Joe Rudolph - Offensive Line Coach

Crazy Balki

Site Assigned Optimist
Messages
7,868
Reaction score
4,477
ffs-facepalm.gif

We are long overdo for much better OL play.
It's crazy that nobody else can sea this.
We can't afford to let this buy week go to waste.

But those are just my too sense.
 

ulukinatme

Carr for QB 2026!
Messages
31,521
Reaction score
17,402
IDK, it seems like a pretty big "fuck you" to the quarterback.

Did the OL actually want Minchey to start?

I dunno, but Rudolph better not fuck this up. We've got a very talented QB with an arm again and he's running for his life. Run blocking was at times up and down under Harry, but our pass blocking was very good under him. I wonder if they ever should have let him go.
 

WildMan1

Well-known member
Messages
859
Reaction score
1,335
I just can’t get over the last two plays of the game & Wagner looking like a fucking turnstile 😂

Any bit of dominance in that moment & we likely have a long shot at tying up the game.

Honestly.. I’m not excited for the A&M game. That QB is going to run all over us & it’s likely going to be a blow out or a shoot out..

And with the way this line looks right now I’m not confident at all.
 

stlnd01

Was away. Now returned.
Messages
13,386
Reaction score
10,247
I just can’t get over the last two plays of the game & Wagner looking like a fucking turnstile 😂

Any bit of dominance in that moment & we likely have a long shot at tying up the game.

Honestly.. I’m not excited for the A&M game. That QB is going to run all over us & it’s likely going to be a blow out or a shoot out..

And with the way this line looks right now I’m not confident at all.
Yeah, not sure I'm ever going to unsee that first play where Wagner literally gets spun around and has his back to the pass rusher and has to resort to trying to hip check the guy.
 

IrishLax

Something Witty
Staff member
Messages
37,545
Reaction score
28,995


The drop off from Mr. Alt has been almost comical. Is this the worst LT situation at ND since Weis? Have we been spoiled by Martin, Stanley, McGlinchey, and Alt?
 

Dale

Well-known member
Messages
16,119
Reaction score
27,373
Eichenberg as a sophomore wasn’t clearly better than Knapp as a sophomore. Reality is Knapp is for all the likely planning done, still the backup LT.
 

IrishLax

Something Witty
Staff member
Messages
37,545
Reaction score
28,995
Eichenberg as a sophomore wasn’t clearly better than Knapp as a sophomore. Reality is Knapp is for all the likely planning done, still the backup LT.
Knapp as a sophomore (currently 1 game) is rated as basically the worst tackle in football. A lot of games left to prove that he's better than Eichenberg.
 

Dale

Well-known member
Messages
16,119
Reaction score
27,373
Knapp as a sophomore (currently 1 game) is rated as basically the worst tackle in football. A lot of games left to prove that he's better than Eichenberg.

You’re referencing PFF, Eichenberg registered a pass blocking grade of 3/100 against FSU is sophomore year. So yeah assuming Knapp struggled against Miami but will be better against most of the schedule as he was last year, it’s comparable.
 

GoIrish41

Paterfamilius
Messages
9,929
Reaction score
2,120
The LT situation is all due to injury, not recruiting. No?
I think it has more to do with questionable personnel decisions. There are two 5-star tackles who are bigger, stronger and more athletic playing guard while Knapp gets abused in pass protection — just like he did last year. He is not a left tackle. The decision to keep him at left tackle would be mildly annoying.
 

stlnd01

Was away. Now returned.
Messages
13,386
Reaction score
10,247
I think it has more to do with questionable personnel decisions. There are two 5-star tackles who are bigger, stronger and more athletic playing guard while Knapp gets abused in pass protection — just like he did last year. He is not a left tackle. The decision to keep him at left tackle would be mildly annoying.
You mean Lambert and Jagusah? Jags has missed most of his college career to injury and I’ve got to think Lambert being hurt in the spring has made it hard for him to overtake Knapp at LT - though I do think/hope that happens eventually.
 

GoIrish41

Paterfamilius
Messages
9,929
Reaction score
2,120
You mean Lambert and Jagusah? Jags has missed most of his college career to injury and I’ve got to think Lambert being hurt in the spring has made it hard for him to overtake Knapp at LT - though I do think/hope that happens eventually.
Lambert and Black was who I meant, but when Jagusah comes back, him too!
 

stlnd01

Was away. Now returned.
Messages
13,386
Reaction score
10,247
Lambert and Black was who I meant, but when Jagusah comes back, him too!
Black's a true freshman, not an EE, and, per his 247 profile, "relatively new to the game of football." (it appears he started playing football his junior year of high school). All same with Lambert a year ago. Guys like that are going to need a year before they're ready to play real minutes at the level we need.
Knapp played at the top level of Georgia high school football and was on campus for spring ball before his freshman year. I can see why he'd be ready sooner. But yes at some point the superior talent of those others, including Jagusah, should prevail.
 

GoIrish41

Paterfamilius
Messages
9,929
Reaction score
2,120
Black's a true freshman, not an EE, and, per his 247 profile, "relatively new to the game of football." (it appears he started playing football his junior year of high school). All same with Lambert a year ago. Guys like that are going to need a year before they're ready to play real minutes at the level we need.
Knapp played at the top level of Georgia high school football and was on campus for spring ball before his freshman year. I can see why he'd be ready sooner. But yes at some point the superior talent of those others, including Jagusah, should prevail.
But, Knapp’s “ready” is clearly not ready enough. I agree with the lack of experience points, but Lambert is in his second season at ND, just like Knapp. I’m confident he can make the same errors as Knapp while his experience catches up with his physical tools and enormous potential.
 

Crazy Balki

Site Assigned Optimist
Messages
7,868
Reaction score
4,477
But, Knapp’s “ready” is clearly not ready enough. I agree with the lack of experience points, but Lambert is in his second season at ND, just like Knapp. I’m confident he can make the same errors as Knapp while his experience catches up with his physical tools and enormous potential.
Hindsight is 20/20. We saw Knapp play all of last year, and he was fairly solid especially once he got his feet under him.

He played a lot better at nearly every moment of 2024 than he did last Sunday.
 

T-Boone

Well-known member
Messages
8,400
Reaction score
4,796
I think it has more to do with questionable personnel decisions. There are two 5-star tackles who are bigger, stronger and more athletic playing guard while Knapp gets abused in pass protection — just like he did last year. He is not a left tackle. The decision to keep him at left tackle would be mildly annoying.
Knapp is the strongest player on the entire team apparently. At least in the gym.
 

stlnd01

Was away. Now returned.
Messages
13,386
Reaction score
10,247
Knapp is the strongest player on the entire team apparently. At least in the gym.
Knapp would probably be an excellent guard or center. Put him there. Put Lambert outside. Again, had Lambert not been hurt in the spring I'd bet this would have already happened. But here we are. Hopefully that's how they spent the bye week.
 

PutuporShutup

Banned
Messages
4,824
Reaction score
1,909
Stronger than Jagusah? I call bullshit
Rudolph definitely said it, but it sounded somewhat like explosive moves. Not necessarily that he squats or benches the most on the team.

It's not too surprising as jagusah wasn't working out when rudolph said it, and knapp probably is the most athletic offensive linemen. The problem is he's short, with short arms, and i highly doubt he's 300 lbs. He can't use his athleticism because he can get pushed into the QB so easy, so he has to focus on a strong base.

Rudolph loves knapp, so i assume you see same 5 starting OL roll out vs A&M. A&M has a really good speed rusher off the edge, but he's not as powerful as miami edge was.
 

Irish du Nord

Well-known member
Messages
3,417
Reaction score
3,065
Rudolph definitely said it, but it sounded somewhat like explosive moves. Not necessarily that he squats or benches the most on the team.

It's not too surprising as jagusah wasn't working out when rudolph said it, and knapp probably is the most athletic offensive linemen. The problem is he's short, with short arms, and i highly doubt he's 300 lbs. He can't use his athleticism because he can get pushed into the QB so easy, so he has to focus on a strong base.

Rudolph loves knapp, so i assume you see same 5 starting OL roll out vs A&M. A&M has a really good speed rusher off the edge, but he's not as powerful as miami edge was.
I think it was both. I remember Irish Illustrated reporting that Knapp had the top bench press on the team
 
Top