Grats to Carlson!

[FleaFlicker]

MANHASSET, N.Y. -- The John Mackey Selection Committee did not snub John Carlson even though the Notre Dame tight end missed nearly a quarter of the season.

Carlson, Arizona State's Zach Miller and Minnesota's Matt Spaeth on Thursday were named the finalists for the John Mackey Award, which is "given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics and community values" of the Hall of Famer.

A senior, Carlson had 46 catches for 621 yards and four touchdowns for the Fighting Irish (10-2) but suffered a knee injury early in their victory over Air Force on Nov. 11 and missed their next two contests, including a 44-24 setback at Southern California last weekend.

Miller, a junior, had 41 catches for 420 yards and three touchdowns for Arizona State (7-5). He was the Sun Devils' primary receiving threat, catching 25 more balls any other player.

A senior, Spaeth had 47 receptions for 564 yards and four TDs for the Golden Gophers (6-6) and was named their team MVP.

The winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN on Dec. 7.

 

[jiggafini19]

Look at those numbers, and he missed TWO games.

He's winning that thing. Period.

 

[FleaFlicker]

Look at those numbers, and he missed TWO games.

He's winning that thing. Period.

Yeah, his numbers stand out like a sore thumb, don't they?

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

MANHASSET, N.Y. -- The John Mackey Selection Committee did not snub John Carlson even though the Notre Dame tight end missed nearly a quarter of the season.

Carlson, Arizona State's Zach Miller and Minnesota's Matt Spaeth on Thursday were named the finalists for the John Mackey Award, which is "given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics and community values" of the Hall of Famer.

A senior, Carlson had 46 catches for 621 yards and four touchdowns for the Fighting Irish (10-2) but suffered a knee injury early in their victory over Air Force on Nov. 11 and missed their next two contests, including a 44-24 setback at Southern California last weekend.

Miller, a junior, had 41 catches for 420 yards and three touchdowns for Arizona State (7-5). He was the Sun Devils' primary receiving threat, catching 25 more balls any other player.

A senior, Spaeth had 47 receptions for 564 yards and four TDs for the Golden Gophers (6-6) and was named their team MVP.

The winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN on Dec. 7.

I seriously hope that Carlson gets this. He was a stud and a huge difference maker on the team. His loss was felt in the USC game.

 

[Irish Envy]

Good luck to him... man, he would have been huge to have against USC.

 

[kjones]

Good luck to him... man, he would have been huge to have against USC.

Yeah, we don't quite have the "reload" capability that they have yet, but it's coming soon!

 

[wrigley1]

Wow, I didn't realize his statistics ranked so high nationally. We have the makings for a nice little TE factory in the works.

 

[Pete]

Didn't he miss more like 2.5 games. Also, I thought he had more TDs than 4. I guess he just had a ton of clutch catches that I just added a few.

 

[zimmsbg78]

We have the reload capability with the tight ends it seems. Just look at Anthony Fasano who was drafted, and Konrad Ruleland that signed his LOI last year. This year you have Mike Ragone. Doesn't Charlie already have official offers out to two tight ends right now for the class of 2008.

TIGHT END U BABY !!!!!

 

[FleaFlicker]

We have the reload capability with the tight ends it seems. Just look at Anthony Fasano who was drafted, and Konrad Ruleland that signed his LOI last year. This year you have Mike Ragone. Doesn't Charlie already have official offers out to two tight ends right now for the class of 2008.

TIGHT END U BABY !!!!!

It makes sense, if I were a tight end, there is no where else I would rather be. And Carlson was a 3 star in high school. Imagine what this place will be like when we get 5 star tight-ends

 

[HoffVir]

He's missed at least 2.5 games, he darn near missed most of the AF game too. Charlie loved TEs in New England too, seemed like they were drafting one in the 1st 3 rounds every year ... and they were all at least decent. We won't be a TE factory ... ND will be a football factory, we just need more work on D right now.

 

[claynd105]

He still has another year of eligibility as well.

 

[Aerosmith777]

Yeah, outside of Carlson, this has been a down year for TE's in college. Makes sense when you think of how many went in the first 2 rounds last year in the draft.

If he comes back for his senior year, I think he'd have a little more competition to repeat as winner of the award. But it certainly wouldn't surprise me if he did it 2 years in a row.

 

[irish24notredame]

He was amazing this year and il be shocked if he doesn't win.

 

[njuneardave]

carlson has had a flat-out amazing year. i dont see him coming back next year, unfortunately. his stock won't get any higher than it is right now if he comes back next year.

the irish will have a new QB that won't be as accurate or as savvy as Quinn, so Carlson won't get all of the opportunities that he has had to make the plays. i HOPE he comes back... he would be the offensive star next year, but, honestly, if i were him, i would go into the draft this year.

 

[claynd105]

carlson has had a flat-out amazing year. i dont see him coming back next year, unfortunately. his stock won't get any higher than it is right now if he comes back next year.

the irish will have a new QB that won't be as accurate or as savvy as Quinn, so Carlson won't get all of the opportunities that he has had to make the plays. i HOPE he comes back... he would be the offensive star next year, but, honestly, if i were him, i would go into the draft this year.

I think you are right, unfortunately. Carlson would be a huge safety valve for a young qb.

 

[ND81]

What I like most about Carlson is his persistence. He did not get the ball that much in previous years, but yet it seems like that did not discourage him very much. Obviously, he has put forth a lot of effort over the years to arrive at the position he is in today. Hopefully it pays off with an award, and a NFL career.

 

[claynd105]

Did anybody else think there would be a huge drop off in tight end production this year? Carlson was easily the biggest surprise this year. I love that guy, but not in a gay way of course.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Did anybody else think there would be a huge drop off in tight end production this year? Carlson was easily the biggest surprise this year. I love that guy, but not in a gay way of course.

hahaha

Well, I heard that he was good at blocking but not a good receiver, so I did expect a drop off in production for sure... I have been more than pleasantly surprised to say the very least.

 

[Bellcon]

I would live my Packers to have a receiving tight end like Carlson

 

[claynd105]

I would love my 49ers to draft him too but we already have Vernon Davis. His arms are the size of my head.

 

[Paisan265]

Please

Please

Come Back Next Year Carlson!

 

[gboroirish]

is he going to come back next year?

 

[claynd105]

is he going to come back next year?

I really hope he does but I don't know how many balls are going to be thrown in the first year of the post-Brady Quinn era. There has been talk that his blocking isn't great so hopefully he comes back to work on it.

 

[gboroirish]

i wish we could have seen more of reuland this year.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

i wish we could have seen more of reuland this year.

If he was better, he woulda played...

However, it would have been nice to see much more of the backups so they could have gotten more practice for next year.

So far Sharpley has thrown 2 passes all year...the same as Samardzija.

Ouch.

 

[bigbon4]

From the looks of things Charlie won't have any trouble getting/developing tight ends.

 

[wrigley1]

I think our TE situation next year, despite missing Carlson, whose hands and speed have been a real surprise this season, is an area I am fairly unconcerned about. Ragone will need to put on weight to play as a frosh, but I bet Reuland will see a lot of time, maybe even start.

 

[IrishCPA]

MANHASSET, N.Y. -- The John Mackey Selection Committee did not snub John Carlson even though the Notre Dame tight end missed nearly a quarter of the season.

Carlson, Arizona State's Zach Miller and Minnesota's Matt Spaeth on Thursday were named the finalists for the John Mackey Award, which is "given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics and community values" of the Hall of Famer.

A senior, Carlson had 46 catches for 621 yards and four touchdowns for the Fighting Irish (10-2) but suffered a knee injury early in their victory over Air Force on Nov. 11 and missed their next two contests, including a 44-24 setback at Southern California last weekend.

Miller, a junior, had 41 catches for 420 yards and three touchdowns for Arizona State (7-5). He was the Sun Devils' primary receiving threat, catching 25 more balls any other player.

A senior, Spaeth had 47 receptions for 564 yards and four TDs for the Golden Gophers (6-6) and was named their team MVP.

The winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN on Dec. 7.

I must say that he is the best TE in the country. Know questions asked. Just hope to see him around next year.

 

[ShivaIrish]

I really hope he does but I don't know how many balls are going to be thrown in the first year of the post-Brady Quinn era. There has been talk that his blocking isn't great so hopefully he comes back to work on it.

Without taking anything away from Carlson, who I really like, I'm not sure if he was the best overall tight end in the country. Definitely at the top for receiving, but at times his blocking was atrocious. I think that was the drop off from Fasano, and probably contributed with the regression of the blocking compared to last year.