2018 Mid-year Grades

[Irish YJ]

Did this last year and was fun.

Overall team (Kelly): B+. Would have been an A if not for shoddy play vs BSU and Vandy.

Overall Offense (Long): B overall, A since Book.
QB (Reesus): A since Book. Deep ball improvement away from being A+
RB (Denson): B overall. B+ since Dex. Would like be A if Dex and TJJr were tag teaming.
WR (Alexander): B overall. Trending well with Book dealing it.
TE (Long): B- overall. I'd still like to see more production.
OL (Quinn): B- overall. Book is making it a lot easier on them.


Overall Defense (Lea): A-. What a great job all around.
DL (Elston): A+. Crazy that we have four guys hurrying the QB. What season by JT
LB (Lea): B+. The two studs are studly, and Bilal starting to emerge.
CB (Lyght): B+. "Love and Pride"... need a T-shirt made up with that on it.
S (Joseph): B. Could be an A by year end if Elliot continues to improve.


Overall Special Teams (Polian): C+
KO Kicking: C+... a few mistakes early
FG Kicking: B. 70% FGs / 100%PAT
Punting:: A . Newsome top 25
Returns (KR and PR): C+ .. not in top 30 in either
Coverage: B- .. Claypool has been a bright spot.

Strength and Conditioning (Balis): B+. The team's look and feel seems better. We'll see how they do next month.

Offensive Player of the Year: Book. Biggest impact by far. We're a different team with him.

Defensive Player of the Year: Tillery!!!! But lots of studs making a case.

True Frosh of the Year: Right now, co award to the Twins. Several making a case though.

Coach of the Year: BK for making the switch before it was too late, and Reesus for having Book kill it out of the gate.

 

[Irish YJ]

for you cut and paste ease and pleasure..

Overall team (Kelly):

Overall Offense (Long):
QB (Reesus):
RB (Denson):
WR (Alexander):
TE (Long):
OL (Quinn):


Overall Defense (Lea):
DL (Elston):
LB (Lea):
CB (Lyght):
S (Joseph):


Overall Special Teams (Polian):
KO Kicking:
FG Kicking:
Punting:
Returns (KR and PR):
Coverage (KO and Punt:

Strength and Conditioning (Balis):

Offensive Player of the Year:

Defensive Player of the Year:

True Frosh of the Year:

Coach of the Year:

 

[IrishFaninTX]

Overall team (Kelly):*A. They are looking like a top 5 team right now. Top 5 teams come out fighting at halftime, on the road, when things aren't going well in the 1st half. They make adjustments and fight to keep their season alive.

Overall Offense (Long): B+. Book is the difference. 3 weeks ago this would have been a C. Almost gave an A but still room for improvement.
QB (Reesus): A. Get better at the deep ball and this gets bumped to A+.
RB (Denson): B+. So glad Dex is back and once Armstrong returns I think we have 3 very good backs, and going into the season we didn't know if we had even 1.
WR (Alexander): A. Now that they have a QB who can hit his targets, I think we have a great WR corps. A speed guy would make them A+.
TE (Long): B+. This group is blocking well and have more TD catches than all season long over the last few years. At least it seems that way. Lots of catches, too.
OL (Quinn): B. They started off shaky but have gotten better each week. Losing Bars may end up to be costly but didn't seem to hurt too much last week.


Overall Defense (Lea): A+. Can't really complain at having an avg of about 17 YPG given up. All units are solid to great. When is the last time that happened in the same season?
DL (Elston): A+. Just wow. This DL is the best in at least 15 years, probably more. JT is playing like a beast and the other figures are right there with him.
LB (Lea): A. Very impressed with Coney and Dru, and Bilal is coming along
CB (Lyght): A. Love and Pride are a great duo. Most teams would be happy with just 1 of those guys and we got 2
S (Joseph): B+. So impressed with this group. Easily the most improved unit on the team. Was at best a D last year. Gilman is a huge addition, Elliott so improved over last year, and Griffith is getting valuable reps that will pay off in a year or 2.


Overall Special Teams (Polian): C sigh. This is the only area that is a black mark on this special team. But they do not take away from the overall performance of the team which is why I have an overall A for the team.
KO Kicking: B+. Started off terribly but has been solid the last few weeks.
FG Kicking: A+. I have complete faith that Noon will make all field goals. When he doesn't, it's rare.
Punting: A+. Newsome is having a fantastic season
KO Coverage: B. Other than Michigan, not too many big returns.
Punt Coverage: B+. Not too many big returns.
Returns: D. Rarely get any yards

Strength and Conditioning (Balis): B+. So far. We have not been out muscled and seem to hold up, not lose stamina.

Offensive Player of the Year: ian Book

Defensive Player of the Year: JT

True Frosh of the Year: Jayson A

Coach of the Year: Kelly. He set his pride aside and did what was best for the team

 

[arrowryan]

Overall team (Kelly): B+

Overall Offense (Long): B, but also rising
QB (Reesus): Before week 4, C. Week 4 and beyond, A-
RB (Denson): Solid B
WR (Alexander): B
TE (Long): B+
OL (Quinn): B- and getting better.


Overall Defense (Lea): A-
DL (Elston): A
LB (Lea): A-
CB (Lyght): B+
S (Joseph): B+


Overall Special Teams (Polian):
KO Kicking: B-
FG Kicking: B
Punting: B+
KO Coverage: B-
Punt Coverage: A

Strength and Conditioning (Balis): Ask me in November

Offensive Player of the Year: Miles Boykin

Defensive Player of the Year: Khalid Kareem

True Frosh of the Year: Houston Griffith

Coach of the Year: Terry Joseph

 

[stlnd01]

Overall team (Kelly): A- The decade-long effort to develop quality depth and consistency is starting to bear fruit, finally.

Overall Offense (Long): B+
QB (Reesus): A- post-Book. I worry a bit about the deep game. But just a bit.
RB (Denson): B+ Not Denson's fault, but would have been a B- until Dexter Williams came back. We just didn't have the horses.
WR (Alexander): A- Miles Boykin > ESB. I do wish we could work the young guys in a little more.
TE (Long): B They're fine, by ND standards, which for tight ends puts them pretty good nationally.
OL (Quinn): B+ Went from Hainsey struggles to Bars getting hurt. All season there's been something, but they've been good enough to get the job done.


Overall Defense (Lea): A This may be the most complete Notre Dame defense I've since the peak Holtz years
DL (Elston): A+ This is what a four-man pass rush looks like and it is awesome. Just stay healthy.
LB (Lea): A Not sure what more you could ask out of Coney and Tranquil. Bilal coming on, too.
CB (Lyght): A+ Two guys you can trust on every throw. Even when they get beat, they're right there.
S (Joseph): A- Hugely improved.


Overall Special Teams (Polian): B. Meh.
KO Kicking: C. You don't want to even notice kickoffs. Too many times, we have noticed.
FG Kicking: A- We're going to miss that Justin Yoon.
Punting: B+ We're going to miss Newsome, too.
KO Coverage: B Seems fine. I dunno.
Punt Coverage: B Same. I love when Claypool drops a guy.
I guess we're not even bothering to grade the return game, which seems fitting for how little Kelly seems to care about it.

Strength and Conditioning (Balis): Incomplete. Check back in a month.

Offensive Player of the Year: Book. How could it be otherwise?

Defensive Player of the Year: Kareem. Please stay another year.

True Frosh of the Year: Right now I'd say Houston Griffith. By Thanksgiving could well be Jay A.

Coach of the Year: Lea. I know he's got a veteran defense, but he has actually improved on Elko, which is saying something.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Did this last year and was fun.



Strength and Conditioning (Balis): B+. The team's look and feel seems better. We'll see how they do next month.

Spot on here. Definitely improved since Balis arrived, but we slowed down big time last November, yet again. I'll reserve judgement until we get back from LA, but so far so good to date, I agree.

 

[greyhammer90]

Overall team (Kelly): A

Overall Offense (Long): B+
QB (Reesus): B
RB (Denson): B
WR (Alexander): B+
TE (Long): B+
OL (Quinn): B+


Overall Defense (Lea): A-
DL (Elston): A
LB (Lea): A
CB (Lyght): B+
S (Joseph): B


Overall Special Teams (Polian): C
KO Kicking: C
FG Kicking: B
Punting: B
KO Coverage B
Punt Coverage: A-

Strength and Conditioning (Balis): A-

Offensive Player of the Year: Book

Defensive Player of the Year: Love

True Frosh of the Year: Houston Griffith

Coach of the Year: Kelly/Long. For benching a 12-3 QB before he cost us the season.
__________________

 

[NDohio]

Most people have covered it pretty well. The only thing I would add is that Denson really did a nice job of getting Jafar and Avery ready to play quality minutes at a position that had absolutely zero depth without those two. Quality job by a position coach to make his depleted group ready for the season.

 

[matman4593]

Overall team (Kelly): A- I'm a little weary of how good our opponents truly have been. Kind of like a 12-0 scenario in 2012. So, the big wins dont out-weigh the poor performances against Vandy and Ball St

Overall Offense (Long): A Book spreading the ball around like a point guard has allowed us to show our true strengths -- matchup nightmares and size. We also have an awfully special RB, TE, and WR1.
QB (Reesus): A- Really love the play of Book. Would have liked to see him against a more aggressive D-Line like Michigan. Not sure how he holds up in a situation like that.
RB (Denson): B T Jones is still very underwhelming in my eyes (also just always hurt. theres a difference between being hurt and injured-- man up and learn to play through it) and Jafar still needs time at the new position. It seems like a drummer in the marching band could run through some of the holes he's been given. Dexter is the real deal though.
WR (Alexander): B+ definitely trending in the right direction. Miles Boykin is looking better and better. I've always been a claypool fan. I like K Austin. Still shocked that we seriously dont have the talent to have an actual recruited player play in the slot over Finke. Michael Young has been underwhelming. Still need a deep threat.
TE (Long): A+ what a difference a QB makes here. When we go to a Jumbo set with Weischer Mack and Kmet at TE and Brock at Fullback, what a red-zone threat that is. so hard to stop. Kmet and Mack are really flashing that potential finally. Mack is a real difference maker.
OL (Quinn): B- The play has been very inconsistent here. The only truely good pass rush they played against was in the backfield the entire game (Mich). luckily Wimbush was able to bail them out. This is my biggest area of concern if we do indeed make the playoffs. Imagine Clemson's or Bama's D-line against them? or OSU with Bosa? scary thought.


Overall Defense (Lea): A- Only thing holding this back is what seems like periodic lapses during games and our sometimes soft coverage. Depth at LB is also a concern.
DL (Elston): A+ nothing really to say here. Mike Elston deserves so much credit for transforming this unit from a team weakness to a team strength. Un-sung hero of the team may be Julian Okwara. That kid is so athletic and the tag-team of him and Kareem on the edge with Tillery and D Hayes inside is down-right scary.
LB (Lea): A+ no better linebacker duo in the country. Bot are so good in the open field and such instinctual players. Really impressed with Coney's ability to learn to play in space and pas coverage.
CB (Lyght): B Am I the only one who has been very underwhelmed by T Pride? maybe its because Love is lined up opposite him and teams are always avoiding him but it seems like every tea picks on Pride. We also really are missing S Crawford. The nickel is still an area of weakness. It's time to line up Love and Nickel and Vaughn on the outside in clear passing situations,
S (Joseph): B+ much improved unit. J Elliot seems to be playing much much better, but still room for improvement. Gillman is a ball hawk similar to crawford. my worry here is size (though he plays a lot larger than he is).


Overall Special Teams (Polian):C incredibly underwhelming
KO Kicking: C- Horrible coverage throughout the year and Doer needs some serious improvement. This isn't a high stress job.
FG Kicking: B Yoon gets way too much love for actually missing a fair amount of FGs. I'm not nearly as high on him as a lot of people are. Seems like he misses FGs of consequence (vandy) and just isn't all Kelly hypes him up to be
Punting: A+ Love the energy Newsome brings. Opposite of Yoon-- makes punts of consequenc. How many times can you say a punter truly changes games?
KO Coverage: C Improving, but poor.
Punt Coverage: N/A haven't really noticed. Newsome does most of the work here.
RETURN GAME-- IDK why we aren't grading this, but seriusly we cant find a KRer? with all the talent we have? C'mon. Finke doing solid job at PR but I refuse to believe there isn't a better option. Kelly plays the return game too safe and it drives me mad.

Strength and Conditioning (Balis): B+ time will tell but the team looks to have the physical and mental edge on everyone so far. Tillery, Okwara, Coney, Tranquil the best example here. a bulked up Ian book too.

Offensive Player of the Year: At this point, Book. By the end of the season, Dex or Boykin. Mack could make a push too.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kareem or Tillery.

True Frosh of the Year: has to be H Griffith. Really like K Austin though

Coach of the Year: Elston. And to anyone who thinks otherwise, I want some of what you're smoking.

 

[Irish YJ]

Added in returns. Sorry, my initial included it, but had an earlier copy of the cats.

 

[Irish#1]

All games considered

Coaching - A
Offense - B-
Defense - A
ST - B+