ND Player Accolades 2012

[Ironman8]

Figured it would be best if we had a single thread to post ND football player accolades throughout the season as opposed to numerous (sometimes redundant and confusing) threads.

Per Brian Hardin:

NotreDame DE Stephon Tuitt and LB Manti Te'o named to @PhilSteele042 midseason All-America 1st team. TE Tyler Eifert named to 2nd team.

Great to see Tuitt getting this type of recognition usually only seen by Manti and Tyler this year.

 

[NDdomer2]

Phil Steele's Mid-Season All American Team

Phil Steele's Mid-Season All American Team

https://www.philsteele.com/All_Conference/2012/2012Midseason/All_American.html

Te'o and Tuitt 1st Team, Eifert 2nd Team

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Surprised by Tuitt. The others are expected.

 

[NDdomer2]

Oops. Sorry Ironman. I just created a thread on this. Please delete it to create said confusion and redundancy.

 

[beryirish]

Surprised by Tuitt. The others are expected.

Not when up until at least last week he was leading the country in sacks (6) and mel kiper threw it out there that he was one of the best if not the best DE/lineman in the country despite his class

 

[woolybug25]

Surprised by Tuitt. The others are expected.

Really? Tuitt is clearly one of the best DE's in the game. I'm more surprised by Eifert. Although I still think he's the man, his opportunities have been limited and his stats are no where near second team caliber at this point.

 

[BGIF]

Really? Tuitt is clearly one of the best DE's in the game. I'm more surprised by Eifert. Although I still think he's the man, his opportunities have been limited and his stats are no where near second team caliber at this point.

Perhaps Steele is recognizing Eifert's lack of pass catching stats in keeping of the First Team while recognizing his sacrifice and acheivement in a TEAM role augmenting the OLine and showing a well rounded football player.

 

[Riddickulous]

Eifert is on pace for ~500 yards.

Dwayne Allen made first team All-American and won the Mackey Award with 598 yards last year.

 

[BGIF]

Ertz has 21 catches, 316 yds, 2 TD, 4.2 catches/gm, 15.05 yds/catch, 63.2 yds/gm

On a 12 game season: 50 catches, 759 yds, 5 TDs, 4.2 catches/g, 15 ypc, 63 ypg


Eifert has 11 catches, 189 yds, 1 TD, 2.2 catches/g, 17.8 yds/catch, 37.8 yds/g

On a 12 game season: 26 catches, 2 TDs, 455 yds, 2.2 catches/g, 17.8 yds/catch, 37.8 yds/g


Considering the rise of ND's running game and the apparent need for the TEs to pass block. I don't see Eifert's receiving numbers jumping back to last year's pace in the second half of the season. Yes, the running game will open up some passing lanes but not for 8-10 catches per game nor will it help the TEs in put up big numbers in the red zone. Create opportunities, yes. Result in a flurry of catches and TDs, no.


Ertz also has Toilolo to keep defenses guessing like Eifert had Floyd last year. Eifert is still ND's prime receiving threat garnering the bulk of defensive coverage.

 

[ulukinatme]

Talk has been that Eifert's numbers have been down, and that teams have been "bottling him up." It has less to do with what teams are doing defenisvely (At least against Eifert as an individual) and more to do with what we're going offensively. At least with the Big 10 teams they were loading up the box to stop the run, so we kept Eifert in to utilize his blocking ability. He didn't get thrown to much as a result of that. When we needed a big first down against Michigan, who did we call on? Yeah, the big man. I don't necessarily agree with him being 2nd team as a result of that, unless your AA TE needs to only catch the football. Recent award winners certainly haven't been top receivers in their category each year.

 

[ryno 24]

Tuitt and Manti both deserve it with what they have been doing to offenses so far. When you are second in the country you may deserve more than this particularly Shembo could have gotten something. Eifert will eventually have a great season.

 

[PANDFAN]

NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS

NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS

Kiper Vs. McShay - ESPN Video - ESPN

didnt' want to start a new thread as i thought this kind of went along w/ accolades

 

[Buster Bluth]

It has less to do with what teams are doing defenisvely (At least against Eifert as an individual) and more to do with what we're going offensively. At least with the Big 10 teams they were loading up the box to stop the run, so we kept Eifert in to utilize his blocking ability. He didn't get thrown to much as a result of that.

Isn't this a massive contradiction? Teams were stuffing the run, defensively, and so we had to use Eifert to block. Sounds like it has everything to do with what defenses are doing and Kelly's reaction to it.

I have also seen every team so far double Eifert whenever they can. You can still double Eifert and load the box when Notre Dame comes out in a "pro" formation. Teams are certainly covering Eifert like stink on a monkey. It's had a huge negative impact because he simply isn't open. It's exacerbated by having a young quarterback.

I hope Eifert goes off for 100+ against the lesser teams on this schedule e.g. the three game stretch after Oklahoma. It would be so sweet to win the Mackey and all of Te'o's awards this season. ..and a national championship.