'11 NY OLB Ishaq Williams (Signed ND LOI-EE)

[irishandy]

I got scared when I stared reading the prior posts.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Heart has resumed beating.....

 

[irishandy]

mine too

 

[NDPhilly]

Per II Shembo may move to CAT and Ishaq to DOG so they can be on the field at the same time.

 

[ryno 24]

I dont really feel that he fits at dog but when we are playing bigger teams I think this would be interesting

 

[Emcee77]

Per II Shembo may move to CAT and Ishaq to DOG so they can be on the field at the same time.

I get that but it would sort of annoy me. If they were going to do that, why not put Ishaq at DOG this year, before he spent a spring and a fall learning CAT? On the other hand, if it means Niklas might get more reps at CAT, I kind of like it ... imagine Niklas and Ishaq in a year or two as totally interchangeable CAT/DOG linebackers. Would make the D twice as tough to read when you have two LBs equally huge, strong, fast and skilled on both sides.

 

[ryno 24]

They are not that far apart as far as positions, one is usually more of the pass rusher while the other is more of a true outside linebacker but they are already learning both positions

 

[irishog77]

Per II Shembo may move to CAT and Ishaq to DOG so they can be on the field at the same time.

If true, I wonder why not just keep Shembo at Dog. He at least has experience there. A big reason Williams didn't see much PT last year was adjusting to the game and playing standing up and in the open field. Seems like another big adjustment for him to now have to go down the field and cover a TE/RB/WR.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Makes me wonder if the staff is planning on greater specialization for situational downs.

Seems like they just want as much size and athleticism as possible on standard downs to take away the run, so they can pull the DOLB for the Star/ Overhang OLB on passing downs.

 

[Emcee77]

Makes me wonder if the staff is planning on greater specialization for situational downs.

Seems like they just want as much size and athleticism as possible on standard downs to take away the run, so they can pull the DOLB for the Star/ Overhang OLB on passing downs.

Strikes me as likely. The staff is specifically recruiting for that Star OLB position now.

 

[Grahambo]

Defensive Thoughts With Diaco & Elston

The sophomore outside linebacker played in 11 games, totaling just six tackles in 2011. Diaco says the Brooklyn, NY native is still a work in progress.

“Ishaq is learning how to practice,” Diaco said of the 255 pound ILB. “He’s learning how to compete at this level and prepare to compete at this level. That’s what he’s learning how to do. There’s a lot less plays where he’s loafing or not giving effort. There’s more plays where he’s giving either the expected level of effort and then also what we would consider to be exceptional effort. There’s a lot more of those plays and a lot less of the plays where we’re just trying to get him to learn how to practice. He’s improving his game.”

 

[military_irish]

Defensive Thoughts With Diaco & Elston

The sophomore outside linebacker played in 11 games, totaling just six tackles in 2011. Diaco says the Brooklyn, NY native is still a work in progress.

“Ishaq is learning how to practice,” Diaco said of the 255 pound ILB. “He’s learning how to compete at this level and prepare to compete at this level. That’s what he’s learning how to do. There’s a lot less plays where he’s loafing or not giving effort. There’s more plays where he’s giving either the expected level of effort and then also what we would consider to be exceptional effort. There’s a lot more of those plays and a lot less of the plays where we’re just trying to get him to learn how to practice. He’s improving his game.”

 

[PANDFAN]

Defensive Thoughts With Diaco & Elston

The sophomore outside linebacker played in 11 games, totaling just six tackles in 2011. Diaco says the Brooklyn, NY native is still a work in progress.

“Ishaq is learning how to practice,” Diaco said of the 255 pound ILB. “He’s learning how to compete at this level and prepare to compete at this level. That’s what he’s learning how to do. There’s a lot less plays where he’s loafing or not giving effort. There’s more plays where he’s giving either the expected level of effort and then also what we would consider to be exceptional effort. There’s a lot more of those plays and a lot less of the plays where we’re just trying to get him to learn how to practice. He’s improving his game.”

its encouraging...however not that encouraging for a high 4/5 elite athlete...this shouldn't have to be taught IMO

 

[irishmarine]

Is it heart or is it him learning the basics of the position

 

[PANDFAN]

Is it heart or is it him learning the basics of the position

There’s a lot less plays where he’s loafing or not giving effort. There’s more plays where he’s giving either the expected level of effort and then also what we would consider to be exceptional effort.

sounds like heart/desire to me, now this is not @Ishaq however when elite athletes are busts in college, effort is usually one of the main things because before they got by on pure athletic ability...now u are surrounded by others and evens the playing field...its heart and determination which put you ahead...ie..who are the ones getting good reviews in every update? collinsworth, jackson, grace, lynch...all of them have intensity and determination

 

[NDdomer2]

Ishaq is such an exceptional athlete that he probably never had to develop heart or desire to succeed. Suddenly he is on an even playing field. The positive is he is progressing. Some kids just stay the same.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Ishaq is such an exceptional athlete that he probably never had to develop heart or desire to succeed. Suddenly he is on an even playing field. The positive is he is progressing. Some kids just stay the same.

Excelent point! He is taking it forward. I knew a kid, best I ever saw; in his early years he didn't get much positive reinforcement, then he wasn't in the in clique, (how the starters were picked), so it didn't matter what he did. He almost didn't make it back. He had one good year when it could have been three. He never learned how to conduct himself, how to compete, or how to practice.

 

[ND NYC]

here's hoping it all "clicks" for ishaq...sooner than later.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Amen!

 

[NDdomer2]

If he is learning to practice and they are getting more and more of the plus plays than the negative in practice it will click. I am just hoping for sooner than later.

 

[irishmarine]

Hopefully he finds comfort soon in the position and then can let his ability take over

 

[HoosierIrish]

ILB? did I miss something

 

[Bogtrotter07]

ILB? did I miss something

Obviously not, but it doesn't mean anything. Good catch! Miss print, cerebral flatulence. Like the article that said Corey Robinson was the first wide receiver in ND's '13 class . . .

 

[ThePiombino]

I have to be honest- hearing this is a little disturbing. I don't care how good you are in high school. To come in and take plays off or whatever Diaco was referring to is a bit disconcerting. I hope he gets his act together soon, because there is a TON of talent on this squad, and I have a feeling the LB corps is going to get exponentially better after this year's incoming class. I'd hate to see Ishaq get passed up because he didn't want to hustle more.

 

[UmphreakDomer]

in all honesty--i would've figured i'shaq to move to TE before anyone else.

i really dont think it has a lot to do with being lazy. i think big lou would call him out on it, a la, daniels.

i think its more about getting to know the position, the game speed at this level, and the expectation of the coaches in that position.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Pure Speculation: Ishaq may just be literally "lost in Space", and not figuring out nor finding the "natural instincts" to rapidly read-&-react at linebacker. ---- I don't know this, but it certainly seems possible. Ishaq may be great at what he's always been great at: a speed and athletic DE pass-rusher, very difficult to block.

If so, maybe one day we'll see him opposite Aaron-the-mighty with Big Lou and Stephon coming from the inside in a 4-3 base. .......... and maybe only like that.

 

[IrishLax]

Rather than single out individual comments here.... I just want to make a blanket statement that "loafing" can mean a lot of different things and I don't think it has to be indicative of work ethic. I think this is a classic case of maybe reading the text and getting one interpretation of what was meant when that's maybe not what Diaco was trying to imply. You can be going half speed because you don't know how to read the play and don't want to make a mistake or are just a step slow in reacting. You can be tired and taking a play off because of that. Or you can be lazy.

I don't think Ishaq is lazy. And I know he wasn't tired. I, personally, read the comments and read them to mean that Diaco wants him to be in attack mode in practice even if that means making a mistake instead of "taking plays off" if he's a little lost. Maybe I read it that way because that's a problem I used to have in practice... I was always deathly afraid of making a mistake because I thought it would cost me minutes if I did as it would show I wasn't ready to play. And because of that I was extremely tentative and passive and always hedged towards "not wrong" instead of "right." Eventually I got a wake-up call that practice is there for you to make mistakes and it's better to do them then than in a game... but that's not always intuitive to people. Maybe that's what's going on here, maybe it's not.

Anyways, I think we should all just throttle it back a little. You saw Ishaq get increased minutes at the end of last season and he is CLEARLY making progress. If it comes to the fall and you don't see him making any impact... then maybe we revisit this.

 

[irishog77]

Pure Speculation: Ishaq may just be literally "lost in Space", and not figuring out nor finding the "natural instincts" to rapidly read-&-react at linebacker. ---- I don't know this, but it certainly seems possible. Ishaq may be great at what he's always been great at: a speed and athletic DE pass-rusher, very difficult to block.

If so, maybe one day we'll see him opposite Aaron-the-mighty with Big Lou and Stephon coming from the inside in a 4-3 base. .......... and maybe only like that.

This may not be a bad idea-- let Prince go absolutely balls-to-the-wall when he's in, come out and take a rest, and put Ishaq in there for 4-down sets, and let him go absolutely balls-to-the-wall.

 

[ChiRish]

Rather than single out individual comments here.... I just want to make a blanket statement that "loafing" can mean a lot of different things and I don't think it has to be indicative of work ethic. I think this is a classic case of maybe reading the text and getting one interpretation of what was meant when that's maybe not what Diaco was trying to imply. You can be going half speed because you don't know how to read the play and don't want to make a mistake or are just a step slow in reacting. You can be tired and taking a play off because of that. Or you can be lazy.

I don't think Ishaq is lazy. And I know he wasn't tired. I, personally, read the comments and read them to mean that Diaco wants him to be in attack mode in practice even if that means making a mistake instead of "taking plays off" if he's a little lost. Maybe I read it that way because that's a problem I used to have in practice... I was always deathly afraid of making a mistake because I thought it would cost me minutes if I did as it would show I wasn't ready to play. And because of that I was extremely tentative and passive and always hedged towards "not wrong" instead of "right." Eventually I got a wake-up call that practice is there for you to make mistakes and it's better to do them then than in a game... but that's not always intuitive to people. Maybe that's what's going on here, maybe it's not.

Anyways, I think we should all just throttle it back a little. You saw Ishaq get increased minutes at the end of last season and he is CLEARLY making progress. If it comes to the fall and you don't see him making any impact... then maybe we revisit this.

This. Ishaq is incredibly gifted. Give him time to learn and fit into the scheme and he'll be a beast for us.

It'd be great if most of the time anyways he wasn't taking plays off, he just moved around easily and made it look that way (like Peppers on the Bears).

 

[TheTurningPoint]

Ishaq is fine, trust me. He is learning the hardest position on the defensive side of the ball in Diaco's defense. He was strictly a DE in high school and is now a LB. Flemming never really got it down in his 2 years in the system to where Diaco wanted him to be. The fact he is improving and coming into his own is a good thing. Alabama, Florida, osu, usc, Okla, etc all have plenty of 5 star kids that dont have the light turn on their freshmen year. Not every kid is going to be a Tuitt/Lynch. Lynch and Tuitt made plenty of mistakes last year but they were forced to play. Ishaq will get there and we all know transitioning from high school to college on/off the field is a huge transition and ND is probably a lot harder than most places. He has 3 more years lol. He and ND are perfectly fine