'22 MI OLB Joshua Burnham (Notre Dame Signee)

[Domina Nostra]

100% want him to return, but college football is what it is now

 

[IAIrish]

Looks like Keon Keeley is getting some run for bama at sde. Would he be a replacement for Burnham?

 

[rtrn2glory]

After watching them on defense today I'm not sure I want anybody from Alabamas defense

 

[jprue24]

 

[rtrn2glory]

Would be curious what they're pitching besides money. Yeah they're hot on the field but if they're pitching a starting spot and playing time I call bullshit TBH

 

[NDPhilly]

Lol. What are you gonna do. Burnham isn’t good enough to start at ND, Michigan, OSU, and typically PSU who recruit better than IU. But IU is obviously the best option of the remaining Midwest schools.

From our perspective it’s better than Wisconsin.

 

[JerseyIrishMan]

Would be curious what they're pitching besides money. Yeah they're hot on the field but if they're pitching a starting spot and playing time I call bullshit TBH

Brother, what they're pitching besides money? They're in the semifinals on Friday with a very good shot of winning the whole thing. He will be in the two deep. IU was obviously going to do okay in the portal. They kinda have to.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Would be curious what they're pitching besides money. Yeah they're hot on the field but if they're pitching a starting spot and playing time I call bullshit TBH

Starting minutes and good coaching.

- Kuntz has that unit rolling and both DEs they landed today will have starting minutes waiting for them as they audition for the NFL Draft as part of a defense that worked people this year.

- Mendoza just won the Heisman. It's easy to see why Hoover would want to follow that up and play for Cig. Rourke was pretty damn good last year too. He played with a torn ACL in the playoffs, or he would have been better than he was vs ND.

- Surratt has been a really good boundary WR for them. Marsh has to be excited excited to replace a guy that has 750'ish yards this year and 13 receiving TDs.

They've got a good squad and they're well coached, but theg have little in the way of roster depth. Kids want to fill those starting spots being vacated..

 

[IrishInOntario]

Lol. What are you gonna do. Burnham isn’t good enough to start at ND, Michigan, OSU, and typically PSU who recruit better than IU. But IU is obviously the best option of the remaining Midwest schools.

From our perspective it’s better than Wisconsin.

Agreed. But he's a Kuntz kind of guy and I anticipate that Indiana will get the absolute best out of him next year. He'll wind up being a highly productive guy there and my guess is that he'll be a 5th round NFL Draft pick type.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Would be curious what they're pitching besides money. Yeah they're hot on the field but if they're pitching a starting spot and playing time I call bullshit TBH

Bro, what? ND had better ends than Burnham.

Indiana and Pat Kuntz have taken guys like that and turned them into studs.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Agreed. But he's a Kuntz kind of guy and I anticipate that Indiana will get the absolute best out of him next year. He'll wind up being a highly productive guy there and my guess is that he'll be a 5th round NFL Draft pick type.

Yep. The good news is that ND has a guy I'm certain will do much of the same with Partridge.

 

[CanadalovesND]

Agreed. But he's a Kuntz kind of guy and I anticipate that Indiana will get the absolute best out of him next year. He'll wind up being a highly productive guy there and my guess is that he'll be a 5th round NFL Draft pick type.

Kuntz is the DT coach. They have some guy named Buddha coaching the Ends.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Kuntz is the DT coach. They have some guy named Buddha coaching the Ends.

Yep, that tandem does a heck of job!

 

[IrishInOntario]

Bro, what? ND had better ends than Burnham.

Indiana and Pat Kuntz have taken guys like that and turned them into studs.

My only pushback is that Bryce Young has to demonstrate more consistency before I can say that he's obviously better than Burnham. It's undeniable that Bryce has more upside, but it has to be realized starting immediately. There were stretches this year when a healthy Burnham was the better player. Bryce has to pick it up and start to dominate. Especially with as much attention as Traore will get across from him. The opportunities are going to be there.

 

[arrowryan]

Lol. What are you gonna do. Burnham isn’t good enough to start at ND, Michigan, OSU, and typically PSU who recruit better than IU. But IU is obviously the best option of the remaining Midwest schools.

From our perspective it’s better than Wisconsin.

Idk. Based on who’s on the roster right now, he’s the second best DE.

I think it was a mistake to let him walk.

 

[irishff1014]

Idk. Based on who’s on the roster right now, he’s the second best DE.

I think it was a mistake to let him walk.

If for nothing else but the depth. The way they play the rotation of the DL he would have plenty of playing time.

Young has big time potential, JB was producing.

 

[arrowryan]

If for nothing else but the depth. The way they play the rotation of the DL he would have plenty of playing time.

Young has big time potential, JB was producing.

Odds of them landing a DE as productive as Burnham is slim to none.

 

[IrishTusker]

Idk. Based on who’s on the roster right now, he’s the second best DE.

I think it was a mistake to let him walk.

So that would have meant guaranteeing him a starting spot, and not rotating him? Or what?

 

[Dale]

Odds of them landing a DE as productive as Burnham is slim to none.

Thompson is as productive as Burnham

 

[arrowryan]

So that would have meant guaranteeing him a starting spot, and not rotating him? Or what?

Idk about starting because of BY continuing to develop. But he would’ve been a great DE3.

 

[IrishTusker]

Idk about starting because of BY continuing to develop. But he would’ve been a great DE3.

Yeah, but isn't that why Burnham left? He wanted a guaranteed starting spot?

 

[arrowryan]

Thompson is as productive as Burnham

I’d like to see their snaps, side by side. Burnham was hurt and was battling several other DEs. When he was healthy and on the field, he seemed to always produce.

 

[stlnd01]

Idk about starting because of BY continuing to develop. But he would’ve been a great DE3.

Burnham basically WAS our DE3. I don't really understand any of this.
Yes Young might "start" over Burnham but we rotate a ton on the defensive front, as do most teams. It's the unit where the distinction between starter and second-line means the least, and he was absolutely going to be in our two-deep.
At most you're talking about playing 30 snaps a game instead of 45. Or a bigger payday. I think it's probably the latter.

 

[Dale]

I’d like to see their snaps, side by side. Burnham was hurt and was battling several other DEs. When he was healthy and on the field, he seemed to always produce.

JT in 3 years: 1007 snaps - 43 pressures - 5 sacks - 42 stops
JB in 4 years: 882 snaps - 39 pressures - 6 sacks - 41 stops

Burnham is slightly more efficient. Not a significant difference. Burnham beat up on Navy, Pitt and BC OLs this year for over 35% of his career pressures. He was not overly productive player at all until Week 10 of his senior year.

Statistically his best game is actually the a national championship. I can’t say I remember that tbh.

Regardless, Burnham is not some ultra productive player unless you extrapolate that last 4 weeks of his career.

 

[NDPhilly]

If you promise him a starting spot then almost certainly Bryce Young is in the portal. Do you want one year of a frequently injured guy with mid round draft pick up side, or two years of a guy with top 20 pick upside?

 

[irishff1014]

Burnham basically WAS our DE3. I don't really understand any of this.
Yes Young might "start" over Burnham but we rotate a ton on the defensive front, as do most teams. It's the unit where the distinction between starter and second-line means the least, and he was absolutely going to be in our two-deep.
At most you're talking about playing 30 snaps a game instead of 45. Or a bigger payday. I think it's probably the latter.

It’s the ME vs WE syndrome.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I wonder if it would rather have Burnham or Bryce Young?
Who's the loser now?

 

[IrishInOntario]

I’d like to see their snaps, side by side. Burnham was hurt and was battling several other DEs. When he was healthy and on the field, he seemed to always produce.

ND was in a tough spot there. Burnham wanted starting reps in order to showcase himself for the NFL in his final season in college. ND could not guarantee him those reps because there is no way that theg were going to limit Bryce Young's snaps going into his junior season, with the potential he has.

If you're Marcus Freeman and Mike Martin and you can only keep 2 of Traore, Young and Burnham because they're all looking for starting snaps, who do you keep? I can't imagine a world in which I'd keep Burnham over the upside of either guy, both of whom I still think have undeveloped upside, while Burnham is close to maxed out.

Indiana could guarantee Burnham 50+ snaps each as long as he's healthy and the money associated with a starting position. ND simply could not do that. I don't know what else you do in this era?

 

[IrishInOntario]

It’s the ME vs WE syndrome.

I just can't blame a kid who has his ND degree and has been a really good player for you, for wanting to be paid as much as possible and play as much of possible in his final year, in order to showcase his skill set and increase his NFL Draft stock.

If you were advising a kid with NFL aspirations, I hope you would tell him to do the same thing. #3 DEs on their own team, playing 30-35 snaps per game are rarely getting drafted.

 

[stlnd01]

If you promise him a starting spot then almost certainly Bryce Young is in the portal. Do you want one year of a frequently injured guy with mid round draft pick up side, or two years of a guy with top 20 pick upside?

Is he? A legacy who, let's be real here, probably does not need the money.

And I'm not saying that's the move. But what the fuck guys. Not everyone can start. Every good team needs depth. And second-string DLs play a ton. Burnham could have been part of a truly special defense. Instead he'll jump to a crew of mercenaries for one-third more snaps and a bigger paycheck. And someone else will gladly take his spot with us. OK...