'11 OH LB Jarrett Grace (Signed Notre Dame LOI)

[ulukinatme]

Did the holding get called?

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kelly gives positive update on Grace’s*recovery <a href="http://t.co/xLqc5WzAiN">http://t.co/xLqc5WzAiN</a></p>— Keith Arnold (@KeithArnold) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithArnold/statuses/475646574052118528">June 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Grace broke his leg in four places against Arizona State last season in the Shamrock Series game, a serious injury to his right fibula that’s taken multiple procedures to repair. And while an additional surgery this spring looked like a setback that could’ve kept Grace off the field for all of 2014, Kelly reports that Grace is on the mend and advancing on a time table that has the team’s medical staff very happy.

“He had a real good X-ray the other day,” Kelly told Hansen. “He’s in great spirits and progressing very well. Obviously, the next few weeks are going to be key for him as he ups his movement. He’s probably in the best place that he’s been in a few months. Everything looks like he’s making the kind of progress he needs to make towards August.”

That Grace has the possibility to contribute to this team in August is amazing, considering where he was this spring, when he walked with a pronounced limp almost six months after the injury. Kelly has talked candidly about Grace’s recovery process, including the additional surgery this spring that was performed to help heal the damaged bone, and it appears that things are advancing well enough to give the linebacker a chance to play.

Surprising to hear about August, but it's great news. We'll need him to dive into the new schemes and work his way back onto the field ASAP.

 

[irish#underground]

I dnt think he plays this year no matter hw well he progresses.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Lord I hope he's ready. He's naturally instinctive so picking up on things shouldn't be the issue.

Our Nickel and Dime packages [which I'll bet we play a LOT] won't have to have him if Ben is ready, as Smith and Councell are almost textbook ideals for linebacker tackling plus coverage on pass defense downs. But we need somebody between them on the run-guess plays. Schmidt? Morgan as a rookie? Deeb as a surprise? Anything's possible, I suppose, but watching Grace tells me that in instincts, want-to-tackle, and athleticism in the middle, he's the real deal.

Please get back full go, big man.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Amen, Mike.

The one time I am uncomfortable with talking football is this; Kelly's comfort with learning a system versus being able to overcome the stigma of an injury is discussed. However, the long-term health of the student athlete isn't. Maybe that is just a given that Jarrett's long-term health comes first. But he was really limping this spring and I would feel better hearing it stated overtly!

 

[vmgsf]

Notre Dame will NEVER jeopardize the long term health of any student-athlete. I remember Terry Hanratty hurt his knee in 66. He had surgery. Maybe he could have worn a knee brace and screwed up his knee like Joe Namath did playing on a badly screwed up knee. Terry's son is at Notre Dame. What more do you need to say?

 

[dublinirish]

i get nervous everytime i see his thread bumped thinking somebody gonna say his career is over :/ Will be great to see Grace back on the field in ND uniform be it this year or next

 

[clashmore_mike]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Brian Kelly says Jarrett Grace should be ready for Rice, although it's unclear if he'll be recovered enough to challenge for a starting job.</p>— Irish Illustrated (@NDatRivals) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDatRivals/statuses/476479970382868480">June 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Irishman77]

Best news in months!

Werewolf

 

[GBdomer]

Challenge for the starting job? Ha the job is his whenever he's back

We won't be playing big time football with Joe Schmidt as our starting Mike LB

 

[ThePiombino]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p>Brian Kelly says Jarrett Grace should be ready for Rice, although it's unclear if he'll be recovered enough to challenge for a starting job.</p>— Irish Illustrated (@NDatRivals) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDatRivals/statuses/476479970382868480">June 10, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This is incredible news!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I am feeling really good for the young man!

 

[rtrn2glory]

i'm shocked by this news.

ill be honest my first reaction is i hope he's not being rushed back into action due to the lack of depth, i'll just have to trust they have his best interest in mind.

 

[TheChosen1]

https://notredame.rivals.com//content.asp?CID=1649410

When Notre Dame held its first off-season workout on Tuesday, the only true scratch was linebacker Jarrett Grace. The senior, who broke his leg in four places against Arizona State last October and underwent a second surgery in March, was confined to a stationary bike.

The rest of the defense, including Tony Springmann and Ben Councell, took part in the off-season’s first “OTA” as Notre Dame takes advantage of a rule change that allows limited coaching contact over the summer. The offense reviewed film as part of an off-season install.

It’s not clear when Grace will return to training, but head coach Brian Kelly believes he’ll have the linebacker available for the opener on Aug. 30.

“We’re going full-go for him to be ready for Rice,” Kelly said. “He wants to do it that way. He’s very encouraged. I think it’s the best I’ve seen him mentally. He was in a tough spot there for a little bit there before the surgery. It was good to see him in very good spirits today.

“So we’re going to be very aggressive with him, let him go and I think if we really went slow with him it would probably put him in jeopardy for being ready for the first three, four weeks. That’s not what he wants. We’re going to go at it and go for the best.”

That doesn’t mean Kelly expects Grace to compete for a starting job in Week One. In fact, he wouldn’t put a number on the practice total Grace must log before being green lit for action.

“We haven’t even got to that point,” Kelly said. “We want to get him off the bike and get him moving. All I can say is the last month has been really good for him mentally and there’s a lot of encouragement.

“We’re at a point where we weren’t sure where we were going to go with him physically. He’s in a good place mentally and our training staff is confident that we’re working in a fashion to get him ready.”

Kelly expects more clarity on Grace’s work volume by month’s end.

Fully healthy, the senior represents a starting quality linebacker after leading the team in tackles before breaking his leg inside AT&T Stadium. But it’s been a long road back for Grace, one that’s left him stuck on an exercise bike and not taking live reps in VanrGorder’s system.

“I think by the end of June, we’re going to know really whether we can answer that question as, ‘Let's get him on the field against Rice,’ or, ‘Let’s get him competing for a starting position,’” Kelly said. “We were at a point where we didn't know where he was and whether he could play. We’re seeing some positive things.”

In other injury news, Will Mahone (ankle) ran, while Ronnie Stanley was limited following a minor procedure to clear “loose impediments” in his knee.

“We had a staff meeting this morning, generally who can go and who can’t go,” Kelly said. “We only had Jarrett Grace who was unable to do the conditioning drills today. That was nice to see. It was a good medical report today for me.”

On the personnel front, Cody Riggs has enrolled at Notre Dame and is participating in off-season workouts. The freshman class should be cleared to join the OTA schedule by next Wednesday, with the exception of tight end Tyler Luatua, who will arrive late following his high school graduation.

 

[Redbar]

Could not be happier for this guy, man it has been a long and winding road, I am really encouraged by this recent news, and hope he is back prowling the middle real soon.

 

[condoms SUCk]

Awesome news!!! I feel much better about our ILB depth with him in the mix.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I'm going to "bet" that the following things happen with Grace:
1). He gets heatedly fired up for his chances to get out there against Rice;
2). That this translates into maniacal physical workouts for respiratory fitness [bike et al], physicality [allowed weight and resistance muscle-building and toning], and movement and flexibility exercise --- of course, one would say, but there is a great difference for the wildly motivated werewolf as compared to the ordinary person;
3). He's on top of everything that Van Gorder is teaching, from film study to standing out there on the practice field seeing and mentally reacting to the whole system;
4). That when he's cleared for full go, he's REALLY ready for full go, unlike lesser motivated athletes;
5). That Van Gorder honors Schmidt with the start, but then and soon the Werewolf strikes.

... a dream? Maybe. But given this particular athlete, not, I think, a fantasy.

Just be a really good bone-mender, young warrior, and we have an elite middle linebacker with great instincts aboard [and Morgan learning just behind].

 

[yankeeND]

Great to see this. I honestly was not sure he would ever play again. What a nasty injury to overcome. Great kid with great character! Can't wait to see him suit up again.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'm going to "bet" that the following things happen with Grace...

I hope you're right, OMM. A functional Grace would go a long way toward shoring up the weakest position on our depth chart. Though few ever come back 100% from such a severe injury. And on top of that, Grace has to learn how to QB an entirely new scheme as a 4-3 MLB.

Didn't Kelly give similarly optimistic reports about Spond, Tate and Roberson right up until they received a medical?

 

[Wild Bill]

Great news. We get some experience and it's going to push Nyles harder. Hope these two compete hard for the spot.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Irish A-to-Z: Jarrett*Grace <a href="http://t.co/ILFwvjLCD9">http://t.co/ILFwvjLCD9</a></p>— Keith Arnold (@KeithArnold) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithArnold/statuses/486510258127269888">July 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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More proof of the positive changes made under Swarbrick and Kelly:

If this was five years ago, I suspect Grace would already be facing a medical hardship waiver and his football career in South Bend would be over. But the team’s enhanced medical staff and willingness to go above and beyond for its student-athletes with cutting edge rehabilitation techniques gives Grace the best chance he could possibly ask for to return from this injury.

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Jaylon Smith and Jarrett Grace on Butkus watch list.</p>— Bob Wieneke (@BobWienekeNDI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobWienekeNDI/statuses/488698743773216768">July 14, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Nice nod to the kid although I doubt he makes it back in time to win it.

 

[Blaise]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Jaylon Smith and Jarrett Grace on Butkus watch list.</p>— Bob Wieneke (@BobWienekeNDI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BobWienekeNDI/statuses/488698743773216768">July 14, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Nice nod to the kid although I doubt he makes it back in time to win it.

Kinda shows why these preseason awards are pointless... I will just be happy if Grace can be healthy and get on the field to be productive but happy to see the love

 

[Luckylucci]

Did anybody take BK's recent comments about Grace as an all or nothing kind of expectation for the year? Either he's going to be ready to go 100% or they are going to shut him down for the entire year. I may have to go back and read his comments but I have that in my head as how I initially took it.

 

[GoldenDomer]

Having him healthy to pair with Jaylon would be exciting as hell

 

[garyasher]

Any update on Jarrett? Will he be ready next to go through camp?

 

[Luckylucci]

Any update on Jarrett? Will he be ready next to go through camp?

Per II and this is in the fall camp thread, the staff is optimistic that Grace contributes this fall. Whether that's pushing Schmidt during fall camp or getting his starting spot back is TBD but he's really pushing himself.

 

[garyasher]

Per II and this is in the fall camp thread, the staff is optimistic that Grace contributes this fall. Whether that's pushing Schmidt during fall camp or getting his starting spot back is TBD but he's really pushing himself.

Thanks Lucky. I will take a look at the Fall Camp Thread.

 

[stlnd01]

"Optimistic that he contributes this fall" kind of sounds like a wasted year. I'm glad he's pushing himself (and I certainly hope he's pushing Schmidt). But Grace is really talented and still has, what, two years on the clock? I'd almost rather he take a redshirt if he's not 100%.
If he is 100%, though, we could certainly use him.

 

[ulukinatme]

"Optimistic that he contributes this fall" kind of sounds like a wasted year. I'm glad he's pushing himself (and I certainly hope he's pushing Schmidt). But Grace is really talented and still has, what, two years on the clock? I'd almost rather he take a redshirt if he's not 100%.
If he is 100%, though, we could certainly use him.

He's already had one redshirt year though, and we haven't been so lucky with medical redshirts for a 6th year. If he can contribute this year, and the bone is healed, I say let him go.