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

[GoldenIsThyFame]

^ Great read.

^ great to see your mullet back!

 

[Riddickulous]

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[JohnShade]

Notre Dame kids are different.

 

[NDPhilly]

Seems like a smart guy and definetly not full of himself

 

[BeauBenken]

Are we certain he is from Cali? The kid looks paler than me! haha

One thing made clear about why he loves ND, the people.

 

[IrishMoore1]

Are we certain he is from Cali? The kid looks paler than me! haha

One thing made clear about why he loves ND, the people.

He's not in Cali anymore. He's in South Bend now LOL

 

[Buster Bluth]

Pearl Harbor?!

Coach Kelly needs to have real movies shown on the bus rides.

 

[dshans]

Are we certain he is from Cali? The kid looks paler than me!

Reminds me of a traumatic event my freshman year. I'd been living in FL since I was six. I was a swimmer and a wanna-be surfer and just spent much of the year in the sun without a shirt and sporting a speedo) not really a pretty picture).

One day in November, while taking a shower, I noticed no tan line ... I was butt white all over! What had I done?!?!?

To add insult to injury, when I got home for Christmas break the first thing I did was put on some shorts and head out to the back yard to enjoy the warmth and take a spin in the canoe. My mother followed me, laughing her *** off. When I asked why she was laughing so hard, she sputtered, between guffaws, "Your legs. They look like two pieces of skinny white chalk!" So much for a mother's love being gentle and boundless ...

 

[BMT]

Niklas update

Niklas update

Just for kicks went back and read most of the threads on Troy-

They are pretty funny, just shows what recruitniks dont know-people slightly doubting this kids skill. After seeing all the players up close like 3-feet away before practice this guy is an absolute specimen or beast or whatever you want to call it, probably IMO the most impressive on team physically. Kelly was raving about Niklas in fall camp.

There are going to be some growing pains- but the ceiling for this kid is going to be way high, mark my word. And if needed I bet he could start at TE or OT as well. Wherever he winds up-will be a starter next year and impact player IMO. Especially if Shembo moves inside.

 

[AKRowdy]

Especially if Shembo moves inside.

Shembo and Carlo Calabresse on the inside and Ishaq and Troy on the outsides, sounds like a great quartet of linebackers to me. Think about our two deep roster in a couple years, it's gonna be beast!

 

[The Polish Irishman]

Did he play last night? Don't remember seeing him.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Did he play last night? Don't remember seeing him.

Notre Dame: 1B-HENDRIX, 2-JACKSON, 5B-HOUNSHELL, 7A-TUITT, 8-MOORE, 9-TOMA, 10-CRIST, 13-SPOND, 14-MASSA, 15-McCARTHY, D.,
18-KOYACK, 23-WOOD, L., 24-SALVI, 25-GRAY, J., 26-SLAUGHTER, 27-BRINDZA, 28-COLLINSWORTH, 29-COUGHLIN, P., 33-MCDANIEL,
34-ATKINSON III, 35-TURK, 43-ATKINSON, 44-CALABRESE, 46-FILER, 50-KAVANAGH, 53-UTUPO, 57-GOLIC, M., 58-NIKLAS, 74-LOMBARD,
76-NUSS, 81-GOODMAN, 82-WELCH, 94-WILLIAMS, H., 97-RUFFER, 98-CWYNAR.

 

[Ironman8]

Did he play last night? Don't remember seeing him.

He had at least one big hit on a kickoff on a blocker that I saw.

 

[AKRowdy]

He had at least one big hit on a kickoff on a blocker that I saw.

Yeah his hit was during the GAIII kickoff return, I remeber because I was going nuts.

 

[jason_h537]

Pretty sure it was Justin Utupo who got that hit that sprung GA3

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Pretty sure it was Justin Utupo who got that hit that sprung GA3

That's what I recall as well, Mayock called it that way on the replay. BTW, did Ishaq play?

 

[fitz_bu47]

Ya, it was Utupo.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I wonder if Niklas could get on the field as a TE if Eifert jumps and we don't strike out with Taylor and McNamara. I know we have two good TEs right now, but injuries happen!

I think this kid is a baller and will get time at CAT, but if Ishaq gets his act together, he could be an absolute beast.

 

[koonja]

I wonder if Niklas could get on the field as a TE if Eifert jumps and we don't strike out with Taylor and McNamara. I know we have two good TEs right now, but injuries happen!

I think this kid is a baller and will get time at CAT, but if Ishaq gets his act together, he could be an absolute beast.

We won't have to worry about that cause Eifert's back.

 

[Domina Nostra]

We won't have to worry about that cause Eifert's back.

Finding Troy Niklas more minutes is the kind of problem ND needs more of.

 

[koonja]

Finding Troy Niklas more minutes is the kind of problem ND needs more of.

For sure. With Flemming done he should get more PT. I also have no problem if Shembo rides the pine in leau of Hercules getting more minutes.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'll feel better when he's in regular rotation at a position more suitable to his stature.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

For sure. With Flemming done he should get more PT. I also have no problem if Shembo rides the pine in leau of Hercules getting more minutes.

Wouldn't count on that. Shembo is Fleming 2.0. I expect him and Ishaq to hold down Cat for 2012, barring injury of course.

 

[NYMIKE6]

Niklas to Wilb. imagine how small the throwing lanes would be? and he would have no problem seeing over the line for the qb or rb.

 

[PLACforever]

I'll feel better when he's in regular rotation at a position more suitable to his stature.

like holding up part of the Basilica?

 

[TerryTate]

Wouldn't count on that. Shembo is Fleming 2.0. I expect him and Ishaq to hold down Cat for 2012, barring injury of course.

I think Troy, Okwara, and Ishaq all have a chance to play Fleming's role given their size and how many times he lined up as a DE. (He was voted lineman of the year)

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I think Troy, Okwara, and Ishaq all have a chance to play Fleming's role given their size and how many times he lined up as a DE. (He was voted lineman of the year)

No doubt, but Shembo has played a lot more football than Niklas, Okwara, or Williams, and he's looked good with his hand on the ground. Niklas could displace Williams as the #2 Cat, but I doubt the staff wants that to happen; Niklas seems to be much more flexible than Williams, so I'd bet that Niklas will continue to get moved around and Williams will get lots of reps at Cat.

I just don't see Niklas as a long-term fit at Dog, so I'll feel better when he's in the regular rotation on the DL or the Cat.

 

[koonja]

I'd love to jump into this conversation but I constantly need to be reminded of the difference between dog and cat LB, their resposibiliities and what type of athlete is best for which one.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

So does everybody else.

 

[irishog77]

Dog is the "drop"/cover linebacker.

Cat is the rush LB.

An oversimplification by me for sure, but just a quick way to describe the two positions.