Offensive Line Thread

[irishff1014]

Well Mr. Hiestand you have 2 weeks to make some progress before the Miami game. I want to trust that Kelly made the right move by hiring you. we haven't had many sacks but we also can't run the ball worth while either so this is your time to step up and get this libe moving.

 

[NDinFL]

Well Mr. Hiestand you have 2 weeks to make some progress before the Miami game. I want to trust that Kelly made the right move by hiring you. we haven't had many sacks but we also can't run the ball worth while either so this is your time to step up and get this libe moving.

Agreed,

I don't believe that it's totally on Hiestand, but he is certainly the guy to fix it.

Come on Harry, if we can establish a running game, this team could take it to the next level...

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Everybody needs to have NDinFL's attitude. If anyone can fix what is going on up front it is HH. But a lot of what happened this weekend was not the lines fault. There was an offensive game plan issue, and of course Mattison's game plan against us, which was near perfection.

 

[Bluto]

Everybody needs to have NDinFL's attitude. If anyone can fix what is going on up front it is HH. But a lot of what happened this weekend was not the lines fault. There was an offensive game plan issue, and of course Mattison's game plan against us, which was near perfection.

So far with the last 3 opponents they are stacking up to nine guys in the box and selling out to stop the run big time. Good luck to anyone trying to run if that's the case. If our QB starts hitting open receivers that will stop. If not it won't. Same story as last year. If the QB play is competent we can be reaaaly good. All the pieces are there except one in my opinion.

 

[NDinFL]

So far with the last 3 opponents they are stacking up to nine guys in the box and selling out to stop the run big time. Good luck to anyone trying to run if that's the case. If our QB starts hitting open receivers that will stop. If not it won't. Same story as last year. If the QB play is competent we can be reaaaly good. All the pieces are there except one in my opinion.

I'll stick with what I've been saying...

If you run some kind of TE rub route, and sneak him just past the DLine...

Or just put Davonte in on a screen pass and loft it over their aggressive defense.

Any kind of play action where we send Davaris and/or Chris Brown deep

I think it would go a long way towards slowing the pass rush down...

 

[Bluto]

I'll stick with what I've been saying...

If you run some kind of TE rub route, and sneak him just past the DLine...

Or just put Davonte in on a screen pass and loft it over their aggressive defense.

Any kind of play action where we send Davaris and/or Chris Brown deep

I think it would go a long way towards slowing the pass rush down...

I recall seeing most of those plays but Golson missed on the connection. Pass protection hasn't been a big issue as far as I can tell.

 

[NDinFL]

I recall seeing most of those plays but Golson missed on the connection. Pass protection hasn't been a big issue as far as I can tell.

You're right...

I guess the play action would be the best medicine for this then.

Suck the 8-9 in the box in with that, then take a shot over the top.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Add one more thing to the piece. Directional blitzing which Mattison is famous for and you got it. Not only do you have a massive overload in the box, but on the strong side you have maybe two-three guys coming, and in the qb's face. There is no way to pick up everybody. No way.

How do you fix this? QB experience; sprint out; speed; flood the zone, take the top off . . .

We used to find the biggest guy, drag him across while the fastest guy took the top off, so they were in an automatic mismatch with ho help. So after rewatching, it may be more than Harry that needs to get involved.

4-0 Saturday was a tribute to Harry's work, and the fact that the WW's would design a plan like that was a truibute to our defense, and to our running game. I would personally install a "directional blitz" offense, 'cause everybody is going to be trying it. Till we take the top off, and hurt somebody's feelings.

The true test of the offensive line is that they did what they needed to get the win; had no holding calls, no proceedure calls against the line, and how many sacks did they give up against nine in the box, and blitzes on most plays? Let's see anyone who whats to complain about that do better!

 

[Old Man Mike]

This element of current Notre Dame football is still mysterious to me. The basic thing that I think I know [which is foundational to trying to understand this] is that every Coach of the B1G we've played believes the exact same thing: a]. Everett Golson probably can't beat us at his stage of development, but b].Tyler Eifert and their running game can. Given that, they all, in their different defensive schemes, plan against the run and Eifert getting freely off the line of scrimmage. And what coach in their right minds wouldn't do that?

All three of these B1G teams have athletes, ofter AA quality athletes, on defense. With these guys given schemes which advantage their stopping of the run and Eifert, it has to be tough on the O-Line [which however has not given up sacks, to their credit].

Having said that: one would still think that our running game would have been at least a little more productive. Is this just Golic and Lombard? Are the left side giants playing with unreported dings? Is the scheme less optimal for running? [I recall in Kelly's first year that Warriner came in with a preferred scheme and even techniques which did not work particularly for the guards, and had to change some things in mid-year].

So I have no clue what's "wrong" with the O-Line's productivity with the run, other than the opposing DCs have stacked the deck against them and our QB hasn't really delivered. Was Hiestand's choice of Golic [brains] over NMart [brawn] an error? Would Lombard be the better guard and NMart, Nichols or Stanley the better RT? Will better QB play be the simple solution which forces the defense to loosen up its muscling the box?

Whatever the solution is, it better come soon, as Stanford poses a mighty threat on defense and we better be able to run at least competently against them.

 

[RDU Irish]

We have been getting 4Q yards on the ground when needed, although it seems to me to be more outside than inside.

 

[Fbolt]

if we've noticed it, the coaches have as well. Two weeks to work on it. Confident they will figure it out.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Nice historical perspective on ND OL recruiting. This is right up OMM's alley.

Best ND O-Line Classes Last 50 Years

ND OL class of 2006! ....

 

[Old Man Mike]

Hmmm.... The Kuechenberg/ Kunz class.... please let us see another two like those two someday!

As a possibly interesting aside: Tim Monty, the center, played for the Charleston Catholic [WV] Fighting Irish high school football champs in the mid-sixties. My brother was the All-State line stud on that team, and had to bring along "little brother" Tim Monty [a sophomore to my brother's senior captainship] by regularly slapping him into getting his mind right for the OLine meathouse.

Monty was a bit of a freak big man with athleticism for those days, being also a nearly unhittable baseball pitcher. But to begin with he was not "tough". My brother helped remedy that, and Monty started at ND. .... only CCHS player ever to do so, I believe.

 

[Emcee77]

Dan Murphy of BGI has a feature on Hiestand and his hot hand in recruiting today. Quotes from Lemming calling Hiestand the best OL recruiter we've had since Joe Moore (as if that's news). We really scored a great one with HH. Great hire by BK.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Dan Murphy of BGI has a feature on Hiestand and his hot hand in recruiting today. Quotes from Lemming calling Hiestand the best OL recruiter we've had since Joe Moore (as if that's news). We really scored a great one with HH. Great hire by BK.

See, people forget. Moore did not recruit. The staff brought players to Moore. Moore was the best evaluator of talent in his day. Hands down. Moore also got screwed by the admin and the douche bag that replaced Lou. Moore got even. Too bad that whole thing happened, because Joe Moore was one of the reasons I am such a big ND fan.

Harry is as good of evaluator as Moore. Harry is also a good motivator, as Joe Moore also was. Harry is one of the most highly motivated, I will do my job to the best of my ability, gung-ho, I love my kids, kick-a$$ kind of guys there are! He is the best. He and Bobby Elliott. They bring a humble down to earth approach which is a really good thing to keep the program grounded, (at ND.)

 

[clashmore_mike]

Mike or Christian from ISD said they will be trying to put something together on Hiestand in the coming weeks. Would be cool if they could talk to some former players that played under both he and Warinner and get into some of the differences as well as talk to some of the recent recruits about what they like about him.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

#HeistandsApart

 

[Old Man Mike]

...ouch

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Harry Heistand, a chara,

Ag dul duit a ardú, agus i ngach ceann dár raibh maith agat!

Beir bua agus beannacht,


Bogtrotter

Here is to the Irish Whales, from the cobblestone streets to the fields of the LaBar!

 

[Irish YJ]

Harry for president.
And give him a raise damn it.

 

[Redbar]

Harry for president.
And give him a raise damn it.

I'll second that.

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

Coach Hiestand is simply amazing! He has absolutely loaded up the offensive line with high quality kids!

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'll be posting this again after he secures Braden Smith's commitment.

 

[Brown]

What a haul on the oline since Heistand got hired.

Harry "stud bait" Heistand

 

[Whiskeyjack]

What a haul on the oline since Heistand got hired.

Harry "stud bait" Heistand

 

[connect the dots]

I'll be posting this again after he secures Braden Smith's commitment.

Harry Hiestand left the NFL(Chicago Bears) seeking a home, at the college level. For whatever reasons, he did not find that home at the U of Tenn. I believe, based on his enthusiastic recruiting efforts, that Harry has found a home. And I believe, his OL high school targets, recognize that Harry, like Ara, is happy where he is at, and he's not going anywhere beyond South Bend!

 

[greyhammer90]

Harry Hiestand left the NFL(Chicago Bears) seeking a home, at the college level. For whatever reasons, he did not find that home at the U of Tenn. I believe, based on his enthusiastic recruiting efforts, that Harry has found a home. And I believe, his OL high school targets, recognize that Harry, like Ara, is happy where he is at, and he's not going anywhere beyond South Bend!

I pray you're right. Hopefully Harry doesn't fancy another round in the NFL.

 

[Old Man Mike]

The early conversation for Coach Hiestand when he went to Tennessee was that he was looking for a family oriented place for his family to meld into. His comments sounded very much like he was looking for a place to settle into for the long haul if possible.

When the Tennessee coach screwed the whole atmosphere up, several assistant coaches, not just Coach Hiestand, got out of that now-toxic environment. With any luck at all, Coach has found his true family environment --- and, as long as The Boss stays, we're in clover. ... or I should say: Shamrocks.

 

[greyhammer90]

The early conversation for Coach Hiestand when he went to Tennessee was that he was looking for a family oriented place for his family to meld into. His comments sounded very much like he was looking for a place to settle into for the long haul if possible.

When the Tennessee coach screwed the whole atmosphere up, several assistant coaches, not just Coach Hiestand, got out of that now-toxic environment. With any luck at all, Coach has found his true family environment --- and, as long as The Boss stays, we're in clover. ... or I should say: Shamrocks.

And if Harry keeps recruiting and coaching the way he has been Kelly's job security will be further solidified in the future.

Best circular pattern ever?

I never thought I'd think losing Ed Warriner would be a good moment for the ND program, and yet here we are.

 

[irishff1014]

Wow this could possibly be the best hire Kelly has made. This man is unbelievable.