The depth chart for what it is worth at this time is shaping into what MF envisioned.
Linebackers 2024
- Thread starter NCDomer1
- Start date
Botelho isn't a linebacker. He's a Vyper
Our secondary is much better than top 20. It's top 10.
So you know better than Golden ? Your background running defenses at any level is ?
So you believe the most "talented " players are always better "players " ? If so there are infinite examples of that being untrue.
Here we go again, the " are you at practice, you know better bull shit". I played LB at munchkin st, sat on the bench for 4 years but i like to brag how I played for a big 10 program. I am now a gym teacher
So you don't have any background in coaching but you're much more in tune as to which players should see the field for Notre Dame this coming season than the current staff is. Got it.
I have seen all i need to see from Kiser. Tackling a guy 7 yards down the field is his specialty. Way more athletic/talented LBs that need to see the field. Im the boss of gym wannabe coaches like you
My mistake Vyper at ND is more of a DE position. Unfortunately, Ausberry is behind Sneed who was almost a 5 star and will be a star at ND. The secondary has two proven players giving them a high rating even though we know both Mickey and Grey can play the crowd doing the ratings do not drill down on everything. They are an unproven commodity. I am not sticking up for Kiser, obviously, there are other players with more talent, maybe Ausberry could put on a few more pounds being he was rated higher than Zinter, but every team has to have a calming influence on field. Sometimes players look slow because they are out of position who better than a grad student to make sure of the alignment being it is the defensive ND has had for three years
That’s a crazy take imo. What do you have against him? He is a solid LBer and provides veteran leadership
Kiser is an awesome coverage/passing down linebacker with a lot of experience and great intangibles.
Given the current state of the roster, he's the least of our problems.
Given the current state of the roster, he's the least of our problems.
Chase.
Do you not think we have elite talent on our defense ?
Or at least enough to be championship caliber ?
I believe we do. Jmo.
The state of our roster is very good. Especially on defense, where we have a top 10 roster easily
The defense has been top 10 for two years running now (#7 and #9 the last two years respectively even when using a stat like F+ that adjusts for luck and opponent quality) and a major strength of the program under this current head coach. To me "championship caliber" would be top 5, or top 3, or the #1 defense in the country like Michigan had last year. So I'll call this defense playoff-caliber.
It's the offense that we need to see BIG improvement from if we have any hope of winning some playoff games as a bottom-seed. And given the personnel on that side of the ball right now i just don't see it.
If you go by recruiting rankings, the offense could put out higher ranked players than the defense or pretty close to it. And that is all you use. So why dont you see it?
I think the biggest difference between me and you when evaluating the offense is that you see incoming transfer portal players as guys with big impact potential where I see them as low ceiling high floor 3-4 star tweener guys who don't really add a whole lot to the offense. I see them that way because that's how the industry analysts/professionals are evaluating them.
These incoming transfer portal WRs & QBs are stop gap dudes you get when you are loaded and just need a couple of warm bodies to fill out the roster and keep your team stable on its march to a national title. Part of the problem with this approach is that ND isn't good enough to win a title so they are bringing these guys in with marginal win potential and mortgaging their future/the development of their own prospects in the process. This has been going on for several seasons now. If you are only going to win 9 or 10 games there's no point in bringing in transfer portal players you should be bringing in HS players with far more upside and giving them live/game reps to develop instead -- but I digress.
Also, I don't think it's mere coincidence that MF is having trouble at these positions on offense given that he's a really green coach who doesn't really have a lot of experience or track record on offense. We've had 3 different OCs in MFs 3 seasons now. We've had a lot of transfers/defections at offensive skill positions too. The entire side of the ball is in flux/very volatile so hopefully Denbrock is HIM and can bring the type of stability and upside to the offense that Al Golden has on defense. We'll see.
Last edited:
Well Riley Leonard isn't a low ceiling high floor type. He's a mid floor/high ceiling qb. So that's where you are wrong and we disagree
But you love recruiting rankings and we can put an offensive team by recruiting rankings that would be above the defense
So do you believe in the recruiting rankings or not?
I think it's pretty obvious that Denbrock has the far better resume at this point. And on that note, I've started to come around more to this Denbrock hire overtime. Denbrock has been an OC for 6 years and has some really nice bullet points on his resume already. The guy has worked under BK for many seasons now, all the way up the BK offense hierarchy, and I respect BKs offensive mind and the people he trusts to run his offensive system. Also, you gotta believe Denbrock being connected to the development of Jayden Daniels (after he goes top 5 in the NFL '24 draft) will have some pull with the offensive targets on the recruiting trail--this fact alone will probably be worth Denbrock's $8-$9M deal.
Ideally Mike Denbrock would be much younge and be a hungrier more charismatic recruiter but hopefully with the way the NIL industry is going it'll get to the point where the money will do all the talking and the coaches can just worry about coaching football. It would level the playing field quickly for Notre Dame so long as they are willing to open up the purse and start paying fair market value for the games best prospects. I'm cautiously optimistic that Notre Dame will do what it takes to compete in this NIL environment after listening to new AD interview: https://notredame.forums.rivals.com...-compete-for-football-national-titles.190600/
As much as the Mike Denbrock hire is starting to make sense, I don't think with this particular offensive personnel in 2024 that he's going to see much of any improvement from last year. I think it might take some transfer portal cycles and recruiting trail cycles for Denbrock to really start getting the personnel he needs to start having success and he could certainly help his cause if he can land A LOT more top 100, and top 50 composite prospects on the recruiting trail along the way
Last edited:
With the talent we have on offense (a lot) theres no reason he cant put a big time offensive product on the field not to. Too much talent on that side of the ball to not be at least really good
How good we become offensively IMO gets dtermined by our play at the Tackle spots.
In the past yes..but the new offense isn't as dependant on the o line being dominant.
...and right tackle is an issue. Tosh is playing bad and Amil Wagner still isn't making a move (not even considering the weight issue). That's an issue. Hopefully Lambert comes in ready to go.
Max Bollocks. Sounds like the singer from an early 80's English Punk Band.
He didn't come back for a 6th year to sit on the bench. He's a good player, and will provide a lot of veteran leadership to the LB corps.
He is a very good player and the fact that Rear end wants him on the bench proves the point.
Is Tosh struggling?
Have you heard any specifics on Wagner?
If Lamert isn't ready as a true freshman, is there a dark-horse candidate to win the RT job. We've all talked that it's down to Tosh, Wagner, and Lambert.....could there be a 4th guy really in the mix?
Also an excellent title for a 1980's/90's VHS glute workout with him on cover in spandex doing a lunge or something. I can see the 1am infomercial in grainy 480p right now.
Edit: looking forward to the LB rotation this year, but I'm really looking forward to KVA jr yr with Fariamo as a soph. Two Teo's on the field at the same time? Sign me up.
Thanks for the intel.
I’d guess that Bowen starts at Mike and Kiser starts at Will. I’d also guess Kiser is slightly more athletic than Bowen just based on how Kiser has been used in the past as a hybrid safety.
The big question is Sneed. Can he diagnose plays as an inside linebacker? Will he get moved to Rover or will he cross train at Rover and Will? Does he spend more time with the D Line compared to the other linebackers so he can work on stunts just to take advantage of his athleticism?
Clark is small so I can see Sneed being on the field vs two TE sets.
I’d guess that Bowen starts at Mike and Kiser starts at Will. I’d also guess Kiser is slightly more athletic than Bowen just based on how Kiser has been used in the past as a hybrid safety.
The big question is Sneed. Can he diagnose plays as an inside linebacker? Will he get moved to Rover or will he cross train at Rover and Will? Does he spend more time with the D Line compared to the other linebackers so he can work on stunts just to take advantage of his athleticism?
Clark is small so I can see Sneed being on the field vs two TE sets.
Sneed will play a ton. Ausberry and KVa will also get minutes
Kiser is significantly more athletic than Bowen
Ausberry is the one not mentioned that should earn good pt
No he is not. Yes, Ausberry should see some time but hes behind Sneed. I'd move Ausberry to weak side and put Kiser on bench.
