Defensive Line Update

TerryTate

TerryTate

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NBC Sports - College Football - Inside the Irish


DEFENSIVE LINE DEPTH CHART
2010: Ian Williams (DT)
2011: Emeka Nwankwo (DE), Ethan Johnson (DE)
2012: Kapron Lewis-Moore (DE), Sean Cwynar (DT/DE), Hafis Williams (DT),
Brandon Newman (DT)
2013: Tyler Stockton (DE/DT)
2014: Bruce Heggie (DE), Kona Schwenke (DE), Louis Nix (DT)
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The senior class's lone representative is Ian Williams, one of only two players to have played in every game since joining the Irish. Williams will anchor the inside of the defensive line, playing a position in the system he was originally recruited to play. If you're looking for a reason to believe Ethan Johnson is ready to explode on the scene, look to the squat rack. After playing light in the lower-half for the first two seasons, Johnson will spend the majority of the summer working on leg strength to help him along the line of scrimmage. One of the better stories out of spring practice was the play of Emeka Nwankwo, who was a healthy scratch for all of the 2009 season. Having only played in seven games in three seasons, Elston praised Nwankwo for his dedication to the game and working his way into the rotation.

While Lewis-Moore will open fall camp as the starting defensive end, Cwynar is the kind of player that continues to show up on game film. Another tweener in a 4-3 defense, he'll thrive as a high-motor, physical defensive end, especially playing limited snaps. Speaking of game film, Brandon Newman's Blue-Gold game tape had to make Irish coaches happy, as the defensive tackle was disruptive at the line of scrimmage, knocking down multiple passes and showing a great burst as well. Hafis Williams, another defensive tackle, had a nice spring for the Irish, and will compete with Newman for the role of spelling Ian Williams.
Click to expand...
 
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BGIF

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Just how effective they'll be remains to be seen but with players 3 deep, nobody has to play 30 minutes a game. Add Longo's conditioning and just maybe the 4th Q will finally belong to us.

I still have vivid memories of the 3rd Q not belonging to us either.

Progress.
 
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Irish.Ca

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Amen BGIF. We have depth everywhere but DB, attention SAFETIES. I bet we improve on our defense doubles the # of QB sacks over blitz crazy JT. Although I'd be happier if our backfield had more than double the INT's.
 
TerryTate

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BGIF said:
Just how effective they'll be remains to be seen but with players 3 deep, nobody has to play 30 minutes a game. Add Longo's conditioning and just maybe the 4th Q will finally belong to us.

I still have vivid memories of the 3rd Q not belonging to us either.

Progress.
Click to expand...

Well said. I'm much more concerned with our secondary. I'm not sure how the system change 3-4 vs. 4-3 will affect DB's, but some nice talent would be much appreciated.
 
TerryTate

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Does anyone have an idea what the linemen rotation will look like? Are we going 9 or 10 deep?
 
nd1

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BGIF said:
Just how effective they'll be remains to be seen but with players 3 deep, nobody has to play 30 minutes a game. Add Longo's conditioning and just maybe the 4th Q will finally belong to us.

I still have vivid memories of the 3rd Q not belonging to us either.

Progress.
Click to expand...


couldn't agree more. i mean don't know how many times last year they just looked wore down. maybe with alittle depth and better strenght coaches we can pull some games out late.
 
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nd1 said:
couldn't agree more. i mean don't know how many times last year they just looked wore down. maybe with alittle depth and better strenght coaches we can pull some games out late.
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AND add to that, a Defensive Coordinator.
 
NDinL.A.

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TerryTate said:
Does anyone have an idea what the linemen rotation will look like? Are we going 9 or 10 deep?
Click to expand...

I don't know...still early. But I will say this: The line better be deep, because Brian Kelly teams do not hold on to the ball for very long. They are an attack minded offense, and they want to go-go-go at all times. He was something like last or 2nd to last in time of possession last year at Cincy. So even if our guys get in the shape of their lives, they're STILL going to probably need breaks, just because of the sheer number of plays they'll be playing.

That's why it's HUGE for us that a guy like Nwamko came out of seemingly nowhere to bust the 2-deep this spring, and will not only play but contribute this fall. Guys like Cwynar, Hafis, and Stockton could also be pressed into major roles, so they'll need to be ready as well.
 
jason_h537

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I like our front seven. Our LB's have depth and a great combo of experience and athleticism. I like our started D Line but as much as Cwyner, Hafis or Stockton being able to produce. I hear good things but have yet to see much of them in a game so we will see.
 
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irish1958

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IrishInFL said:
Poop.
Click to expand...
It should be!!
actually it is: "P"inkette left, "P"inkette right, "P"ass to "P"inkett, "P"unt
Gerry Faust was a great high school coach; college, not so much.
He is a very nice person and a great ND fan. A classic example of the Peter Principle in action as also was our recent coach.
 
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dshans

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irish1958 said:
actually it is: "P"inkette left, "P"inkette right, "P"ass to "P"inkett, "P"unt.
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My bad. I wasn't counting the absolute number of "P's." I counted "Pinkett Pass" as one "P" not two. I was thinking "Pinkett left, Pinkett right, Pinkett Pass, Pinkett Pukes; Punt. But that would have made it the seven "P's".

Drat.
 
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irish1958

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He was a great back and a fine person. He is a credit to ND.
Of interest, in his eight or so years in the pros, he fumbled only 2 times (in hundreds of carries), and he recovered both for zero turnovers.
He did piss all over Pitt! Take that Mr. May!
 
kmoose

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dshans said:
My bad. I wasn't counting the absolute number of "P's." I counted "Pinkett Pass" as one "P" not two. I was thinking "Pinkett left, Pinkett right, Pinkett Pass, Pinkett Pukes; Punt. But that would have made it the seven "P's".

Drat.
Click to expand...

I may be remembering it wrong, as I was just a young pup in the Pinkett era. But I seem to recall that it was "The Four Ps": Pinkett, Pinkett, Pass, Punt.
 
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