Cam Smith----Kevin Stepherson---Jafar Armstrong-- Deep threats

[Bodizephax]

Cameron Smith was a very important off season pick up for the Irish.
In 2014 as a true soph he had 44 receptions for over 14 yards a catch and 6 TDS. He will be Kevin Stephersons replacement until KS quits being a flake and more of a team player. I am hearing good things about Jafar Armstrongs deep threat potential also. Brian Kelly's decision to take experienced mature wide receivers transfers like Cam Smith and Freddy Canteen was phenomenal proactive thinking--- Hey ! Kevin Stepherson could be the next Will Fuller or better but why take chances on his bad attitude ?? It is not about the player it is about the Team !!
Go Irish !! Bombs away !! Beat Temple !!

 

[Pennick44]

Anyone know what the deal is with Stepherson? Is he just a knucklehead or is it an attitude problem?

 

[hoopsstar12]

Please explain the above post.

 

[Pennick44]

He is getting zero reps in practice and seems disinterested.

 

[Telx1]

Anyone know what the deal is with Stepherson? Is he just a knucklehead or is it an attitude problem?

The comments I've read consistently say he makes a lot of route running mistakes, and being relegated to third string doesn't seem to phase him. The later seems to suggest lack of effort and an attitude, but whatever is going on with him, he so far lacks the drive and disciplined to be great. Hope the coaches are able to get through to him and turn this around, otherwise a waste of considerable talent.

 

[hoopsstar12]

I find this hard to believe. Is he still using drugs? Or have the coaches told him he isnt playing much this year? Doesnt sound right after last years production.

 

[IRISHJD98]

“We lost a lot of games with guys I did not develop in the right way and we’re gonna develop them in the right way,” Kelly said. “If you’re not happy with where you are with maybe how much (playing) time you got, it has nothing to do with your talent. Just focus on those traits and that’ll get you on the field.”

Senior defensive lineman Andrew Trumbetti said this message is no joke. Players can see who gets reps at practice.

“I just feel like this year, you have to buy in,” he said. “If you’re not buying into the program, then you either quit or you don’t belong here. People know the people who don’t want to be here and the people who haven’t bought in, they’re not getting reps. The people who have bought in, you know who they are and that’s it."

Link

 

[NDCap]

Hoops great question. The fact that BK does not even mention him is very alarming. Everyone on this board seems to have a varied opinion which is not really fair to the kid until BK actually says what is holding the kid back . Was it a poor spring offseason ? is it academics that BK knows he will be ineligible but has not disclosed yet ? or is he having a hard time grasping the offense ?Or is it favoritism from the new WR coach with his former ASU player ? If the 19 year old kid is in the doghouse as the HC get to the bottom of it and correct it. All I know is that BK has made a great deal of admitted mistakes coaching this team last year and now after god knows how many years of coaching he is going to play the players that earn it on and off the field ? Now he has decided that what in the best interest of the team ??? He is quoted as saying last year he played players based on talent and not work ethic Should it always be that way ! . IMO anything that comes from his mouth is very questionable. I watched an ESPN show on PJ Fleck last night. This guy is the total package ... to be continued.

 

[NDCap]

I misquoted something. Playing time should always be based on work ethic not talent.

 

[IRISHJD98]

Hoops great question. The fact that BK does not even mention him is very alarming. Everyone on this board seems to have a varied opinion which is not really fair to the kid until BK actually says what is holding the kid back . Was it a poor spring offseason ? is it academics that BK knows he will be ineligible but has not disclosed yet ? or is he having a hard time grasping the offense ?Or is it favoritism from the new WR coach with his former ASU player ? If the 19 year old kid is in the doghouse as the HC get to the bottom of it and correct it. All I know is that BK has made a great deal of admitted mistakes coaching this team last year and now after god knows how many years of coaching he is going to play the players that earn it on and off the field ? Now he has decided that what in the best interest of the team ??? He is quoted as saying last year he played players based on talent and not work ethic Should it always be that way ! . IMO anything that comes from his mouth is very questionable. I watched an ESPN show on PJ Fleck last night. This guy is the total package ... to be continued.

Cap,

Seems like you're saying that based on what you've seen before, you're not buying what Kelly's saying. That works for fans, because it doesn't matter. But Kelly needs the players to buy into the changes he's made. Maybe Stepherson's a bit like you, and has been slow to buy into Kelly's "new" approach.

Whatever it is, I'm sure Stepherson knows exactly what he needs to do. I remember when many fans here were angry that Kelly was giving Theo Riddick more opportunities than Cierre Wood because they believe Wood was clearly the much more naturally talented guy. But Wood never bought into what Kelly was teaching, which was that he needed to learn to turn up-field in a single, powerful move. Wood never figured it out. Wood and Riddick always had different talent sets, but Riddick's biggest talent advantage, IMO, was that he could be coached.

I think about Robert Hughes in 2010 too. Early in the season, Hughes wasn't seeing the field much, and Kelly said he wouldn't until he learned how to run like a big back - that was the role Hughes needed to learn to play more in Kelly's system. Hughes figured it out. Stepherson will figure it out too, and he'll be better for it.

 

[francade]

Wow, that '10 ND team had some offensive talent.

 

[francade]

Imagine if clausen & Tate came back

 

[francade]

Clausen
Floyd
Tate
Eifert
Riddick
Wood
Hughes
Not to mention Martin on the line

Wow, I would've liked to have seen that team in 2010. Charlie couldn't head coach, but he brought some serious offensive talent.

 

[NDCap]

Cap,

Seems like you're saying that based on what you've seen before, you're not buying what Kelly's saying. That works for fans, because it doesn't matter. But Kelly needs the players to buy into the changes he's made. Maybe Stepherson's a bit like you, and has been slow to buy into Kelly's "new" approach.

Whatever it is, I'm sure Stepherson knows exactly what he needs to do. I remember when many fans here were angry that Kelly was giving Theo Riddick more opportunities than Cierre Wood because they believe Wood was clearly the much more naturally talented guy. But Wood never bought into what Kelly was teaching, which was that he needed to learn to turn up-field in a single, powerful move. Wood never figured it out. Wood and Riddick always had different talent sets, but Riddick's biggest talent advantage, IMO, was that he could be coached.

I think about Robert Hughes in 2010 too. Early in the season, Hughes wasn't seeing the field much, and Kelly said he wouldn't until he learned how to run like a big back - that was the role Hughes needed to learn to play more in Kelly's system. Hughes figured it out. Stepherson will figure it out too, and he'll be better for it.

View embedded media

I just think it's hard for a coach that has been coaching for 8 years at one place anywhere to really get his players to buy into a philosophy that should exist from day one . BK making excuses for the 4-8 season a year ago basing it on the premise that he didn't make the right decisions by playing guys based on talent and not effort is ridiculous. Who were those players ? Are they still on this team? Last years team easily could have won 9 games and he never would have made a statement like that. The new strength coach , DC, and OC have changed the culture not BK .

 

[Kelso86]

I just think it's hard for a coach that has been coaching for 8 years at one place anywhere to really get his players to buy into a philosophy that should exist from day one . BK making excuses for the 4-8 season a year ago basing it on the premise that he didn't make the right decisions by playing guys based on talent and not effort is ridiculous. Who were those players ? Are they still on this team? Last years team easily could have won 9 games and he never would have made a statement like that. The new strength coach , DC, and OC have changed the culture not BK .

"BK making excuses for the 4-8 season a year ago basing it on the premise that he didn't make the right decisions by playing guys based on talent and not effort is ridiculous."

As much dysfunction as there was last year -- I can see it, partly. Listening to him speak (in hindsight), you can tell he was not totally there (not that it is an excuse, but he seemed almost preoccupied most of the time). Could they have won 9 games, probably -- but looking back (again, hindsight), you can almost see them falter in the 2nd half of most games -- the conditioning was not there, they were getting lazy at times....again, not an excuse. Easy to see now, especially now that we are all past the frustrating p[arts of last year.

"The new strength coach , DC, and OC have changed the culture not BK"

They may have changed the culture, but it was BK who hired them and would have to believe that it was his directive to change the status quo. And finally -- finally -- appears to have given up the reins and let the coaches do what they were hired to do.

And yes -- time will tell. The proof will be on the field in September.

 

[IRISHJD98]

I just think it's hard for a coach that has been coaching for 8 years at one place anywhere to really get his players to buy into a philosophy that should exist from day one . BK making excuses for the 4-8 season a year ago basing it on the premise that he didn't make the right decisions by playing guys based on talent and not effort is ridiculous. Who were those players ? Are they still on this team? Last years team easily could have won 9 games and he never would have made a statement like that. The new strength coach , DC, and OC have changed the culture not BK .

Yeah, its hard for a coach to change attitudes within a program. Sometimes that means firing guys that coached with you for over twenty years and putting talented players that aren't receptive to coaching in the doghouse until they come around. Those guys know who they are and exactly what they need to do. I suspect that may be what's going on with Stepherson a bit because he has shown some talented potential, and that's why I chimed in on this thread. Do you have any relevant thoughts?

Apparently you believe that Long and Elko have already changed the culture, so what do you think is up with Stepherson?

 

[Pennick44]

Yeah, its hard for a coach to change attitudes within a program. Sometimes that mean firing guys that coached with you for over twenty years and putting talented players that aren't receptive to coaching in the doghouse until they come around. Those guys know who they are and exactly what they need to do. I suspect that may be what's going on with Stepherson a bit because he has shown some talented potential, and that's why I chimed in on this thread. Do you have any relevant thoughts?

Apparently you believe that Long and Elko have already changed the culture, so what do you think is up with Stepherson?

I would guess he is just a knucklehead. Probably a waste of talent like Max Redfield. Hard to combat stupidity.

 

[NDCap]

Am I the only one concerned that the trio of Stepherson, Claypool and McKinley have mentioned very little this pre-season? I really felt that those 3 would be a dominating trio. All we hear about is the new transfers and the 2 frosh.... I don't like this at all.

 

[Pennick44]

Am I the only one concerned that the trio of Stepherson, Claypool and McKinley have mentioned very little this pre-season? I really felt that those 3 would be a dominating trio. All we hear about is the new transfers and the 2 frosh.... I don't like this at all.

I think Claypool is in the mix and McKinley is coming off injury.
Do not like the chances of Stepherson ever succeeding at ND. Knuckleheaditis
I actually would not be surprised if he leaves the program.

 

[Telx1]

The receiver that appears to be the surprise of Fall camp is freshman Young. You throw Armstrong and Young into the mix and playing time and touches are going to be really hard to come by. I've read several references lately of Chase having good practices. His ability to gain yards after the catch will get him on the field a lot this year.

 

[NDCap]

Pennick . I hope Stepherson does not leave. Thought he was really good at getting separation from DB's last year. IMO he was the best WR on the team including ESB. He ran that deep out route so well . Hopefully he can grow up and play up to his potential . Im not a big fan of transfers but hope these 2 new guys live up to the hype . IMO a healthy McKinley can be a great WR>

 

[Pennick44]

Pennick . I hope Stepherson does not leave. Thought he was really good at getting separation from DB's last year. IMO he was the best WR on the team including ESB. He ran that deep out route so well . Hopefully he can grow up and play up to his potential . Im not a big fan of transfers but hope these 2 new guys live up to the hype . IMO a healthy McKinley can be a great WR>

I agree with you on Stepherson. I heard on recent podcast that the wr's were working on a drill and he had his helmut off and appeared disinterested in being with the group. I hope somebody can reach him
No doubt he has beaucoup talent.