Tenative 2012 depth chart

[ryno 24]

Jaylon is way to small right now to play right away. Even if he puts on 20 pounds in the offseason. He still will be to small. He needs to learn the system and Spond played very well this year. Jaylon will get time, but I do not see him starting next year.

 

[stlnd01]

Great thread. Is it just me or--assuming Nix returns (please please return Big Lou)--then our defense will be even better next year...and think of how great we've been this year???

I don't know. Defense is so much about intensity and effort that I do think we'll need someone to step up and be even half the leader that Manti is. Maybe Nix or Tuitt can be that guy, maybe maybe Danny Spond or Fox. But that intangible is going to be tough to replace.
Also given the importance of the Mike spot to our system, I'd feel better if we had any experience coming back there at all. That said, every time I see Kendall Moore play, he's taking someone's head off. You hear a lot of good things about Grace. And Anzalone, an EE, could be able to contribute.
We'll miss KLM, too, but Sheldon Day is the real deal. And Motta's been huge this year, but those corners have grown up a lot, so I'm less worried about the backfield. It is kind of amazing we only lose three starters off this D (assuming Nix does the right thing and comes back, that is).

 

[Kak7304]

I don't know. Defense is so much about intensity and effort that I do think we'll need someone to step up and be even half the leader that Manti is. Maybe Nix or Tuitt can be that guy, maybe maybe Danny Spond or Fox. But that intangible is going to be tough to replace.
Also given the importance of the Mike spot to our system, I'd feel better if we had any experience coming back there at all. That said, every time I see Kendall Moore play, he's taking someone's head off. You hear a lot of good things about Grace. And Anzalone, an EE, could be able to contribute.
We'll miss KLM, too, but Sheldon Day is the real deal. And Motta's been huge this year, but those corners have grown up a lot, so I'm less worried about the backfield. It is kind of amazing we only lose three starters off this D (assuming Nix does the right thing and comes back, that is).

Someone will step up and rise up to the challenge of being a leader of this defense. They had a great one in Te'o this year (and KLM) who will serve as a wonderful example and as a model for the future leadership of this team.

 

[pkt77242]

QB: Golson, Rees/Kiel
RB: Carlisle, GA3, Cam, Mahone
TE: Koyak, Niklas
T: Z Martin, Stanley
G: Watt, Hanratty
C: Hegarty, Harrell
G: N Martin, Hanratty
T: Lombard, Stanley
WR: Daniels, Smith
WR: Neal, Carlisle/Cam
WR: TJ, Brown

DE: Tuitt, Jones
NG: Nix, Schwenke, Springman
DE: Day, Hounshell
Cat: Shembo, Ishaq
Mike: Carlo, Grace
Will: Fox, Moore
Dog: Spond, Councell
CB: Jackson, Atkinson
CB: Russell, Brown
FS: Farley, Collingsworth
SS: Shumate, Barrati

KR: GA3, Cam
PR: Neal

For the backup QB I think that Rees plays if Golson comes out for a play or two or during the middle of a game, Kiel if he gets a full week to prepare.

RB: I think Kelly will go with the hot hand most games. I could see at least 2 if not all 4 of them leading the team in rushing for at least one game.

WR: seems to be the most settled of our positions, not many surprises here.
O-line, I am assuming Hegarty is ok but that Nichols is out but this is probably the area most likely to see major changes depending on medicals and what Z Martin does.

LB: I think Jaylon Smith plays some but mostly on special teams and when we get a solid lead especially since he isn't EEing anymore. Mike and Will are hard for me to predict, does Kelly want to get both Carlo and Fox on the field at the same time or are they going to share one spot again allowing a youngster to step up?

S: Can Collingsworth take one of the starting S spots, or does Shumate claim it? What is going on with Eilar Hardy?

 

[JughedJones]

So...

I just realized I'm wayyy late to the party.

Just bought an Irish Mob shirt, made my desktop Irish Mob...etc.

These guys are special. We're about to become a dynasty again, and it's about fuC(0in time.

 

[Fbolt]

Re: Jaylon, I believe BK stated in an interview once that he would not have played Manti that first year as he was just running around. Grace has been getting (from what I recall) great reviews so I'm excited to see him hit the field.

Overall, excited at what the staff is building.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I agree that I can't see the defense being better than it was this year (#1 points defense!!! epic in the redzone). You don't lose Kap and MANTI and expect things to carry on as usual.

However, I think the offense will score more consistently (if Martin comes back) so it will balance itself out.

I put Jaylon in the 2-deep b/c Kelly is not going to expect him to red-shirt, so he'll play ST for sure and could beat out Councell in certain situational downs. He seems like a stud, but seems raw and small as others have stated. I think Anzalone plays the most of our current frosh defenders.

 

[drayer54]

This pays no respect to the offseason "Does Gunner start?" thread!

 

[chicago51]

Perphaps this was already decided on and I just didn't get the news but is there any chance J. Slaughter gets a medical?

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

No way the defense is better next year. We only gave up 9 TDs all year and only 2 on the ground. That would be tough to top even if we had everyone back. You don't lose your best safety, a NFL D-lineman, and the most important player in maybe ND history and improve your defense. Yes we have a great group of recruits coming in but there is a reason you don't see teams like Alabama starting, or let alone playing, too many freshman on defense.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Eric Hanson said that Jamoris' paperwork is in and waiting for disposition by the NCAA which will happen some time (Early?) in 2013.

Fewer freshmen will see the field as a percentage of the class.

One that may is Greg Bryant.

Any depth chart conversation is just an effort to get "favorite" players on the field. The point is that in the last few years the conversation has been about finding enough guys to play; this year it is going to be about finding places for guys.

The sixty player effect will hit this year. I bet there are sixty players ready to play. Three deep at every position, gaining experience. This will result in better fourth quarters, better legs at the end of the season, better experience to fill in for an injury, and probably fewer overall injuries. That not withstanding:

Why move Collinsworth to Free? Why move Carlo to Mike? Grace will beat out Carlo.

The defense may not give up fewer TD's, or be a better scoring defense, but I expect opponents passing numbers to get worse, both efficiency and total yardage. I expect it to be stout against the run. You cannot replace a Te'o but ND will have a pretty good committe trying: Grace, Okwara starting to see action, Moore, ready to see more action, Carlo steady, Fox, Spond, Shembo, and Williams will all be bunches better.

For me, the tough guy to replace is KLM. Will Day move to the other side???? Will Houndshel heal and step up? Will Jones beast?

The leadership Zeke brought this year will be hard to replace, also.

 

[Riddickulous]

No way the defense is better next year. We only gave up 9 TDs all year and only 2 on the ground. That would be tough to top even if we had everyone back. You don't lose your best safety, a NFL D-lineman, and the most important player in maybe ND history and improve your defense. Yes we have a great group of recruits coming in but there is a reason you don't see teams like Alabama starting, or let alone playing too many freshman on defense.

Absolutely.

Should still have a good defense, maybe Top 20 or so.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Top ten. And there are events going on that could change things. There is a possibility that neither Fox nor Calabrese is back.

Jamoris brings a lot more experience to the whole defense. Remember he can play Outside LB, Nickle, Dime, either CB, or either Saftey.

Coach Kelly does has a perpensity to save players at certain spots. Linebacker is one of them. And finally nobody mentioned Anthony Rasaba. I wouldn't write him off.

 

[chicago51]

Absolutely.

Should still have a good defense, maybe Top 20 or so.

I agree as well about the defense not being quite as good. I think ND has a chance though, especially with their recruiting, of doing what Alabama does and reload with top 10 Ds every year. I would say they give up somewhere in the area of 13-16 (opposed to 10.1 this year) points per game next year which would put them in the top 10 in scoring defense.

 

[stlnd01]

The sixty player effect will hit this year. I bet there are sixty players ready to play. Three deep at every position, gaining experience. This will result in better fourth quarters, better legs at the end of the season, better experience to fill in for an injury, and probably fewer overall injuries.

Yes. This is huge (also, fwiw, to me it's the single most important difference between the teams Weis built, with 10 or so studs, and the teams Kelly has built, with 40 or 50 guys who can step in and make plays). I mean, look at our running back situation next year. And what we've got coming through the pipeline at linebacker. Our QB depth chart. More quality ballplayers than time to play them, and that's a very good problem to have.