Kelly & Floyd Press Conference

[IrishBlood81]

Some other feeds from Floyds side of the interview, these are just tidbits from Twitter;

MF: Feels great being back around friends. Jimmy Clausen is in two of his classes. Keeps distance to not get distracted...
MF: Ready to help continue to build the team in a positive way.
MF: Wasn't ready to enter the "real world" yet. Felt he needed to come back and continue to get better. It was his own decision.
MF: Robert Blanton called/texted him everyday to come back and help him get better. Took his teammates' thoughts under consideration.
Golden Tate's feedback - Wise decision.
F: Talked to Charlie Weis, Rob Ianello, two of his HS coaches and his mom for advice. Mom's main concern was finishing school.
MF: On improving - Needs to be more explosive. Catch every ball. Improve route running.

MF: NFL feedback wasn't the way he wanted it. He was surprised, but has to go with it and will try to keep getting better and improve stock


#NotreDame coach Brian Kelly says he hasn't bumped into Charlie Weis on the recruiting trail. Kelly said he drives, Weis flies first class.
Kelly says taking Nate Montana off scholarship is not on his list of roster moves to get under the 85 man max.
BK: On oversigning recruits - Doesn't like to give scholarships and then pull them.
BK on Oregon offense: We run similar offenses when we're clicking that way. (Basically -- give me three years.)

... Jamoris Slaughter had a couple bone spurs in his heel he needed worked on. He's in a boot and will be out in two weeks.
BK: Sean Cwynar had foot surgery and a procedure done on his back. The foot will probably keep him out for another 6-8 wks.
. Floyd didn't want to make a big announcement at a press conference.

BK: "This was about Michael Floyd and his decision." He informed BK of decision, and they talked about how he wanted to announce it

If Tommy Rees is just the warm-up for somebody better, that's fine with Kelly, but the coach likes Rees' toughness and accuracy
Position switches are optional with ND's overflow of quarterbacks, per Kelly

 

[Shamrocks and Shenanigans]

Is this going to be on UND or any other site for viewing?

 

[rikkitikki08]

I like the fact that kelly drives to recruiting visits....just seems old school to me. Pretty much everything he says i agree with including riddick possibly moving back to RB

 

[Veer option]

Could also be used much in the way Reggie Bush is used by the Saints. Line up in the backfield and run several plays, motion out to a slot position in others, and catch plenty of passes and screens out of the backfield.

Oregon for instance uses their slot receivers in such a fashion and has had some pretty decent success. They motion the slot into the backfield and they run their style of triple option out of a shotgun split two back formation.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

In reference to Riddick being in the backfield...look at it like this.

He can be a threat to run the ball, or motion into the slot. He'll also undoubtedly line up in slot as well. He is just a play maker that needs to be on the field, and him being able to line up in multiple position adds the element of confusion for the opposing defense.

He is not going to line up behind the QB and run 25 times a game. Plus, it will push Cierre, like a poster said. I like the move.

 

[irishff1014]

Yea i don't like the idea of Reddick going back to running back. He looks smaller then Wood does.

 

[IrishLax]

In reference to Riddick being in the backfield...look at it like this.

He can be a threat to run the ball, or motion into the slot. He'll also undoubtedly line up in slot as well. He is just a play maker that needs to be on the field, and him being able to line up in multiple position adds the element of confusion for the opposing defense.

He is not going to line up behind the QB and run 25 times a game. Plus, it will push Cierre, like a poster said. I like the move.

You know when you put it that way it's more appealing to me. A hybrid slot/RB that forces defenses to guess where he is going to lineup could cause all kinds of problems for a defense. Maybe Kelly is looking at something like that while moving TJ Jones to pure slot with Davaris/GAIII/Daniel Smith/Bennet Jackson/someone else on the outside. TJ is a very good route runner, just maybe not physical enough to be a stud as one of the outside receivers.

 

[Veer option]

Regardless of where Theo lines up the Irish offense will be a lot of fun to watch next season. I expect to see a lot of skill position players getting an abundance of touches.

Its too bad NBC does not televise the spring game.

 

[BeatSC]

Rocket

Rocket

Why don't we use Riddick like we used the Rocket or Tim Brown? These guys would be in the backfield from time to time and play wide out as well. If riddick develops the expolisiveness that they did then he can play the all around role that they did. He will need some bigger shoulder pads though and will we see him change his number again? At this point I think that Kelly could field 2 legit offensive squads that could take a Div 1 team to a bowl game. Go ahead and list a second team offense and tell me he couldn't score 30 a game with it.

 

[Shamrocks and Shenanigans]

Why don't we use Riddick like we used the Rocket or Tim Brown? These guys would be in the backfield from time to time and play wide out as well. If riddick develops the expolisiveness that they did then he can play the all around role that they did. He will need some bigger shoulder pads though and will we see him change his number again? At this point I think that Kelly could field 2 legit offensive squads that could take a Div 1 team to a bowl game. Go ahead and list a second team offense and tell me he couldn't score 30 a game with it.

I love the idea, but we didn't average 30 a game with our starters this year.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

Did we avg 30 a game this year?

 

[95NDAlumNM]

und.com has the press conference up now.

I posted a link but a moderator has to approve it.

 

[Shamrocks and Shenanigans]

und.com has the press conference up now.

Thank you, I was waiting for this.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Why don't we use Riddick like we used the Rocket or Tim Brown? These guys would be in the backfield from time to time and play wide out as well. If riddick develops the expolisiveness that they did then he can play the all around role that they did. He will need some bigger shoulder pads though and will we see him change his number again? At this point I think that Kelly could field 2 legit offensive squads that could take a Div 1 team to a bowl game. Go ahead and list a second team offense and tell me he couldn't score 30 a game with it.

This is what I was thinking as well. When Kelly says he could potentially move to RB I think and hope he means HB. I can see us lining up in the gun with cierre and theo on both sides of the qb and one or both motioning out into the slot. They could also be staggered with the QB under center... it just creates more confusion for the defense and it is something Oregon does religiously.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Wow!! the Reggie Bush comparison, is that name permitted?? lol

I see it though for sure, plus maybe 3-5 more touches in the return game.

Agreed, I think TJ is a natural slot receiver just from the few games a saw him play and he would have little trouble filling in there.

I think that it should be with the words that are now filtered out like ***, ****, ****, **** and the sorts.

 

[connor_in]

Why don't we use Riddick like we used the Rocket or Tim Brown? These guys would be in the backfield from time to time and play wide out as well. If riddick develops the expolisiveness that they did then he can play the all around role that they did. He will need some bigger shoulder pads though and will we see him change his number again? At this point I think that Kelly could field 2 legit offensive squads that could take a Div 1 team to a bowl game. Go ahead and list a second team offense and tell me he couldn't score 30 a game with it.

More and more teams have a guy like that...MSU had one that would sneak the occasional run, wildcat, end around, pass, kick return, etc...great moves, fast...do anything to get the ball in a playmaker's hands

 

[NewEnglandGuy]

Kelly says taking Nate Montana off scholarship is not on his list of roster moves to get under the 85 man max.

Did I miss something here? Maybe blacked out...but I watched it and did not catch this comment. ISD's Christian McCollum also wrote about it:

Nate Montana competed with Rees for the backup job earlier in the season and will remain on scholarship in 2011

Changes Coming

Either way, it is a pure PR move to keep him on scholarship due to the the reasonable conclusion he will not be one of the four scholarship players on the roster to compete at QB. Though this is an example of one of my fundamental reasons for I cheer for Notre Dame; Principles.

 

[RallySonsOfND]

I could listen to Kelly talking about ND football all day.

 

[irish1958]

I think that Kelly could field 2 legit offensive squads that could take a Div 1 team to a bowl game. Go ahead and list a second team offense and tell me he couldn't score 30 a game with it.

Of course Leahy did this. His "second team" outscored the first team. But then, they had about two million scholarships to give out.

 

[Veer option]

I could listen to Kelly talking about ND football all day.

Agree.

 

[jakerbluegold]

Personally, I think Riddick did a fantastic job in the slot until he was injured.

It's the perfect place for him to be as a fast, shifty back that's not that big to endure a regular pounding.

We have other fantastic backs, that are more specific to what we need (two bruisers with speed AND power, and the shifty fast Wood).

I can see Riddick getting SOME touches in the backfield, I'm okay with that, but otherwise not a big fan of the move.

We'll see what happens, and it's possible we could still possibly get another commit.

Is it just me, or did it seem like once Riddick started warming up to the position, he looked fantastic.

I was just waiting for him to break one every time he got the ball.

 

[jakerbluegold]

Did I mention I'm into the word "fantastic" when talking Irish football lately?

 

[jakerbluegold]

Floyd said he needs to be more explosive.

Is that humanly possible? The man was a one man killing machine!

 

[Ironman8]

Floyd said he needs to be more explosive.

Is that humanly possible? The man was a one man killing machine!

Speed and health are his two "problem" areas in the eyes of NFL scouts. If he can improve on his speed even a fraction, it will be truly scary. I'm already insanely excited to see him coming back with a chip on his shoulder trying to prove he is THE best receiver in the nation next year. Can't wait for Sept. 4th.

 

[irish1958]

As far as Theo being returned to RB, if it is to be, it will be because of the other three fourths of the duties of RB. Namely, picking up the blitz, catching passes out of the backfield and ball security. AA was super good in all four which is why he was missed so much. I loved Robert in the way he pounded the ball, but I suspect he had problems in the other skills.

 

[NDinFL]

I could listen to Kelly talking about ND football all day.

completely agree.
Coach Kelly is the quintessential professional, and it radiates off of him. It may just be me, but I get the quiet sense of determination from him. He seems to have things so well organized with the football program, "year 1 was about plays and year 2 is about players, not plays" that quote alone tells me that he knows EXACTLY what we need, and how we're going to do things. I never really felt comfortable with Weis at the helm. If something were to go wrong he seemed to be the type of guy to throw his hands up with that, "well what now?!" look on his face. Not Coach Kelly. Kelly seems focused, quietly intense, and determined...
The future truly is looking bright gentlemen

Go Irish!!

 

[rtrn2glory]

Cierre Wood- 6' 210
Theo Riddick- 5'11" 198

Another winter in the weightroom, bump him up to 205 and he'll be everybit as able to carry the ball 10-15 times a game.

I like the move if it happens, but I'm not crushed if it doesn't. Eitherway we gotta find ways to get him the ball.

 

[Riddickulous]

Of course Leahy did this. His "second team" outscored the first team. But then, they had about two million scholarships to give out.

Rockne often started his second teamers to open the game, no matter who the hell he was playing that week. We have a history of building depth.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

Yeah I like the idea of having Cierre, and Riddick in the back field at one time. There are countless strategies that would throw screw balls right at the opposing defense. Aslong as the offense is comfortable with the scheme, the more movement and motion the better.

Kelly is going to tweak his offense, I feel like he is salivating with all the possibilities he can direct his scheme towards with all the talent he can bring to ND. Kelly's attack is always going to evolve.

 

[BGIF]

... We have a history of building depth.

We HAD a history of building depth.

We did in the early 90's until Vinny Cerrto's kid left after the '93 season.

Take a look at ND's Win/Loss Record since then it includes 3 years of lackluster Hotlz teams not just Davie, TY, and Charlie.

Take a look at ND's All-American roster. It nosedives after '93.

Take a look at the NFL Drafts since '94 (the players the used up their eligibility in '93). The plethora of First and Second Rounders become a couple of Third and Sixth Rounders.

When ND's running at the front, there's a great coach and wealth of talent. Rockne and The Gipper and The Four Horsemen. Leahy and the greatest recruiting class ND has ever had - Two Heisman's and a 4 year unbeaten streak. Ara and and Huarte and all those All-Americans from the '66 NC team. Devine and Montana. Holtz and Rice and Brown.

Look at the rosters from those years and see the excellence from top to bottom. We're excited because we have high school seniors penciled in on the Two Deep. Aaron Taylor coouldn't crack the Two Deep as a Freshman. Joe Montana was the #7 QB as a Freshman.

We've got several classes to pack in back to back to back to have what those teams had. And for all the salivationg currently going on I can recall 5 games when the majority of you wanted to run Kelly and Diaco out of town. Kelly's showing promise but he's wasn't Rockne, Leahy, or Parshegian in year one. I'm enthused he did better than Hotlz.

Go Irish!