Elko inherits a potentially GREAT sophmore defensive line class !! Great !!

[Bodizephax]

Five huge gets from last years recruiting class !! They are no longer freshman and should breakout this year with the new coaching by Elko.
Kahleed Kareem a 6.4" flip from Alabama ! Julian Okwara 6. 4" stud who will be better than his brother who now plays for the Giants ! Adukumbo Ojundeji 6'5" long armed Dend ! Jamir Jones who is Jarron Jones brother whi is even more athletic ! Daelin Hayes a 6'3" 5 star stud who now has a year of experience !!
If you can't see the potential in these young guns, you may be a member of the sewing circle with Purse as the President !! The Irish will have a GREAT defense in 17 !! BVG is gone !! Elko is the new sheriff in town !! Go Irish !! Prove the sewing circle wrong !! 12 and 0 in 17 !!!

 

[Gimmea10wincoach]

Sending a prayer ( seriously )!

 

[SeanPol355]

Bodi, go see your eye doctor. Or be cheap and buy some readers at Walmart.

 

[Telx1]

The upside potential of each of these five is substantial. Whether each realizes their potential and whether this year or next, are legitimate question marks. I prefer Bodi's answer to the alternatives. Just regret that their development last season was slowed by all the BVG nonsense.

 

[Bodizephax]

Bodi, go see your eye doctor. Or be cheap and buy some readers at Walmart.

Too expensive. #ThanksObama !

 

[NDskins]

Hmmmm 1 year under Longo...... well it's better than 2 years under Longo

 

[IrishInOntario]

ND's defense won't be "great" in 2017, but it will be improved and trending upwards.

First and foremost, it's going to be vitally important that all 5 of those sophomores kill it in the weight room over the winter. Before they can be affective on the field, they need to be physically ready to hold up. Here is my prediction for their individual sizes coming into the season.

Khalid Kareem: 6'4, 270lbs
Daelin Hayes: 6'3.5, 255lbs
Julian Okwara: 6'3.5, 245lbs
Jamir Jones: 6'2.5, 245lbs
Ade Ogundeji: 6'4, 260lbs

 

[Bodizephax]

ND's defense won't be "great" in 2017, but it will be improved and trending upwards.

First and foremost, it's going to be vitally important that all 5 of those sophomores kill it in the weight room over the winter. Before they can be affective on the field, they need to be physically ready to hold up. Here is my prediction for their individual sizes coming into the season.

Khalid Kareem: 6'4, 270lbs
Daelin Hayes: 6'3.5, 255lbs
Julian Okwara: 6'3.5, 245lbs
Jamir Jones: 6'2.5, 245lbs
Ade Ogundeji: 6'4, 260lbs

Who will be our Justin Tuck or Victor Abiamiri or Dereck Landry? We need a breakout dline star !

 

[IrishInOntario]

Who will be our Justin Tuck or Victor Abiamiri or Dereck Landry? We need a breakout dline star !

IMO, the pressures will come from different spots. I think Morgan will lead the team in TFL and maybe even sacks. Drue Tranquil and Spencer Perry will be used as pressure guys as well from the rover position. Daelin Hayes will likely get the first crack at WDE, especially when he stands up...

I don't see anybody getting double digit sacks, rather I see pressure from a multitude of places, starting with the linebackers, much like last year at Wake.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

Great post Bodi...unleash the horses!

 

[MTIrish98]

ND's defense won't be "great" in 2017, but it will be improved and trending upwards.

First and foremost, it's going to be vitally important that all 5 of those sophomores kill it in the weight room over the winter. Before they can be affective on the field, they need to be physically ready to hold up.

Agree 100%

The potential will be very good. Depth and experience will be issues.

 

[Izo]

Many of the players seem a little light to handle defensive line

 

[IrishInOntario]

Many of the players seem a little light to handle defensive line

Third down pass rush specialists. If you look around CFB, it's become a game of sub packages for the purpose of creating a pass rush. On run downs you have guys like Andrew Trumbetti, Jay Hayes, Khalid Kareem, Jonathan Bonner, Daniel Cage, Jerry Tillery and Darnell Ewell on the field. The big boys that can handle the running game, who then give way to the speedy athletes on 2nd and 3rd down in passing situations.

Also, keep in mind that those sophomores aren't done growing and that while I've projected their weights for this year, they'll continue to add size throughout their careers and some (Daelin Hayes) will develop into fulltime players. It's not a smart idea for a strength and nutrition staff to pack 30lbs on a kid in a single year. It's a tough adjustment to the new body, rarely is it all good weight, it can be really hard to keep on in season and you don't want to hamper your quick twitch athletes. Instead, you add a little bit each year, and by time he's an upper classman, you have a stout player. Use Daelin for example, who I project around 255lbs this year, up about 15lbs from last year. I think he's play around 265-270lbs before all is said and done, but that's 2.5 years from now.

As for the defensive sub packages, we could see this look quite often this year....

Running downs...

SDE: Jay Hayes / Khalid Kareem
DT: Jerry Tillery / Jonathan Bonner
NG: Daniel Cage / Darnell Ewell
WDE: Andrew Trumbetti / Daelin Hayes
Buck: Te'Von Coney
Mike: Nyles Morgan
Rover: Drue Tranquill

Passing downs...

SDE: Khalid Kareem
DT: Jay Hayes
NG: Jonathan Bonner
WDE: Daelin Hayes / Julian Okwara
Buck: Asmar Bilal
Mike: Nyles Morgan
Rover: Drue Tranquill