Defensive Line

[ZORO50]

I know right now everyone is in happy mode with the spring. Workouts have changed. There is competition in the weight room and things are glass half full.
I'm glad to hear all of it. Kelly is being a head coach. Realizing kids want to be around him and develop relationships with him. It's exciting to hear about what's going on. I listen to all the podcasts- Pete Sampson, Tim Priester, Lou& Driskell and Mike Frank.

The defensive line:
The reality is that if Daniel Cage isn't 100% back and if we do not land Scott Pagano then this defense better be the best coached and schemed defense ever in the history of Notre Dame football.

Let's face it-
1) Bonner hasn't shown a thing. Zero
I watched a little garbage time vs USC from last year and he was getting pushed around all over the place.

** Elijah Taylor looked the part vs USC and he actually made a few plays**
No one ever talks about him- why?
I've seen absolute zero from Bonner.

2) Can Tillery play to his potential all the time on every play in every game?
What if Cage isn't ok and Tillery got dinged up?
Now what do we do?

3) Jay Hayes plays with juice but hasn't played that much.

4) Trumbetti is so undersized at defensive end. Its pretty scary he's listed as a starter.
He's so undersized.
Trumbetti is a great player to have for 7-15 snaps. He can't be a starter.

D. Hayes- last year didn't have the strength yet and came in way too high on his blitzes and was a non-factor. Is he going to be Richard Dent this year? Doubt it.

If Cage isn't healthy and ready to go or if the Irish can't land Pagano- this defensive line could be in holy crap trouble.

I don't see how anyone could make season predictions without starting with at least 4 losses unless Cage is 100% back and the Irish land Pagano.

 

[OneillIrish]

I know right now everyone is in happy mode with the spring. Workouts have changed. There is competition in the weight room and things are glass half full.
I'm glad to hear all of it. Kelly is being a head coach. Realizing kids want to be around him and develop relationships with him. It's exciting to hear about what's going on. I listen to all the podcasts- Pete Sampson, Tim Priester, Lou& Driskell and Mike Frank.

The defensive line:
The reality is that if Daniel Cage isn't 100% back and if we do not land Scott Pagano then this defense better be the best coached and schemed defense ever in the history of Notre Dame football.

Let's face it-
1) Bonner hasn't shown a thing. Zero
I watched a little garbage time vs USC from last year and he was getting pushed around all over the place.

** Elijah Taylor looked the part vs USC and he actually made a few plays**
No one ever talks about him- why?
I've seen absolute zero from Bonner.

2) Can Tillery play to his potential all the time on every play in every game?
What if Cage isn't ok and Tillery got dinged up?
Now what do we do?

3) Jay Hayes plays with juice but hasn't played that much.

4) Trumbetti is so undersized at defensive end. Its pretty scary he's listed as a starter.
He's so undersized.
Trumbetti is a great player to have for 7-15 snaps. He can't be a starter.

D. Hayes- last year didn't have the strength yet and came in way too high on his blitzes and was a non-factor. Is he going to be Richard Dent this year? Doubt it.

If Cage isn't healthy and ready to go or if the Irish can't land Pagano- this defensive line could be in holy crap trouble.

I don't see how anyone could make season predictions without starting with at least 4 losses unless Cage is 100% back and the Irish land Pagano.

The DL is definitely a concern, no doubt about that.

But I'm not sure it's time for total meltdown yet.

1. From what we've heard, Cage is playing this spring and there is no reason to think he shouldn't be 100% this fall.

2. You have to assume natural progression for most players, especially with better S&C and coaching (though I liked Gilmore). That doesn't mean they'll suddenly be All-World, but players who have flashed potential would be expected to take a next step (Cage, Tillery, D. Hayes, J. Hayes, Trumetti, and potentially Taylor, Okwara, Kareem, etc.)

3. There are a lot of talented young players that you didn't even mention, that will have a chance to make an impact (Okwara, Kareem, Ewell, etc.)

4. I don't agree that Trumbetti is under-sized. He's okay as a 4-3 DE. What I see his issue as is lack of "want-to" which gets him pushed around on 2/3 snaps, simply because he's not going 100%. If he changes that, he'll suddenly look like he's a lot bigger on the field, imo. (Though personally, I don't expect him to change that)

5. A scheme that focuses on gap-shooting will demand less physically of the DL, and will likely make them look better on the field and be more productive on the stat sheet (though I expect continued issues in the run game and frequent big-plays)

Ultimately, we have a talent/development/depth issue up front on this defense, but if players finally start playing up to their talent and are actually developed and put into positions to succeed by their coaches.......things should look a lot less dire than you're stating here.

We'll know a lot more about this team after 2-3 weeks of CFB

 

[Pennick44]

I know right now everyone is in happy mode with the spring. Workouts have changed. There is competition in the weight room and things are glass half full.
I'm glad to hear all of it. Kelly is being a head coach. Realizing kids want to be around him and develop relationships with him. It's exciting to hear about what's going on. I listen to all the podcasts- Pete Sampson, Tim Priester, Lou& Driskell and Mike Frank.

The defensive line:
The reality is that if Daniel Cage isn't 100% back and if we do not land Scott Pagano then this defense better be the best coached and schemed defense ever in the history of Notre Dame football.

Let's face it-
1) Bonner hasn't shown a thing. Zero
I watched a little garbage time vs USC from last year and he was getting pushed around all over the place.

** Elijah Taylor looked the part vs USC and he actually made a few plays**
No one ever talks about him- why?
I've seen absolute zero from Bonner.

2) Can Tillery play to his potential all the time on every play in every game?
What if Cage isn't ok and Tillery got dinged up?
Now what do we do?

3) Jay Hayes plays with juice but hasn't played that much.

4) Trumbetti is so undersized at defensive end. Its pretty scary he's listed as a starter.
He's so undersized.
Trumbetti is a great player to have for 7-15 snaps. He can't be a starter.

D. Hayes- last year didn't have the strength yet and came in way too high on his blitzes and was a non-factor. Is he going to be Richard Dent this year? Doubt it.

If Cage isn't healthy and ready to go or if the Irish can't land Pagano- this defensive line could be in holy crap trouble.

I don't see how anyone could make season predictions without starting with at least 4 losses unless Cage is 100% back and the Irish land Pagano.

Definitely think Elston has his work cut out for him. Still think that Elko will have more talent on this DL than he has ever had at Wake.
I bet we see lots of players shuffled in and out the defense.

 

[Telx1]

I think oneillIrish is exactly on point. All of us should be concerned about the lack of proven dominant players on our DL, but as OneillIrish points out, there are a number of scenarios where we end up fielding an above average or even very good DL complimented by outstanding linebacker play. I think Elko's schemes are going to compliment our strengths more than expose our weaknesses. Can't remember a Spring where we had so many questions about our DL, with Cage and Tillery front and center, and yet getting Pegano would go a long way to answering these.