'11 IN OT/DE Tony Springmann (Signed Notre Dame LOI)

[Bogtrotter07]

Go, Big Ginger!

 

[TheChosen1]

Go Big Ginger!

Safe to say someone read Keith's article today?

 

[NDinL.A.]

Springman basically was a DE last year anyways. I don't recall ever seeing him at nose.

The weight loss is interesting to me. I thought he looked pretty quick last year and that his weakness was strength.

He actually played nose quite a lot. He even passed kona on the depth chart, although I can't recall if that was because of performance or Kona's shoulder injury. But he was definitely lined up at the nose quite a bit.

 

[NDhoosier]

ya, most of the time he was in, he played NG. I think even a few times they went with a 4-3 and Springmann was in the middle then too. I think he could be pretty decent as a DE, however, this does not help the NG/DT depth at all.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

He actually played nose quite a lot. He even passed kona on the depth chart, although I can't recall if that was because of performance or Kona's shoulder injury. But he was definitely lined up at the nose quite a bit.

I think you are right. I think Tony was moving forward, but I think Kona was hampered with a couple of injuries and that helped Springman, which is why he played more nose last year.

I think that is why Kelly reestablished him as a defensive end this spring.

As to your point Chosen1, the article was fine, but when I saw "Go, Big Ginger!", it tickled me. I felt as if it were my sworn IE duty to go out and bump Tony's thread! LOL!

 

[yankeeND]

Tony should be a major force at end. He has tremendous size with two years in the program. I was very impressed with his productivity in his first year of action last year to boot. Very excited to see Tony in this D-Line, major depth finally!

 

[Walter White]

He actually played nose quite a lot. He even passed kona on the depth chart, although I can't recall if that was because of performance or Kona's shoulder injury. But he was definitely lined up at the nose quite a bit.

I must have been mistaken then. It seemed like he was always bull rushing from end but maybe he was actually a tackle when we were in more of a 4-3 front. I know he was listed as a tackle, but I thought I remember him playing next to nix?

I have been known to be unaware at times. Just ask my girlfriend, she'll tell you all about it haha!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I must have been mistaken then. It seemed like he was always bull rushing from end but maybe he was actually a tackle when we were in more of a 4-3 front. I know he was listed as a tackle, but I thought I remember him playing next to nix?

I have been known to be unaware at times. Just ask my girlfriend, she'll tell you all about it haha!

Someone quoted stats as to how much time we spent in an even front, and I am not sure that includes all the time the CAT drops his hand in the dirt.

Would someone who could, please help us poor unfortunates (not trying to bring you into my mea cupla WW!) understand. You got a 3-4 which is an odd look, a 3-4 with a CAT down which is still odd; a four man down even; and what else? Is the difference on a 3-4 CAT down, you can still two gap, because with a four man down you have an even front, and you can't really two gap, you have to angle, isn't that true? How many hundred things did I miss?

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Tony Springmann's Irish player career is over. Lingering back injury, he's come back from the knee. Will be a medical situation.</p>— Tim O'Malley (@timomalleyND) <a href="https://twitter.com/timomalleyND/statuses/495239863877525504">August 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Ironman8]

What a shame for Tony.

 

[Riddickulous]

This sucks.

 

[Wild Bill]

Damn. This one hurts. Wish him the best.

 

[Irishman77]

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORIBLE!!!

I am one of Tony' s biggest fans....this is devastating. I wish him the absolute best. Thankfully he will have one of the finest degrees.

 

[irishog77]

I appreciated The Orange Gorilla's role on the team-- the ultimate bench player. I think he played above his physical ability and was able to be a very valuable member of the team. Teams always need some guys like him to win throughout the season.

 

[dang227]

This blows big time. Best of luck to him. He would have provided valuable veteran depth this year.

 

[irishfan]

Too bad. Was a great depth piece for us in 2012.

At least he'll get the degree free of charge.

 

[ryno 24]

This is too bad it seemed he loved playing football. The Notre Dame degree is very helpful though.

 

[Luckylucci]

Feel terrible for Tony and wish him the best. Really liked watching him play when he was healthy. Hopefully the freshman are ready as this opens up some playing time.

 

[JTLA]

#69 was my girlfriend's favorite player! Best wishes to him.

 

[eNDzone]

Really was hoping the local boy would see some valuable time this year. You will be missed Tony.

 

[vmgsf]

Tony Springmann's college education is not over. You come to Notre Dame as a scholarship football player because you are hungry for success in life including football.

Tony, I hope you have a successful life.

 

[Irish YJ]

Good luck TS. Good kid from a good HS. This is a good reason why to pick ND. Actually, the kid could have gone to a lot of good schools. If memory serves he had offers from Stanford and Harvard as well.

 

[Redbar]

Tony Springmann's college education is not over. You come to Notre Dame as a scholarship football player because you are hungry for success in life including football.

Tony, I hope you have a successful life.

So true. Feel terrible for Tony, I know this is not the way he wanted things to go, but his best days are ahead of him.

 

[EddytoNow]

Tony, we will miss the opportunity to see you on the field. But here is where the 40 year decision pays off. With your ND degree and nation-wide connections, there is a lot to look forward to outside of football. However, you will always be part of the football family.

 

[Irish YJ]

Kelly dropped some big news when he announced that senior Tony Springmann was retiring from football, forced to take a medical hardship after a back injury ended his career this summer. The Fort Wayne native looked like a promising piece of the Irish defense when he contributed in a supporting role in 2012, but had last season erased by a knee injury and then missed spring football after an infection slowed down his recovery.

Springmann’s knee finally healed, but an undisclosed back injury will force his football career to end prematurely, a tough blow not just to Springmann, but to the depth of the defensive front. Just like Danny Spond, Springmann will continue to have a role with the team.

“Tony will no longer be playing football. He’ll still stay involved in the program,” Kelly announced. “Tony has done a great job of mentoring a lot of our younger players in the program. He’s shown great leadership, great resolve in coming back from his knee injury, and he’ll stay connected with our program and still be part of our season as we go down to the Culver Academies.”

The loss of Springmann puts more on the shoulders of veteran Chase Hounshell, who has yet to stay healthy through a season in South Bend. But Kelly expects the youth on the roster to fill the gap, with redshirt freshman Jacob Matuska listed at 289 pounds on the fall roster and freshmen Daniel Cage and Pete Mokwuah both over 300 pounds.

The young ones will need some help!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Ádh mór, deartháir óg!

 

[Grahambo]

I bid thee farewell Hamish.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Best of luck in life Mr. springmann, you will be missed on the field.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Never want to see a guys career end with injury. Good luck to the young man moving forward.

 

[Xander]

Definitely hope he gets the degree and has a successful career, but man, this sucks. Best of luck going forward, big red!