Looking to 2019

[koonja]

What Lucci said - there will be packages where it makes sense to play Kareem inside, but a full time move would do no one any good. He's not big enough to play there, and it won't help him for the pros.

 

[shortynd01]

The impact of losing Yoon to graduation is gonna play a part next year.

 

[Luckylucci]

Numbers taken from BGI's snap counts post USC. During the regular season the defense was on the field for an approx. avg. of 70 snaps/game. Jalen Elliot 854 snaps/12 regular season games, is 71.16 snaps/game. Highest among defenders. So let's just use that number as next years expectation. A theoretical breakdown of reps at NT

Hinish 40
Lacey 15
Situational packages 15

Of note, Hinish avg. 27 snaps/game this season so an increase to 40 seems like reasonable progression. Hinish also played 15 snaps/game as a true Fr. so Lacey playing 15 seems very reasonable. Especially considering I think he's a better prospect and more advanced.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

He literally weighs 20 lbs. less than our smallest DT. He'd have to gain significant weight to permanently play inside.

Get him up to 270-275. I love Khalid Kareem and he is probably my favorite player on defense currently. But, is he explosiveness enough at DE to be 1st or 2nd round pick? Personally I don't think so. Maybe he can be Aaron Donald 2.0. not to mention Kareem loses contain 9/10 and it drives me crazy. let him penetrate up field at 3T.

It's what I would like to see. Will it happen? No. but, it's what I would like to see happen.

 

[Irish YJ]

Numbers taken from BGI's snap counts post USC. During the regular season the defense was on the field for an approx. avg. of 70 snaps/game. Jalen Elliot 854 snaps/12 regular season games, is 71.16 snaps/game. Highest among defenders. So let's just use that number as next years expectation. A theoretical breakdown of reps at NT

Hinish 40
Lacey 15
Situational packages 15

Of note, Hinish avg. 27 snaps/game this season so an increase to 40 seems like reasonable progression. Hinish also played 15 snaps/game as a true Fr. so Lacey playing 15 seems very reasonable. Especially considering I think he's a better prospect and more advanced.

Did not think Hinish's average was that high. Good stuff LL

 

[Sherm Sticky]

The impact of losing Yoon to graduation is gonna play a part next year.

^This is a huge concern at this point in time.

 

[NDMIA]

As long as everyone stays healthy, it isn't a problem. If Franklin is healthy then it is ok. If he is not then ND has issues.

RS SR Jonathan Bonner - 13GP
SR Jerry Tillery - 13GP
SO Kurt Hinish - 13GP
FR Jayson Ademilola - 12GP
RS JR Micah Dew-Treadway - 11GP
SO Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa - 2GP
FR Ja'Mion Franklin - 1GP

When it comes to the important games, you need 4 DT's to be rotating in and out and that should be plenty. However, over the course of a 13 game season, ND needed about 5 per game and if MTA were healthy then maybe 6, but I think Dew-Treadway would've just sat in that case. The ideal DT rotation has 2 guys redshirting and being used if absolutely needed and 5-6 guys in the playing rotation during the season. Next year ND has MTA, Hinish, and Ademilola guaranteed to play a lot, but then who else? They've set themselves up next year so that they actually need a freshman to come in right away and perform as a backup. Now, I do think Jacob Lacey will play, and play well in his freshman season, but the ideal depth has Lacey only needed if injuries occur. Hopefully Ja'Mion Franklin is full go and playing well in fall camp so that Jacob Lacey is the #5 DT in which case he is a garbage time guy with only an injury necessitating his play, but I really think ND should always shoot for 8 DT's on their roster every year so that they can bring the big guys along slowly and not force their playing time. Ideally, they'd have brought in a 3rd DT a la Mazi Smith or Jowon Briggs but they'll hit the trail hard in 2020 to add to the group.

 

[Luckylucci]

Get him up to 270-275. I love Khalid Kareem and he is probably my favorite player on defense currently. But, is he explosiveness enough at DE to be 1st or 2nd round pick? Personally I don't think so. Maybe he can be Aaron Donald 2.0. not to mention Kareem loses contain 9/10 and it drives me crazy. let him penetrate up field at 3T.

It's what I would like to see. Will it happen? No. but, it's what I would like to see happen.

And as an already undersized DT Aaron Donald played his senior season, at Pitt., at 285 lbs. So that would still be significantly heavier than 270-275. Or the exact number I said before, 20+ lbs. And no Kareem does not lose contain 9/10 times, that is not factually true. He will penetrate upfield at 3T in certain packages, he already does. Heck, he's lined up at 0T in certain packages, but a permanent move is making two positions worse to maybe help 1.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

And as an already undersized DT Aaron Donald played his senior season, at Pitt., at 285 lbs. So that would still be significantly heavier than 270-275. Or the exact number I said before, 20+ lbs. And no Kareem does not lose contain 9/10 times, that is not factually true. He will penetrate upfield at 3T in certain packages, he already does. Heck, he's lined up at 0T in certain packages, but a permanent move is making two positions worse to maybe help 1.

Donald is listed at 285 LBS at the combine. But, I believe he played at 275-280 while at Pitt.

Obviously I was exaggerating about 9/10 times losing contain. Saying that he lost contain more than any other DE on the team this past year. And if I had the time and the film available it would verify that.

 

[Luckylucci]

Donald is listed at 285 LBS at the combine. But, I believe he played at 275-280 while at Pitt.
Obviously I was exaggerating about 9/10 times losing contain. Saying that he lost contain more than any other DE on the team this past year. And if I had the time and the film available it would verify that.

Pitt's 2013 roster had him listed at 285.

So, I'll just play along and act like this is true even though there has been zero research done to support it. Let's say it's true. So, the solution would be to move a guy who struggles holding up on the edge to the inside, where he'll become an undersized DT and just assume he'll hold up better? Not sure I follow how that makes sense. Again, we'd be making 2 positions worse to help 1.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Pitt's 2013 roster had him listed at 285.

So, I'll just play along and act like this is true even though there has been zero research done to support it. Let's say it's true. So, the solution would be to move a guy who struggles holding up on the edge to the inside, where he'll become an undersized DT and just assume he'll hold up better? Not sure I follow how that makes sense. Again, we'd be making 2 positions worse to help 1.

Again it's what I would like to see given a try. It's not what the coaches are going to do. It's not what Lucci and Koon would do. it's what i would like to see.

And it's that Kareem is not capable physically of holding the edge, he clearly is. It's that he penetrates/dives inside, thus losing contain. The old read option if the DE crashes you pull the ball out and run around him.

 

[NDIrish88]

What if Hinish gets injured and Franklin is not full go?

 

[BobbyMac]

Please get someone besides Finke returning kicks, we need some speed

Finke is slow? He had basically the same return totals/avg as:

Tyler Vaughns - USC
DPJ - UM

Much better avg than:

KJ Hill/CJ Saunders - OSU
Amari Rodgers - Clemson

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Finke is slow? He had basically the same return totals/avg as:

Tyler Vaughns - USC
DPJ - UM

Much better avg than:

KJ Hill/CJ Saunders - OSU
Amari Rodgers - Clemson

Slow being he never even came close to taking one to the house and isn't really a threat to do so, we need someone back their with elite speed, Lenzy, Keys someone like that.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Slow being he never even came close to taking one to the house and isn't really a threat to do so, we need someone back their with elite speed, Lenzy, Keys someone like that.

Bro...There are many things that go into being a punt returner than having elite speed to take it to the house. IE Quickness over speed, having sure hands and catching every punt, knowing when to fair catch, knowing when to let the ball go over your head, etc.

 

[Luckylucci]

What if Hinish gets injured and Franklin is not full go?

Then MTA takes more snaps at NT. Obviously 2019 DT depth isn't ideal but you worry about moving your 1's to different positions when that occurs.

We also have 2 byes next season and with a more consistent offense early, we should be able to limit snaps in some of those games. We have a bye, then New Mexico. We have Bowling Green before USC. Then a bye before UM.

 

[IrishLax]

DT is fine next year. Lacey will likely be ready to play some minutes, and then you have Hinish and MTA to go with Jayson Ademilola. You're 4 deep with at least 3 guys we know will be quality players. The interior pass rush won't be as good as it was with Tillery, but they're be very solid. With the kind of pass rushers ND will have at DE... and how some of those can get shifted inside on clear passing downs... I'm not worried about the front 4 at all.

The big problem is offense. Basically everyone needs to get way better at every single spot. If you ranked the talent of ND's positions in order from best to worst it probably goes.

DE
TE
S
CB
QB
DT
WR
RB
LB
OL

 

[Sherm Sticky]

DT is fine next year. Lacey will likely be ready to play some minutes, and then you have Hinish and MTA to go with Jayson Ademilola. You're 4 deep with at least 3 guys we know will be quality players. The interior pass rush won't be as good as it was with Tillery, but they're be very solid. With the kind of pass rushers ND will have at DE... and how some of those can get shifted inside on clear passing downs... I'm not worried about the front 4 at all.

The big problem is offense. Basically everyone needs to get way better at every single spot. If you ranked the talent of ND's positions in order from best to worst it probably goes.

DE
TE
S
CB
QB
DT
WR
RB
LB
OL

It's funny you have it ranked like that. Because if you guy solely by recruiting rankings OL is at or near the top.

 

[NDdomer2]

it would be interesting if someone kept a mock roster that included all the position changes Sherm would have made over the years.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

it would be interesting if someone kept a mock roster that included all the position changes Sherm would have made over the years.

That's what got me my fame....

 

[irishfan]

DT is fine next year. Lacey will likely be ready to play some minutes, and then you have Hinish and MTA to go with Jayson Ademilola. You're 4 deep with at least 3 guys we know will be quality players. The interior pass rush won't be as good as it was with Tillery, but they're be very solid. With the kind of pass rushers ND will have at DE... and how some of those can get shifted inside on clear passing downs... I'm not worried about the front 4 at all.

The big problem is offense. Basically everyone needs to get way better at every single spot. If you ranked the talent of ND's positions in order from best to worst it probably goes.

DE
TE
S
CB
QB
DT
WR
RB
LB
OL

Is it the talent or the coaching? Because if HH were returning 4 starters then I don’t see OL being last.

 

[BobbyMac]

The big problem is offense. Basically everyone needs to get way better at every single spot. If you ranked the talent of ND's positions in order from best to worst it probably goes.

DE
TE
S
CB
QB
DT
WR
RB
LB
OL

Rec weed must've become legal in VA on Jan 1.

 

[Crazy Balki]

I don't see how Book doesn't start next season. That being said, I'd still probably give Phil the opportunity to earn the starting gig similar to what they did with Brandon and Book this year.

I really disagree with the OL concerns. I think they're gonna be really good next season. We forget that this unit lost a lot prior to the season, and then lost their best player in Bars. Experience and cohesion mean more on the OL than anywhere else. They'll be returning 4 starters on the line. It's all a matter of making sure to maximize that cohesion and also get the best players on the field. If that means moving Hainsey to center and Lugg to RT, so be it. WR has to insert speed and athleticism. I expect Austin will fill in the void that Boykin left and provide a lot of what he couldn't. Also expect much more of guys like Lenzy, Keys and Young. I wouldn't mind seeing 4 receivers sets with those three plus Austin, just running all over the place.

As for defense, I'm not at all concerned about the interior. Tillery is gone, but MTA is back. He is going to be a stud. He's not the pure interior pass rusher that Tillery is, but he's ridiculously strong and can bully interior linemen like it's nothing. Getting Lacey as an EE was also huge. Franklin should be full go well before fall camp, but you'll have legitimate competition between him and Lacey for the backup NT spot. Jay Ade needs to add weight, because despite flashing dominance this year, he got overpowered at times. Which will happen when you're playing DT at 265. Need to get him to 280 bare minimum (frankly was shocked that he was that small).

Mike is a big concern for me. Bauer showed potential though, and I've also been a fan of Bones Jones, but Bauer still has lingering questions about his athleticism and Jones still has to overcome his 5'11 frame. Not that concerned about Buck or Rover though. I can see ND filling those two holes easily with stellar athletes. Between Genmark-Heath, Owusu, Bilal, Simon or a potential safety like Allen or Moala, that's a lot of athleticism.

Corner wasn't an issue before Love decided to leave. But much like Rover/Buck, ND has athletes. Vaughn struggled this season, but it wasn't because of a lack of speed or not knowing the position. He needs to position himself better to make a play on the ball. He does that, he can be really good. There's also DJ Brown and Noah Boykin, both really exciting prospects brimming with athleticism. Bracy also flashed great play, just needs to put on weight.

Hard to believe how far along Safety has come. With Elliott and Gilman back, that's going to be an elite unit. With stellar depth behind them too.

 

[stlnd01]

Yeah, I don't get all the concern about OL either. We'll have four returning starters. Lots of talent. They were OK this season - not great by our standards, but OK - and should be better with another year playing together.

Linebacker and RB are the positions I'm worried about, and whether Book can get to the next level at QB.

 

[irishff1014]

I like Ian Book but he Can't repeat half of what we have seen from Trevor tonight.

 

[NorthDakota]

I like Ian Book but he Can't repeat half of what we have seen from Trevor tonight.

Time for Phil

 

[JTLA]

WE WANT BAMA

WE WANT BAMA

WE WANT BAMA

 

[BobbyMac]

WE WANTED BAMA

We just didn't know it.

 

[JTLA]

We just didn't know it.

I wonder how Oklahoma would have fared against Clemson?

 

[BobbyMac]

I wonder how Oklahoma would have fared against Clemson?

Assuming Clemson got 10 possessions in the game, they'd have lost 70 to a whole lot less.