'11 CA DE/OT Troy Niklas (Signed Notre Dame LOI)

[The Polish Irishman]

OT Prospect?

Not sure where he fits in. U$C is looking at him at OT. I know the staff originally liked him at DE.

 

[aubeirish]

With Hounshell committing, it might change a lot of things. Maybe we pass on him for lack of spots... Or do we take him?

 

[The Polish Irishman]

With Hounshell committing, it might change a lot of things. Maybe we pass on him for lack of spots... Or do we take him?

If Kelly was there today, I believe that means there is a spot for him.

 

[johnnykillz]

We take the first to come. And let that be our Motto, so that others understand next year and after that...

 

[IrishInColumbus]

We take the first to come. And let that be our Motto, so that others understand next year and after that...

Texas called...

 

[BGIF]

If Kelly was there today, I believe that means there is a spot for him.

At least at the time Kelly was there.

From reading the Hounshell article on II it sounds like the coaches were not expecting a verbal from him before an official visit. Hounshell might have grabbed the "musical chair" before the music stopped.

That said, Niklas still has myriad possibilities as a versatile athlete, a characteristic Kelly admires.

 

[WhoDeyIrish]

I think it would really be hard for the coaching staff to tell a versatile athlete like this that there is not a spot for him. I highly doubt that would happen. Kelly seems to be building something special here. I've thought about this long and hard and I believe that if Kelly can't turn us around there probably is not many that can do so. I think we take who ever wants to be Irish and run with it.

 

[Fbolt]

It seems like everyone is expecting this guy to be an OT. Wasn't it his Pops that said Niklas wants assurances that he play TE?

 

[Me2SouthBend]

It seems like everyone is expecting this guy to be an OT. Wasn't it his Pops that said Niklas wants assurances that he play TE?

No, that was Cameron Clear's father.

 

[Fbolt]

No, that was Cameron Clear's father.

Many thx

 

[jason_h537]

Niklas has played OT, OG, DE and TE in HS at Servite. Stanford wants him at TE, USC at OT, and Notre Dame says DE (but will likely move)

He would rather play TE but it is not high on the priority list for him

 

[Rhode Irish]

I was having dinner with my father the other night and we were talking about football, and he said something like "why would anyone want to play tackle if they could play tight end? Tackles don't get to touch the ball." I had never thought of it that way. I played receiver and DB, so I didn't spend my whole career banging into people and getting hit without touching the ball. Still, I was thinking that at the pro level, tackles (especially LT's) get paid appreciably more than TE's.

If I were entering college and I thought I had a chance to be really good at either spot, I would want to play tackle. Obviously, if you felt you were good enough to go pro at one position and not the other there would really be no decision, but if you were equally as good at either one, what would you choose to play? Or, in other words, what matters more to you at the college level: having the chance to touch the ball and score touchdowns, or having the chance to make significantly more money?

 

[jason_h537]

I was having dinner with my father the other night and we were talking about football, and he said something like "why would anyone want to play tackle if they could play tight end?

As a tackle you could add several zeros to that paycheck

 

[Rhode Irish]

Yeah that was my thinking and my response, as I noted in my post. Worrying about touching the ball seems like something that happens in elementary school, but my father is a pretty legit sports fan so I thought maybe other people may feel the same way. That is why I posed the question. Wanted to know what people thought about it, and if people had an opinion about how Niklas might be thinking about it.

 

[jason_h537]

Yeah that was my thinking and my response, as I noted in my post. Worrying about touching the ball seems like something that happens in elementary school, but my father is a pretty legit sports fan so I thought maybe other people may feel the same way. That is why I posed the question. Wanted to know what people thought about it, and if people had an opinion about how Niklas might be thinking about it.

One of the posters on II coached Niklas and Schmidt as kids and says Niklas wants to play TE, DE, OT, in that order but trusts the coaches to but him in the best position.

Personally i would prefer to play TE because the truth is a lot of players are bulking up to play OT and it is not healthy.

 

[aubeirish]

Yeah that was my thinking and my response, as I noted in my post. Worrying about touching the ball seems like something that happens in elementary school, but my father is a pretty legit sports fan so I thought maybe other people may feel the same way. That is why I posed the question. Wanted to know what people thought about it, and if people had an opinion about how Niklas might be thinking about it.

It's because it is the best of both world. You get to block and catch the football. Both are very fun...

 

[BGIF]

I was having dinner with my father the other night and we were talking about football, and he said something like "why would anyone want to play tackle if they could play tight end? Tackles don't get to touch the ball." I had never thought of it that way. I played receiver and DB, so I didn't spend my whole career banging into people and getting hit without touching the ball. Still, I was thinking that at the pro level, tackles (especially LT's) get paid appreciably more than TE's.

If I were entering college and I thought I had a chance to be really good at either spot, I would want to play tackle. Obviously, if you felt you were good enough to go pro at one position and not the other there would really be no decision, but if you were equally as good at either one, what would you choose to play? Or, in other words, what matters more to you at the college level: having the chance to touch the ball and score touchdowns, or having the chance to make significantly more money?

OT was better for Andy Heck than TE. Heck lettered as a Freshman #2 TE in '85 under Faust. He did the same the next year under Holtz. He was the Starting TE in '87. Then Holtz moved him to LT as a Senior and he anchored a National Championship team. He was a consensus All-American at OT and was a First Round Draft Pick. Played 12 years in the NFL and is now the Jaguars OLine Coach.

 

[bornready85]

The intense recruiting battle for Servite All-County lineman Troy Niklas is down to USC and Notre Dame, with just days left to National Signing Day on Feb. 2.

Niklas also had Stanford in his final three choices of schools but there is a new development with the Cardinal.

The senior said Thursday that he wasn't accepted at Stanford

Football: Recruiting battle for Niklas down to USC-Notre Dame - OC Varsity : OC Varsity

 

[jason_h537]

Sucks he wasn't accepted to Stanford but this kid is too smart to pick USC. Come on man

 

[IrishLax]

I just don't see him at USC unless he seriously dislikes the winter in South Bend or USC pulls a slick keep-away move. I think we're in the driver's seat.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Wow!! I would hope he's been accepted to ND. interesting he's just now finding out he was not accepted to Stanford, that tells me that was his first choice.

 

[BGIF]

Wow!! I would hope he's been accepted to ND. interesting he's just now finding out he was not accepted to Stanford, that tells me that was his first choice.

It could be a test score. A course their Admission Dept wanted taken again.

Stanford used to require an SAT score of 1000 which seemed to be a sink or swim line. ND has accepted less there.

 

[InKellyITrust]

ND is in great position with him visiting this weekend. This could be one of the more important commits of our class due to his versatility. Depth for our O-line is crucial for the future of the program.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Is he planning a signing day decision or will he make his intentions known before???

 

[InKellyITrust]

Is he planning a signing day decision or will he make his intentions known before???

He's expected to announce on NSD.

 

[rtrn2glory]

I knew i'd get an answer from my peeps!!! thanks bro

Seriously considering taking a sick day to watch signing day on ESPNU

 

[InKellyITrust]

No problem. I'm planning on DVR'ing ESPNU all day and watching the coverage on und.com.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Thank goodness for the internet...Actually Espn.com actually does very well updating there site on signing day...i was glued to that all day last year!!

 

[WhoDeyIrish]

One of the posters on II coached Niklas and Schmidt as kids and says Niklas wants to play TE, DE, OT, in that order but trusts the coaches to but him in the best position.

Personally i would prefer to play TE because the truth is a lot of players are bulking up to play OT and it is not healthy.

Why do you think its unhealthy for them to bulk up. If they have the frame to support the extra weight, I wouldn't think it would be a big problem. I think the reason they are doing this is for obvious reasons, and that is to get a more athletic offensive lineman.

 

[jason_h537]

Why do you think its unhealthy for them to bulk up. If they have the frame to support the extra weight, I wouldn't think it would be a big problem. I think the reason they are doing this is for obvious reasons, and that is to get a more athletic offensive lineman.

A lot of o-lineman and d-lineman are not naturally 300 lbs. Look at Mark Schlareth (sp?), granted there are some big boys that play but i think most bulk up to play and that is not healthy. There was a story in SI (i will try to find the link) of an o-lineman who played around 300, after trying out for the NFL for a few years and realized it was not gonna happen for him he dropped below 200. Now that is a unique example but clearly most these guys put on a lot of weight to play.