1 on 1’s are worthless to DBs, it’s heavily weighted in favor of the offense Team feels really deep, just reading these reports and it’s like damn depth is fantastic everywhere. If the lbs figure it out the defense can be better than last year, I expect the offense to be better than last year. That’s a nice recipe to do some special things Polians special teams scare me to death right now
Personal Prediction - 10-2 Losses to... - Georgia...reason - outclassed - Some shitty middle of the pack team...reason - poor special teams, whether it be a touchdown against us and/or missed kick(s)
i was making the same joke. But just because i missed that you also meant it that way. Read it as: if its not a middle of the road team its going to be michigan
CULVER, Ind. – There was a reminder of where Notre Dame wants to go, even on the first day of the journey. As Notre Dame began training camp on Sunday morning at Culver Academy, its traditional off-site facility an hour south of campus, the program had a literal grip on its ultimate destination. The footballs the Irish used have the traditional gold-embossed monogram on them but with the College Football Playoff logo included, too. They made it that far last season before being blown away by Clemson in the Cotton Bowl. If Notre Dame gets back to the Playoff in five months, the work logged at Culver will be a small part of the reason why. But being the first practice of training camp, Sunday’s reps also represent the only public viewing of what Notre Dame might and might not be. Some of what the Irish showed to open camp may matter little to how the season unfolds from here. Much of it, though, will matter a lot. And even head coach Brian Kelly probably can’t tell the difference for now, a point he tried to make in triplicate after blowing the whistle on the opening practice. Asked about backup quarterback Phil Jurkovec, Notre Dame’s head coach said he’d have to watch the tape before commenting. Asked about rover linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s natural fit, Kelly could only offer generic praise. And asked about five-star freshman Kyle Hamilton’s audacious debut, which included three interceptions of Jurkovec, Kelly mock pretended that he hadn’t seen a thing. “Did he take any reps?” Kelly laughed. “I’d write him up as having a good first day.” Caution on conclusions may be healthy on the opening day of camp, which doesn’t mean what Notre Dame showed can’t begin to at least inform opinion of where the Irish are going. With that in mind, here’s what we learned Sunday when Notre Dame got back to work with everyone watching the full practice. Could Kyle Hamilton be better than advertised? This is not something we were prepared for, even after understanding what the four-star safety from Atlanta could bring to the roster at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. Hamilton was a physical outlier before practice kicked off with a vertical jump in excess of 40 inches to go with a build that stands out because of his Inspector Gadget-style legs. So yes, Hamilton was worth watching before practice even started. But when practice ended, the question was more about what’s next for the freshman. Hamilton finished with three interceptions, two coming during 7-on-7 work and another during a one-on-one period. The picks during 7-on-7 work were both off deflections, the ball fluttering to Hamilton, who managed to sprint into the right position at the right time. The snap reaction to that may be that others did the hard work and Hamilton benefited from it. In reality, Hamilton’s ability to snare those deflections was probably more about understanding where the ball was headed before it headed there. The ball seemingly finding a safety is not a trait to dismiss. The first pick, which came during a one-on-one period, was more athletic marvel, though. Hamilton ran with sophomore receiver Joe Wilkins on an out-breaking route, a few yards off the pattern. When Jurkovec made the decision to throw, Wilkins was open. When the ball arrived, Hamilton had swallowed ground to make the pick. “He’s like 10 feet tall,” said senior safety Alohi Gilman. “He’s out there running around with the skill guys and making plays. Love seeing it.” To understand what Notre Dame’s coaching staff thinks of Hamilton, because Kelly isn’t saying much, consider that Gilman and Hamilton are rooming together at Culver. This is not an accident, as Hamilton’s goal this month is to learn the safety position well enough that he can create some flexibility at the back of the defense, perhaps so that senior Jalen Elliott could take on work at nickel. If the Irish can get three safeties on the field at once in Gilman, Elliott and Hamilton, it would represent an ideal mix of experience and raw ability. At a minimum, having Hamilton learn enough to rest Gilman or Elliott would be a major win. Hamilton sat out the final periods of practice after suffering apparent leg cramps. Notre Dame has a Rover solution In general, linebackers don’t cover Chris Finke very well. In fact, when Ian Book got that look last season, the quarterback went right at it. That was the matchup that helped turn the Stanford game just before halftime. It was a matchup Notre Dame used to torment USC, too. And so Book went there again on Sunday as Finke worked into the flat against the starting defense. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah picked it off. After two years of background work, the junior linebacker might be ready for something significant. Owusu-Koramoah took a redshirt as a freshman and missed virtually all of last season because of a broken foot suffered in early September. That makes it easy to forget he was recruited specifically for the Rover, a three-star prospect that Notre Dame flipped from Virginia at the same time it transitioned to the defensive schemes of Mike Elko and Clark Lea. Now wearing No. 6, Owusu-Koramoah is a lean athlete who now seems comfortable in space and in the box. He wasn’t particularly adept in either role a year ago, when Notre Dame shoe-horned Asmar Bilal at Rover because somebody had to play there. Now Owusu-Koramoah is evidence of what a natural fit can mean. In addition to that pick of Book, Owusu-Koramoah had a stuff in the run game, meeting freshman running back Kyren Williams in the hole for an easy stop. “He certainly looks the part,” Kelly said. “He’s got all the physical tools necessary for us to expand on that position. He’s a guy that can play (slot receivers) and not have to come off the field in nickel situations. He’s got explosiveness where he can set an edge and you can blitz him. If you really are defining what that rover has wanted to look like — look it up and that’s what it looks like.” Sophomore Paul Moala and freshman Jack Kiser round out the Rover depth chart, and neither can match Owusu-Koramoah’s athleticism. Lea has said that while this year’s group of linebackers are well behind last year’s group in experience, they could be athletic upgrades. Owusu-Koramoah will be at Rover. Bilal could be at Mike linebacker, following Te’von Coney. Even Jack Lamb looked natural following Drue Tranquill at Buck linebacker. Notre Dame has work to do at linebacker this month, getting ready for Louisville and New Mexico but more so powerhouse Georgia in the season’s third game. It’s not fair to say the Irish got much figured out Sunday, other than confirming the staff’s suspicion that Owusu-Koramoah will be part of the solution. Chip Long’s playbook should expand Notre Dame has tried this before during training camp, blowing the playbook out with personnel groupings to see who can handle what and for how long. But since offensive coordinator Chip Long arrived three years ago, there has also always been an obvious best personnel grouping that would carry the game plan. Last year that was 11 personnel, with one back, one tight end and three receivers. Sometimes the Irish would get into a 12 look, with one back, two tight ends and two receivers. Now? “I think we’re playing around with that and we’re just Day One, so not too sure,” said senior receiver Chase Claypool. “We definitely have flexibility in what we want to do. Moving forward, when we see what guys can do and not do well, I think we’ll fine tune the offense.” A senior quarterback who’s a returning starter helps make complexity a benefit instead of a tax on the system. A host of mix-and-match athletes in the offense should keep Long creative, too. There are four sophomore receivers that the staff wants to work into system in Braden Lenzy, Lawrence Keys, Kevin Austin and Joe Wilkins. Second tight end Brock Wright is an upgrade to Alizé Mack or Nic Weishar in talent. Supporting running backs Jahmir Smith, C’Bo Flemister and Kyren Williams all offer something different, too. Williams even took reps at slot receiver on Sunday. Could Notre Dame go four-wide (10 personnel, with one back, no tight ends and four receivers) like it did against Clemson? Probably. Could the Irish work a two-back, three receiver look like it did on Sunday? Obviously, that’s on the table, too. “I think we have a lot of versatile players and this being Year 3 of this offense, we can formation things a different way or put in different personnel packages and having guys running routes that they normally wouldn’t be looking for or throwing blocks that they normally wouldn’t be looking for,” Finke said. “I think we have a lot of different pieces to move around to give people different looks.” There’s no question that Notre Dame’s most essential skill-position talents are Claypool, Finke and tight end Cole Kmet. Beyond that, it’s hard to see anybody’s roles as defined just yet. And it’s easy to imagine Notre Dame needing some time during the season to get some of those spots figured out. Regardless, these are good options for Long to have after needing a couple grad transfer boosts in his first year before running his starting receivers into the ground during his second. Notre Dame has quality depth at the offensive skill positions again. Now Long gets to figure out how to use it. The Irish have some enviable receiver depth behind leading returner Chase Claypool, giving Chip Long the leeway to get creative. (Matt Cashore / USA Today) Worth noting… • Notre Dame’s offensive line came out (left to right) with Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks, Jarrett Patterson, Tommy Kraemer and Robert Hainsey. As Kelly said, Josh Lugg was a utility player, spelling Banks at points of practice. Banks, who underwent offseason foot surgery, appeared fully fit and launched walk-on offensive lineman Quinn Murphy during a drive blocking drill. The second-team offensive line showed (left to right) with Lugg, Trevor Ruhland, Colin Grunhard, John Dirksen and Cole Mabry, at least early in practice. • Phil Jurkovec will remain under scrutiny all August, which is part of the deal for backup quarterbacks at a place where backup quarterbacks almost always play. The sophomore’s day was mixed, with his deep ball on point all afternoon even as he struggled to stay consistent with the shorter stuff. Enough of Jurkovec’s shorter passes flutter to wonder if there’s a fix out there. At a minimum, Jurkovec was much, much better than the quarterback who struggled in the Blue-Gold Game while taking a dozen sacks. • As Kelly said on Friday, Kevin Austin is indeed on the roster. That was about all that could be noted on Sunday of the sophomore receiver, whose status remains unclear heading into the season. Will he be suspended for the season’s first four games a la Kevin Stepherson and Dexter Williams? Austin got barely any work during team drills and even took reps as a scout receiver cornerback. That’s how Stepherson was employed two years ago before his four-game suspension began. • Fifth-year senior Shaun Crawford got work at safety during the 11-on-11 periods of practice, although Hamilton’s absence (cramping) may have played a part in that. Regardless, Crawford’s return from his second ACL tear represents a feel-good story Notre Dame wants to be more than that. He could be a factor at the field corner, nickel or safety. The Irish won’t turn down any of that help. “It doesn’t surprise me. He can do it all,” Gilman said. “Shaun Crawford is a guy who has many skill sets. Anticipates really well. His instincts are out of this world. I love seeing Shaun back out there. Just having him back out there is fun. We’re all rooting for him.” • The last time senior Donte Vaughn got competitive reps for Notre Dame, he was being torched by Clemson during Julian Love’s second-quarter injury absence. On Sunday, Vaughn ran with the starting defense opposite Troy Pride Jr. That’s a huge jump following offseason surgery for a player who actually got first-team work as a freshman. If Vaughn wins a starting job this month, it could change the entire look for the secondary considering his 6-foot-3, 212-pound build. Sophomore TaRiq Bracy also worked at the field corner spot with Vaughn. • It’s not clear how creative defensive line coach Mike Elston will get with his group, but he has options like never before with ends Julian Okwara, Khalid Kareem, Daelin Hayes, Ade Ogundeji, Jamir Jones, etc. All five are seniors, with Okwara and Kareem surefire future pros. Okwara is noticeably bigger than last season, even if he’s listed at 248 pounds. Sophomore Justin Ademilola would be a significant rotation player on most Notre Dame teams, but reps may be hard to come by this year, unless Jones takes a senior year redshirt. If the Irish ever wanted to try an alignment with three defensive ends, now is the time.
The offense (if book isnt nuts and just returns) should be even better in 2020. Defense will lose a bunch again, although DL should still be good and if Hamilton is what we hope the DBs will probably also be okayish. LB is always unknown
I'll take a win vs. Georgia and a loss to Michigan. As we learned last year, the loser of the ND Michigan game should definitely be ranked above the winner later in the season.
gold standard Spoiler Insider Notes On 2020 DB Recruiting — Holland *** Notre Dame is still looking to land an elite level defensive back in this class and has been in contact with former Oklahoma pledge Dontae Manning . The Irish reached out to Manning immediately following his decision to back away from his commitment to the Sooners. At one point, it looked like Notre Dame would secure an official visit. Manning even talked about potentially locking in a trip to South Bend for Oct. 12 when the Irish take on rival USC. So where do the Irish stand now? *** Before I answer that question, I’ll go ahead and say that Texas A&M remains the favorite in his recruitment. The Aggies hosted him for an official visit while he was still committed to Oklahoma, and Manning hasn’t been shy about naming Texas A&M his outright leader. While Texas A&M has already used its official visit, the Aggies have been in constant contact with Manning over the last couple of months. He has a strong relationship with the coaching staff and loves the idea of playing in the SEC. *** Speaking of SEC programs, Manning is very interested in staying closer to home and playing for Missouri. The Tigers hosted him for an unofficial visit in the spring and will more than likely get an official visit this fall. If I had to pick a school that’s the biggest threat to Texas A&M, it would be Missouri — at least right now. Oregon remains a player in this recruitment as well, and I’m told there is confidence from the Ducks that he will make his way to Eugene for an official visit. - NATIONAL 7 STATE 36 POSITION DONTAE MANNING RANK 5.7 6'0" | 180 LBS | CB RAYTOWN RAYTOWN, MO CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED *** Manning has three official visits remaining. Again, Missouri and Oregon are expected to be two of them. So where does that leave Notre Dame? Well, lets go ahead and answer my original question first. Right now, I would say Notre Dame is on the outside looking in. The chances of landing Manning have dwindled since he originally decommitted from OU. I was told by a source close to the Notre Dame program that right now the feeling is the Irish ‘aren’t really in it.’ So to answer the question in this paragraph, I’m not sure Manning makes it to South Bend on Oct. 12 or at all. *** If Notre Dame really wants Manning, it’s going to be an absolute dog fight just to get him to campus. He’s picked up new offers from Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and Purdue since opening up his recruitment, and LSU and Iowa State are two other appealing options that I have yet to mention. At this point, I wouldn’t have much confidence in the Irish landing Manning. *** Let’s shift gears and talk about Notre Dame cornerback commit Caleb Offord . The three-star prospect from Southaven (Miss.) notched an offer from Oklahoma and while some brushed it off, we made it clear that it was a situation to monitor. As our Mike Singer reported, Offord has been in contact with the OU staff as recently as last week. The Sooners are pushing to get Offord on campus, and he hasn’t ruled out that possibility. It’s something that he’s weighing heavily. *** When Offord committed to Notre Dame, there was a bit of a waiting period from when he wanted to pull the trigger and when he actually did it. The Irish staff wanted him to be sure he was fully committed. At the time, Offord did feel like Notre Dame was the best fit for him. He and his family really valued the education, family atmosphere and tradition on campus. I want to make it clear that Offord still feels strongly about Notre Dame. It’s certainly not time to panic here. - NATIONAL 23 STATE 61 POSITION CALEB OFFORD RANK 5.6 6'1" | 175 LBS | CB SOUTHAVEN SOUTHAVEN, MS CLASS OF 2020 VERBAL COMMIT 7/4/2019 NOTRE DAME *** The Oklahoma offer caught Offord and Notre Dame a bit off guard. Again, the new opportunity has given Offord a lot to think about. It’s an option he didn’t have when he originally sided with the Irish. Offord likes the fact that Oklahoma offers a chance to play for a program that consistently wins Big 12 titles and has a serious need for players in the secondary. OU also offers a chance to play in the South. *** If Offord visits Oklahoma, I would start to get worried. Until then, back away from the ledge. Right now, OU is simply an intriguing option and one he’s considering. The kid and his family love Notre Dame. They really do. OU is just one of those schools that a lot of prospects feel they need to take a closer look at. Insight On Offord — Holland *** Southaven (Miss.) cornerback Caleb Offord is one of the more intriguing prospects in Notre Dame’s 2020 recruiting class. Offord, who, as mentioned, now holds an Oklahoma offer, has plenty of length and potential. I caught up with his 7v7 coach, James Williams, who played at Texas Southern and briefly in the NFL, to get more on Offord as a player. *** On what Offord brings to the table: “He has a lot of upside. He has so much left in the tank as far as what kind of player he’s going to grow into. He’s going to get bigger and faster. I think he could contribute on special teams and in nickel packages as a freshman. He’s going to compete for a job.” *** On Offord’s biggest strengths: “The biggest thing with him is an intangible — tenacity. He’s not a kid that is easily defeated. If you catch a ball on him, he’s on to the next play. One thing defensive backs have to have is selective amnesia. He has it. I think that’s his biggest tool.” *** On Offord’s ceiling: “I think he’s going to be a big-time player. I think he’s going to be an All-American at Notre Dame, to be honest.” *** On how Offord will fit in with Notre Dame’s culture: “He’s going to be a great fit at Notre Dame. He has a great family structure. He’s very intelligent. He’s a 4.0 student. I think he excels in everything he chooses to do. He’ll be fine socially and adjusting to the pace of the game.” Intel On Top 2021 OL Target — Singer ** Olney (Md.) Good Counsel 2021 offensive tackle Landon Tengwall visited Maryland, Penn State, and West Virginia in June with his high school for a team camp. To be very clear, these were not "recruiting trips." He did have interactions with the coaches at those schools, but Tengwall went to those camps with his team for bonding and to practice against other teams also at the camp. West Virginia is not believed to be a big player in Tengwall's recruitment. I had been told previously that Maryland is a dark horse for Tengwall with all of the local pull to the Terrapins, but Tengwall told me last week that Marlyand won't be making his list of top five schools when he releases that "pretty soon." *** Three schools that are clearly going to make his top group are Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State. It also seems likely that Georgia will make the list as well. He plans to visit Athens when the Bulldogs host Notre Dame. He also plans to see Michigan when they host the Irish and will see Penn State when they take on Michigan. Tengwall told me that he's going to try to plan a visit to get to Notre Dame this fall, but it seems unlikely at this point. *** I don't think there should be any reason for panic for Notre Dame with its recruitment of Tengwall. There is a concern though that he won't make a game day visit to Notre Dame before making his decision, which will likely be in the spring or summer of 2020, but he will have seen the game day atmospheres at Georgia, Michigan and Penn State. Notre Dame will have the chance to really impress Tengwall in the person with potential statement road wins. We'll see after those visits how much experiencing those atmospheres will play into his decision and how it affects Notre Dame's chances to land him. 59 NATIONAL 4 STATE 10 POSITION LANDON TENGWALL RANK 5.9 6'6" | 315 LBS | OT GOOD COUNSEL OLNEY, MD CLASS OF 2021 UNDECIDED *** Tengwall informed me that he'll look to get back to Notre Dame at least twice before he makes his decision. The first of those two visits will probably be in the December-to-February range, while the second may be for a spring/summer official visit. After his junior season is when Tengwall is going to kick his recruitment "into high gear." *** Right now, the vibe I have is that Notre Dame is behind Penn State and Michigan, and I feel that the Wolverines have the current lead. Relationships are really important to Tengwall, and he has really good bonds with Ed Warinner at Michigan, the players there, and has great respect for Jim Harbaugh. With all of that being said, I do believe that once Tengwall gets back to South Bend a couple of times (he's visited once before, in March), he'll be reminded of why he called Notre Dame his favorite school after his first visit and the Irish will shoot back to the top of his recruitment. *** What's most important in Tengwall's recruitment is relationships. As a young man who does not enjoy all of the attention that comes with the recruiting process, he doesn't want a coach to recruit him too hard, but building a close relationship with his future coach is very important. With Jeff Quinn at Notre Dame, Tengwall called him "one of the best coaches in the business." Notes On 2021 Rivals 100 DB — Singer *** I got the chance to watch class of 2021 safety David Daniel, the nation's No. 75 prospect and No. 3 safety, on Sunday evening. It was an interesting setting, as he was training with Triple H Academy, which trains young players how to safely and effectively tackle. So while I didn't get to see Daniel in coverage or going through DB drills, I did get to see him going through tackling fundamentals, albeit without pads. Overall as an athlete, Daniel is pretty impressive. He looks very much the 6-foot-2, 185-pound that he's listed at, and his movements are very fluid and is very athletic. As just a junior, the ceiling is so incredibly high for Daniel. *** As for his recruitment, I mentioned in last week's Gold Standard that Daniel would be one to watch and was looking at visiting Notre Dame for the USC game. In talking to Daniel, the only school he felt strongly about visiting this fall was Notre Dame for the USC game. Also, he had a great conversation with Irish safeties coach Terry Joseph. They have built a strong relationship in the past few months, and I expect that bond to really strengthen into the fall. Expect Notre Dame to make his top group when he announces it in the near future. 75 NATIONAL 8 STATE 3 POSITION DAVID DANIEL RANK 5.9 6'2" | 185 LBS | S WOODSTOCK WOODSTOCK, GA CLASS OF 2021 UNDECIDED *** I spoke with Triple H Academy founder Spencer Smith, a former star at Hawaii in the late 2000s, about Daniel. Smith has been training Daniel for a couple of years now. "He was always an athlete," Smith said. "He's maturing more now as a man every time I see him. Athletically, I knew he was going to be whatever he wanted to be because he when I met him he was pretty tall, fast, and could move. More than anything, he's grown maturity-wise. I think that's really setting him up for success." *** Smith sees Daniel as a safety in college but believes he has the versatility to play nickel as well: "He can cover well. He's long and is physical. He can fit the box like a linebacker but cover as a corner. I could see him all over the place -- blitzing, covering in the slot. Whoever gets him is getting a great athlete. He's got a great GPA and is a smart kid. He can distinguish plays faster than most." *** Added Smith: "He's going to be successful wherever he goes. Whatever school gets him is not only getting a great athlete, but also a great young man. He'll be an asset to a program off the field as well."
Irish Illustrated Defense Spoiler DEFENSIVE LINE Considering it was a pad-less first day of practice at The Culver Academies in Culver Ind., there wasn’t a ton to report regarding the defensive line, particularly since the status quo from the spring up front pretty much remained in place. Coming out with the first unit as the defense gathered on the field next to Lake Maxinkuckee were ends Julian Okwara and Khalid Kareem and tackles Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. The second team included ends Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji with third-teamers Jamir Jones and Justin Ademilola. Ovie Oghoufo also saw action at Shark end behind Okwara, Hayes and Ademilola. The backup tackles were Jacob Lacey at the nose and a trimmed down (279 pounds) Jayson Ademilola. Sporting braces on both knees, red-shirt freshman nose tackle Ja’Mion Franklin appeared to be in playing shape after suffering a significant quadriceps injury against Wake Forest last fall. Also coming off an injury (knee), freshman Hunter Spears took part in his first full-go Notre Dame practice. Freshman defensive ends NaNa Osafo-Mensah and Isaiah Foskey aligned at big end and Shark end respectively. Foskey is a quick-twitch end who impressed with his mobility. Freshman defensive tackle Howard Cross is squat. He’s an eighth of an inch shy of 6-foot-1. But he’s quick off the football and generally an aggressive football player. We’ll see what he shows when he puts on the pads. Getting back to Oghoufo, he forced a fumble by C’Bo Flemister when he pounded the football out of his hands. Oghoufo also put a spin move on freshman tackle Quinn Carroll that left Carroll lunging at his shadow. It’s no wonder that Brian Kelly said in the spring that Oghoufo is trending in the same direction Julian Okwara was a couple of months ago. One thing to report in terms of passing the eye test. The first defensive player that caught my eye during flex was Justin Ademilola. That is one big, impressive athlete. The log-jam ahead of him is unchanged, but no way one could have avoided noticing him on the practice field with his teammates. He’s that physically impressive. LINEBACKER Working with the No. 1 unit was Mike linebacker Asmar Bilal and Buck linebacker Jack Lamb. We half-expected that junior Jordan Genmark Heath would come out with the first unit. But Clark Lea skipped the obligatory insertion of the older player into the No. 1 spot on the first day of practice and went with Lamb. Lamb is very impressive getting downfield in pass coverage. It may sound silly to say after the first practice, but this theory is not based upon the first practice alone. It’s an accumulation of watching Lamb in the spring and knowing just how strongly Lea believes in Lamb. Lamb may ultimately share the Buck linebacker position just so he can make it through the season health-wise. But Lamb will not be relinquishing his starting spot unless a physical ailment dictates a change. Also working at Buck linebacker was sophomore Shayne Simon, who has gone from Rover to Buck to Mike to Buck in the Blue-Gold Game and still at Buck Sunday. The Mike linebacker position will be controlled by Asmar Bilal, at least in the early going. He’s the one linebacker the Irish can stick out there knowing he’s been through the system and is a veteran presence. What happens with Bilal long-term and behind him could ultimately prove fascinating. Bo Bauer and Drew White appeared to receive the bulk of the No. 2 reps, although Bauer more so during the skeleton portions of the practice and White in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11. White’s interesting in that after preserving a year of eligibility in 2017, he came in and replaced Drue Tranquill against Navy and did an admirable job. Bauer forced a late-in-the-play fumble by Jafar Armstrong along the sideline Sunday. This past spring, White seemed poised to make a move and then suffered a shoulder injury while skiing during spring break, prompting him to miss most of the spring. Working as the other Mike linebacker was freshman J.D. Bertrand, who reportedly impressed throughout the summer. Bertrand shared No. 1 reps with Bilal during a 7-on-7 drill with the offense comprised of show-team participants. Jonathan Jones does not appear to be in the picture at Mike. Freshman Osita Ekwonuwas working at Mike linebacker. It should be remembered that in the first practice in Culver last year, Bauer was getting first-team reps and then never cracked the lineup throughout the 2018 season beyond special teams. Bertrand clearly understands runs fits and where to align himself against the pass. Personnel-wise, Rover if set, led by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who was one of the more impressive defenders during Sunday’s practice. There would appear to be little need to take Owusu-Koramoah off the field in nickel situations because his ability to defend the flat is outstanding. He came up with a tipped (by Alohi Gilman) interception on a pass thrown by Ian Book in a pad-less 11-on-11. Owusu-Koramoah also wrestled a pass out of Chris Finke’s grasp. Also working at Rover were Paul Moala and Jack Kiser. Freshman Buck linebacker Marist Liufau physically does not look ready to play his position at 213 pounds. But this is a bouncy, light-on-his-feet athlete who will give the Irish great athleticism at Buck linebacker when his strength matches. He would appear to be a prime candidate for special teams…if the staff is willing to expend his first year of eligibility. DEFENSIVE BACKS With all the talk of Troy Pride Jr. playing boundary this season, the senior aligned at his old field cornerback position with senior Donte Vaughn taking No. 1 reps at boundary corner. Vaughn sat out virtually the entire spring bouncing back from a shoulder injury. The last time we saw him before that, an already-injured Vaughn was getting torched by the Clemson wideouts. Vaughn made two of the better plays by the defensive backs during an early one-on-one segment of the practice when he swatted away a Book-to-Young pass. Vaughn also provided the coverage on a Book-to-Braden Lenzy incompletion. Not a bad first day for Vaughn. It’s difficult seeing a scenario moving forward in 2019 that doesn’t include impressive freshman Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton received No. 2 reps at Stud (strong) safety behind Jalen Elliott. After a bit of a slow start – he got turned around once and reacted slowly to a pass underneath -- Hamilton came up with three interceptions – one thrown by Ian Book to Joe Wilkins, and twice within a couple of plays of one another on tips by D.J. Brown and Crawford. Hamilton is long and agile. The difference between Hamilton and fellow freshman safety Litchfield Ajavon is striking. Ajavon is just a touch over 6-foot-0 while Hamilton is 6-foot-4. Hamilton operates on smooth, greased rails in his movements; Ajavon looked very unnatural and ragged in his footwork Sunday. After one of Hamilton’s great plays, Jalen Elliott proclaimed: “He’s a freshman!” Hamilton appeared to suffer right calf cramps late in the practice, but returned to action. Taking reps with the second unit were boundary corner Houston Griffith and field corner Crawford. When Crawford’s role expanded, that allowed Avery Davis to get a look at the field with TaRiq Bracy and Temitope Agoro mixing in. Freshman Isaiah Rutherford also worked at field corner. Freshman K.J. Wallace worked at boundary cornerback Alohi Gilman said after practice that he believes he and Jalen Elliott form one of the top safety tandems in the country. It’s difficult to argue based upon the 2018 season. Sunday, Gilman made a brilliant play defending Cole Kmet. He and Elliott really make it difficult to count on anything downfield against these two glue guys. Elliott was burned by a double-move from Chris Finke, but otherwise, he and Gilman appeared pretty locked in. One of the more fascinating observations of the first practice of the pre-season was the way in which Shaun Crawford was utilized. Crawford immediately aligned at nickel during the defense-only portion of the practice session. But he also saw some time at free safety, which plays to the idea we heard during the summer in which safety Jalen Elliott slides into a nickel back position. 6COMMENTS Crawford has suffered three significant injuries during his career with the Irish, so nothing is etched in stone. But a healthy Crawford could give the Irish alternatives at several spots in the secondary. Crawford spent some time with safeties coach Terry Joseph as Joseph instructed him on the finer points of playing the safety position. Red-shirt freshman safety Derrik Allen, who appears to have fallen behind Hamilton as the No. 2 strong safety, made a nice pass breakup from Brendon Clark to freshman Kendall Abdur-Rahman. SPECIAL TEAMS Returning punts from punters Jay Bramblett and Jake Rittman were incumbent Chris Finke, Michael Young, Lawrence Keys III, Joe Wilkins and Braden Lenzy. Several of them had trouble holding onto the football/staying their feet once receivers coach Del Alexander hit them with an oversized exercise ball to distract them. It worked. Working as the personal protectors for punter Jay Bramblett were Quinn Carroll, Logan Plantzand George Takacs on one unit. Another trio featured John Dirksen, Josh Lugg and Brock Wright.
offense Spoiler Culver, Ind. — Notre Dame began its 10th season under head coach Brian Kelly today at Culver Academies, the seventh consecutive August in which the Irish have made the 57-minute trip south to begin their preparations for the upcoming season. The initial Tempo drill showed the following first unit: QB: Ian Book RB: Tony Jones…Jafar Armstrong subbed in during the drive WR: Chase Claypool (W), Chris Finke (Z), Michael Young (X) TE: Cole Kmet OL (left to right): Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks, Jarrett Patterson, Tommy Kraemer, Robert Hainsey — I focused on Eichenberg on consecutive snaps in 11-on-11 and he won both reps vs. Julian Okwaraand Khalid Kareem, respectively. No pads, but someone wins, right? — Eichenberg and Hainsey stayed after practice (Hainsey had interviews) to work with Quinn Carrolland Andrew Kristofic on pass protection. Carroll, who shined in the spring in my eyes, got Ogoufo’d today…Ovie Oghoufo, that is, as the redshirt-freshman athlete put the big tackle on skates on a particular pass rush. — Aaron Banks looked no worse for the wear after June 25 foot surgery. The guards and centers battling with the interior DL is less-than-compelling on non-padded days. Second unit: QB: Phil Jurkovec RB: Jahmir Smith RB/Detached: Kyren Williams WR: Javon McKinley (W), Lawrence Keys (Z), Braden Lenzy (X) OL (left to right): Josh Lugg, Trevor Ruhland, walk-on Colin Grunhard, John Dirksen, Cole Mabry. C’Bo Flemister subbed in at running back and Jafar Armstrong did the same in the slot. Third Unit: QB: Brendon Clark RB: Kyren Williams RB/Detached: Kendall Abdur-Rahman WR: Cam Hart (W), Joe Wilkins (X) TE: Tommy Tremble TE George Takacs subbed in during the drive as did Isaiah Robertson at WR. Neither Brock Wright nor Kevin Austin participated in Tempo. (Of note, a veteran tight sporadically seems to sit out the drill.) QUARTERBACKS The trio of Ian Book, Phil Jurkovec, and Brendon Clark was underwhelming in its collective accuracy and timing today—not unexpected for the first day of training camp. (You can train in one-on-one and 7-on-7 situations all summer, but Day One will always be different.) To avoid burying the lede, Jurkovec’s ball still intermittently flutters as it did throughout the spring and he remains more dynamic throwing downfield than accurate on the short routes. During 1-on-1 action, Jurkovec was 5-for-11 with an interception—that a diving stab by freshman Kyle Hamilton in which Jurkovec threw late on an out-route. He began 1-for-4 including a drop of a well-placed ball to Joe Wilkins, then rebounded to go 3-for-3 highlighted by a pair of post-route touchdowns, first to Javon McKinley, then to Braden Lenzy who ran by Shaun Crawford. Jurkovec though finished the segment 1-for-4 including the aforementioned interception. In 11-on-11, there were two occasions in which Jurkovec kept the ball on a read option and burst through a hole. He can really move and eats up yardage with long strides once he hits the next gear. He was intercepted by Hamilton in 7-on-7 action as well, the result of a great play by Alohi Gilman to tip the otherwise on-target pass. I don’t know what to say about the fluttering football other than it seems to be a much bigger issue on designed throws to the ‘backs in the flat (the ball often tails) and on intermediate routes. Brendon Clark: The true freshman was clearly nervous at his first collegiate practice, rotating (as if to loosen) his arm after missed throws on multiple occasions. Today, Clark showed that he can get the ball from Point A to Point B in a hurry—but Point B isn’t necessarily his receiver’s waiting hands. Arm strength is not an issue. I had Clark 4-for-9 with a touchdown pass (more on that below) in 1-on-1s with one incompletion the result of a receiver tripping and another because Cam Hart was blanketed by walk-on Temitope Agoro on the boundary. Clark missed Keys on a comeback to the field and Tremble on a slant while also overthrowing an open Micah Jones. Clark settled in a bit in a 3s vs. 3s ‘scrimmage’ period, hitting Lenzy on a look throw then finding Tremble on a couple of check downs. In 7-on-7s Clark missed four consecutive passes before throwing a strike to Kyren Williams in the seam. He then had a swing pass to the flat tail on him to end his session. He missed a couple of Tempo throws, too, (no one is supposed to miss an undefended Tempo throw) though one an obvious miscommunication as it bounced between the deep and short out to the field. Ian Book: Fine not good? Good definitely not great? More than likely, the best review of Book and his understudies is: ‘It’s Day One.’ Book was 8-for-13 in 1-on-1s, beginning 4-for-5 highlight by a gorgeous deep corner route to Chris Finke who got a step on Jalen Elliott with the only miss a leaping PD by Gilman vs. Cole Kmet. Book went 1-for-3 in his next segment including a miscommunication and one instance in which Donte Vaughn simply blanketed Michael Young on the route. He finished 3-for-5 though the miss should’ve been a deep touchdown in which Chris Finke undressed his defender with a double move down the seam. Book’s ball fluttered and was under-thrown (and off-target). The senior’s best pass of the session was a strike on an 18-yard deep-in route by Michael Young. Young later made a gorgeous move on a slant route, catching it at full speed but stopping on a dime and reversing field to the vacated boundary side.B It should be noted that Book threw an interception in 7-on-7 on a (late) swing pass in which Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah jumped the route (intended for Finke). The Rover then won the battle for the ball on the ground to boot as Finke tried to fight him for it. RUNNING BACKS AND TIGHT ENDS No pads, so this is observations, not stats: Tony Jones looks trimmer. Quick to the hole. And though it’ll probably be a rotation (odd/even #'d practices, he was the No. 1 running back today. I have to see Jones run A.) in pads on August 17 in what will be a major scrimmage, and B.) against Louisville, before I anoint him a playoff-level running back. Both Jafar Armstrong and C’Bo Flemister fumbled today—a no-no I believe in a non-padded practice. Could not be more impressed with the small sample size I have on Jahmir Smith. Man if he still looks like this August 21st, look out. The use of Kyren Williams, Kendall Abdur-Rahman, and Armstrong in the slot with another ‘back in the game is intriguing. There is no more obvious positional pecking order than that at tight end: Cole Kmet followed by Brock Wright followed by Tommy Tremble followed by George Takacs. The latter has to stop dropping a ball each practice. (Or each practice we watch, I should say.) Kmet will be the recipient of several back-shoulder throws down the sidelines this season. Safety Alohi Gilman is incredibly well-versed at defending it (physically, I might add) but I don’t think that’ll be the case for most opposing safeties against the agile junior target. PUNTING/RETURNS No kickoff work today but the punt returners were as follows: — Chris Finke, Michael Young, Lawrence Keys, TaRiq Bracy, Joe Wilkins, Braden Lenzy, and freshman Isaiah Rutherford. Not to play spoiler here, but Finke is going to return every punt that matters. — Protectors for punter Jay Bramblett: John Dirksen, Josh Lugg, Brock Wright—the latter pair are reprising their roles from 2018. — Bramblett’s punts: Good, bad, great, okay, great, good, great, fair. Each review is in regards to hang-time, as the punters weren’t attempting to boom the punts deep with each of the dozen offerings between Bramblett and walk-on Jake Rittman traveling between the 30s, I assume by design. Or if not…Yikes. Rittman’s punts: less good. — Long-snapper John Shannon was back in his role as the starting punter after watching most of the spring due to a back injury. Shannon is much smaller at 225 pounds. He was lauded by Brian Kellytwice during the drill for the pinpoint accuracy of his snaps. WIDE RECEIVERS Kevin Austin spent more time as the scout team boundary cornerback in walk-through drills than he did at wide receiver (though he did receive a few reps including a nice catch of a low out route from Book). He’s getting the full Stepherson Treatment, it appears. I mentioned earlier that Clark threw a touchdown pass—it was to Braden Lenzy on a slant. And Lenzy did the rest, effortlessly pulling away from Avery Davis for the next 65 yards and a score. Ideal ball placement on the throw by Clark (easily his best), but MY GOODNESS Lenzy can run. — Not much from Javon McKinley today who didn’t seem to separate well today… — Micah Jones received more reps than he did in any spring practice and aside from one drop, I thought he fared well. Jones though seems buried on the bench. Regardless, he’s a head taller than his fellow pass-catchers. — Joe Wilkins and Lawrence Keys had quiet days—the former appeared to pull-up lame at one point but returned for 11-on-11. Wilkins had a great seal block on Paul Moala in 11-on-11 action. — Chase Claypool had what Brian Kelly referred to as ‘a veteran day’ today. That is, they’re monitoring his workload as he works back from ankle surgery. Claypool told me post-practice that he’s been 100 percent for three weeks. He wasn’t a star today but he didn’t seem limited. 2COMMENTS — Chris Finke: quietest practice he’s had to date, I believe. Maybe in the last three years? Finke’s only true destruction of a DB was on the aforementioned poor deep throw by Book. I’ll have more full-team observations in Monday Musings, tomorrrow.
I didn't realize week two was a bye for us this year. I'm assuming that was on purpose because the Louisville game is on a Monday but it does seem like a disadvantage not to have that second bye later in the season.
i think those young LBs will learn a lot from week 1 and then prepare appropriately during the bye and use it against New Mexico before the big bad in UGA. it'd be nice if it was after New Mexico but 2 byes is still better than 1
It should not be a fucking Monday night game to begin with. Everything about this is dumb. I could see it if it was against a top program, but Louisville on a Monday night....why? It really fucks my viewing schedule up too, jack is an inconsiderate prick on this one
I'm assuming bc he's going but can still watch the rest of the college football weekend. But yeah, I'm not a fan of the Monday night game at all. Don't like the bye week right away and I'm not a fan of the schedule at all
False every writer, coach, recruit, and most sports fans will be watching. A lot to gain from a strong performance in prime time First quarter should draw huge ratings, nothing else will be on tv
Count me as a fan of the Louisville on a Monday night idea. Spend all day Saturday watching CFB, fly to Louisville on Sunday, hit the bourbon trail Sunday/Monday then catch ND Monday night? Hard to beat that set up.
Yeah, if you go it sounds like a nice thing but the poors like me that will stay home are probably not too thrilled But I am thinking of taking Tuesday off even if I am not going. Will depend of the work I have to do, I could always just go do my work on Sunday or Monday and take Tuesday off without any regrets
so one think I really hate about our schedule is the following. The team could end up 9-3 and play like a top10 team. It could also end up 9-3 and play like a 40th ranked team. There really is a bunch of crap on this schedule and really no big games at home (other than the USC game im gonna be at, just cuz SC)
which makes me sad. so unless we actually win 1 of the b1g ones get ready for a shitstorm for whatever bowl bid ND gets because there is gonna be a ton of ammo. Its not impossible that ND goes 10-2 and hasnt beaten a ranked team
I fucking hate that place, but yeah, there is a chance I go. My dad has a bunch of connections up there through suppliers so we likely will get tickets thrown at us.