General team info

[kmoose]

So I was perusing the ND job listings this evening and stumbled over a position open to assist football team with strength and conditioning. This should be perfect for Koon with his rabid Longo hate.

https://jobs.nd.edu/postings/1077

Quality relationships among all of the athletic department must be sustained in order for the team atmosphere to succeed.

What with Swarbrick's anti-stalking restraining order against koonja, I don't think he is really qualified.

 

[AgentJ]

BK was just on ESPN talking about the title game with Brady Hoke & James Franklin.

 

[ulukinatme]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>At Pitt, per source, Notre Dame asst strength coach Dave Andrews will join Narduzzi's staff as head strength coach <a href="http://t.co/v7Wqr0uXaJ">http://t.co/v7Wqr0uXaJ</a></p>— Doug Samuels (@CoachSamz) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachSamz/status/553182465813409793">January 8, 2015</a></blockquote>
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And the Lungo S&C coaching tree bears its first fruit. Cue the Koon!

Suddenly I worry less about playing Pitt

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Coach Kelly shares a moment off air with <a href="https://twitter.com/coleluke11">@coleluke11</a> uncle otherwise known as <a href="https://twitter.com/darrenwoodson28">@darrenwoodson28</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ESPNCarWash?src=hash">#ESPNCarWash</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash">#GoIrish</a> <a href="http://t.co/7MrNkggxuR">pic.twitter.com/7MrNkggxuR</a></p>— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/553249037923917824">January 8, 2015</a></blockquote>
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[Whiskeyjack]

Putting this here, since we I couldn't find a "Notre Dame Switching from Adidas to Under Armor" thread:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>With 2014 retail sales results trickling in, Under Armour officially surpasses Adidas as # 2 sports brand in the US <a href="http://t.co/i7sCRlyxAT">http://t.co/i7sCRlyxAT</a></p>— Sara Germano (@germanotes) <a href="https://twitter.com/germanotes/status/553310063654236160">January 8, 2015</a></blockquote>
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[ulukinatme]

lolAdidas

I would expect Adidas to have high Q1 sales though as Harbaugh will initiate a huge Wal-Mart Wolverine movement with his hire.

 

[NDdomer2]

The U just signed huge deal with Adidas too.

 

[NDBoiler]

I wonder what the comparison in sales of ND gear would be between UA and Adidas. It seems clear to me that UA just a much more fashionable and "hip" look, while Adidas was basically Champion with a different logo.

 

[scUM Hater]

I wonder what the comparison in sales of ND gear would be between UA and Adidas. It seems clear to me that UA just a much more fashionable and "hip" look, while Adidas was basically Champion with a different logo.

I just feel so much fatter in UA gear. Gotta wear XXXL with their stuff.

 

[connor_in]

I just feel so much fatter in UA gear. Gotta wear XXXL with their stuff.

And the UA stuff makes the Adidas stuff seem low cost

 

[dublinirish]

The U just signed huge deal with Adidas too.

kinda perplexed by this really. the U must be desperate for the cash

 

[dshans]

The U just signed huge deal with Adidas too.

Just which "The U" do you refer? There are so many.

Example: In MN "The U" is The University of Minnesota. I assume that it's The University of Michigan in MI. Mississippi? Missouri? Maryland?

Some abbreviations can be helpful but are all too often confusing ambiguity.





(I apologize, to some extent. Too much beer, perhaps?)

 

[FDNYIrish1]

lolAdidas

I would expect Adidas to have high Q1 sales though as Harbaugh will initiate a huge Wal-Mart Wolverine movement with his hire.

I can't stop laughing at this

 

[NDdomer2]

Just which "The U" do you refer? There are so many.

Example: In MN "The U" is The University of Minnesota. I assume that it's The University of Michigan in MI. Mississippi? Missouri? Maryland?

Some abbreviations can be helpful but are all too often confusing ambiguity.





(I apologize, to some extent. Too much beer, perhaps?)

NCAA Miami, Adidas strike 12-year deal - ESPN

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Irish Illustrated's Tim O'Malley just posted a nice comparison of our WRs:

Pegged in the spring by head coach Brian Kelly as the position group most in need of improvement, the 2014 Irish wide receivers answered their coach's challenge -- and did so without the expected addition of top returning target DaVaris Daniels, to boot.

Sophomore Will Fuller emerged to rank among the nation's best, tying a program-record with 15 touchdown receptions while securing 76 passes for 1,094 yards -- the latter the third-highest total of the five-season Kelly era.

Not surprisingly, Fuller likewise led Notre Dame in most of the position's ancillary, tell-tale categories. Below is a look at each.

PASS DISTRIBUTION

The numbers below also include all pass interference and defensive holding penalties drawn, both accepted and declined, as well as the infamous final flag levied at Florida State (Corey Robinson's overturned touchdown).

Will Fuller -- 119
Corey Robinson -- 75
Chris Brown -- 72
C.J. Prosise -- 54 (including 12 against FSU)
Ben Koyack -- 46 (includes 15 in first three contests)
Amir Carlisle -- 41
Tarean Folston -- 17
Intentionally thrown-away -- 17 (includes 6 against Stanford)
Cam McDaniel -- 10
Torii Hunter -- 10
Greg Bryant -- 5
Durham Smythe -- 1
Batted Down at line (Indiscernible target) -- 2

DROPPED PASSES

Admittedly, I can be a harsh grader. When two numbers are listed, it means reasonable debate regarding one of the drops exists.

Fuller -- 10/11 (Includes one likely post-TD at USC)
Prosise -- 5 (Includes 2 TD: Rice, FSU)
Robinson -- 4/5 (2 resulted in interceptions)
Brown -- 3
Carlisle -- 2
Koyack -- 2 (Includes one TD, Northwestern)
Folston -- 1

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

Fuller led the Irish by a wide margin, notching 19 receptions of 20 yards or more. C.J. Prosise ranked second with 10 such gains.

The 40-plus yard club
Fuller (5): 75-yard TD, 72-yard TD, 48, 44, 42
Prosise (4): 78-yard TD, 59, 53-yard TD, 40
Brown (2): 49 yards, 46

The 30-plus yard club
Fuller (4): 35-yard TD, 32 yards, 31, 30
Carlisle (3): 35 yards, 32, 32
Brown (2): 36 yards, 34
Folston (2): 37 yards, 30
Prosise (1): 33 yards

The 20-plus yard club
Fuller (10): 28-yard TD, 27, 26, 24-yard TD, 23, 23 TD, 23 TD, 23, 23 TD, 21
Robinson (8): 25, 23, 23, 23, 22, 22, 22, 21
Prosise (5): 26, 26, 26, 25, 21
Koyack (5): 28, 23, 23, 23-yard TD (game-winner), 21
Carlisle (5): 26, 25, 22, 21, 21
Brown (4): 25, 23, 22, 21
McDaniel (1): 24

PASS INTERFERENCE CALLS DRAWN

(Includes defensive holding)

Fuller -- 8 (three against UNC)
Brown -- 5
Robinson -- 4

-- As a point of comparison, the 2013 Irish receiving corps drew 13 such flags (DaVaris Daniels and TJ Jones led with 5) while the 2012 group elicited just seven, though none by a wide receiver (6 by Tyler Eifert; 1 Troy Niklas).

MONEY BALL

A breakdown of Notre Dame's top receivers on third and fourth-down.

Fuller: 18 total conversions, including 4 TD and one on fourth down
Robinson: 13 total conversions including 2 TD and one on fourth down
Koyack: 12 total conversions including 2 TD, one of which was on fourth down to win the game
Brown: 7 all on third down
Carlisle: 5, all on third down including one TD (UM)
Prosise: 4, all on third down
Folston: 3, all on third down including one TD (UNC)
Bryant: 1
Hunter: 1
Smythe: 1

SUBJECTIVELY OBJECTIVE

-- Unit MVP: Fuller (*exempt from designated categories)
-- *Most Improved since 2013: Prosise
-- *Most Improved since August 2014: Fuller
-- *Best Finish Compared to his Start: Brown
-- *Best Start Compared to his Finish: Carlisle or Robinson
-- Best after the catch: Fuller
-- Most Versatile: Prosise
-- Most Reliable in the Red Zone: Robinson
-- Most Reliable to Execute his Assignment: Koyack, by a wide margin
-- Best Blocker: Koyack by a wide margin. Thereafter, Prosise and then Brown
-- Most Improved Blocker: Koyack by a wide margin; then Brown
-- Underused: The Running Backs
-- Overused: Prosise on decisive drives (targeted for five consecutive goal-to-go passes between FSU and Louisville).
-- Best on the Tunnel Screen: Fuller
-- Best on the Bubble Screen: Probably Fuller. Robinson for one game (Syracuse)
-- Best on the Slant: Fuller
-- Best Downfield: Come on…
-- Best on Third Down: Fuller
-- Best on a Contested Catch: Robinson
-- Catch of the Year: Brown vs. Louisville
-- Best from the Backfield: Prosise
-- Most Room to Grow for 2015: Fuller; Justin Brent thereafter
-- Best Bet to Join the Ranks in 2015: TE Durham Smythe

Not surprised to see Prosise tagged with "Overused". Those consecutive redzone targets against FSU and UL were puzzling.

Happy to see Koyack tagged with "Most Reliable", "Best Blocker" and "Most Improved Blocker". We've been spoiled with a run of hyper-productive TEs, so many here feel like he's been a disappointment. I suspect his on-field contributions in 2014 were very underrated, and that he'll be missed next season.

Crazy to read that Fuller, who was our best receiver by a country mile, also has the "Most Room to Grow". If he continues to improve, he'll end up rewriting the record books at ND before leaving as an early round draft pick.

 

[Old Man Mike]

The Mighty Will has room to grow simply by staying 100% focussed all game on his catching --- I give him a large slack on this as he is targeted by the "bad guys" all game and the effort he puts out is tough to sustain all the time. There is a vague memory jangling in my head about someone once saying that there is a type of route that he still doesn't run well, but I can't recall.

If Malik starts, then one thing about the passing game which will be slightly different is a more regularly seen 3-count read and rapid Kelly-system delivery. Will's slants should improve in numbers then, but so should TE receptions or the bigger slot when Prosise is in --- so does Will get more catches or less? --- the true Kelly system is more distributive than go-to oriented. ... and Justin Brent's a'comin'....

 

[NDdomer2]

Does anyone see Corey's targets going down and being limited to red zone?

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Does anyone see Corey's targets going down and being limited to red zone?

Actually, I'd expect the deep ball to be thrown more often as a change of pace. 3 step drop, 3 step drop, bam - double move deep to Corey

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Actually, I'd expect the deep ball to be thrown more often as a change of pace. 3 step drop, 3 step drop, bam - double move deep to Corey

And he jumps over the defender...But can't bring the ball in.

 

[arrowryan]

2 things would have to happen for Corey to be just limited to the red zone IMO

1.) He would need to have a very average spring and summer, showing the coaches that he hasn't improved on beating press coverage

2.) Someone like Justin Brent, Miles Boykin, or ESB (maybe) would need to have a tremendous spring and summer

 

[arrowryan]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The staff <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PotOfGold?src=hash">#PotOfGold</a> arrived today. Who is next? <a href="http://t.co/EJm6MAJmj2">pic.twitter.com/EJm6MAJmj2</a></p>— Brian Kelly (@CoachBrianKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachBrianKelly/status/553638314558124032">January 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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[GoldenDomer]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The staff <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PotOfGold?src=hash">#PotOfGold</a> arrived today. Who is next? <a href="http://t.co/EJm6MAJmj2">pic.twitter.com/EJm6MAJmj2</a></p>— Brian Kelly (@CoachBrianKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachBrianKelly/status/553638314558124032">January 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Alford's looking like, "gimme all ya recruits".

 

[koonja]

BVG looks like a serial killer.

 

[NCND]

BVG looks like a serial killer.

Lmao

 

[tko]

BVG looks like a serial killer.

He was a fkn gangsta a few months ago.

 

[NDohio]

And he jumps over the defender...But can't bring the ball in.

I do think a lot of his end of the year drops were because of his broken thumb. That was definitely not his M.O. early in the season.

 

[dshans]

BVG looks like a serial killer.

Wasn't he (names changed to protect the innocent) featured on an episode of "Criminal Minds?"

 

[NDdomer2]

2 things would have to happen for Corey to be just limited to the red zone IMO

1.) He would need to have a very average spring and summer, showing the coaches that he hasn't improved on beating press coverage

2.) Someone like Justin Brent, Miles Boykin, or ESB (maybe) would need to have a tremendous spring and summer

I am thinking more option 2 in my original post. Nothing against Corey, but I am hoping that someone steps up and becomes a more complete WR. Maybe DD decides to come back as a long shot that would remove some reps away as well.

 

[ndfi78]

And he jumps over the defender...But can't bring the ball in.

I do think a lot of his end of the year drops were because of his broken thumb. That was definitely not his M.O. early in the season.

For sure, hard to catch a ball with a broken thumb.

 

[gkIrish]

I couldn't think of where else to post this so I'm putting it here.

ND All-American Thom Gatewood named to College Football Hall of Fame