According to CW TT will play both ways next year. He has been working all summer as a LB and should bring more speed to the position.

Interesting. Question for anybody that has played higher level football, how difficult is that to do with a RB and LB, especially in understanding the scheme of the two? Is it an easy move, mentally, from RB to LB within the same game or from game to game?

I have not played at that level... but I think he will be a situational player ala Vraebel (SP?) in New England. He will have certain playes that he specializes in... ie powerback short yardage like RPN last year.

good question, i assume he already knows a lot of the offense from last year so transitioning back might not be that hard to do a few plays a game. i'm not sure how hard the transition to LB has been for him or how hard that would be, but as i posted on another thread, he was a very good LB in high school. i'm sure he had a lot to learn, but he probably had the talent and mentality already.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame is turning to its record-setting offense to try to shore up its defense.

 

Travis Thomas, the second-leading rusher for the Fighting Irish last season, is going to try playing linebacker to see if he can crack the starting lineup.

 

"I was absolutely shocked. I felt I had a productive season last year and at the time I was having a productive spring. So it was a shock. It was something I really had to think about."

Travis Thomas, on Charlie Weis asking him to try playing linebacker

 

Coach Charlie Weis suggested the change because he believes Thomas is one of the 22 best players on the Irish squad and figures the running back can help plug the holes caused by the departures of Brandon Hoyte and Corey Mays -- the leading two tacklers last season.

 

"We're going to get more athletic on this team because we're not going to get beat due to a lack of team speed," Weis said Sunday at the team's media day. "If you're not happy with the speed you have at the position, you have to figure out where the answers are."

 

Team speed appeared to be the problem the last time Notre Dame was on the field, when the Irish gave up a school-record 617 yards in a 34-20 loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, including four touchdowns of 55 yards or more.

 

Weis said the problem wasn't that the Irish lacked speed. He blames too much thinking and not enough reacting.

 

"Anyone who has to think about what to do and can't just go out there and let it loose is going to be hesitant," he said.

 

Thomas, who rushed for 248 yards on 63 carries last season, was surprised when Weis approached him with the idea of switching to defense.

 

"I was absolutely shocked," he said. "I felt I had a productive season last year and at the time I was having a productive spring. So it was a shock. It was something I really had to think about."

 

Thomas said after talking to Weis and the defensive coaches he got more excited about the idea.

 

Quarterback Brady Quinn said the move should help the Irish, who open the season Sept. 2 at Georgia Tech.

 

"You have to find a way to get someone like that on the field," he said.

 

Weis said he came up with the possible solution by stealing a page from the New England Patriots, where he formerly was the offensive coordinator. Because of injuries and other reasons the Patriots have played wide receiver Troy Brown at cornerback, linebacker Mike Vrabel at tight end, defensive lineman Richard Seymour in the backfield and linebacker Don Davis at safety.

 

"He was a great defensive player in high school and he's also one of our best tacklers on special teams," Weis said of Thomas.

 

Thomas, though, hasn't given up the idea of running the ball. He wants to start as a linebacker and still carry the ball as a tailback.

 

"That's absolutely the vision," he said. "It's something I've been working toward all this summer. Playing offense is the love of my life. I love running the ball."

 

Weis said he will evaluate the move after about a week.

 

"I'm interested just like you to see what this project looks like," Weis said.

 

While the position change was the biggest news to come out of Sunday, much of the talk centered around the expectations following last season's 9-3 finish and the hype surrounding the team and Quinn, who finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

 

Weis said the Irish won't get caught up in all that.

 

"If I find guys telling you, 'We're trying to win a national championship," then I'll know I have a lot of work to do," he said.

 

Apparently, Weis does have a lot of work to do. Both Quinn and running back Darius Walker told the media the team's goal is to win the national championship.

 

"National championship. That's the only thing worth thinking about right now other than Georgia Tech," Quinn said.

 

Informed about Weis' remark, Quinn said he didn't know what Weis would think about his statement.

 

"I always try to be truthful with everything and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't in the back of our minds. Because overall, I think that is our motivation," he said. "But hopefully he knows that the only thing we care about right now is Georgia Tech, because that's the first piece of the puzzle."

Nice NDfan

 

OPINION: Let's all put this in GENERAL tho Jag.

Heisman just earned his team extra wind sprints in 2 a days. TT will be great on D and will not see offense this year.

so i mean...whos getting the carries when walker is out of the game? i read in another forum that aldridge injured...will be ready for GTech?

I would guess Prince, Jabbie and Schimdt(Aldridge when he is ready to go)

Nice article.And if I remember someone on this board kept bringing up that TT would be playing LB.I think it may be a great move.

hopefully james aldridge can really step up that way TT can play LB full time.

so i mean...whos getting the carries when walker is out of the game? i read in another forum that aldridge injured...will be ready for GTech?

Weis said that Aldridge is looking good but he is unsure of how long he will be out for...he said that he may be ready for the Gtech game, but if he wasn't not to worry because his injury isn't season ending or anything like that.

Seemed pretty positive about Schmidt and Prince.

I think a bit of politics in there on less serious injuries. You can't hide the injury that's out a year. But in this it's letting GT know who they can't predict or watch film on as to who will actually play that day.

Gwood, it was me who has predicted the switch to LB as Weis asked him during the spring. I think that we are gonna be ok at tailback and I believe that Weis will definately still use him at tailback like he did Vrabel at tight end. It seemed to work well In NE ane its exciting to see Weis use all his tools to their best advantage.

Coach Charlie Weis suggested the change because he believes Thomas is one of the 22 best players on the Irish squad

 

I think this quote is a little symbolic of how he has approached recruiting. Doesn't it seem like some of the guys he is targeting could play various positions, just get them on the field and watch what they can do. I think it's a very smart thing to do....protection from injuries, off-field problems (which we usu. don't have to worry about), etc.