Offensive Line Thread

[NDinL.A.]

Just wanted to start a thread showing appreciation to Coach Harry Hienstand. According to Will Fuller's high school coach, per ISD, Coach Harry Heistand has a MAJOR influence on getting Fuller to campus yesterday, which of course led to the switch. He put in a ton of work on Fuller since the sanctions were announced, and today it all paid off.

Coach has been putting in work as a recruiter; 5 excellent o-lineman who already love him...who would have thought he'd be such an upgrade over Ed Warriner? Seriously, as a recruiter, he's been lights out! As a coach, we'll see, but early returns, per Mike Frank, are that the O-line guys LOVE him. I personally thought Warriner did a pretty good job last year (but they really suffered without Cave, and they stopped protecting vs. Stanford), but the linemen apparently felt a disconnect there, whereas they feel Coach Hiestand is one of them...a true O-line coach and nothing else (Warriner, as we know, had designs on greater things).

If the spring game is any indication, and if recruiting is any indication, and if how the current linemen feel about him is any indication, then this was a home-run hire by Brian Kelly.

Go ahead with your bad self Coach!

 

[HawaiianIrish]

Thanks COACH!!!!!

 

[EddytoNow]

Everything that's happened with the o-line has been positive thus far. Their importance cannot be over-stated. If our running backs get some room to run and our quarterback is well-protected, the offense will flourish regardless of who starts at quarterback.

We have the linemen and the coach to get this done. I look forward to watching a very productive offense, one that can give our defenders a rest as the offense slowly and methodically marches down the field and one that can run the ball in when we get inside the red zone.

I wish we had this offensive line when Clausen was at QB.

 

[loomis41973]

Seems like a great influence. Coaches, players and recruits all seem to have good words about him.

 

[johnnykillz]

Amen!

Coach Harry rocks!

 

[Old Man Mike]

When Coach H went to Tennessee, he said that he wanted to go somewhere where he could do what he really loved, settle into a nice environment where people liked one another, and retire there. He, like about six other assistant coaches, were fooled by the HCs surface demeanor and it turned into a bad experience for the whole staff. Well, our HC knew a good thing when he saw it... and Coach H is about to get exactly what he had hoped for at Tennessee --- good people, good opportunity, good "family". Coach H will give us his best and he has a lot to give. Thank you, Harry Hiestand, and thank you, Brian Kelly.

 

[NDinFL]

Amen!

Coach Harry rocks!

I 2nd this

 

[NDinFL]

When Coach H went to Tennessee, he said that he wanted to go somewhere where he could do what he really loved, settle into a nice environment where people liked one another, and retire there. He, like about six other assistant coaches, were fooled by the HCs surface demeanor and it turned into a bad experience for the whole staff. Well, our HC knew a good thing when he saw it... and Coach H is about to get exactly what he had hoped for at Tennessee --- good people, good opportunity, good "family". Coach H will give us his best and he has a lot to give. Thank you, Harry Hiestand, and thank you, Brian Kelly.

And this

 

[yankeeND]

When we were all scratching our heads trying to figure out who was gonna replace Warriner and it seemed like it was a long drawn out process, I don't think any of us envisioned the rapid returns we were gonna get from Harry. Tremendous coach that loves his players! Bringing in a former player like Kruetz to teach some things to young guys is another bonus! All in all we are heading in the right direction because it all starts in the trenches and with a young QB he is gonna need protecting. Cheers to you Coach Heistand! Looking forward to watching your hog mollies do work!

 

[yankeeND]

Sometimes it's hard to post on here cuz great fans think alike!

 

[Irish YJ]

From ISD:


“Me and Coach Hiestand were talking maybe two, three times a day,” Roman Catholic coach Joe McCourt told ISD. “He just wanted to make sure Will got out to Notre Dame this weekend because that was the game plan. He didn’t want Penn State saying they didn’t want him going out there. Coach Hiestand really did a lot of leg work, talking to his mom and talking to Will to make sure he got out there this weekend.

“Coach Hiestand was the one who took this thing by storm.”

 

[Grahambo]

It's funny when some people on here were upset at the hiring of Coach H in the beginning.

 

[Buster Bluth]

It's funny when some people on here were upset at the hiring of Coach H in the beginning.

Seriously.

A wise man knows that he knows nothing. None of us are anywhere near Coach Kelly's ability, and shouldn't blatantly second-guess things.

 

[Grahambo]

Seriously.

A wise man knows that he knows nothing. None of us are anywhere near Coach Kelly's ability, and shouldn't blatantly second-guess things.

I know some of us took the, who am I to judge stance and others the wait and see approach. To be fair, he hasn't coached a game yet but I do believe reports came out after his initial hiring about how some of the Big Uglies were really liking him especially compared to Warriner.

Regardless, he is doing work bro.

 

[BobD]

It's funny when some people on here were upset at the hiring of Coach H in the beginning.

What are you talking about? We don't do much scrutinizing around here.

Go Coach Hiestand! Go Irish!

 

[notredomer23]

Love it. Great recruiter and seems like an even better coach. The greatest coaches are able to connect with their players on a personal level and at a teaching level. I read that the O-linemen had to stay an extra twenty minutes yesterday and I am sure they did not mind at all... BUT I am going to reserve judgement on him until we playing a team with a real defense like MSU. Tenn fans thought he was a joke, and Bears fans did not like him to much towards his later years. Maybe this is the perfect fit for him. Sure hope it is. Go Irish

 

[50milesSE ND]

thanks coach and hopefully the environment is good for all

 

[ChiRish]

Couldn't agree more. I love what he's doing on the recruiting trail but personally think his impact will be felt just as equally on our current line. Think about how well the unit played as a whole last year, and then add a coach to the situation that they all identify with, all love, and have no disconnect. Exciting times. Great hire by BK!

 

[phgreek]

Walk with me back to 07, when we didn't have an Oline. Thats the year I decided that group, and their coach are literally the cornerstone for building a program...thats the year it became clear no amount of scheming or talent anywhere else seizes ole "MO" like the O-line.

Welcome aboard coach H, glad you are here. Roll on big boys...

 

[Bogtrotter07]

It's funny when some people on here were upset at the hiring of Coach H in the beginning.

You know the other sites lit up with doubt and criticism of Coach H. Many doubted his ability to coach (seven Ilini in the NFL makes that look stupid), some brought up his inablility to motivate kids (all of his ex-players, college and NFL dispelled that), and the final knock was his obviously poor recruiting ablility. I even saw that posted here, by all of those that picked up a tidbit and regurgitated it, like they knew something and were smart.

From the first week Coaches H and E were here, they hit the recruiting trail with a vengence. Some people even had a laugh at each one because of crossed wires, getting off to such a fast start. Well the laughter is over. I was trying to explain in a previous post how both of these coaches are winning lots of player over, and having a huge impact on the team. This keeps up and Harry is going to be up there with Old Joe Moore.

These guys are keepers. Raibh míle maith agaibh agus míle beannacht ort, Harry!


Grehar the Bogtrotter

 

[NYMIKE6]

You know the other sites lit up with doubt and criticism of Coach H. Many doubted his ability to coach (seven Ilini in the NFL makes that look stupid), some brought up his inablility to motivate kids (all of his ex-players, college and NFL dispelled that), and the final knock was his obviously poor recruiting ablility. I even saw that posted here, by all of those that picked up a tidbit and regurgitated it, like they knew something and were smart.

From the first week Coaches H and E were here, they hit the recruiting trail with a vengence. Some people even had a laugh at each one because of crossed wires, getting off to such a fast start. Well the laughter is over. I was trying to explain in a previous post how both of these coaches are winning lots of player over, and having a huge impact on the team. This keeps up and Harry is going to be up there with Old Joe Moore.

These guys are keepers. Raibh míle maith agaibh agus míle beannacht ort, Harry!


Grehar the Bogtrotter

Good Stuff Bog,

A old coach buddy of mine told me he was taught 2 things about coaching every coach should understand...

Who just got fired? and when am i?

It's the nature of the business. Sometimes you land in a job that isn't the best place for you, but you do your best and coach your *** off. I think if you look at Coach H's resume it speaks for itself and when he struggled it just wasn't the place for him. If you look at the job one of our former coaches did in the NFL the guy would've never worked again. Our very own Lou Holtz with the Jets... I think things turned out just find for Ol' Lightning Lou..... Let the nay sayers talk we are about to find out how Dirty Harry gets down with the big uglies this fall.....

My uneducated humble opinion: Harry is worth his weight in gold

 

[ryno 24]

Let me preface this by saying that I think he is doing a great job recruiting and the run game looked good during the spring game. I have to wonder (this is mostly for OMM or anyone else with expertise) our gap and pull scheme was very explosive and opened a lot of big plays. Will his zone scheme open up the same huge plays. And could this have us looking more like Oregon?

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

I will be the first to admit that I didn't know too much about Coach H, but from what I've seen thus far and hear from players.., it sounds like we have a real winner. I'm looking forward to seeing how the offensive line does this year. We all know we have some of the best linemen out there, I think this year our line will dominate most of our opponents making it easier for a new quarterback and to really get our running game going. This could be a fun year.

 

[Grahambo]

OL looks to be a solid group this season. Could be the best OL group that ND has seen in some time.

 

[EddytoNow]

Coach Hiestand has brought out the full potential of our offensive line. Our offensive scheme can now be unpredictable because we have an offensive line that can open up holes for a quality running game.

The days of everyone in the stadium knowing that we are going to pass inside the twenty yard line are over. With Golson's ability to both run and pass and this offensive line's ability to move people, we have a lot more options for putting the ball in the end zone.

 

[Buster Bluth]

For the love of God, it was Navy. They're tiny. Vicious and tough, but tiny.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

That is it exactly. This O-line is playing as a "squad" within a team. They appear as one. That is one hell of a lot of beef on the hoof. You talk to the guys, there is no predominant ego's. Just as with their coach, he is matter of fact and non-pretensious.

The one mistake, Everett's backside sack, was a mistake in his call of protections and Zack understanding him. One of the things that occasionally goes wrong. But the way this unit has improved compared to last is incredible!

Here is to Harry, maybe you will get that All American the line deserves this year!

Hey, Buster, did you play on the line? Those little son-of-a-beaches are the hardest to play against.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Hey, Buster, did you play on the line? Those little son-of-a-beaches are the hardest to play against.

*flexes muscles* All-conference OG two years! And a heavyweight wrestler! (1-0 against St. Ed haha)

I understand OL as much as the next guy, and I did love what I saw from the OL on Saturday.

But I know that if I'm 310lbs and the end I'm blocking is 246lbs, I'm going to have a great afternoon. And if I have to go to the second level and the linebacker is 218lbs....I'm going to have a ton of fun with this defense.

We knew the OL, specifically the lethal LT/LG/C combo, were going to be a real strength. We knew Kelly could play 3 TE's in a set and not lose a bit of athleticism and that it would only help control the LOS and own the edge. We saw that too. They were dominant, no doubt.

Let's dominate Purdue, and then get excited for a tremendous matchup with Michigan State's tremendous front seven. That will be a game for fans of good ol' fashioned football.

 

[BGIF]

For the love of God, it was Navy. They're tiny. Vicious and tough, but tiny.

And they were tiny in '07, '09. and '10 when they beat the 300 pounders, weren't they?

In '10 a 35-17 whipping on both sides of the ball the Tinies crammed it down The Big Boys throats for 367 yds. Meanwhile the 300+ pound OLine had "a ton of fun with this defense" against the Tinies, leading the charge to a paltry 106 yds on 30 carries.

Same teams, Same size differential, Same "Star" differential. Navy hasn't had a greater "Star" Differential since WWII.

Hiestand has this OLine playing like a unit, not a bunch of one on ones, or worse - ones on nobody. That happened on the sack Saturday once then it got corrected. Again, Hiestand.

 

[aubeirish]

Keep it coming coach. We are loving it.