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The Gold Helmets

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I'm going to be previewing each position group on offense, defense, and special teams over the next several days.

Starting off with the QB's. Peep it here.

I think the QB's have great depth, but still have a lot to prove.
 
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The Gold Helmets

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Running Back preview is up. I surprised my self by giving the group a C+ Once I started breaking down the running backs I realized there is quite a bit of unknown surrounding the position. What grade would you give our running backs as a whole?
 
Whiskeyjack

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Riddickulous

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Whiskeyjack said:
F and D+? Harsh. Some discount is justified due to the lack of depth and experience, but Kelly's is basically a one-back system, and we have lots of talent at RB.
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D+ is fair. I'll explain by responding to each of the three bolded comments:

1) "Lack of depth and experience" is an understatement. We have a grand total of two scholarship running backs with any collegiate experience.

Wood ran for 603 yards last year and averaged over 5 yards per carry, but what if he gets injured? Who the hell do we have?

Jonas Gray carried 20 times last year. He's been a huge disappointment thus far and is considerably less dynamic than Wood.

And after that, you have two freshmen with no game experience.


2) Kelly stated explicitly in the spring that "you gotta play two tailbacks". Last year, we saw two running backs split the carries. First it was Allen and Wood, then Wood and Hughes.


3) Lots of talent, yes. Lots of proven talent? Hardly.
 
Whiskeyjack

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Riddickulous said:
Wood ran for 603 yards last year and averaged over 5 yards per carry, but what if he gets injured? Who the hell do we have?
Click to expand...

What are the odds that Wood gets injured v. stays healthy all year? Giving the unit a D+ implies you think an injury is at least more likely than not. As the board jinx, maybe that's a good thing.

I have no idea how to assess the probability of injury on Wood, but if he has a relatively healthy year, our ground game will be better than last year.

Jonas Gray carried 20 times last year. He's been a huge disappointment thus far and is considerably less dynamic than Wood.
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Again, what's the probability that Jonas has a "light bulb on" moment in the near future? It happened for Stovall and Hughes. I have no way of assessing it, but he's getting the carries one way or another; I think he'll rise to the occasion by at least being a passable #2.

To give our RBs a D+ or F, it seems like you have to assume that (1) Wood gets injured, and (2) Gray, McDaniel, and Atkinson all disappoint. That seems very unlikely to me.
 
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Rhode Irish

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I think it is fair to have some questions going into the season regarding the RB situation. The criteria for grading these positions is a bit subjective, even after the season - nevermind before the season. If what we are grading is our confidence that the position/unit will be productive, then I can see an argument for a D+. There is a fair amount of uncertainty.

If the idea is to predict the production, I'm not sure how you would even do that. I could see this being a B+/A- unit, honestly. I could also envision a scenario in which it is an 'F' unit. I think Cierre Wood is a star in the making. I could see us getting solid contributions from Jonas and occasionally Theo Riddick, and possibly GAIII and Cam. Any or all of whom I could see making some big plays.

I also don't think it is far fetched to think that the running game could struggle. I feel like Wood is greatly underrated and underappreciated by ND fans and media, but if something were to happen to him then we could be in a position where there is no lead back and no obvious choice to step up take the bulk of the carries.
 
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koonja

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I'm surprised that the RBs got a C+ while the QBs got a B.

Neither of our potential starters (Crist or Rees) are proven. Crist struggled terribly with accuracy and Rees seemed to know who he was going to throw to coming out of the huddle.

I understand that the QBs do have depth going for them, but on the flip side I trust/expect a lot more out of Cierre Wood than I do Crist or Rees.

I don't know if I's take the QBs down or take the RBs up, but I think that they should be closer to the same rating. Also, we saw Rees come in last year and play QB as a freshman. It's a lot easier of a transition from HS RB than it is HS QB, so having Cam or GAIII come in and shoulder a few carries does not worry me. Just my two cents.

Enjoy the write ups though, keep them coming!
 
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kuehnja said:
I'm surprised that the RBs got a C+ while the QBs got a B.

Neither of our potential starters (Crist or Rees) are proven. Crist struggled terribly with accuracy and Rees seemed to know who he was going to throw to coming out of the huddle.

I understand that the QBs do have depth going for them, but on the flip side I trust/expect a lot more out of Cierre Wood than I do Crist or Rees.

I don't know if I's take the QBs down or take the RBs up, but I think that they should be closer to the same rating. Also, we saw Rees come in last year and play QB as a freshman. It's a lot easier of a transition from HS RB than it is HS QB, so having Cam or GAIII come in and shoulder a few carries does not worry me. Just my two cents.

Enjoy the write ups though, keep them coming!
Click to expand...

I'm a former H.S. QB so I'm biased toward QB's!!!! Ha. No seriously I graded that way because there are two QB's that have proven they can win games, but only one running back. Cierre can become a star but he still has a lot to prove. You do make some valid points though. Thanks for checking out the site! WR's will be up tomorrow.

Btw, no way are the rb's an F or a D-
 
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HereComeTheIrish

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The Gold Helmets said:
I'm a former H.S. QB so I'm biased toward QB's!!!! Ha. No seriously I graded that way because there are two QB's that have proven they can win games, but only one running back. Cierre can become a star but he still has a lot to prove. You do make some valid points though. Thanks for checking out the site! WR's will be up tomorrow.

Btw, no way are the rb's an F or a D-
Click to expand...

Sweet...

Finally...someone qualified to talk ND football.
 
TerryTate

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Hopefully they have something about Niklas playing OLB.

Freakish defense in a few years
 
mick2

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hey gold helmets, i must have missed this the first time you posted it good stuff.

i tried to leave a comment but it kept telling me to click back and enter a password?

anyways, I think your qb analysis is right on point. with crist being the starter this year, rees a capable backup, hendrix with an offensive package designed specifically for him, and golson preserving a year.

whats your take on the Future Qb situation? Dayne has a year left. so considering he starts, and does well(which i think he will) he may come back for 2012. while that will be good to have an experienced guy for 012 it will be another year where hendrix and golson ride pine. what do you think the progression will look like? here is my take.

2011:Crist Sr.
2012:Crist 5th
2013:Hendrix Sr.
2014:Hendrix 5th
2015:Golson 5th


I'm just not sure if golson would wait around til 015 for his shot to start.

EDIT: I know im totally leaving rees out of this convo, which i feel bad about because he wins, and that is all you can ask for from a qb, i think he gets a bad rap for his physical inferiority compared to the other 3 although he did look stronger and bigger in spring practice. in early spring i would have never said rees has a shot at the starting job, but now i wuldnt be surprised if he does become that mcelroy type game managing qb to lead us to multiple victories.
 
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The Gold Helmets

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Mick,

Thanks for checking out the blog. I'll look into that comment problem, thanks for the heads up.

I agree with your position on Rees. The real question is what happens between Hendrix and Golson? It would seem one of them would have to transfer or be content being a backup. I like them both and I'm excited to see Hendrix this year, but Golson appears to be taylor made for Kelly's system. Plus golson is Kelly's guy.

Who knows maybe one of them won't live up to expectations, but if both of them pan out it is going to get interesting to watch this play out.
 
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