'17 MA ATH AJ Dillon (Boston College Verbal)

[TomHaverford]

It wouldn't surprise me if all schools sell him on playing RB and then moves him to LB.

happens all the time.

 

[Johannes]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2017 RB AJ Dillon commits to Michigan <a href="https://t.co/6JxlJn125s">https://t.co/6JxlJn125s</a></p>— Irish Sports Daily (@ISDUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISDUpdate/status/714452270650376192">March 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[woolybug25]

So we let Thom Gatewood's grandson go to Michigan, eh?

That's nice.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

What went wrong with this one?

 

[IrishLax]

Eww.

 

[Irishman77]

What went wrong with this one?

In a word...Everything! Dumb to recruit such a great RB at LB!

AJ will be the best running back Michigan has had in a long time.

 

[aubeirish]

That kid just got left out of the will haha.

 

[EddytoNow]

What went wrong with this one?

From my perspective, nothing went wrong. AJ just fits in Harbaugh's offense better than he would fit in Kelly's. Harbaugh wants to pound the ball with big, strong running backs. Kelly wants dual-threat running backs, especially ones that can catch the ball coming out of the backfield.

For those of us who watched Jerome Bettis play, it's hard to contemplate an offense that can't make use of a power back. One has to wonder if Bettis would be a take for the current offense.

 

[OCIrish]

I agree with you Eddy......I wasn't ever sure he'd end up in South Bend with Kelly's offensive system. It kills me to say this, however, that's a good pick up for douche nozzle

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I just vomited everywhere.

 

[Irishnuke]

It's okay, I like (name of any other RB we've offered) better.

 

[GBdomer]

We took Tony Jones last cycle as a bigger back and that's why I'm perfectly fine passing on Dillion

 

[Henges24]

We took Tony Jones last cycle as a bigger back and that's why I'm perfectly fine with Dillon passing on ND

FIFY

 

[BobbyMac]

We took Tony Jones last cycle as a bigger back and that's why I'm perfectly fine passing on Dillion

"Bigger" = 5-11, 212... vs... 6-0, 230+. Now go compare their Sparq scores. NC, no contest baby in my best Dickie V voice.

This sucks on so many levels, granted ND isn't the place for a Wisco, UGa, Bama type back to go... but it sure would have been nice to steal one because of his legacy status. Oh well.

 

[BobbyMac]

FIFY

Tony Jones had nothing to do with Dillon passing on ND. He sees himself as a workhorse back. ND's backs find success in the shadow of the passing game and their's a possibility that a QB who gets 10 carries a game could be at the controls through 2019...2021 if Davis is after Wimbush and then '22 if Jurkovec joins the depth chart. Not the place for someone who fancies themselves as a feature back.

 

[TheChosen1]

We took Tony Jones last cycle as a bigger back and that's why I'm perfectly fine passing on Dillion

I heard Ivins say he wasn't that high on our board anyway.

 

[Irishman77]

Let's just keep running out of the shotgun on the 4 inch line and kick field goals....

 

[NCND]

Let's just keep running out of the shotgun on the 4 inch line and kick field goals....

+1. Annoying as fuck.

 

[OCIrish]

Let's just keep running out of the shotgun on the 4 inch line and kick field goals....

Well, if they'd just run it 90 yds every time, we'd not have to worry about punching it in from 4"........

 

[dad4aa]

Let's just keep running out of the shotgun on the 4 inch line and kick field goals....

This is why we need a big back because this shit gets old quick. However, this is also why we will have trouble landing a big back IMO. Most of these guys want to be a featured back and they will have limited touches in our spread offense compared to a lot of other traditional pro-style offenses.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Let's just keep running out of the shotgun on the 4 inch line and kick field goals....

Our problem on the goal line have nothing to do with running. We have two, maybe three quarterbacks that have added tremendously to that ability.

Our problem on the goal line for the last two seasons has been lack of a tight end, let alone two, which a program like ND should have.

Without that threat behind the linebackers in front of usually much shorter defensive backs, we have no way to keep the front seven from cheating toward the run. In essence it doesn't matter how good of a running back we have.

Look at Derick Henry and Leonard Fournette against teams that knew they were going to run last year!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Well, if they'd just run it 90 yds every time, we'd not have to worry about punching it in from 4"........

Yeah, or score a school record setting number of TD's on pass completions. That way we could take a big loss on second down, go for the bomb on third down, and kick an automatic field goal on fourth!

That would keep you all from being annoyed, getting sick, or puking, wouldn't it?

 

[Irishman77]

Our problem on the goal line have nothing to do with running. We have two, maybe three quarterbacks that have added tremendously to that ability.

Our problem on the goal line for the last two seasons has been lack of a tight end, let alone two, which a program like ND should have.

Without that threat behind the linebackers in front of usually much shorter defensive backs, we have no way to keep the front seven from cheating toward the run. In essence it doesn't matter how good of a running back we have.

Look at Derick Henry and Leonard Fournette against teams that knew they were going to run last year!

I disagree. In goal line put the qb under center and pound it up the middle. Especially now that Elmer can no longer get blown up.

 

[Blazers46]

In a word...Everything! Dumb to recruit such a great RB at LB!

AJ will be the best running back Michigan has had in a long time.

Lost a top RB to a BIG10 school after we recruited him to play LB...... I am getting that Ezekiel Elliot deja vu......

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Lost a top RB to a BIG10 school after we recruited him to play LB...... I am getting that Ezekiel Elliot deja vu......

I would like to see your sources that back any of your hypotheses. Others have said that, and now I want to see what you are all going on. Because every reputable source, including AJ himself have said ND was recruiting him at running back.

 

[Blazers46]

I would like to see your sources that back any of your hypotheses. Others have said that, and now I want to see what you are all going on. Because every reputable source, including AJ himself have said ND was recruiting him at running back.

I was just piggy backing on the non sourced peeps..... I honestly have no clue. I feel shamed. I will see myself out.

 

[OCIrish]

I don't ever agree with Kelly bunching the formation up, essentially telling the defense I'm gonna run the ball.......spread that shit out and then run!

 

[NDPhilly]

We took Tony Jones last cycle as a bigger back and that's why I'm perfectly fine passing on Dillion

Pretty much agree with you. I think Jones is a better, quicker runner anyway but Dillon's ability to play LB is kind of intriguing. He's a better fit schematically at Michigan and if he's dead set on playing RB it's probably the best spot for him.

 

[GreyWorm]

It's comical how Dillon is bigger than all of Notre Dame's current LB commits.

Dillon can be a good linebacker at the next level and that's where id stick him i was a coach.

However, Dillon is also talented enough to have success at Michigan in their offense. I dont know how he would have worked at ND in Kelly's offense, because he isn't a great athlete.

 

[GoIrish41]

It's comical how Dillon is bigger than all of Notre Dame's current LB commits.

Dillon can be a good linebacker at the next level and that's where id stick him i was a coach.

However, Dillon is also talented enough to have success at Michigan in their offense. I dont know how he would have worked at ND in Kelly's offense, because he isn't a great athlete.

I love this kid's film. Sorry we missed on him because he could expand the offense to include a legit power rushing attack. He reminds me of a Bama back. Michigan got a good one.