2019 Spring Practice Thread

[NDdomer2]

Didnt the Zenmaster have a 10+ year NBA career?

 

[Me2SouthBend]

sure?

No matter how long I watch, he never misses. Holy S*** he's accurate.

 

[GowerND11]

Didnt the Zenmaster have a 10+ year NBA career?

And 2 titles as a player

 

[NDBoiler]

Please tell me he's not wearing jeans with a polo tucked in. What a hobo. Lost a lot of respect.

And a wristwatch and reading glasses tucked into his shirt buttons.

 

[zelezo vlk]

It was the 90s. Many crimes against fashion were committed

 

[condoms SUCk]

And a wristwatch and reading glasses tucked into his shirt buttons.

at least he isn't wearing brown shoes with a black shirt.

 

[ulukinatme]

Tommy COACHING any of this is fine --- he knows exactly how to do all of this. I doubt Phil Jackson could shoot the jump shot off the screen or Lombardi run the Green Bay sweep.

“He who can does; he who cannot, teaches.”

 

[IrishLion]

“He who can does; he who cannot, teaches.”

"... and he who can't teach, teaches gym."

 

[Irish YJ]

"... and he who can't teach, teaches gym."

 

[Old Man Mike]

In competition Jackson didn't make his living shooting from distance ... but who cares? Tommy can throw it with no one rushing too.

And I know Lombardi couldn't tote the rock like Hornung. Though once upon a time, as a member of the Seven Blocks of Granite, he could knock you down.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

It was the 90s. Many crimes against fashion were committed

You mean like this?

 

[greyhammer90]

Just listened to the II podcast. They shared some... not so positive thoughts about Allen and Ewell.

Derrick Allen is apparently getting lots of reps with the 1st stringers and isn't showing well at all. Also stated that they were warned by other sources (I assume Atlanta scouts) that Allen was overrated. Sounds like he's probably going to end up a JAG.

Ewell was much more disheartening. I didn't have high expectations after hearing about how out of shape he was and his positions switches, but Prister just came out and unequivocally said "He cannot play at this level." I don't recall Prister ever doing that with a kid before.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Just listened to the II podcast. They shared some... not so positive thoughts about Allen and Ewell.

Derrick Allen is apparently getting lots of reps with the 1st stringers and isn't showing well at all. Also stated that they were warned by other sources (I assume Atlanta scouts) that Allen was overrated. Sounds like he's probably going to end up a JAG.

Ewell was much more disheartening. I didn't have high expectations after hearing about how out of shape he was and his positions switches, but Prister just came out and unequivocally said "He cannot play at this level." I don't recall Prister ever doing that with a kid before.

A lot of what they were saying about Allen reminded me about what was said about Nyles Morgan when he was a freshman/sophomore. Too much thought, not enough instinct.

 

[greyhammer90]

A lot of what they were saying about Allen reminded me about what was said about Nyles Morgan when he was a freshman/sophomore. Too much thought, not enough instinct.

Maybe. With Morgan I never got the sense that athleticism was the problem. Despite O'Malley referencing a lack of confidence, I think they both seemed to indicate that they didn't think Allen had the athletic explosiveness to be a championship-level safety. (It makes you wonder where his rating came from, because he was a 4* CB.)

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Maybe. With Morgan I never got the sense that athleticism was the problem. Despite O'Malley referencing a lack of confidence, I think they both seemed to indicate that they didn't think Allen had the athletic explosiveness to be a championship-level safety. (It makes you wonder where his rating came from, because he was a 4* CB.)

Is depth at safety the only reason they havent tried him at linebacker yet?

 

[Irish#1]

Exactly, I don’t think his ineffectiveness in the long ball is because of lack of arm strength, he can get it far, just needs to figure out the ratio of strength and touch.

Most QB's can get it down the field if given time to set up and plant their feet. Book can get it down there, but he does lack some arm strength. The strength Book lacks is the ability to go long with zip on the ball. You need this when coverage is pretty tight and you have a small window to make the fit.

 

[Irish Man3]

Is depth at safety the only reason they havent tried him at linebacker yet?

He really hasn't been up to par with physicality or athleticism to this point. A lack of bodies at safety and a plethora of bodies at linebacker have made a move unlikely.

The staff just moved Moala to Rover last week from safety also.

 

[IrishLax]

Just listened to the II podcast. They shared some... not so positive thoughts about Allen and Ewell.

Derrick Allen is apparently getting lots of reps with the 1st stringers and isn't showing well at all. Also stated that they were warned by other sources (I assume Atlanta scouts) that Allen was overrated. Sounds like he's probably going to end up a JAG.

Ewell was much more disheartening. I didn't have high expectations after hearing about how out of shape he was and his positions switches, but Prister just came out and unequivocally said "He cannot play at this level." I don't recall Prister ever doing that with a kid before.

Ewell is probably the wrongest I've ever been about a recruit. I was absolutely 100% sure he was going to be a difference maker.

 

[Armyirish47]

Maybe. With Morgan I never got the sense that athleticism was the problem. Despite O'Malley referencing a lack of confidence, I think they both seemed to indicate that they didn't think Allen had the athletic explosiveness to be a championship-level safety. (It makes you wonder where his rating came from, because he was a 4* CB.)

And weren't they pretty much unanimous that DJ Brown looked better there already too?

 

[Irish Man3]

Ewell is probably the wrongest I've ever been about a recruit. I was absolutely 100% sure he was going to be a difference maker.

You can't predict work ethic though. I was in the same boat as you because Ewell has all the phsical tools. The dude has just been lazy and part of that might be because he has a lot going on off the field being a father. I don't want to bury the guy, he just hasn't put the work in.

 

[Irish#1]

Ewell is probably the wrongest I've ever been about a recruit. I was absolutely 100% sure he was going to be a difference maker.

A lot of us were wrong about him. He had the build to be a force on the line. Given that he has never gotten into shape, it makes you think he never really cared about playing FB. Was it just a means to get his education paid for?

 

[greyhammer90]

You can't predict work ethic though. I was in the same boat as you because Ewell has all the phsical tools. The dude has just been lazy and part of that might be because he has a lot going on off the field being a father. I don't want to bury the guy, he just hasn't put the work in.

A lot of us were wrong about him. He had the build to be a force on the line. Given that he has never gotten into shape, it makes you think he never really cared about playing FB. Was it just a means to get his education paid for?

Just to protect the kid's good name, O'Malley has indicated on the II board that it's not that Ewell is lazy. He's just not good at football on the level ND is playing at. It happens, but usually when a kid doesn't pan out he was a 3 star project, not a 4 star ranked in the top ten at his position. It seems like this was just a swing and miss by scouts everywhere. Maybe everyone was blinded by his measurements.

 

[BobbyMac]

Just to protect the kid's good name, O'Malley has indicated on the II board that it's not that Ewell is lazy. He's just not good at football on the level ND is playing at. It happens, but usually when a kid doesn't pan out he was a 3 star project, not a 4 star ranked in the top ten at his position. It seems like this was just a swing and miss by scouts everywhere. Maybe everyone was blinded by his measurements.

Could it be he was an OG that ND played on the wrong side of the ball? Kid earned his stars on the camp circuit as an OL. Top 5 at the Opening Regional. Maybe they got tricked into believing they could pull another Tillery because of his physique? DL is a different mindset than OL. Speaking of physique, dude was put together. We've heard over and over he was out of shape... I'm not sure if that meant physical shape, aerobic game shape or both. I always go back to that picture of him on the swim team his senior year and think, how does THAT kid get out of shape. For positions that are full of bad weight prospects, this seemed the least of his worries.

I bet his girl and then becoming a father is the biggest piece to this puzzle.

 

[fightingirish26]

Could it be he was an OG that ND played on the wrong side of the ball? Kid earned his stars on the camp circuit as an OL. Top 5 at the Opening Regional. Maybe they got tricked into believing they could pull another Tillery because of his physique? DL is a different mindset than OL. Speaking of physique, dude was put together. We've heard over and over he was out of shape... I'm not sure if that meant physical shape, aerobic game shape or both. I always go back to that picture of him on the swim team his senior year and think, how does THAT kid get out of shape. For positions that are full of bad weight prospects, this seemed the least of his worries.

I bet his girl and then becoming a father is the biggest piece to this puzzle.

Except we already tried him at OL and decided to move him back

 

[Luckylucci]

The dude weighs 340 lbs. I don't care what he looked like on his swim team, he fat now. I hope he gets his degree and sets up a great life for his family but huge bust is right. BK said it in a press conference, you have to spend time to find the kids that want to play football. He clearly doesn't.

 

[BobbyMac]

Just listened to the II podcast. They shared some... not so positive thoughts about Allen and Ewell.

Derrick Allen is apparently getting lots of reps with the 1st stringers and isn't showing well at all. Also stated that they were warned by other sources (I assume Atlanta scouts) that Allen was overrated. Sounds like he's probably going to end up a JAG.

Let me put a spin on this. A lot of people thought he was "overrated" at CB because he grew out of it so fast. When first R&R's came out, DA was a highly advanced CB that though not the most athletic was still the creme of the crop because of technique and length. He also had a rep coming out of Acton Pop Warner/FBU program where he played with Trevor Lawrence and a bunch of other northside ATL talent. As other kids grew into the position, he grew out of it and was then listed at safety. He was 6-2/205 going into his Jr year. The number of CB's who were that size before their JR year that stayed at CB can be counted on one hand. Even then, talk about him was pointing towards a move to LB where his cover skills as a former CB then safety would make him special. That's where Venables saw him at and that's where they offered him, I think UGA was the same if memory serves. Maybe part of why ND won the recruitment is that Elko told him he would be a safety???

Maybe. With Morgan I never got the sense that athleticism was the problem. Despite O'Malley referencing a lack of confidence, I think they both seemed to indicate that they didn't think Allen had the athletic explosiveness to be a championship-level safety. (It makes you wonder where his rating came from, because he was a 4* CB.)

See above regarding the 4* CB and then compare it to K Pyne being the #1 5* OT when the first '20 ratings came out for 247. Sometimes kids are really advanced physically/mentally/experience/technique as soph's. Sometimes the paid sites just whiff. Sometimes it's a combo of both.

Ewell is probably the wrongest I've ever been about a recruit. I was absolutely 100% sure he was going to be a difference maker.

I'll always have Von McKinley.

 

[BobbyMac]

Except we already tried him at OL and decided to move him back

Obviously. My point is he might have been better off playing OL as soon as he got to campus. After being on D for so long and then switching, he was way behind others. Plus I said, his girl and child might be the biggest part of why he has struggled.

 

[Irish#1]

Just to protect the kid's good name, O'Malley has indicated on the II board that it's not that Ewell is lazy. He's just not good at football on the level ND is playing at. It happens, but usually when a kid doesn't pan out he was a 3 star project, not a 4 star ranked in the top ten at his position. It seems like this was just a swing and miss by scouts everywhere. Maybe everyone was blinded by his measurements.

Wasn't referring to him being just plain lazy, but more along the line of him just doing the minimum (not trying that extra rep, not spending free time doing drills, working on technique, etc.).

 

[Luckylucci]

Obviously. My point is he might have been better off playing OL as soon as he got to campus. After being on D for so long and then switching, he was way behind others. Plus I said, his girl and child might be the biggest part of why he has struggled.

He's been way behind others since he showed up. Regardless of what he looked like when he showed up or position he started at, he couldn't even make it through practice. Hinish is puking his guts out and running to the next drill, Darnell can't even walk to the next drill. The guy was struggling to complete consecutive reps in his second year. This has nothing to do with position.

 

[matman4593]

Sometimes it feels like this staff gets so enamored by a player on their current roster that they look to recruit players that come from similar areas with somewhat similar traits. Here, it appears the staff tried to recruit Jerry Tillery 2.0 with Ewell. Hopefully Drue Tranquil 2.0 (Kiser) turns out a little better