D Walk leaving ND

[Stalking_Eagle]

Not at all he wants #7, the number he has worn in HS.

I would take number 00 if I was a QB.

 

[GoshenGipper]

If I was going to play QB at ND, then I would want to wear #3, but since #7 was Jimmy's high school number, and Darrin Bragg just switched from #7 to #81 before the season then I'm pretty sure he is going to wear #7. But that's ok, because several other great Irish QBs have worn #7 also, like John Huarte, Joe Theismann, Steve Beuerlein, Jarious Jackson.

 

[weisbankaccount]

Some of you are a little too in love with prospects. Walker is a proven entity, no way he gets beat out next year, if anything he shares 25% of the load. If Walker leaves, they BETTER move Travis Thomas back to RB - hes a damn good RB!!

How can you say Armando Allen next year? The didnt play his senior season due to a broken leg but hes gonna walk into Notre Dame and play as a Freshman?

 

[Satans Little Helper]

Some of you are a little too in love with prospects. Walker is a proven entity, no way he gets beat out next year, if anything he shares 25% of the load. If Walker leaves, they BETTER move Travis Thomas back to RB - hes a damn good RB!!

How can you say Armando Allen next year? The didnt play his senior season due to a broken leg but hes gonna walk into Notre Dame and play as a Freshman?

hey,lets lighten up on the sarcasm son!

 

[GoshenGipper]

Today, Walker will be announcing that he is leaving ND. I will miss him, because I thought the offense could have really used an experienced an charismatic leader in the backfield. Especially an inexperienced OL and QB when it comes to picking up the blitz.

T. Thomas and Coach Weis had already decided a week or two after the USC game, that TT was going to move back to RB for his 5th year.

BTW, AA is entering the last stage of his rehab and will be at full speed in time for spring practice.

My guess is that we'll see a heavy dose of TT nex year, with some of Aldridge, Prince, and AA mixed in.

 

[johnnd05]

Some sensible remarks on BGS:

We'll talk more about this surprising development once the conference is over and more facts and quotes are out there, but to me this is a reasonable, if not smart, move on Walker's part. With a new QB, new WRs, and a new OL next year, he'd be the only known commodity for the Irish offense and opposing defenses would be gunning for him. In addition, every running back only has so many carries in him, and Walker has carried the ball a whole lot in his career at ND (he's already 3rd all-time at ND in career carries). Darius likely knows he's not a 1st-round draft pick now, but he also knows he won't be one next year. A 3rd/4th/5th-round slot now with a team that knows how to use him is better than the possibility of him dropping even lower next year. And with his performance against the LSU defense, he's certainly leaving on a high note.

It definitely seems right that the potential for injury via overuse was a real concern.

 

[FleaFlicker]

Some of you are a little too in love with prospects. Walker is a proven entity, no way he gets beat out next year, if anything he shares 25% of the load. If Walker leaves, they BETTER move Travis Thomas back to RB - hes a damn good RB!!

How can you say Armando Allen next year? The didnt play his senior season due to a broken leg but hes gonna walk into Notre Dame and play as a Freshman?

There is no way to no about Armando at this point. But something to think about, both Rivals and Scout have said that he most likely would have been a high 5-star if he would not have been injured. They just couldn't do it because he didn't play at all his senior year.

One of the best analysis of him that I heard was that he is a burner, sub-4.4. speed. And he runs like he is attached to a line that is also attached to both goal posts. He'll stretch the line left to right occassionally to avoid tacklers, but his is pretty much a North-South guy that can outrun anybody. He is quick, but doesn't get cute with his quickness, he knows where the endzone is and is good at getting there without having to turn defenders in circles.

 

[southbendkid]

I don't understand why DW is leaving. DW is underutilized half the time and he still has consecutive 1000+ yard seasons. If the team didn't pass so much and fully utilized him he would have played like he did in the first half of the LSU game every game. With Brady Quinn leaving, he wouldn't have to compete with the pass as much as he did in his junior season and he would have carried this young team. I have always thought DW was one of the most underated players and i thought he was going to prove himself next season and become a first round draft pick.

 

[marv81s]

Take a look at the RB that are coming out this year and look at the ones that will be elgible next year, it makes sense when you look at it. I was, am, upset and shocked too, but I think he is doing what is best for him. Besides, I think he is only 1 class short of graduating anyway, so he can get that done.

 

[Junkhead]

My guess is he thinks opposing D's will key the run, especially with a new line and QB. Which is what I would do!

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I don't understand why DW is leaving. DW is underutilized half the time and he still has consecutive 1000+ yard seasons. If the team didn't pass so much and fully utilized him he would have played like he did in the first half of the LSU game every game. With Brady Quinn leaving, he wouldn't have to compete with the pass as much as he did in his junior season and he would have carried this young team. I have always thought DW was one of the most underated players and i thought he was going to prove himself next season and become a first round draft pick.

It makes sense. Walker is at best a 4th round pick and will never improve that...so he might as well move on. He has lots of yards rushing, but not when it counts (with a couple exceptions), and he's slow...next year with all the losses on offense he will get brutalized and will be lucky to get 1000 yards.

ND passes because it cannot run...

 

[sblxdoc]

I originally thought that it wasn't a good idea for DW to leave, but the more I look at everything the more I believe this is the best decision. DW is going out on a high note. It cannot get any better then it is right now. If he stays, he will be fighting for carries with everyone else. Plus, w/o the offensive threats next year, Dwalks draws and screens out of the backfield will be minimized and will also minimize his offensive production. At this point there is no valid reason for him to come back. With that being said, I will definitely miss the consistency that Dwalk brought to this team.

 

[southbendkid]

Walker was rarely given the ball on important down. The few times he did get the ball(LSU, GT) he did an excellent job. I think Charllie had BQ pass it more than he should have and it hurt both the running and passing game. Its true that our O-line is going to suck donkey balls next year but i think your forgetting that our O-line sucked donkey balls last year. I think Walker's ability to sprint around the corner nullified the fact that the O-line was terrible and it would have been the same way next year.

 

[southbendkid]

Also if you think DW is going fail to compete with Aldridge and Allen then you are underestimating him like everyone else. With the LSU game as proof of his talent and the probability that we are going to have a poor season next year, I don't think CW would have under utilized what would have been the best offensive player next year.

 

[tgolden]

and he's slow...

haha, yet somehow he outran some of those speedy SEC guys. He beat a safety a few times who had an angel on him. He certainly didn't look slow that day against a very fast team.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

haha, yet somehow he outran some of those speedy SEC guys. He beat a safety a few times who had an angel on him. He certainly didn't look slow that day against a very fast team.

1 game out of 36 and he finally looks fast.

So I guess the other 35 games were an abberation?

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Walker was rarely given the ball on important down. The few times he did get the ball(LSU, GT) he did an excellent job. I think Charllie had BQ pass it more than he should have and it hurt both the running and passing game. Its true that our O-line is going to suck donkey balls next year but i think your forgetting that our O-line sucked donkey balls last year. I think Walker's ability to sprint around the corner nullified the fact that the O-line was terrible and it would have been the same way next year.

Ummmm...hello...he got stuffed on 3rd and 1 plenty of times in the last 2 years. Why do you think they started bringing in Travis Thomas for goal line situations?

Sprint around the corner? He was only able to turn a corner in 1 game in 3 years... (LSU) In everyother game he was stuffed when he tried to do that.

I like DW. He's a great pass blocker, he picks up the blitz well, and he can catch a ball with ease... But the dude is slow and NEVER broke a big run (60 yards or more) in his entire career. He carried the ball over 800 times...he had his chance and he was never able to.

DW is slow, plain and simple...it's not like I am highlighting something that people don't know...it's not even my opinion, it's just a fact.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Also if you think DW is going fail to compete with Aldridge and Allen then you are underestimating him like everyone else. With the LSU game as proof of his talent and the probability that we are going to have a poor season next year, I don't think CW would have under utilized what would have been the best offensive player next year.

Underutilized HOW? He had the carries, he got yards, but it was only enough to really turn one game all year...GT. Even then it was for 99 yards.

Seriously, he's a great guy and has many talents, but he is NOT an explosive threat. That is something that all of our GOOD opponents know and have talked about. They don't waste time trying to stuff his run, because they can almost ALWAYS do it with 3 or 4 on the line.

In fact, one reason we struggled so much with good teams these last 2 years is the lack of a home-run threat at Running Back.

 

[FleaFlicker]

Ummmm...hello...he got stuffed on 3rd and 1 plenty of times in the last 2 years. Why do you think they started bringing in Travis Thomas for goal line situations?

Sprint around the corner? He was only able to turn a corner in 1 game in 3 years... (LSU) In everyother game he was stuffed when he tried to do that.

I like DW. He's a great pass blocker, he picks up the blitz well, and he can catch a ball with ease... But the dude is slow and NEVER broke a big run (60 yards or more) in his entire career. He carried the ball over 800 times...he had his chance and he was never able to.

DW is slow, plain and simple...it's not like I am highlighting something that people don't know...it's not even my opinion, it's just a fact.

I believe the longest run of his career was 40 yards. 800 carries and your longest run is 40 yards? That means you don't even outrun slow teams. As others have said, great all-purpose back, but no one is scared of your running game when he is in there.

 

[BleedinOrange]

Underutilized HOW? He had the carries, he got yards, but it was only enough to really turn one game all year...GT. Even then it was for 99 yards.

Seriously, he's a great guy and has many talents, but he is NOT an explosive threat. That is something that all of our GOOD opponents know and have talked about. They don't waste time trying to stuff his run, because they can almost ALWAYS do it with 3 or 4 on the line.

In fact, one reason we struggled so much with good teams these last 2 years is the lack of a home-run threat at Running Back.

Would a "homerun" back have helped you score 42 against LSU or 48 against Michigan? I'm sorry I have to disagree......

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Would a "homerun" back have helped you score 42 against LSU or 48 against Michigan? I'm sorry I have to disagree......

A homerun threat could have EASILY changed the bowl game last year. OSU only sent 4 against the line, since they knew DW could never get past the LB corps...if he even made it past the line.

UM comes to mind this year. Those 4 boys held him to 25 yards on 10 carries. Had we been able to run the ball and had a fast back, that game would have been different. We would have had the ball more. We would have scored. Having the ball more would have prevented UM from scoring.

Heck against LSU you saw it. In the first half, we were running the ball and controlling the clock. We were in the game. In the second half LSU decided to stuff the run by bringing one more guy to the line. Game over, we got crushed.

His longest rush all year was 39 yards. Last year he ripped off one for 38. The year before 40.

When opposing Defenses know that the running back is not a threat they double-cover the receivers like crazy.

Notre Dame has had an inability to control the ball with the running game over the last 3 years...and that has led to the team being forced to pass more than they would like. Weis talks about it in his press conferences. He is just too nice to say that it's because no one fears DW.

 

[FleaFlicker]

Would a "homerun" back have helped you score 42 against LSU or 48 against Michigan? I'm sorry I have to disagree......

I don't think you quite understand. Here are two things.

He said, "the last two years". Of the two games we lost in the regular season last year, one was on the last play of the game, the other was in overtime. And we were in the Fiesta bowl until 5 minutes left in the game.

Also, a homerun threat isn't only important because it accounts for running touchdowns. It changes everything. If a defense is scared of your RB, they play up, or bite on Play action far more often. In each of those scenarios, it makes your passing game much better. Similar to how a home-run threat receiver makes a bigger impact than just the home-run route. It makes safeties play back farther, providing more room in front of them.

To put it simpler, a home-run back, or a strong running game is a very important factor of a dynamic offense. LSU had it, OSU had it, Florida had dynamics more in the fact that they had a running QB, but they still had a decent run game.

Same reason Arkansas would have been incredible if they had decent passing, because the run threat opened everything up for them.

 

[BleedinOrange]

I don't think you quite understand. Here are two things.

He said, "the last two years". Of the two games we lost in the regular season last year, one was on the last play of the game, the other was in overtime. And we were in the Fiesta bowl until 5 minutes left in the game.

Also, a homerun threat isn't only important because it accounts for running touchdowns. It changes everything. If a defense is scared of your RB, they play up, or bite on Play action far more often. In each of those scenarios, it makes your passing game much better. Similar to how a home-run threat receiver makes a bigger impact than just the home-run route. It makes safeties play back farther, providing more room in front of them.

To put it simpler, a home-run back, or a strong running game is a very important factor of a dynamic offense. LSU had it, OSU had it, Florida had dynamics more in the fact that they had a running QB, but they still had a decent run game.

Same reason Arkansas would have been incredible if they had decent passing, because the run threat opened everything up for them.

I know what a "homerun" back is and what they can bring to offense. I understand football very well but thanks for the knowledge.

Also, I think ND's problem has clearly been their defense in the past 2 years.

For what I remember wasn't it ND's defense that was winning them game when they started out 9-0 in 2002? First year for Ty? DId they have good recruits on defense or something, what was the story with that?

 

[claynd105]

I know what a "homerun" back is and what they can bring to offense. I understand football very well but thanks for the knowledge.

Also, I think ND's problem has clearly been their defense in the past 2 years.

For what I remember wasn't it ND's defense that was winning them game when they started out 9-0 in 2002? First year for Ty? DId they have good recruits on defense or something, what was the story with that?

They forced a lot of turnovers and played pretty well until they imploded against USC, which ultimately won Carson Palmer the Heisman, and then Phillip Rivers also made them look really bad in the Gator Bowl.

 

[FleaFlicker]

I know what a "homerun" back is and what they can bring to offense. I understand football very well but thanks for the knowledge.

Also, I think ND's problem has clearly been their defense in the past 2 years.

For what I remember wasn't it ND's defense that was winning them game when they started out 9-0 in 2002? First year for Ty? DId they have good recruits on defense or something, what was the story with that?

I wasn't trying to be insulting, but it was clear that you weren't analyzing all aspects of it. Like the fact that a dynamic, fast runner makes a passing offense much more possible. When everyone KNOWS you are going to pass, it's much harder to.

OSU ripped apart UM's rushing defense. ND had .2 yards a carry that game. That clearly made a difference, not only in first downs, but in our ability to pass.

Obviously ND's biggest worry is the defense though, you are right on that. I'm amazed that Minter wasn't fired this year. Absolutely amazed. He hasn't been a good defensive coordinator in the last 25 years. In Ty's first year, they did have some really good recruits on defense. Bob Davie was a defensive coordinator and had brought in some really strong guys. Also, Ty's D-Coordinator was Kent Baer, and Greg Mattison was also helping with the D. The same greg Mattison that is now the D-Coordinator for Florida. So obviously the guy knows what he is doing. I'd love to have him back.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

For what I remember wasn't it ND's defense that was winning them game when they started out 9-0 in 2002? First year for Ty? DId they have good recruits on defense or something, what was the story with that?

8-0...yeah.

And all the recruits were Davie's. Davie was the DC under Holtz and had much much better Defenses than we have seen from 2003-2006.