestand's boys are likely a season away from that level of play.

Yeah, the way I see it Zach Martin played literally perfect last year as a college LT. Chris Watt was extremely good and consistent if not great. And on top of that, they organized the entire OL. Even with Tommy Rees at QB and playing some of the elite pass rushing teams in the country, we gave up an astounding low amount of sacks.

This year we replace those veterans as well as our best blocking TE. There is no scenario where we can expect the OL at the beginning of the season to play at that consistent A+ pass blocking level. With that being said... with the exception of Lombard, who I think is just solid... I love all of the players on our OL long term.

If Golson has learned how to throw an accurate deep ball I'm very optimistic because teams won't blitz us. It'll be a death sentence for them.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Glad to see someone saying this. I don't get how people expect them to be better than 2013 or 2012. I think by the end of the season theyll have developed to that point, but theyre probably way too young to start off incredibly well.

I do think that if the WRs are as good as they should be, then obviously the scheme change will make things easier for them. But I don't think Kelly can put them out there to dominate from day one. Lord Hiestand's boys are likely a season away from that level of play.

To be clear, I don't expect our line to be as good, I'm just relieved to know that we have depth. I expect us to take a step back and hope that we continue to build through the season. Hopefully our running game is better since we should have equally blocking on the left and right sides. That will go a long way.

The pass blocking probably won't be as good but I'm hoping that Golson's rocket will help cover the line when there is a breakdwon. The problem is that Golson hasn't shown us an ability to work through progressions quickly. That is probably my biggest worry outside of my fears of Tenuta 2.0

Yeah, the way I see it Zach Martin played literally perfect last year as a college LT. Chris Watt was extremely good and consistent if not great. And on top of that, they organized the entire OL. Even with Tommy Rees at QB and playing some of the elite pass rushing teams in the country, we gave up an astounding low amount of sacks.

This year we replace those veterans as well as our best blocking TE. There is no scenario where we can expect the OL at the beginning of the season to play at that consistent A+ pass blocking level. With that being said... with the exception of Lombard, who I think is just solid... I love all of the players on our OL long term.

If Golson has learned how to throw an accurate deep ball I'm very optimistic because teams won't blitz us. It'll be a death sentence for them.

It's a death sentence if they fail but I don't think Golson makes the best decisions under pressure. If he can find the open receiver then I'll be ecstatically surprised. He tends to lock-in and force it into certain windows when another player is streaking down the field wide open.

Let's hope Golson doesn't rely on his legs too often this fall.

 

[GoIrish41]

Yeah, the way I see it Zach Martin played literally perfect last year as a college LT. Chris Watt was extremely good and consistent if not great. And on top of that, they organized the entire OL. Even with Tommy Rees at QB and playing some of the elite pass rushing teams in the country, we gave up an astounding low amount of sacks.

This year we replace those veterans as well as our best blocking TE. There is no scenario where we can expect the OL at the beginning of the season to play at that consistent A+ pass blocking level. With that being said... with the exception of Lombard, who I think is just solid... I love all of the players on our OL long term.

If Golson has learned how to throw an accurate deep ball I'm very optimistic because teams won't blitz us. It'll be a death sentence for them.

Golson's mobility should help the line overcome some of the lost experience, IMO. So, while the line might have lost some valuable experience, the overall offense may not reflect it. I also expect an improved stable of backs to help by softening the inside of opposing defenses and setting up play action. All of this should help the OL until they gel as a unit.

 

[PANDFAN]

Is not the Pass-rush an area of concern?

Day: Can bring pressure but he is not a pass rusher
Rochelle: Run Stopper
Okwara: Maybe the best potential of pass-rush among the group.
Jones: Same as Day
Springmann: Obviously not
Ishaq: Has the skills, but not the productivity and he is a senior.
Trumbetti: We will see
J. Williams: Apparently, an edge rusher but probably will take a redshirt year.
Kolin Hill: Pass-rusher, but just a Freshman.
Jaylon: Not a pass-rusher, even if he has the speed.

Number of sacks of this group, last season: 3 (Day 0.5) (Ishaq 1) (Romeo 0.5) (Jarron Jones 1)

BK said day is the best pass rusher on the Team

 

[Bluto]

On paper I think this roster has the most talent and depth across the board of any of Kelly's teams at ND. Maybe even any ND team in the last two decades. There are a number of dudes who are third on the depth chart who were really good prospects coming out of high school.

Anyhow, they should be able to hang with any team on the schedule (and absolutely crush several of them) if they stay healthy and play to their potential. Last year ND was a couple bad plays away from 10 wins with a really tough schedule, a less than ideal QB and half the defense playing with injuries and or out for the season. I'm thinking if this team gels and stays healthy a top 10 finish isn't unrealistic. We shall see.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

On paper I think this roster has the most talent and depth across the board of any of Kelly's teams at ND. Maybe even any ND team in the last two decades. There are a number of dudes who are third on the depth chart who were really good prospects coming out of high school.

Anyhow, they should be able to hang with any team on the schedule (and absolutely crush several of them) if they stay healthy and play to their potential. Last year ND was a couple bad plays away from 10 wins with a really tough schedule, a less than ideal QB and half the defense playing with injuries and or out for the season. I'm thinking if this team gels and stays healthy a top 10 finish isn't unrealistic. We shall see.

Agree with the above but I will say that this schedule looks a fair bit more difficult to me. With that said, my hope is for 10 wins. I understand a young team can stumble and I understand that we aren't used to huge momentum swings with the defense we've been playing but I expect this team to be full of competitors.

10 wins = this team handled it's bizness.

< 9 = underperformed

11+ = WTF?!?!?!?!?! Did we really just do this?!?

 

[koonja]

I will say that this schedule looks a fair bit more difficult to me. With that said, my hope is for 10 wins. I understand a young team can stumble and I understand that we aren't used to huge momentum swings with the defense we've been playing but I expect this team to be full of competitors.

10 wins = this team handled it's bizness.

< 9 = underperformed

11+ = WTF?!?!?!?!?! Did we really just do this?!?

It stinks that we're playing ASU and Northwestern. Those are very tough games where nationally, we won't get much credit for with them being late in the season with the SEC in-conference games being full swing.

ASU has a great QB, and the Northwestern team is tough and well coached. Very tough games, IMO.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

It stinks that we're playing ASU and Northwestern. Those are very tough games where nationally, we won't get much credit for with them being late in the season with the SEC in-conference games being full swing.

ASU has a great QB, and the Northwestern team is tough and well coached. Very tough games, IMO.

Agreed. And North Carolina and Lousville aren't pushovers. Then we have the meat of our schedule in Stanford, FSU & USC.

The only "sure" wins are Rice and hopefully Purdue. After that, I even think Virginia is capable of a shocker and we all know how Navy
plays against us (although I think BVG's aggressiveness pays off in spades in this game).

I just don't see many automatic checkmarks, which is good and bad. Good because as a fan, it's fun to watch a game without a predictable outcome and there are very few chances for letdowns similar to losing to Pitt last year. Bad because I may need to raise my level of alcohol consumption if we don't perform as well as expected.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

It stinks that we're playing ASU and Northwestern. Those are very tough games where nationally, we won't get much credit for with them being late in the season with the SEC in-conference games being full swing.

ASU has a great QB, and the Northwestern team is tough and well coached. Very tough games, IMO.

On the other hand if both ASU and Northwestern are handling their own it will be amplified by the media and influential to the playoff committee. ASU runs into (UCLA, USC, STANFORD, WASH, UTAH) before us. Northwestern doesn't play the same quality of teams but hopefully they'll have all Ws by then.

I think when it comes to the playoffs these wins will be the tipping point if it's close. Barring we do win of course. It may not be sexy during the season and SEC in-conference, like you said, but when the magnifying glasses come out for selections, we'll look solid.

The schedule is not easy but I only see an L at FSU. Say what you want but I think we are not only better on paper than the rest but our coaching staff is too.

If Kelly could navigate the ship in 12 he can surely drive this speed boat home.