Chicago Trib - ND Practice Observations

[97domer 89]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-notre-dame-stephon-tuitt-20130822,0,151.story

 

In summary:

 

Tuitt got dinged up during practice (right hip/leg); tangled up with Calabrese. He walked off the field under his own power. No details on it but it didn't sound too serious.

 

Pistol has been practiced a lot by Rees and Atkinson and they expect to see it regularly

 

Jaylon Smith looks to have locked up the OLB starting role.

 

Lombard appears to be settled in at RG

 

Collinsworth appears to have temporarily jumped Shumate in the starting safety role.

 

Springmann was in street clothes with a brace on his knee and expectation is that he's out for the year

 

Chris Watt fully participated in practice after missing last week

 

Mahone was not in pads and had a brace on his right leg (high ankle sprain)

 

Zaire handled second team duties for the "tempo" portion of practice but Hendrix ran it for most of the practice running the live drills

[golson5 221]

I like Collinsworth a lot, but I really wanted Shumate to win this job.

[da coach 0]

Confirmed Springmann done for the season

[REMND 0]

I like Collinsworth a lot, but I really wanted Shumate to win this job.

 

I understand but if Shumate is showing hesitancy regarding positioning and Collinsworth is not, it would make sense. We want to be more aggressive in the blitz package but we cannot do it if the back membrane of the defense us not über aware of their assignments. Brake downs in knowledge there means 7 points against us. We did really well last year avoiding big plays. Safety play is one of the reasons.

 

Congrats to Collinsworth for fighting through the injury.

[ndomer4 532]

Springmann done for the season is a damn killer, that one hurts quite a bit. Not surprised at all about Jaylon Smith as I called it months ago, he's just too good to keep on the sideline.

 

I'm confused with what's going on with Shumate, I was hearing rave reviews about him in the spring and early camp. I'm all for the best player plays as that's how it should be. Is this more of Shumate making mental mistakes or is Collingsworth that good? I see lots are high on him but he's never played meaningful minutes at safety so I have no idea where people are getting it from.

[piratey 6]

I understand but if Shumate is showing hesitancy regarding positioning and Collinsworth is not, it would make sense. We want to be more aggressive in the blitz package but we cannot do it if the back membrane of the defense us not über aware of their assignments. Brake downs in knowledge there means 7 points against us. We did really well last year avoiding big plays. Safety play is one of the reasons.

 

Congrats to Collinsworth for fighting through the injury.

 

Means we'll get some shutouts on Football Night in America from his pops, that's never a bad thing!

[PursuitAce 0]

Springmann done for the season is a damn killer, that one hurts quite a bit. Not surprised at all about Jaylon Smith as I called it months ago, he's just too good to keep on the sideline.

 

I'm confused with what's going on with Shumate, I was hearing rave reviews about him in the spring and early camp. I'm all for the best player plays as that's how it should be. Is this more of Shumate making mental mistakes or is Collingsworth that good? I see lots are high on him but he's never played meaningful minutes at safety so I have no idea where people are getting it from.

 

I think Diaco said that Shumate has a ways to go to learn the position.

[OKCIrish99 3]

I think Diaco said that Shumate has a ways to go to learn the position.

Wow. That's pretty surprising. It really shows you how much goes into the position considering Shumate nor Redfield aren't starting. I really though Redfield would push to start game 1. It will be interesting to see when both get consistent, meaningful play from here. Doubt it takes too long.

[golson5 221]

You would think Temple would be the perfect game for Shumate. Start and play the whole game to gain that valuable experience. He needs to See It in live action.

[Crab Apple 0]

Before Collinsworth went down last year, he was one of the fastest climbing players in the secondary. He was a force on special teams along with Bennett Jackson in 2011, always around the ball making plays. I think he even won the "special teams player of the year award" that year as a true frosh.

 

I know Collinsworth didn't come in with that sexy of a prep profile (I think he was a 2/3 star), but reports out of ND about Collinsworth have been generally excellent since he's arrived on campus. The fact that he's beaten out a very talented DB like Shumate only confirms all of the positive things we've heard about him.

 

I think he might be this year's Spond/Russell/Jackson/Farley (basically a guy that supersedes everybody's wildest expectations).

Edited August 23, 2013 by Crab Apple

[el senor domer 0]

Never ever count out someone with NFL bloodlines.....remeber his Father played for some time in the NFL.

[Rocketsan 879]

Never ever count out someone with NFL bloodlines.....remeber his Father played for some time in the NFL.

 

Plus his father is the only man alive with enough balls to question and challenge Lou Holtz...

[BlackIrish42 0]

Before Collinsworth went down last year, he was one of the fastest climbing players in the secondary. He was a force on special teams along with Bennett Jackson in 2011, always around the ball making plays. I think he even won the "special teams player of the year award" that year as a true frosh.

 

I know Collinsworth didn't come in with that sexy of a prep profile (I think he was a 2/3 star), but reports out of ND about Collinsworth have been generally excellent since he's arrived on campus. The fact that he's beaten out a very talented DB like Shumate only confirms all of the positive things we've heard about him.

 

I think he might be this year's Spond/Russell/Jackson/Farley (basically a guy that supersedes everybody's wildest expectations).

 

Who said he has beaten out Shumate, first of all? Secondly, a dude who has been in the program much longer than another kid who is a true soph should be way ahead in the mental aspect.

 

I want Shumate back there cuz he's the better overall talent.

[REMND 0]

Who said he has beaten out Shumate, first of all? Secondly, a dude who has been in the program much longer than another kid who is a true soph should be way ahead in the mental aspect.

 

I want Shumate back there cuz he's the better overall talent.

 

The timing of his emergence to run with the first team while Shumate is running with the 2nd team suggests it. I suspect most position battles are over and now it is a matter of getting the rotation down.

 

It could just be a way to create some urgency with Shumate but I think it is because of positioning, i.e., the mental aspect. Mental aspect trumps physical it appears when it come to safety.

[nd1989 216]

In terms of Shumate vs Collinsworth. I agree that Shumate is a better talent, but Coolinsworth knows the position better. Safety, while speed is valuable, requires knowledge and split second decision making. If you;re out there thinking, you will be late to close. Right now, Shumate is late to close too often, and it's pushing him down. He'll get there, but he's still thinking and learning the position.

[Franco 0]

Plus his father is the only man alive with enough balls to question and challenge Lou Holtz...

 

please tell the back story on this =)

[Rocketsan 879]

please tell the back story on this =)

 

Cris was pretty honest in his critique of ND during broadcasts. Lou didn't like it. There was a misunderstanding at a press conference where Cris asked a question about the o-line. Lou thought he was being critical (he misunderstood the question) and Lou cut him off. Collinsworth confronted him in the washroom while Lou was pithing in a urinal.

[Crab Apple 0]

Who said he has beaten out Shumate, first of all? Secondly, a dude who has been in the program much longer than another kid who is a true soph should be way ahead in the mental aspect.

 

I want Shumate back there cuz he's the better overall talent.

 

I remember before Collinsworth's injury last year, he pretty much had the 3rd safety/rotational safety job on lock, and was expected to see a ton of time, especially when ND went to its nickel & dime packages.

 

This is a guy who as an underclassmen was already showing major signs of being a "diamond in the rough" playing way above any of his HS evaluations/rankings.

 

The fact that he was able to come back from a season ending injury and beat out a highly rated/highly recruited player like Shumate says a lot about NDs depth more than it does about a lack of talent on Shumate's part.

 

And at this point in camp (a few practices left before the season starts), it's all about game-prep. Any depth chart info we get is pretty concrete at this point. And multiple insiders have pointed out that it seems like Collinsworth has taken the starting safety job opposite of Farley.

[BlackIrish42 0]

I remember before Collinsworth's injury last year, he pretty much had the 3rd safety/rotational safety job on lock, and was expected to see a ton of time, especially when ND went to its nickel & dime packages.

 

This is a guy who as an underclassmen was already showing major signs of being a "diamond in the rough" playing way above any of his HS evaluations/rankings.

 

The fact that he was able to come back from a season ending injury and beat out a highly rated/highly recruited player like Shumate says a lot about NDs depth more than it does about a lack of talent on Shumate's part.

 

And at this point in camp (a few practices left before the season starts), it's all about game-prep. Any depth chart info we get is pretty concrete at this point. And multiple insiders have pointed out that it seems like Collinsworth has taken the starting safety job opposite of Farley.

 

I disagree that a brief window viewed by the media indicates a set depth chart. Even the "insiders" are making, at best, educated guesses. I'm just sayin...