Depth Chart Update/Changes

[We_Are_ND]

cut/paste from Lou Somogyi @ BGI

Although media day isn't until Friday (Aug. 7), we've learned a few morsels about the depth chart.

What stood out is Eric Olsen has moved from No. 1 left guard to No. 1 center, with former starter Dan Wenger behind him. Chris Stewart moved from right guard to left guard, in Olsen's place, with sophomore Trevor Robinson lined up at right guard, Sam Young right tackle and Paul Duncan at left tackle. This is their way of getting the five best offensive linemen on the field at the same time.

In a way, it's a surprise because we didn't see Olsen doing any snapping once during the spring in the 20 minutes that were open at the start of practice. However, this was speculated on during the summer because Robinson was considered one of the five best o-linemen.

Some other morsels:

* Zeke Motta, who lined up at Will linebacker this spring, is now at strong safety, behind Kyle McCarthy and Sergio Brown. This makes perfect sense because both McCarthy and Brown will graduate after next year, while linebacker will be replete with bodies.

* James Aldridge is listed at fullback.

* Manti Te'o is behind Brian Smith at Will linebacker, with Toryan Smith in the middle (Mike) and Scott, Smith, Darius Fleming and Steve Filer all listed as co-starters at Sam.

* The defensive line has Kapron Lewis-Moore at left end, Ethan Johnson at defensive tackle, Ian Williams at nose tackle and Kerry Neal at right end.

* Robert Blanton is listed ahead of Raeshon McNeil and Gary Gray at left corner.

* Duval Kamara is listed as the third receiver.

We'll have a story posted on the main board later today, and break down the offense and defense the next two days.

 

[nlroma1o]

Trevor Robinson is A MON-STAR!!!

southbendblarney.com » Blog Archive » Unleashing The Beast

 

[notredomer23]

I really like our Oline this year, Wenger wasnt exactly that great of a center and Olsen is tenacious. Trevor Robinson did good as a freshman and Stewart's just a beast. Sam Young with a good line should produce. Duncan is the only question mark

 

[NDinL.A.]

I know I'm in the huge minority on this, but I'm just not a Kamara fan. The way he approached the season last year, and then completely tanked(at least 4-5 of JC's picks were Kamara's fault) left a sour taste in my mouth. I was hoping for one of the kids, Walker or Goodman, to take that spot, or even Shaq. But Kamara knows the offense, he's got the size and he has the talent, so let's hope he becomes the stud many predicted he would be...

 

[IrishInFl]

At the very least I would like Kamara to become a consistent red zone threat. Throw the fade, TD every time.

 

[NDinL.A.]

At the very least I would like Kamara to become a consistent red zone threat. Throw the fade, TD every time.

If he could catch it, LOL! The difference between he and Floyd is technique, confidence and hands. Kamara is a bit taller, but I'd throw it to Floyd every time.

And the difference between Tate and Kamara is simply balls. Gnads. Huevos. Whatever you want to call it. Tate is tiny compared to Kamara, but Tate sees the ball and it's either his or it goes back to the refs (and most of the time it's his!). He just gets after it like a fat boy after a cake. Meanwhile, Kamara, twice last year, let his defender beat him for jump balls, that he either should have caught or batted away from the defender who had better position. It's a guts thing and it's an instincts thing.

But like I said, he has a fresh start this year, and hopefully that fat taste of humble pie Floyd served him last year will be a wake up call for him, and he'll add to the best wide receiver corps in the nation...

 

[Riddickulous]

If he could catch it, LOL! The difference between he and Floyd is technique, confidence and hands. Kamara is a bit taller, but I'd throw it to Floyd every time.

And the difference between Tate and Kamara is simply balls. Gnads. Huevos. Whatever you want to call it. Tate is tiny compared to Kamara, but Tate sees the ball and it's either his or it goes back to the refs (and most of the time it's his!). He just gets after it like a fat boy after a cake. Meanwhile, Kamara, twice last year, let his defender beat him for jump balls, that he either should have caught or batted away from the defender who had better position. It's a guts thing and it's an instincts thing.

But like I said, he has a fresh start this year, and hopefully that fat taste of humble pie Floyd served him last year will be a wake up call for him, and he'll add to the best wide receiver corps in the nation...

Tate is just as good as Floyd on the fade route. Despite his 5'11" size, Golden can get himself very high off the ground.

 

[Bubba]

He just gets after it like a fat boy after a cake.

mmmmm ... cake! :awesomewo

 

[BGIF]

I really like our Oline this year, Wenger wasnt exactly that great of a center and Olsen is tenacious.

I like the potential of the OLine and am hoping that Verducci will get them working as a unit rather than a bunch of guys playing a pickup basketball game. And hopefully Verducci and Alford can improve the running game so the OLs don't look like a Chinese Fire Drill.

Whether injury, attitude, or coaching Wenger was far from a great center. I was shocked to see him on the Rimington Watchlist. I don't recall who the DL opponent (SYR or BC?) was that lined up across from him and had a career game with something like 15 tackles. Everybody remembers the play where Olsen got pushed back to yesterday by a DL and blew up a running play. It was bad but getting beat on one play happens particularly when your playing on an injured foot. Wenger got beat in that one game more than a dozen times.

When I first heard of Olsen to center in the Spring I though it was a motivational ploy by Verducci and/or Weis. Wenger had the center job by default. Not now. The coaching staff has created competition. "Wenger go work with the #2's!" About the worse words a starter can hear.

Trevor Robinson did good as a freshman and Stewart's just a beast.

Robinson looked the best of the scrubs. His 190 minutes of PT was 50% of Sam Young's PT. He's going to pressure to play wherever they line him up.

Stewart has been a beast. It would help if he had the stamina of the beast. In fairness he's been playing as an underclassman. With 2 full years of Mendoza's conditioning he should start playing like an upperclassmen and not get gassed in the second half.

Sam Young with a good line should produce.

Sam Young should produce if he lined up with Choir Boys. I've considered him the biggest disappoinment on the OLine for the past 3 seasons. Again he was pressed into service early. Harris didn't start until mid-season as a freshman. But Harris became the GO TO GUY on the OLine whether playing RT or LT. Sam was supposed to be the next Aaron Taylor. Hasn't happened. He's got one season left to make it so.

Duncan is the only question mark

I was rooting for Robinson to make a move here. Duncan's backup Romine only played 16 minutes last season and was beaten like a drum. I expected Rudolph to get beaten by DE's as he was both a freshman AND a TE. Romine had 40 pounds on Rudolph and got beaten just as badly. As for the other backup OTs, Clelland has yet to see the field and Dever only played about 16 minutes.

Duncan reportedly had a great Spring looking healthy and producing at LT. I don't think he's a question mark providing he stays healthy. The question mark is who lines up at OT if Duncan goes down.

 

[Bubba]

Certainly, Duncan proved something to someone if he gets the starting nod at LT. Hope he can continue to prove it. I remember reading an article earlier this year about how he had finally decided to step up, face his shortcomings and be willing to work to improve. I think this is maturity showing itself. He's growing up right in front of the ND fanbase. How he responds once the games are real and when/if he has setbacks will be key.

 

[BGIF]

Certainly, Duncan proved something to someone if he gets the starting nod at LT. Hope he can continue to prove it. I remember reading an article earlier this year about how he had finally decided to step up, face his shortcomings and be willing to work to improve. I think this is maturity showing itself. He's growing up right in front of the ND fanbase. How he responds once the games are real will be key.

Your maturity comment is appropriate and I think it applies to the entire OLine. By necessity the past few years ND has played kids in slots where men usually lined up. However talented they were (or are), they lacked the physical strength, endurance, and maturity of the veteran OLines on ND's past.

Most of us still have images of Duncan being beaten as a freshman and sophomore. We had those same images of Turkovich - until last year.

OLs usually become productive as juniors and seniors, or more likely seniors and 5th years. This is the most veteran OLine ND's had in years. But keep in mind those 100 combined starts didn't come about because they started as freshman who displayed All-American talent as freshman. They played because there were no Aaron Taylor's and Tim Ruddy's on the roster. In some cases they started because there was nobody else.

Back in the last 80's and early 90's Sam Young MIGHT have seen the field as a freshman backup. He might have become a starter as a sophomore. Stewart and the others would not. Some of them would not have been starters until their 4th or 5th season - if then.

Maturity with Duncan, as well as Young, Stewart, Olsen, and Wenger should improve the OLine play.

 

[irishtrain]

depth chart

depth chart

Man these changes if true sound great, I just could not see Robinson not playing a huge role, now you have Young with size, talent and senior leadership playing next to size, talent and nasty (Mr Robinson), o line is the key and you guys forgive me for repeating myself but if they do their job the scoreboard will light up like a pinball machine.

 

[jason_h537]

Does anyone know if Olsen has any experience snapping the ball?

 

[TDHeysus]

Depth Chart update doesnt change my skepticism about the Oline.

For me the Oline is a HUGE question mark, its make or break. we have the horses to compete, but will the Oline give enough time so JC can operate? for me that is the huge question. I like that Robinson has 'shook up' that atrocious line that was last year, but is it enough? did he make the starting job, or did Wenger lose it? I have a feeling Wenger lost it, which doenst necessarily mean something good. hopefully i'm wrong

Oline is a bigger issue to me even than the Dline(but dline is close behind). Notre Dame can win with a 'smoke and mirrors' Dline. But...no way, can they compete with the big boys with a sub-par Oline.

Line play aside, I am very excited about our linebacking corp over the 3-4 years....Te'o, Calabrese, etc....I think that position looks good for ND in the near future.

 

[BillyIrish]

Does anyone know if Olsen has any experience snapping the ball?

no mention of Olsen playing a snap at center in his time here at Notre Dame according to his bio at UND.com.

was a Tackle prospect coming out of high school per rivals.

 

[BostonND]

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but Olsen and Wenger are best friends at ND. So I wonder how awkward this is for them

 

[jason_h537]

I really want to see what KLM can do. Te'o is upto 244 already.

 

[BostonND]

I'm wondering how the linebackers shake out, since B Smith and Manti are arguably our two best. My guess is that one of them moves into the middle. I'm still not sold on Toryan - he's been so startlingly unproductive that I don't see how he can ever become really good

 

[BostonND]

I know I'm in the huge minority on this, but I'm just not a Kamara fan. The way he approached the season last year, and then completely tanked(at least 4-5 of JC's picks were Kamara's fault) left a sour taste in my mouth.

I agree with you. Without going into detail, I've heard things about Duval that don't exactly make me want to root for him. Let one of the young guys come in and take his spot. I notice that Mike Floyd hasn't showed up to fall camp out of shape.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

I agree with you. Without going into detail, I've heard things about Duval that don't exactly make me want to root for him. Let one of the young guys come in and take his spot. I notice that Mike Floyd hasn't showed up to fall camp out of shape.

Share what you have heard. We all see it anyway. Do it in a PM or something. I'm curious.

 

[NDinL.A.]

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but Olsen and Wenger are best friends at ND. So I wonder how awkward this is for them

Actually I didn't know that. Thanks for the info...

 

[OCIrish]

One thing to watch out for is the the Verducci watch. What I mean by that is when he was hired, I read on the Iowa message board their thoughts on him from his Hawkeye days, and while they were mixed, a couple of posters stated that they were roommates or very good friends with guys who played OL at Iowa. They said that while they hated him in college, they were greatful for what he had taught them while preparing them for for the NFL. They said he makes his players accountable for what they do and don't do, let's see how this plays for us this year.

 

[HawaiianIrish]

I really want to see what KLM can do. Te'o is upto 244 already.

Manti's at 244 DAYUM sounds like a MLB in the making...

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Hawaiianirish: question for you my friend

When Manti delivers that first huge blow to USC on the field, will the roar be louder in South Bend or on your island?

 

[BGIF]

Hawaiianirish: question for you my friend

When Manti delivers that first huge blow to USC on the field, will the roar be louder in South Bend or on your island?

I don't know where it will be louder but that first hugh blow will be heard all the way to Hawaii.

 

[BGIF]

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but Olsen and Wenger are best friends at ND. So I wonder how awkward this is for them

Senior center Eric Olsen knows he and his O-Line teammates are the key to a successful season.

I Want That Responsibility

Olsen talks about his expectations for the season in a premium article on IrishEyes by Tim O'Malley Aug 8, 2009

Scout.com: I Want That Responsibility

 

[BostonND]

This is random, but one of my favorite tidbits about the football team: Eric Olsen is a legitimately good artist. He's majoring in Industrial Design because he's so good at drawing. I think this is hilarious.

 

[Riddickulous]

I wonder how loud the crowd is gonna get when Te'o makes his first tackle.

 

[BGIF]

104 Out Of 105 Healthy!

104 Out Of 105 Healthy!

per Eric Hansen in SBT on Media Day

Of the 105 players on the Irish roster, 104 will be 100 percent from a health standpoint when ND holds its first practice of the fall this afternoon.

And that one exception — sophomore defensive tackle Hafis Williams — is expected to join his teammates once he has completed physical tests to affirm his recovery from injury.

 

[BGIF]

Does anyone know if Olsen has any experience snapping the ball?

Through most of Spring Practice except for the 20 minute Media period according to Eric Hansen's (SBT) interview with Verducci at Media Day.

Olsen clandestinely practiced center all spring and at times before that, once the daily 20-minute media window in practice had closed. So the position is hardly new to the senior. Verducci, who spent the past decade in the NFL after forging his reputation in the college game, called Olsen the prototypical professional center.