2020 Spring Practice Thread

[IrishLion]

It seems that there is an unofficial Spring Practice schedule going around.

March 5
March 17
March 19
March 21
March 24/25
March 26/27
March 28
March 31
April 2
April 4
April 7
April 9
April 14/15
April 16/17
April 18 - Blue-Gold Game

Dates in bold are dates that media will get to view the entire practice. Dates with two days listed means they haven't decided which day they will have practice yet.

Let's get ready to over-analyze some short practice clips featuring basic fundamental work!

 

[Luckylucci]

In. I've been ready since we beat ISU, lol.

5 most interested players to watch this spring, for me are (no order):

1. Botelho
2. Foskey
3. Liufau
4. Kevin Austin
5. Sophomore CB's (this is kind of cheating, I know) but all of Wallace, Rutherford, and Hart are of note.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

In. I've been ready since we beat ISU, lol.

5 most interested players to watch this spring, for me are (no order):

1. Botelho
2. Foskey
3. Liufau
4. Kevin Austin
5. Sophomore CB's (this is kind of cheating, I know) but all of Wallace, Rutherford, and Hart are of note.

If we're cheating then all the RBs.

 

[ulukinatme]

First practice starts on my birthday. I expect plenty of armchair analysis...es of the first videos as a gift.

 

[NDBoiler]

First practice starts on my birthday. I expect plenty of armchair analysis...es of the first videos as a gift.

We’re going 14-0, Book it.

 

[pumpdog20]

We’re going 14-0, Book it.

Tickets booked to Miami.

 

[GowerND11]

Can't wait to analyze the weight gains of the sophomores.

 

[NDIrish88]

Can't wait to analyze the weight gains of the sophomores.

Hopefully Zeke adds 30 lbs since he got to campus . . . Let the juice flow.

 

[BobbyMac]

In. I've been ready since we beat ISU, lol.

5 most interested players to watch this spring, for me are (no order):

1. Botelho
2. Foskey
3. Liufau
4. Kevin Austin
5. Sophomore CB's (this is kind of cheating, I know) but all of Wallace, Rutherford, and Hart are of note.

I'm going:

1. Austin
2. Austin
3. Austin
4. Austin
5. Tie between Austin and 4-5 other guys.

 

[IrishLion]

I'm going:

1. Austin
2. Austin
3. Austin
4. Austin
5. Tie between Austin and 4-5 other guys.

This is probably the right answer, with honorable mentions for Liufau and safeties not named Kyle Hamilton.

The entire beat loves Liufau, and so many guys call him a "darkhorse" for the BUCK job at this point that he might as well be considered the favorite. Curious to see him in action and see what the hype is about.

In terms of safety, Pryor looks the part, but can he be counted on to play in deep coverage consistently if necessary?

Is Houston Griffith finally going to make a leap now that he's in a more natural position?

 

[hungryhippo]

This is probably the right answer, with honorable mentions for Liufau and safeties not named Kyle Hamilton.

The entire beat loves Liufau, and so many guys call him a "darkhorse" for the BUCK job at this point that he might as well be considered the favorite. Curious to see him in action and see what the hype is about.

In terms of safety, Pryor looks the part, but can he be counted on to play in deep coverage consistently if necessary?

Is Houston Griffith finally going to make a leap now that he's in a more natural position?

A question I've been mulling is whether we see more 4-2-5 base looks with potentially 2 traditional box safeties (Pryor and Griffith) and Hamilton free to hawk in center field.

This may not necessarily be worth looking at because of JOKs freak skill set.

But if he can still be an impact guy sliding inside, this has the potential to be quite a collection of plus athletes on the field at once.

 

[Irish#1]

Can't wait to analyze the weight gains of the sophomores.

Careful, this is awful close to "Bod Squad" obsession mentality.

 

[GowerND11]

Careful, this is awful close to "Bod Squad" obsession mentality.

 

[Luckylucci]

A question I've been mulling is whether we see more 4-2-5 base looks with potentially 2 traditional box safeties (Pryor and Griffith) and Hamilton free to hawk in center field.

This may not necessarily be worth looking at because of JOKs freak skill set.

But if he can still be an impact guy sliding inside, this has the potential to be quite a collection of plus athletes on the field at once.

My guess is, I think you're going to see them try and get Griffith, Pryor, and Hamilton on the field at the same time. And I think they're going to rep JOK inside so he can stay on the field as much as possible. But, I don't think that will be the base defense.

 

[ThePiombino]

My guess is, I think you're going to see them try and get Griffith, Pryor, and Hamilton on the field at the same time. And I think they're going to rep JOK inside so he can stay on the field as much as possible. But, I don't think that will be the base defense.

I think moving JOK inside for certain packages is a great idea. He should be on the field as much as possible short of fatiguing him. That said, if they permanently move him to buck, it's a mistake. He was put on this Earth to play rover.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[BobbyMac]

I think moving JOK inside for certain packages is a great idea. He should be on the field as much as possible short of fatiguing him. That said, if they permanently move him to buck, it's a mistake. He was put on this Earth to play rover.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

A lot of talk about moving JOK inside at some level and short of HIM wanting to go inside for his future development like Drue did, I'd leave him at ROV. There's plenty of need for his position skillset now on Sunday's.

I think I predicted Kiser would be the starting BUCK at 235-240 in '21. I'd love to see him rab it a year early but if not, the last thing I'm worried about is finding an athletic Buck to pair with White & JOK. The roster's full of them and you could reverse engineer the position vs some teams by sliding White to Buck and putting Bauer at Mike.

Lea's gonna have more contributing LB's than Lou had contributors at RB.

 

[rtrn2glory]

A question I've been mulling is whether we see more 4-2-5 base looks with potentially 2 traditional box safeties (Pryor and Griffith) and Hamilton free to hawk in center field.

This may not necessarily be worth looking at because of JOKs freak skill set.

But if he can still be an impact guy sliding inside, this has the potential to be quite a collection of plus athletes on the field at once.[/QUOT

I like the possibility of this. If jok can handle the switch but it would be risky moving him with the amount of impact he had last year

 

[Luckylucci]

A real lack of excitement around here considering Spring ball starts tomorrow. Even if it is only for one day before a 2 week vacation, lol.

 

[phork]

A real lack of excitement around here considering Spring ball starts tomorrow. Even if it is only for one day before a 2 week vacation, lol.

Its like meaningless football brah. Excitement boils over in the fall..

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Its like meaningless football brah. Excitement boils over in the fall..

Blasphemy! There is no such thing as meaningless football.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Going to be tough to have nothin for a few weeks after seeing highlights today. Should be a lot of good stuff

 

[Irish#1]

Ahh yes, spring football, when everyone and everything gets analyzed a hundred ways to Sunday and optimism springs eternal.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Ahh yes, spring football, when everyone and everything gets analyzed a hundred ways to Sunday and optimism springs eternal.

Based on the practice that will take place later today, I believe ND will go undefeated this year. Go Irish!

 

[IrishLion]

I'm actually kind of excited to see how the OL does WITHOUT three starters.

Eichenberg - ? - Patterson - ? - Lugg

Should give some young guys a chance to push before the established vets are back in July.

I'm really curious to see if Correll added some weight to his frame. It increases the different combos Quinn can use if they can move Patterson around.

 

[stpeteirish]

It seems that there is an unofficial Spring Practice schedule going around.

March 5
March 17
March 19
March 21
March 24/25
March 26/27
March 28
March 31
April 2
April 4
April 7
April 9
April 14/15
April 16/17
April 18 - Blue-Gold Game



so has anyone put out an "official" spring practice schedule?

 

[Luckylucci]

I'm actually kind of excited to see how the OL does WITHOUT three starters.

Eichenberg - ? - Patterson - ? - Lugg

Should give some young guys a chance to push before the established vets are back in July.

I'm really curious to see if Correll added some weight to his frame. It increases the different combos Quinn can use if they can move Patterson around.

Yep. We’re more than likely going to need at least 2 from this group to be ready to go the following year. So, this is a big Spring for those guys with a lot of reps coming at them. And doing so against one of the better DL’s they’ll face all year. I expect it to be ugly at times but hopefully they put up a good fight. Kristofic, Correll, and Dirksen seem to have golden opportunities. Carroll not being able to practice stinks as it seems like he was the most advanced of that group.

 

[IrishLion]

Yep. We’re more than likely going to need at least 2 from this group to be ready to go the following year. So, this is a big Spring for those guys with a lot of reps coming at them. And doing so against one of the better DL’s they’ll face all year. I expect it to be ugly at times but hopefully they put up a good fight. Kristofic, Correll, and Dirksen seem to have golden opportunities. Carroll not being able to practice stinks as it seems like he was the most advanced of that group.

I think Coach D mentioned on SI that Carroll will be moving around to both guard and tackles spots for drills, but won't be full-go until Summer.

Sounds like it could be the same with Hainsey and Kraemer, where they will participate in a lot of things, just not inside drill or full-line work. So the young guys will get plenty of reps, but the vets will still be involved. A good situation not as much for this year, but for 2021 like you mentioned.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

A real lack of excitement around here considering Spring ball starts tomorrow. Even if it is only for one day before a 2 week vacation, lol.

For me it's usually position battles that are interesting but the 2020 starting lineup feels pretty well set. I guess the Y WR and one linebacker spot are up for grabs. Maybe a RB will usurp Jafar before the Navy game. Otherwise it feels like we know the starters with a high degree of confidence.

 

[arrowryan]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Practice #1 complete.<br> <br>Kevin Austin Jr. is damn good. <a href="https://t.co/NrBMlWY79z">pic.twitter.com/NrBMlWY79z</a></p>— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattfreemanISD/status/1235580994029264896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[IrishLion]

Welp.

Am hype.