If Love and Price can't do it, Ford is a good blocker and would be more than capable in that role
Depth Chart
- Thread starter IrishMike409
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I dont think there are 5-star interior o-line prospects anymore. If a guy is a 5 star OL prospect, it's usually because the analysts see him as a potential OT, not a guard.
i can name 15 3*s that didn't amount to anything for every joe alt and ben morrison you can name
Ford is 200 lbs soaking wet and under 6 ft. At no time has he been called a good blocker in his career. Is he knowledgeable sure...but he doesn't have paynes skillset. They are very different
That's not true. He was specifically used as a lead blocker in multiple games last year. Including OSU. He's a solid blocker for sure. There's been plenty of smaller guys who are good pass blockers.
Gibran is 203 lbs
He's not as good as Payne but he certainly good enough to get the job done and be the 3rd down back if needed
I think Ford showed he is a good lead blocker on runs, but we really don’t know his pass blocking skills, which are very different from run blocking skills. Payne was our best pass blocking back last year by a significant margin in my opinion, and I don’t think we have any idea which of our running backs will take over this role. Hell, this might be Young’s path to early playing time.
Being a lead blocker and being a pass blocker taking on the edge are totally different skills.
The guy will play third and longs because he's a threat to catch and go, but he's not taking tons of snaps, and if he does it's a big problem.
It makes much more sense to use a te or one of our big wrs to cause matchup issues through motion than to throw devyn Ford in as an extra blocker.
I think you should listen to driskalls podcast from yesterday.
He's hoping guerby won't be playing, but spends a great deal of time talking about Lambert being a potential impact rt by mid year.
Ford is in his sixth year of FBS football. I’m not concerned about his strength.
Pass protection is more about smarts and willingness than it is strength. Kyren Williams got a lot of attention for his pass blocking and look how small he was.
I hope Lambert gets reps too. He's a stud. But not as a starter especially early in the year
I got a long drive ahead of me this afternoon. Gonna catch a few of Driskell's podcasts. Can't wait!
The 25 OL is shaping up to be incredible:
Craig
Shrauth
Jagusah
Lambert
All shaping up to be impact players at their positions. That line could be incredible.
Agree Irish Mike, but hoping we don’t have a ton of growing pains this year. Our defense should be really really good this year, and our skill positions on offense are collectively much improved over last year. If this OL in 24 develops quickly into a typical strong asset for ND, we could have a tremendous season and some success in the playoffs. I think the OL is the a question mark on our critical path to success in 24.
Enjoy the drive and the ND talk!
Smarts to pick up the blitz and the Willingness and strength to take on blitzing safeties and linebackers, and defensive ends; and the skill to know when to go low or take on the rusher upright, etc…. We’ve had lots of backs either whiff on the block or simply not recognize the blitz, etc…
Agree and that’s why Payne is a relatively big loss IMO. People talk about his prowess as a pass protector, but even he had some key mess-ups.
Now ND is replacing a junior with a freshman as RB #3. I’m confident the freshmen can carry the ball, but can they pass protect? This is how Ford might earn some more playing time again 2024.
Good post.
I'm still concerned that Price or Love get banged up at some point. If that happens, then we're pretty thin at RB.
Good post.
I'm still concerned that Price or Love get banged up at some point. If that happens, then we're pretty thin at RB.
The vast majority of top 25 CFB programs worry about injures and the residual effects on the depth chart. Especially at QB.
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Jagusah still has much to prove. We are counting him as a given but he had some shakey moments in the bowl game and Wagner who you don't think much Of was better than him in the spring game
I expect him to be good but it's not a given and how long will it take him
I’d like to agree, but I don’t. I think Coogan and Rocco played average at best last year. One of them is going to start, and one has lost their job to Schrauth. Hope Rocco earns the starting job, and I hope the year experience has elevated his game. The Spring game seemed to suggest just that; but the lg is definitely a question mark. I tend to think what we saw of Craig and Schrauth at the end of the season suggests each is an upgrade to last years starters at C and RG. Jagusah was not as good as I expected in the Bowl game, nor the Spring game. He needs game experience, and the question is how many games before he starts showing consistent good play. So, tons of potential, but I think we have questions at LT, LG and RT that won’t be answered until games are played.
Is there perhaps a youngster at LG who could emerge and surprise? Or do you think it's close to a certainty that Coogan or Rocco is the guy?
Fwiw....a walk-on who was on the 23 roster told me that Coogan is mature and trusted, and has the inside track.
Rocco's upside is clearly higher. I hope he's able to put it all together.
I guess someone else could emerge, but as you say, that would be a surprise. Guys like Otting and Pendleton and Chan come to mind, but they were all beat out by Coogan and Rocco last year. The little I’ve read regarding Rocco vs Coogan for 24, always surprises me as to the positive comments about Coogan’s continued development. I thought Rocco was slightly better than Coogan in 23, and I thought Rocco showed much better in the Spring game. Both should be better than last year, and that alone is an upgrade. Experience does matter and Rudolph seems to like these two above anyone else. My concerns about their average play last season notwithstanding, either should be an upgrade after a year of experience and another year under Rudolph.
Let the debate continue as to Wagner’s weight and ability to take charge of the RT position. He weighed in at 292 for Spring and weighed in at 290 for Summer. And this is while trying hard to gain weight. Meanwhile true freshman Lambert gained 28 and reported in at 318. Beginning to think the real battle for rt will be Lambert vs Baker, with Baker getting the nod to start the season. There were questions about Wagner’s frame and ability to gain the right kind of weight to play RT when he committed to ND. Great feet and lateral movement, very powerful arms, the skill to be a very good RT, and yet very light for the position in today’s game. To me, the critical question is whether he could maintain that weight throughout the season, and I suspect the answer is a resounding no way.
No chance Wagner won't be involved. If I was a betting man I'd put my money on Wagner right now with Baker a close second
In the media guide, Wagner was 282lbs. He said he was 292. My guess he will be 295lbs by fall camp which will be more than fine
There was lots of chatter during the Spring game that Wagner had put on good weight at 292. Yet, he sure as hell didn’t look that heavy when standing next to Schrauth and the other OL. If he was really more like 280-282 and has since ADDED weight to 290, then that is encouraging. I love his skill set, and if he is really gaining good weight since Spring, then that is good news, rather than the reported loss of two pounds. I hope Lambert at 318 is really good additional weight like what Alt experienced from HS to summer at ND; and I hope Lambert seriously competes for the starting job.
Agree with both of you guys! If Riley is the guy the NFL guys were so high on, the guy who single-handedly beat Clemson and had ND on the ropes before the injury, we could be very special. Golden with another year back in CFB and his system in place, along with a seasoned OC in Denbrock makes me very optimistic about this team. Yes, the OL is the big question, but get a win vs. A&M and they'll have time to figure it out.
Where is BODI when he might actually be right?!
He looked 290 in the spring. Everyone at practice said he looked bigger than last year. People are making a bigger deal about his weight than needs to be
If he's getting stronger in the weight room and keeps improving his technique he'll be fine
I would be happy if Lambert won the job based on him being ready to go because he has the most talent of the 3. But don't think it is realistic especially early in the season
Bingo. Game 1 is so key. Win that game and it's an 11 or 12 win season playoff bound
The OL in 2024 is a big question, like you say, heck, the OL, IMO, struggled last season with two dudes at tackle gone early to the NFL. And special teams do not struggle up front on offense.
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The OL was pretty good last year IMO. Against Ohio State and Clemson, we were running the ball well with Estime. We got away from that too much. Against Louisville, turnovers were really the biggest problem - 5 of them. Most of the other games, we scored a lot of points. We had 9 blowout wins.
