Herring Bone

Hondo certainly embraced some stretching of the truth there, maybe it's his schtick. I mean ... he watched ND-NAVY 11 times?!? haha I see where he's coming from in some regards trying to talk a little smack so it's all good.

Well Mulvey knows more about QBs than all of us combined but he's grading things we can't even identify. He's constantly noting how he squares his shoulders and hips and noticing how Golson has improved in just handing off the ball on run plays. I think B- is fair when taking in the game as a whole. Golson wasn't in a great rhythm, something Mulvey kind of blamed on the coaches, at the end of the game and mentally just didn't seem fit to finish the 4th quarter. You toss in a fumble when leading by 7 and less than 4 minutes to go in the game and I think it's a fair grade.

Thanks to those of you that have been tuning into the podcasts recently. I'm having a blast doing them. This week had regulars Matt Mulvey & John Walters along with Michigan State blogger Hondo Carpenter of SpartanNation.com Online version or iTunes Notes: Mulvey was critical of Golson on a few plays but overall thought he played well. Worth listening for his thoughts on why Rees was brought in. John Walters, by the way separate interview, agreed with the move as well for similar reasons and called the situation a "non-troversey" Speaking with Hondo Carpenter was a trip. He claimed to have watched ND-NAVY 11 times and ND-Purdue 3 times and it was 7pm EST Sunday. He's predicting a blowout and made a few exaggerated statements about the MSU corners and LeVeon Bell. I asked him how he expects Kelly to attack the Spartan defense and he essentially said ND won't be able to move the ball and that current QB Andrew Maxwell is a superstar that would have supplanted Kirk Cousins if he had ever been injured ... as in Cousins wouldn't have been able to get his job back. I've cut up the Kelly sound on Rees/Golson and his awesome locker speech is in there too. Go.Irish.

No problem including this question but I was covering high school sports in his area during his junior year and am still close with people who have been doing it for 20+ years and still are (including NY/NJ/CT HSFB guru Mike Quick who I hosted on my show and discussed Ishaq & Elijiah Shumate). Ishaq was a name we knew but every time we watched his games (and I've personally watched most of those his jr. year) we just saw a complete lack of energy and determination and more of a guy who was so physically superior to his competition that he dominated anyways. The group I work with didn't even have him on their tri-state All-Star teams his junior or senior year because it just wasn't there. The light appeared to have flicked on because the kid never EVER wrapped up on tackles. He just hit people and expected them to go down. The 2nd fumble was caused by him doing something I'd almost never seen him do. I am ecstatic.

If I'm anything I'm one to admit when and where I've said something that was false or proven stupid. As the lone soldier claiming Ishaq didn't belong on defense a few weeks back I'll take my lickings because he looked like a different human being out there today. Obviously highlighted by forcing not one, but TWO fumbles and wrapping up on bone-crushing tackles. A very impressive performance by all standards. I LOVE being wrong here and your game has convinced me you might just make it in this crazy world.

I'm not trying to claim they pass the ball 40 times or stop running the option. I just see NAVY pushing the boundary of the defense, especially early, to test the unproven commodities.

Ok, I wasn't asking if they don't run a single option play, I'm asking if it's a much smaller part of their package than normal. Say 50-60% instead of 75-85% If you're gameplanning this Irish defense are YOU running at Tuitt, KLM, Nix, Te'o or taking your chances with Councell, Jackson, Russell? It's also Week 1. They could practice option all offseason or practice it 80% of the time and do something to surprise ND in Week 1.

When breaking down the Irish depth chart and the NAVY QB I couldn't help but think NAVY might have taken the past 8 months to give ND a different, unique look. I'm seeing more stretch plays, swing passes, pitches, etc. to get the ball away from the DL & Te'o. Here's kind of how I'd see it playing out: http://www.subwaydomer.com/2012-articles/august/navy-attack-nd.html

Agreed. I wish I could post more, but DD has become my go-to for board reading on my phone despite paying for my subscription at other sites. Some quality people in here who aren't too irrational. Keep it up1

I didn't mean to be rude at all my man or directly attribute that thought to you. It was more a reference to multiple posts on multiple sites, some by people's whom opinion I respect. Lou Somogyi at BGI said in July "Okwara just turned 17 and is a lock for a redshirt". That man knows it ALL about NDFB and he looks to be wrong already. Plenty of posters elsewhere have used his age as proof that he's not ready to play. Why? For clarification, I listed Okwara's emergence as a bonus in moving Ishaq now when Romeo is still at OLB. I also wrote most of that article before the Spond injury. If Okwara becomes a DE in 2013 with Tuitt, Jones, Hounshell, etc. that's a story for another day. My thinking that Ishaq helps the team and his future the most elsewhere remains the same until he shows us something different.

If you're talking 2012, it's got to be Neal. He'll have some role in both return games and within the offense he'll probably get 2-5 touches per game in what is likely a special package for him which. If brought out early in 2012, it opens him up as a decoy for future, better opponents. All good things. I also am high on Brown and agree that he won't be redshirted and has a spot on the Hail Mary team already with hopefuly ample garbage time in Weeks 1-2 to see what he can do. The beauty of the spread is taking advantage of athletes on your roster in multiple roles. These players certainly are intriguing for now and later.

Well playing at a young 17 is certainly the exception instead of the norm. I got pretty excited too because I'd forgotten his jersey number and saw this beast wearing #45 in a practice video looking mean and pulled up the roster and knew I got to gloat a little bit. I just think a huge part of playing early is harnessing one single thing on the field. Neal, Okwara, Brown, Day, Jones & Shumate seem like guys who fit that bill while others grow into more rounded roles for the future

I guess I don't get all the references to Romeo's age as if it's a factor or deterrent to his ability. Talent is talent and need is need. Notre Dame needs to find a talent that can rush the passer, preferably 3 or more options. He may grow into a DE in a year, but ND straps it up in 3 weeks and he's got the size and possible ability to take on a role now. I think people hear "he will play as a freshman" and translate it to "he's going to have the best career at Notre Dame". He'll play as a freshman because there is a better opportunity for his abilities than a Gunner Kiel or Mark Harrell or Will Mahone. Those guys could all have better careers than Okwara without taking a single 2012 snap. Amobi Okoye entered college at 16 and started every game as a true freshman before later being drafted at 19 in the 1st round. 17 year old freshmen isn't that rare of territory.

Oh yeah - I've been absurdly high on Romeo Okwara since I first viewed his highlight reel. Been thinking since April that he'll play early on 3rd down as the staff searches for pressure from the pass rush. I was great to hear Kelly take time to point out his positive impressions thus far. I wrote back in April that Okwara was my #1 most likely freshman to contribute early on defense: http://herringbonesports.com/2012/05/09/the-2012-notre-dame-defense-has-some-questions-are-any-of-the-incoming-freshmen-answers/

Hey gang - For those not in the loop I joined the writing staff at Subway Domer and penned this article. It's been on the burner for a long time too. Thanks to those who read it and understood that I also agreed that the depth at OLB and the fan-bases obsession with his measureables made this a nearly impossible move at this point. I stand by my belief that his long term success at the college level & pro level is likely not on defense. Couple notes: 1. The level of his high school competition was terrible. I can speak on this as I covered HSFB in the NY, NJ, CT tri-state area during Ishaq's junior year. The NYC Public leagues are an embarassment to the game from a talent and performance standpoint. I routinely took in NYC Public Saturday morning games before heading to nightcap in the NJ Catholic league (i.e. Don Bosco Prep - Shumate's alma mater) and it was like going from a Pop Warner contest to something on the I-AA level, which I played. 2. Jaylon Smith - I can't speak on his competition, but a look over each player's highlight reel shows a significant difference in energy & competitive levels. He's more polished as a linebacker/playmaker. Not sure where he lines up in 2013, but I'm saying his presence makes an Ishaq move more comfortable in the off-season. 3. As expected Kelly just announced a roster shuffle and the projected safeties in the 2012 class are moving to places of need. C.J. Prosise will take snaps at DOG. With nobody graduating in the OLB group and multiple 2013 players who may take reps there as freshmen, it's something that still could happen. Everything about Ishaq Williams screams "Antonio Gates", which really isn't a bad thing. Gates isn't a punishing blocker or known as an intense NFL Pro Bowler. He's a 6'6'' match-up nightmare who's excelled at the highest level for many years despite being extremely raw and not even playing college football. Like anyone, I hope the "light flicks on" for Williams and he becomes a pass rushing terror. Nothing would make me happier as a fan.