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arrowryan

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I think we need have a conversation about Raridon. Was he a solid college TE? Absolutely. But it’s not like they’re trying to replace Mayer. They’re replacing a TE who had *checks notes* zero touchdowns in 2025.

Personally, I’d be surprised if the tight ends aren’t better in 2026. I am VERY high on Premer.
 
IRISHbluehen

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The beat will be meeting with Freeman this afternoon, similar to last year, they'll do it in small group sessions. Should get some interesting tidbits at least over the next day or so.
 
IrishLax

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arrowryan said:
I think we need have a conversation about Raridon. Was he a solid college TE? Absolutely. But it’s not like they’re trying to replace Mayer. They’re replacing a TE who had *checks notes* zero touchdowns in 2025.

Personally, I’d be surprised if the tight ends aren’t better in 2026. I am VERY high on Premer.
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He's certainly not Michael Mayer but we also can't scoff at dudes drafted in the top 100 picks. Anyone going off the board by the middle rounds has got to be objectively seen as a top player and not a sure thing to replace. I will be surprised if the guys are better than him *this year* because they are still relatively young.

ETA: Flanagan isn't young, but the two highest upside pass catching guys (Premer and Flanigan) are. Honestly, run blocking might be the most important thing this year, and TE might be the least relevant it has been in decades for ND success.
 
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ulukinatme

ulukinatme

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arrowryan said:
I think we need have a conversation about Raridon. Was he a solid college TE? Absolutely. But it’s not like they’re trying to replace Mayer. They’re replacing a TE who had *checks notes* zero touchdowns in 2025.

Personally, I’d be surprised if the tight ends aren’t better in 2026. I am VERY high on Premer.
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I think Raridon showed some flashes of ability, but the injuries held him back. He probably is and could have been better than the stats show, he looked like a future phenom in early practices and film before the injuries slowed his development. I also think with the departure of Pyne and Porker we relied less on the TE and got the ball to our receivers more. A 3rd rounder as a TE is pretty damn good too.
 
IAIrish

IAIrish

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IAIrish said:
TE for me is fascinating to monitor compared to last year. I thought not having Flanagan as a 2nd TE in 12 sets brought the run game down a notch.

I know some will counter with the talent of Love/ Price, but Flanagan is an elite run blocker and Flanigan isn't far behind, imo.

I predict hose 12 sets will hit different this year. And someone from the room is gonna catch a couple td's. Heck, might even be a sneak option from the group.
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Me, Dorka and MF see it the same.
 
GrangerIrish24

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Dale said:
The call on Hartman’s run is so much worse than I remember:



Would think it was a 2 and 5 conversion in the 1Q
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I remember when it happened. I thought he didn’t get it because Reece paused and then instantly went with not converting against OSU.
 
Dale

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Was he remote and not at the game? He has a chance to run for it as he’s 13 yards into a 16 yard run
 
stlnd01

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NotKoon said:
It’s amazing how important that play is in ND history, if they don’t convert, Riley Leonard probably never ends up here
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Also probably the single biggest play Hartman ever made for us. (USC was a bigger win but that was largely the defense).

But yeah weird call. Part of me tends to cut live TV play-by-play guys some slack; I, for one, would be babbling incoherently in that role. But also knowing what to say in the big moments is kind of their entire (very well-paid) job and they are highly-trained professionals.
 
ulukinatme

ulukinatme

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I feel like Hartman didn't get a ton of credit for that season, when he was hamstrung by a lot of injured and way too young WRs, along with an OC that didn't know what the fuck he was doing against any defense with a pulse. That run put the team on his back, reminded me of Kizer doing the same against I want to say Temple in a similar slugfest. We were struggling to move the ball at times in that one, and it was either that game or another where Kizer had to make a gutsy run and take a hit for the 1st instead of sliding early. Put the team on his back there for the game.
 
stlnd01

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ulukinatme said:
I feel like Hartman didn't get a ton of credit for that season, when he was hamstrung by a lot of injured and way too young WRs, along with an OC that didn't know what the fuck he was doing against any defense with a pulse. That run put the team on his back, reminded me of Kizer doing the same against I want to say Temple in a similar slugfest. We were struggling to move the ball at times in that one, and it was either that game or another where Kizer had to make a gutsy run and take a hit for the 1st instead of sliding early. Put the team on his back there for the game.
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Hartman did what he could with, yes, a weak WR corps and an OC who was in over his head. Always will respect the guy for sticking after Rees left. And he had some great moments, like that one.
But in retrospect the hype around him coming in ridiculous. I guess by that point we were so starved for a legit QB, people were talking like he'd win the Heisman. Then I went to the Tennessee State game and saw him short-arm a few deep balls and it became apparent pretty quick he was not quite all that.
 
ulukinatme

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stlnd01 said:
Hartman did what he could with, yes, a weak WR corps and an OC who was in over his head. Always will respect the guy for sticking after Rees left. And he had some great moments, like that one.
But in retrospect the hype around him coming in ridiculous. I guess by that point we were so starved for a legit QB, people were talking like he'd win the Heisman. Then I went to the Tennessee State game and saw him short-arm a few deep balls and it became apparent pretty quick he was not quite all that.
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Absolutely. The hype coming in was a bit much. "He's got all the ACC all time passing records!" Well, yeah, he played in a certain system and basically had stats for 4+ years of starts because of a medical and the COVID year. I thought he'd be good, but I wasn't sure how running Wake's system would translate into Parker's question marks. Just because he had more stats than a Philip Rivers or a Trevor Lawrence doesn't mean he's a better QB necessarily. Initial hype aside, he made some lemonade from the lemons and gave us some great moments like the USC game (With some help from Xavier Watts and the defense).
 
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