Team Speed...

[arrowryan]

If you ask me, right now we lack team speed but that is going to change when the 2012 recruiting class gets on campus. Tee Shepard, Deontay Greenberry, Chris Brown, Ronald Darby, and possibly Davonte Neal. That is SEC speed from top to bottom. Its going to be exciting to see them all get on the field and another "wrinkle" to this offense.

This might sound wierd to some of you but Im ready for this season to be over. I want the 2012 season to start because I think our team will be at it's best, especially at quarterback.

How much team speed to you think we will have next year? Enough to hang with a quality SEC team?

 

[ClausentoTate]

IMO SEC speed isn't at the skill positions (except for Demps at Florida and other specific examples) but on the defensive line. Their big guys are just on another level.

Darby is on another level though. I hope he gets to see some time returning kicks.

 

[NDinFL]

In my opinion, the phrase "SEC speed" not only means crazy good speed, but also crazy good depth in speed.

You take a guy like Mathias Farley with his quickness/speed, and this year we start throwing some quality depth in there with the likes of Turner, Prosise

That's a big factor in the "team speed" thing to me

 

[PANDFAN]

not only speed but just a nose for the ball....watching LSU/BAMA they just fly to the ball..its always a gang tackle

 

[Old Man Mike]

The focus on southern speed came rarely from the offensive side of the ball. Lots of teams had/have speed in their offense. "Southern speed" is defensive speed; space-covering speed; ground closing speed.

You see "southern speed" in action when you see: a]. the QB chased down, even by a lineman; b]. almost no offensive play successful if it has any "east/west" element to it [the swarming to the ball destroys all such "slow developing" actions], c]. defensive mistakes or erroneous gap-filling often being no problem, as other ball-swarmers fill up the created hole anyway [which is why if we had speed linebackers you could turn Aaron Lynch loose], d]. fewer uncontested pass plays in the mid-distance range, and receivers "paying" for being in there; e]. potential for actually blocking punts, creating poorer average performances by punters and greater chances for returns; f]. occasional interceptions and turnovers generally from the combination of hurried QBs and DBs/LBs being on-site. More instances of opposing offenses watching the "bad guys" running "their" football into the endzone.

That's what "southern speed" is all about. OSU can have Ted Ginn to run faster than anyone else on the field, and still not have a clue about "southern speed". Kansas State once way back when [20+ years ago??] lined up a whole offensive backfield of less-than-4.4s --- they had no "southern speed".

I might add that when Fleming intercepted a ball vs. Stanford, he was run down [easily] by a tight end. That is not "southern speed". Great thanks to Darius, but that ain't his skill.

 

[arrowryan]

I think we have some athletic ability/speed on the d-line. Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt are perfect examples, but the depth isn't there yet. Sheldon Day, Jaron Jones, and others will provide the depth.

 

[PANDFAN]

I think we have some athletic ability/speed on the d-line. Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt are perfect examples, but the depth isn't there yet. Sheldon Day, Jaron Jones, and others will provide the depth.

unfortunately those 1st two were freshman and others haven't played a snap..i know we are building but we are still about 2 years away from it...

 

[die4irish]

Getting there

Getting there

Thats the difference between us and sec schools. The cupboard here has been bare for 15 yrs as far as depth. Sure we have had a few great defensive players but nowhere the talent of top 10 schools. I will use Teo as an example, do you think he would have seen the field as a freshman for Alabama or Lsu?

I was bored the other day and checked out some sec schools message boards. They don't even get real excited about allot of the recruits because they know unless they are super special they wont see the field till soph or jr year. We get all giggly inside if a top 50 player has us listed as a fav. Thats the difference. I credit most of that to the fact they only give out the 1 year schollies at a time instead of the 4 year schollie like we do.

People just need to be patient with Kelly because he is building up the program the right way from the bottom up. We wont see real results probably until 2013. I know this isnt what fans want to hear but it is just the way it is. Every good season we have had in the last 10 years was really done with smoke and mirrors if you take off the blinders and honestly look at it.

I am really looking patiently at the future because it is finally looking bright.We will be back!!!!!!

 

[WaveDomer]

I was bored the other day and checked out some sec schools message boards. They don't even get real excited about allot of the recruits because they know unless they are super special they wont see the field till soph or jr year. We get all giggly inside if a top 50 player has us listed as a fav. Thats the difference. I credit most of that to the fact they only give out the 1 year schollies at a time instead of the 4 year schollie like we do.

I think that the process of "oversigning" is one of the primary reasons that the SEC is the dominant conference. Alabama, according to a WSJ article, signed 137 players over the past 5 years, including 32 in 2008. When the SEC limit takes effect, you will see that conference come back down a bit, but I wouldn't put it past them to figure out some way to basically hold an NFL training camp every summer and cut kids who don't make the grade. But when you can just go after everyone you want, and kids see the success, of course you are going to be full of great players.

The NCAA is not an equal playing field in a lot of areas. Some schools are more attractive for education or location, but when you allow one conference to cut players who aren't deemed good enough, to make room for other star recruits, you are creating a professional atmosphere which the SEC has certainly benefited from. It's not surprise that no SEC coach is in favor of cutting back on signing.

 

[irish1958]

We have 85 scholarships to give out. With transfers etc we probably have an average of 25 a year.
A school that has one year scholarships, cuts the hopeless, drop a verbal because there is a better prospect, over signs (grey shirt), fills unexpected problems with morons from their minoring league farm clubs (AKA junior colleges) and send all ineligible prospects to their farm system has "a strategic advantage" over us, not just more speed.

 

[ACamp1900]

As someone mentioned already, when I watch the SEC I really don't see much of a different in the whole conference, BUT the top two-four teams each year have noticably more speed along the box... D linemen, linebackers, ends... it's unreal...

I never bought into the whole conference, the Miss's of the world, Tenn, Kentucky, Vandy etc.... nothing special...

but the top of that conference always has speed where you wouldn't expect it... I don't see a difference at the skill positions for the most part.



--- In terms of Notre Dame getting faster, better get to NSD before we start counting our chickens in that category...

 

[Carlyle Javar Holiday]

Tee Shepard does not have elite speed.

For me. "SEC speed" is the combination of size, strength, and speed. Take for instance LSU's Wingo who plays DE and runs a 4.4 in the 40 yard dash.

 

[greyhammer90]

My friend, who is an LSU fan, sent me this text one day after a particularly close game. I got a big kick out of it.:

The thin line seperating Les Miles the genius from Les Miles the babbling idiot is a 6'6 300 lb. DT that can run like a deer.

SEC speed is a myth... as long as we're not talking about their D-Linemen.

 

[maison bleu]

IMO SEC speed isn't at the skill positions (except for Demps at Florida and other specific examples) but on the defensive line. Their big guys are just on another level.

This, definitely, at least IMO... Quality/depth at D-Line is the source of the SEC's dominance.

And there's a secondary effect. SEC O-lines play against so many high-caliber D-Lines, they improve via competition. So SEC teams end up with advantages on both sides of the line, and it's this, rather than skill position speed, that's made them so tough in recent years.

Do any of y'all remember a D-lineman from Detroit several years back named Joseph Barksdale? He was rated as one of the top 5 D-line prospects in his class, and ended up choosing LSU over ND, tOSU, Sparty and maybe some others. But in his first year, he was switched to 0-line... It's hard to believe that would have happened at any of his other prospective schools. He ended up as a starting O-tackle and got drafted by the Raiders last year.

 

[Riddickulous]

Team speed is still sorely lacking.

Also, Greenberry and Shepard are both 4.6 guys.

 

[NDinFL]

Team speed is still sorely lacking.

Also, Greenberry and Shepard are both 4.6 guys.

Greenberry is listed at 4.4

Check the column of 2012 commits on the front page

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Also, Greenberry and Shepard are both 4.6 guys.

And yet they both have offers from 'Bama. Hrm...

As others have already stated, the SEC "difference" is on the DL and OL; not in being 2-deep at every skill position with guys that can run a sub 4.4 40.

2011's OL and DL haul was fanastic, and 2012's is shaping up to be similar.

 

[die4irish]

And yet they both have offers from 'Bama. Hrm...

As others have already stated, the SEC "difference" is on the DL and OL; not in being 2-deep at every skill position with guys that can run a sub 4.4 40.

2011's OL and DL haul was fanastic, and 2012's is shaping up to be similar.

I'm talking about 2 deep on the defense. Honestly skilled guys on the offensive side of the ball you can develop and skeem around. You gotta have that 2 deep on the line and secondary to rotate bodies in and out so they don't get winded.

Look at our past defenses. they were pretty good till the 4th quarter when they ran out of juice. Lsu and Bama you dont see any drop off of production on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[Riddickulous]

Greenberry is listed at 4.4

Check the column of 2012 commits on the front page

He ran in the mid-4.6 range at the Opening in June.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Tee Shepard does not have elite speed.

For me. "SEC speed" is the combination of size, strength, and speed. Take for instance LSU's Wingo who plays DE and runs a 4.4 in the 40 yard dash.

I think you mean Mingo not Wingo. Did you know Mingo was considering ND during his recruiting process. I don't believe he ever made it up for a visit though. Imagine him in the ND Cat spot, perfect fit.

 

[NYMIKE6]

I found something thats interesting maybe not the most reliable source for information but a source non the less(CBSSPORTS.COM). The #2 projected corner Dre Kirkpatrick-alabama (SEC) has the same 40 time as Gary Gray..... It appears we have SEC speed in the 40 yd. IMO opinion if we have guys that have the same 40 yd time as guys in the SEC our guys our obviously lacking something else then.... Confidence, experience in system. We all know that a confident player appears fast because they are playing fast. I think the phrase SEC speed is a reference to more then just pure speed. I think it also entails freakish athletic ability plus a mental state that takes a individual to the "next level".

 

[jason_h537]

Team speed is a word that is thrown around like heart. Check the combine, the SEC speed is not much "speedier" than any other school. The difference is LSU and Bama are well coached and have talent at every position. It is no coincidence that in 2 years under Kelly our D went from laughable to respectable.

The defense in 2 years will not really be any faster than last years. They will be well coached and have talent all over which will make them seem faster.

Its amazing how fast someone looks when they know what they are doing.

 

[NYMIKE6]

Its amazing how fast someone looks when they know what they are doing.

Bingo

 

[Old Man Mike]

Two things: a]. it is not our secondary that is a big deficit in speed, it is our linebacking and some of the D-line. This is why we rose when Brian Smith went to Will in place of Calabreese last year. This is why Ben Councell is so important. This is why Lynch and Niklas and Williams and even Nix for his position are making a difference. This is why Perkins was important. etc etc

b]. Tee Shepard is a freak. He is a freak of nature in that it doesn't make any difference that he's a 4.6. He just "has it". He can out-press and out-anticipate and out re-direct almost any human. It's "nice" to be 4.4 at corner, but only if you can also cover the first 15 yards without being already beaten. Tee will be a great corner. He wows everyone who's watched him.

 

[jason_h537]

b]. Tee Shepard is a freak. He is a freak of nature in that it doesn't make any difference that he's a 4.6. He just "has it". He can out-press and out-anticipate and out re-direct almost any human. It's "nice" to be 4.4 at corner, but only if you can also cover the first 15 yards without being already beaten. Tee will be a great corner. He wows everyone who's watched him.

I really hate jumping to conclusions on recruits, whether it was Te'o or Lynch, there is always a potential bust factor. I gotta agree though, I think Shepard will be a special player at ND

 

[NYMIKE6]

Two things: a]. it is not our secondary that is a big deficit in speed, it is our linebacking and some of the D-line. This is why we rose when Brian Smith went to Will in place of Calabreese last year. This is why Ben Councell is so important. This is why Lynch and Niklas and Williams and even Nix for his position are making a difference. This is why Perkins was important. etc etc

Great point Mike- Having speed in the front 7 puts a lot of pressure on the opponents o-line and quarterback which in turn helps the play our of secondary tremendously.

 

[die4irish]

I think the difference is when you have 1 or 3 fast players it helps but when you have 7 or 8 it just seems like players are swarming everywhere. Plus there is also track speed and football speed. big difference. just ask Ronaldo Nehemiah when he tried it with the 49 ers.

 

[irishtrain]

not only speed but just a nose for the ball....watching LSU/BAMA they just fly to the ball..its always a gang tackle

I'LL WATCH PRO FOOTBALL ON SUNDAY. I 'm tired of comparing college football to professional football under the disquise of representing a university. These comparisons are not valid in my mind and when and if things change to actual college guys playing college football then I'll compare team speed. Notre Dame has enough team speed for a normal college team. These teams from the SEC are a slap in the face to the term college football. I loath the industry that has cropped up around the SEC and dont give a damn about this championship game.

 

[irishog77]

I may just mosey on by Herbstreit's house tomorrow and ask him what "SEC speed" truly is.

 

[Veer option]

Kick him in the junk whilst there