ESPN ND News Thread

[beryirish]

Brian Kelly offers advice to recruits - High School Football Video - ESPNHS

 

[beryirish]

Interactive Q&A with Matt Fortuna and fans mainly about the upcoming game.

Chat: Chat with Matt Fortuna - SportsNation - ESPN

 

[beryirish]

Freebie on Kelly

ND's Kelly: Mass. has changed 'dramatically'

May 10
10:52PM ET
By Andy Smith
ESPNBoston.com

Notre Dame football coach and St. John’s Prep graduate Brian Kelly was the guest speaker at a St. John’s Prep Alumni Foundation event, tonight at the Danversport Yacht Club. Kelly is deeply rooted in the Bay State, growing up in Chelsea, attending St. John's Prep, and graduating from Worcester's Assumption College in 1983.

Kelly discussed a wide range of topics with reporters before the event.

On how the SJP campus has changed since he was a student there: “It looks like a totally different campus from when I went there. It was just in transition from a boarding school my first year there. You didn’t have the arts building, the football facilities, you didn’t have all the other sports facilities that are there today. But people say that when they ask me about Notre Dame as well. I just think it’s the development of great high schools and college campuses have changed dramatically over the past 15 to 20 years.”

On his playing career at St. John’s Prep: “I think for me, I was undersized, but I loved to play. I think it’s always been with me, every team that I’ve coached, that I want to recruit guys that love to play the game, and I love to play the game. Coach (Fred Glatz, his coach at the Prep) gave guys like myself an opportunity to be a part of the program. Even if we weren’t frontline guys, he was always going to have guys that really loved to play the game. I’ve always tried to mirror that in the teams that I’ve put together. Certainly you need great players as well, but I think you can round off a good team with guys that love to play.”

On what he took with him from playing for Coach Glatz: “Discipline. Attention to detail, which I carry with me today. I’ve credited him, many times, for that. I take all that with me. I carried it with me throughout my entire career that I’m going to reward those guys that put in the time. I’ve taken a lot of great things with me, and that’s why I’m back here.”

On what type of kid he gets when he recruits a player from Massachusetts: “First of all, the game in the state has changed dramatically since when I played. There were very few that came out of the state of Massachusetts and played bigtime college football. That’s changed. I think that’s probably changed across the country. You’re in a large metropolitan area, so when I look at Massachusetts, you don’t poo-poo it and go, ‘Oh they don’t have players.’ There’s going to be BCS players in the state of Massachusetts, so it’s part of our recruiting grid now. It wasn’t when I was at Central Michigan, but we certainly didn’t recruit nationally like Notre Dame. We never felt like Massachusetts was on the grid, and I think that’s just a testament to the development of players here and the game of football.”

On more public school players now being recruited to play Division 1 football: “Well when I was growing up, it was Brockton High School. Brockton was the program, and now Everett High School has taken over that moniker. So there’s still the public school influence in Massachusetts, and obviously you have the private schools that have always been there and have always churned out good players. I think, more than anything else, is that you have some public schools now that play at a high level, coupled with the private schools that have done well for a number of years.”

On what convinces him that a public school player can make the jump to play at a high Division 1 level, like at Notre Dame: “There are so many opportunities for kids now to be measured nationally with exposure camps, that it makes it very easy to see how they stack up nationally with other kids. They all go to these high-exposure camps now so you get an opportunity to see how they measure, so if their competition isn’t quite up to maybe some of the other levels, you can still come up with good information as to how they’re going to make that transition.”

On the pressure of coaching at Notre Dame: “I needed all of my 17 years of experience to sit in that seat. I learn every day. I’ve learned a lot in my first two years. I think, for me, I just focus on why I’m there, and that’s to coach the kids.”

Whether he fears the future of the game, with concussions and preventing brain injuries being an important issue in the sports world today: ”I don’t. I believe the game, if conducted in the right fashion, is a game that can be played safely. Now, there are going to be the incidents that we’ve seen, but I am very confident, and I’ve been involved in the game now for about 25 years, that you can teach this game safely and you can play it safely.”

On dealing with outside forces (like booster involvement and players using social media) while coaching at a high-profile college like Notre Dame: “My job is to eliminate confusion on a day-to-day basis, and that’s not easy. You’ve got Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, all the things that are out there, I have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. It’s made being a head football coach today so much more difficult. If there’s one thing that has changed dramatically in the last five years, it’s not recruiting, it’s social media and what we have to do to educate our players. Listen, it’s not going away. So for me to say we’re going to take it away, and we’re not going to let them use social media, it’s not going away. So you better be figuring out how to educate your players, and that’s what we do on a day-to-day basis. "

His early impressions of Charley Molnar, his former offensive coordinator, in his first year as the head football coach at the University of Massachusetts: “I’m really excited for Charley. He’s high-energy. He knows the game. He knows what the landscape of college football looks like as UMass makes that big move up to the BCS and that’s a huge move. But he understands that, because he came from I-AA and he came from a lower Division 1-A background, so he knows what it looks like, and he knows what’s in front of him. They could not have gotten a better guy for the job. Now, they’re not going to go out and win 10 games next year, but they’ve got the right guy to take UMass to that next step and I think he’s going to do a great job.”

On whether there are any SJP players he might be having his eye on: “Let’s put it this way, when you have a name like St. John’s Prep, and you have a connection with Notre Dame... I’ll let you guys fill in the blanks. You’re always going to have an eye towards how they’re doing. Absolutely.”

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Too Early Top 25

Too Early Top 25

By Mark Schlabach

College football's Way-Too-Early 2012 Top 25 - ESPN

He took Notre Dame of the list, which is fine with me. But he may have made the dumbest comment ever for an ESPN worker and that's saying a lot.

What has transpired since the last edition of the 2012 Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25?...
Notre Dame's best player transferred to South Florida.

 

[Buster Bluth]

lololol

June is normally the worst month for off-season news. It's evidently arriving early.

 

[ChiRish]

lololol

June is normally the worst month for off-season news. It's evidently arriving early.

Even on a slow news day, that's embarrassing coming from one of ESPN's "experts." What a joke.

 

[Emcee77]

I don't understand. It's true, isn't it? Lynch at least arguably would have been our best player this season.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

I don't understand. It's true, isn't it? Lynch at least arguably would have been our best player this season.

...but let's not let facts get in the way of a good bitc#ing moment.

 

[NDhoosier]

I don't understand. It's true, isn't it? Lynch at least arguably would have been our best player this season.

Lynch was not our best player, he may have been in the top 5, but I wouldnt put him the top 3.

 

[ChiRish]

Manti Te'o? Tyler Eifert? Lynch was an outstanding player and one of the best on the team, but come on. And the way it's phrased overshadows the players that are still on the team, that's what bothered me.

 

[phork]

Yah I would say Lynch would have been #1. I am sorry you guys didn't see how, as a freshman, he man handled the opposition. He was a freshman, and he was playing like a junior. I say junior because he still had some points to work on in his game, but he was a freshman.
Anyone who minimalizes this loss is truly of the blind.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Yah I would say Lynch would have been #1. I am sorry you guys didn't see how, as a freshman, he man handled the opposition. He was a freshman, and he was playing like a junior. I say junior because he still had some points to work on in his game, but he was a freshman.
Anyone who minimalizes this loss is truly of the blind.

How the hell can you say Lynch was and would be the best player on the team? Where the f*ck does that leave Manti?

Please guys...give me Manti, Eifert and even Tuitt over Lynch!

 

[BGIF]

Lynch was not our best player, he may have been in the top 5, but I wouldnt put him the top 3.

^

By the time he was to graduate perhaps the best player but not yet, not right now.

Ross Browner dominated as a freshman but didn't need to be rested nor counseled about being out of position.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

That is a what if, but I have one too. I think his top end is quite limited. Just a feeling. Not physicality as much as spirit, or attitude.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Yah I would say Lynch would have been #1. I am sorry you guys didn't see how, as a freshman, he man handled the opposition. He was a freshman, and he was playing like a junior. I say junior because he still had some points to work on in his game, but he was a freshman.
Anyone who minimalizes this loss is truly of the blind.

lolol

Manti Te'o?

And I don't think he "manhandled" the opposition. His Michigan State sack was a highlight that happened merely because of a blown assignment. It was gift-wrapped for him. The Florida State game was against an OL that started four freshmen.

He was really really good, but not the best.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

lolol

Manti Te'o?

And I don't think he "manhandled" the opposition. His Michigan State sack was a highlight that happened merely because of a blown assignment. It was gift-wrapped for him. The Florida State game was against an OL that started four freshmen.

He was really really good, but not the best.

Great post! I repped you because it was so finely laid out. Got me to thinking and when the smoke cleared it came to me. AL is an opportunist, a beastly one, but an opportunist. It will be interesting to watch if he takes the easy path like most with opportunistic makeups do, or if he really toughs it out.

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

Yah I would say Lynch would have been #1. I am sorry you guys didn't see how, as a freshman, he man handled the opposition. He was a freshman, and he was playing like a junior. I say junior because he still had some points to work on in his game, but he was a freshman.
Anyone who minimalizes this loss is truly of the blind.

Lynch was/is an extremely talented player. To say he would have been #1 is a huge over statement. Sure he was a beat in pass rushing, but where was he in the ground game? He had the "fancy" stats (sacks), while others like Manti would clean up after him on running downs.

Sure he was a record setting freshman, but do you remember Duval Kamara's record setting freshman campaign? He didn't seem to improve on those numbers. Heck, Tommy Rees is right up there at the top in some stats columns.

I'm not saying Lynch couldn't be great, I'm saying that to pronounce him as #1 over Manti Te'o (the best MLB in college football) is absurd!

 

[phork]

Yah who needs fancy stats like sacks.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Yah who needs fancy stats like sacks.

No...I want to hear your reasoning why you think that Lynch was and would have been the best player on the team. Why is he better than Manti?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Yah I would say Lynch would have been #1. I am sorry you guys didn't see how, as a freshman, he man handled the opposition. He was a freshman, and he was playing like a junior.

Not even close.

I say junior because he still had some points to work on in his game, but he was a freshman.

Huge understatement. Lynch was a serious liability against the run. When Ethan Johnson went down and Lynch stepped in as a starter, our run defense was significantly weaker. He simply couldn't be trusted to handle a single gap, let alone two.

Anyone who minimalizes this loss is truly of the blind.

Anyone who touts Lynch as the best player on last year's team is just as blind. He undoubtedly had the most potential, and was the best pass rusher on the team. But he had serious gaps in his game, and there were always concerns about him fitting in Diaco's system.

The guy was a prototypical 4-3 WDE; would he have developed the strength and discipline necessary to be effective against the run in a 3-4, as well as a beastly pass rusher? Maybe. But he wasn't even close when he left, so claiming he was the best player on our team is laughable.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I will chime in again. I am not convinced he has not reached his potential; Honestly how would you know? It sounds silly to say that.

Here is my next arguement. Stephon is better for ND's defense, especially with Kappy and Nix. I think this years recruits, Day who has demonstrably the best technique of any incoming freshman ever, and a whole lot of strength and speed as well, along with Jones, who has the uncoachables, may have given AL a real run for his money. In fact, I bet Day burries AL's freshman numbers, and is solid against the run, based upon his playing time.

 

[Downinthebend]

Not even close.



Huge understatement. Lynch was a serious liability against the run. When Ethan Johnson went down and Lynch stepped in as a starter, our run defense was significantly weaker. He simply couldn't be trusted to handle a single gap, let alone two.



Anyone who touts Lynch as the best player on last year's team is just as blind. He undoubtedly had the most potential, and was the best pass rusher on the team. But he had serious gaps in his game, and there were always concerns about him fitting in Diaco's system.

The guy was a prototypical 4-3 WDE; would he have developed the strength and discipline necessary to be effective against the run in a 3-4, as well as a beastly pass rusher? Maybe. But he wasn't even close when he left, so claiming he was the best player on our team is laughable.

Quick thing, Diaco uses a 4 de front and a 3 de front pretty much interchangeably. So saying that he is a 4-3 DE doesn't disqualify him (or make him any worse) in Diaco's system. (as far as I could tell).

 

[rock_knutne]

Lynch is a HUGE loss......no doubt about it but his departure doesn't bring ND's world to an end.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Quick thing, Diaco uses a 4 de front and a 3 de front pretty much interchangeably. So saying that he is a 4-3 DE doesn't disqualify him (or make him any worse) in Diaco's system. (as far as I could tell).

A 4-3 WDE never has to two-gap. He's more or less free to just get after the QB on every play.

Even when ND shows an even front, it's still a 3-4 defense.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Lynch is a HUGE loss......no doubt about it but his departure doesn't bring ND's world to an end.

This conversation isn't about if Lynch was a huge loss.

The conversation is about the stupidity of some people on this board who think he was our best player.

 

[rock_knutne]

This conversation isn't about if Lynch was a huge loss.

The conversation is about the stupidity of some people on this board who think he was our best player.

I agree 100%!!

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I agree 100%!!

word

 

[Downinthebend]

A 4-3 WDE never has to two-gap. He's more or less free to just get after the QB on every play.

Even when ND shows an even front, it's still a 3-4 defense.

How you gap as a defense is determined by scheme not front (4-3 vs 3-4) there are teams that two gap the DEs in the run as a 4-3 (but they almost always let them one gap in passing situations) just like there are teams that can one gap the DEs in a 3-4. If I understand correctly, its determined by how a coach wants to scheme it situationally and isn't a hard and fast rule.

The Colts with Freeney and Mathis wouldn't let them one gap on running downs ( even took them out sometimes) but let them run free on passing downs.

I'm not well vested in Diaco's system (its tough to tell if a person is two gapping or one gapping). How can I find that out, like all I pretty much know about Diaco's system is that he uses the 3-4 and the 4-3 alot.

Sure AL is probably more of a 4-3 rush end than a 3-4 run eating guy, but that doesn't mean hes better or worse in Diaco's system (it appears that Diaco on passing downs didn't two gap regardless of front).

But this is too much talk for someone that didn't want to play.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

The Colts with Freeney and Mathis wouldn't let them one gap on running downs ( even took them out sometimes) but let them run free on passing downs.

That was my point. Players like Lynch and Freeney don't get asked to two-gap.

Sure AL is probably more of a 4-3 rush end than a 3-4 run eating guy, but that doesn't mean hes better or worse in Diaco's system (it appears that Diaco on passing downs didn't two gap regardless of front).

You obviously never turn down a recruit with Lynch's talent if he wants to come to your school, but he was never a good fit for Diaco's 3-4. From day one, he was being asked to do things that were far outside of his comfort zone.

As I mentioned earlier, he might have gained the strength and discipline necessary to function as a true #1, but we'll never know.

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

Yah who needs fancy stats like sacks.

Aaron Lynch (freshman): Sacks 1 Ast, 5 Solo
Prince Shembo (freshman): Sacks 1 Ast, 4 Solo
So wait...was Prince the best player for ND before Lynch came along? You'd think with those numbers he would only improve...especially with more play time, right? So are you assuming Lynch would improve in a similar fashion?

Lynch was tied for 92nd in the country with sacks. So does that mean there are 92 other players across the country who would be ND's best player?