Position Battles (so far)

[ACamp1900]

wait, what just happened

 

[dshans]

wait, what just happened

A Nothin' But A Hound Dog, Moon Doggie, Deputy Dawg Moment?

 

[ryno 24]

The o line is starting to take shape

 

[NDinL.A.]

Here's a good Q and A with Chuck Molar, regarding position battles among other things...

Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Q&A with Notre Dame offensive coordinator Charley Molnar

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By Brian Bennett

Charley Molnar was the wide receivers coach under Brian Kelly at both Central Michigan and Cincinnati, where he helped develop some of the most prolific passing attacks in the nation. Now he's the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, where he's helping Kelly transform the Irish into a spread offense.

I caught up with Molnar earlier this week to see how the installation of that system is going:

How are the players adjusting to the new offense?

Charley Molnar: The first six days were spotty. We could see that if they were concentrating on the fundamentals we taught them, they were forgetting the plays. And if they were concentrating on the plays and trying to execute them perfectly, their fundamentals weren't very good. But the last two practices, they've really started to do what we've asked of them from a fundamentals standpoint and also getting a command of the offense.

Is this a normal timetable for getting this stuff down? Was it similar at Cincinnati?

CM: At Cincinnati we had the advantage of having the bowl game [Kelly's staff took over before the 2007 International Bowl], so that gave us 10 extra practices before we started spring ball to really learn our offensive system and fundamentals. Here, the first day we came out to spring ball, they were a total blank slate from the standpoint of really knowing what our expectations were. But these guys try so hard, and we have so many guys who are real pleasers on the football team and guys who will do anything you ask. So we're really on course to have our offense in by the time summer camp ends.

How much different is it from going to a pro style offense to your spread system?

CM: The biggest difference right now is just learning a whole new set of terminology and whole new mindset in the way we attack a defense. And also fundamentally we do things quite differently than the previous staff did. So these guys really have a lot of learning to do. Nevertheless, it's not that we're so drastically different that they can't get it. I would say for the most part, especially the last couple of practices, they're really settling into the offense and into the speed we work in practice. That may have been the biggest adjustment for them -- how fast we work in practice.

This offense had quite a bit of success under the previous coaching staff. Have you kept any of the old plays that worked well or is it just all totally your stuff?

CM: We didn't keep anything. We didn't even ask what the previous staff did. We're putting in our system. And of course with coach Kelly, we're always looking to evolve the offense based on our personnel and based on things that occurred to us the previous season, and we're always adjusting. The 2010 Notre Dame offense will not look like the 2009 Cincinnati offense. There will be some evolving going on here.

How is Dayne Crist coming along?

CM: He's got a strong arm, and he seems to be poised in the pocket. He really is a very diligent student of the game. He spends a lot of time watching video, asking good questions. We can't see Dayne run around because of the knee, but we've also not allowed Dayne to use his knee as a crutch or an excuse not to run the offense.

So can you fully evaluate him yet?

CM: I don't think we can get a full evaluation of him until summer camp, until he can run around a little bit. As far as reading coverages and making the right checks, he shows he can do that. Now, it's a lot easier when you know you're not going to get hit and you can just sit in the pocket and go through your reads. It's totally different when you're live. On the other hand, we probably wouldn't want our quarterbacks to get hit too much in the spring anyway.

You worked with some excellent receivers at Cincinnati. How do the ones at Notre Dame compare? And how is Theo Riddick's transition to receiver going?

CM: Michael Floyd is a special player and very, very similar to Armon Binns, who we had at Cincinnati. Both are big, physical players who can go up over a DB to get the football. So he's a lot of fun to work with. Theo is going to be an outstanding talent. Right now, I'm coming off a shoulder injury so he's a little bit limited in what he can do. But every once in a while you get a glimpse of how good he could be. He's got speed and he really possesses good hands for a guy who spent most of his life playing running back.

We have probably eight or nine guys still fighting for a seat on bus. Shaq Evans has been highly competitive, along with John Goodman, Roby Toma, Barry Gallup -- they're all fighting to win a spot, either as a starter or a key backup. I think the competition will go all the way through to the summer, I really do.

How about running back? Is Armando Allen the No. 1 guy there?


CM: Possession is nine-tenths of the law, and he's been in that spot. He's been a tried and true performer for Notre Dame, so he's doing a very good job. But so is Robert Hughes, and Jonas Gray and Cierre Wood. Any of those guys could potentially be our starting running back and I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I think have good depth and a highly competitive group.

Just for you personally, what's it like to be the offensive coordinator now at Notre Dame?

CM: I really feel like I've got the best assistant's job in the country.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/ ... report.com

 

[IrishRamMan10]

I think position battles are fun... My wife and I fight over standing on normal doggie all the time...

Acamp is the fuckin man

 

[ACamp1900]

sup rammer!! You find yourself in cali or indy these days?

 

[jason_h537]

From what I've gathered it's: Martin-Stewart-Cave-Nuss-Robinson

Chris Stewart and T Rob seem to be the only locks. Wenger and Cave are still battling for the Center job, Zach Martin and Romin are battling at LT. I would say Chris Watt is getting the most 1st team looks at RG

 

[Riddickulous]

Acamp is the fuckin man

Agreed. ACamp is the truth.

Chris Stewart and T Rob seem to be the only locks. Wenger and Cave are still battling for the Center job, Zach Martin and Romin are battling at LT. I would say Chris Watt is getting the most 1st team looks at RG

Is it possible Wenger could land a guard position if Cave wins the battle at center?



Also of note. Tai-ler Jones has been running with the first team.

 

[phork]

10 more days of practice.. Should have went to the Little Caesars Bowl.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Coach Elston said after practice today that seldom-used DE Emeka Nwankwo has had stellar practices do date and has improved greatly, and said that he will add to the depth and will see PT this fall. Quite a revelation as Ike was an afterthought for many when it came to this line. Good for him.

He also said he's excited about what the D-Line can do, and that he expects them to be very difficult to block and that they will disrupt a lot of blocks this year. He added that the team is very hard-working and well-prepared to work (ex: he calls a meeting for 2:15 and everyone, all 105 guys, are there at 2:10).

 

[Riddickulous]

Coach Elston said after practice today that seldom-used DE Emeka Nwankwo has had stellar practices do date and has improved greatly, and said that he will add to the depth and will see PT this fall. Quite a revelation as Ike was an afterthought for many when it came to this line. Good for him.

He also said he's excited about what the D-Line can do, and that he expects them to be very difficult to block and that they will disrupt a lot of blocks this year. He added that the team is very hard-working and well-prepared to work (ex: he calls a meeting for 2:15 and everyone, all 105 guys, are there at 2:10).

Nwankwo is a former OT, right?

 

[The Polish Irishman]

Nwankwo is a former OT, right?

Correct. I think he moved to Dline 2 seasons ago and has not seen any real PT. Has the size for for DE in the 3-4

 

[johnnykillz]

“So whenever I get a chance to go out there, I go balls out and try to kill some people.”

This is the attitude everyone of those 11 need to have. However, this is the time to make sure they are all in the right place at the right time to be able to kill someone. Otherwise killer instinct does nothing for us if bad decisions are made...

Red Rum BABY!

 

[Riddickulous]

Just noticed in one of the quoted articles above that Floyd compares to Armon Binns? WTF?

 

[BGIF]

Just noticed in one of the quoted articles above that Floyd compares to Armon Binns? WTF?

Raised my eyebrows. Was he trying to compare last year's UC #2 WR with last year's ND #2 WR?

I looked at the NCAA stats for Gilyard and Binns, and Tate and Floyd. Tate and Floyd were comparable, only difference was 5 games Floyd missed with injury. There was a sizeable drop in production from Gilyard to Binns.

I also looked at Recruiting Rankings:

Floyd 6-3, 195, 4.6 was 5 Star #6 WR, Rivals Rating 6.1 (Best) with big time offers
Binns 6-2, 183, ?, was 2 Star, UNRANKED WR, Rivals Rating 5.4 with offers only from UC and Fresno.

 

[TerryTate]

Notre Dame Football - Shades Of Gray

Gary Gray article. Corner competition looks to be heated under the command of Martin. It's a good sign, but I'm not sure ND will have a lock-down corner this year.

 

[Riddickulous]

Notre Dame Football - Shades Of Gray

Gary Gray article. Corner competition looks to be heated under the command of Martin. It's a good sign, but I'm not sure ND will have a lock-down corner this year.

Blanton had Floyd on lockdown at the '09 spring game and really disappointed me last year. Hopefully somebody steps up and makes play to bolster the secondary this season.

 

[IrishInFl]

Apparently Tai-ler is kicking ass right now. Who here thinks he starts game one? I think it will be Floyd, Kamara, and Shaq.

 

[Riddickulous]

Apparently Tai-ler is kicking ass right now. Who here thinks he starts game one? I think it will be Floyd, Kamara, and Shaq.

Floyd and Goodman on the outside, Shaq and Tai-ler in the slot.

Remember, Kelly usually uses four or five wide sets.

 

[Rizzophil]

Floyd and Goodman on the outside, Shaq and Tai-ler in the slot.

Remember, Kelly usually uses four or five wide sets.

Kelly isn't going to take K Rudolph off of the field. He wants to find a way to get A Allen and C Wood in the game. I think they'll be plenty of pt for everyone.

 

[Riddickulous]

Kelly isn't going to take K Rudolph off of the field. He wants to find a way to get A Allen and C Wood in the game. I think they'll be plenty of pt for everyone.

Good point.

 

[Dacian_Irish]

What is going on with Deion Walker?

 

[Rizzophil]

What is going on with Deion Walker?

Doesn't look promising judging by the fact that he hasn't even rotated into the 1's or 2's...

 

[irishmarine]

With the amount of 3, 4, and 5 reciever sets Kelly uses I think there will be enough pt for all wrs. It'll be up to them to get open and catch the ball.

 

[ryno 24]

he will still have time to work (deion walker) but yea he needs to step it up

 

[fightinirish68]

duval better have AT LEAST 500 yards. ive been waiting for a spark from him

 

[BGIF]

duval better have AT LEAST 500 yards. ive been waiting for a spark from him

I don't know how much of a spark 500 yds would be.

Based on his career average of 10.4 yds per catch, 500 yds would be 48 catches for the season about 4 per game. He's caught 72 passes in 36 career games for 2 passes per game. As a Freshman he averaged about 2.5 passes per game. As a So and Jr he dropped to 1.8 receptions per game.

Between Tate and the others not returning there's over 100 receptions up for grabs plus the additional receptions resulting from Kelly's Hurry Up Offense. His PT should more than double by default so if he maintains what ND fans largely consider his uninspired play he'll pass 500 yds easily.

Now if Kelly can help him find the freshman in him ...

 

[Riddickulous]

In the most recent practice video, Kamara caught two of Crist's passes (and there were only something like 4 or 5 shown). Promising.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Kelly Speaks

Kelly Speaks

Kelly talked about the wide receivers today, and mentioned Tai'ler Jones as having a solid camp and has 'stood out', and also mentioned Theo Riddick and Goodman as guys that have stood out. He singled out Shaq showing a lot of improvement, and even mentioned Deion Walker as 'coming on' (finally, we hear his name!).

Strangely enough, no Duval. I haven't heard BK mention him once all spring, but I could be mistaken. I've heard reporters say he looks great and has made plays in the short time they're at practice, but nothing from BK, although I could be wrong.

But he is concerned about the WR group as a whole and that they have a lot of work to do, even going so far as to say that he's not going to be able to sleep easy right now over that position.

Also talked about Crist being a super smart QB, but not having the fundamentals (esp. footwork) down to be a Kelly-spread QB (he's still used to Weis' fundamentals for a pro-style attack), and that he has to get that down.

He is very pleased with the 3 corner rotation of Walls, Blanton and Gray, saying all 3 are playing very well right now.

 

[ryno 24]

This sounds a lot better