Went to ND practice on Saturday

[Zorich 88]

Micah Jones looked absolutely great! 6'5 WR with really good hands. Showed good speed and the ability to come off press coverage.

ND has three WR's over 6'4

Micah Jones
Claypool
Boykin

Dexter Williams is 100% and will easily be the starter against Michigan. Strong, fast and very aggressive.

I was really impressed with the new DB coach Terry Joseph. He last coached at NC. He has that group playing at a high all out killer level. I loved how they communicate on the field with each other. They are also playing with a new chip on there shoulder. They call the WR out by number when they did 1on1 drills.

Donte Vaughn 6'2 and Nick Watkins 6'1 BIG DB's.

I watched two hours of practice if anyone has questions I can try to answer.

 

[BGI User 1596]

Micah Jones looked absolutely great! 6'5 WR with really good hands. Showed good speed and the ability to come off press coverage.

ND has three WR's over 6'4

Micah Jones
Claypool
Boykin

Dexter Williams is 100% and will easily be the starter against Michigan. Strong, fast and very aggressive.

I was really impressed with the new DB coach Terry Joseph. He last coached at NC. He has that group playing at a high all out killer level. I loved how they communicate on the field with each other. They are also playing with a new chip on there shoulder. They call the WR out by number when they did 1on1 drills.

Donte Vaughn 6'2 and Nick Watkins 6'1 BIG DB's.

I watched two hours of practice if anyone has questions I can try to answer.

How did BW look throwing the ball?

 

[HillRock86]

Micah Jones looked absolutely great! 6'5 WR with really good hands. Showed good speed and the ability to come off press coverage.

ND has three WR's over 6'4

Micah Jones
Claypool
Boykin

Dexter Williams is 100% and will easily be the starter against Michigan. Strong, fast and very aggressive.

I was really impressed with the new DB coach Terry Joseph. He last coached at NC. He has that group playing at a high all out killer level. I loved how they communicate on the field with each other. They are also playing with a new chip on there shoulder. They call the WR out by number when they did 1on1 drills.

Donte Vaughn 6'2 and Nick Watkins 6'1 BIG DB's.

I watched two hours of practice if anyone has questions I can try to answer.

Who was starting in place of Nelson and McGlinchey and how did they do?

 

[Zorich 88]

How did BW look throwing the ball?

BW looked good. Nice touch on the deep ball. Missed some slants. Very quiet player. When he is on the field it is all business. He really locks in and laser focused. A lot taller in person.

Book also looked good. He made some nice throws. Very competitive kid. BW is going to get pushed by Book.

Avery is fun to watch. Very vocal guy. A ball of energy.

This was the talk as far as oline. These boys are BIG! Eichenberg is 6'5 - 6'6. 4 of 5 of these guys have started.

• Depth (LT): Eichenberg, Lugg
• Depth (LG): Bars*, Banks
• Depth (C): Mustipher*, Ruhland
• Depth (RG): Kraemer*, Gibbons
• Depth (RT): Hainsey*, Mabry

Also, Alizé Mack looked outstanding! He caught everything. Bad passes good passes he had zero drops. He also out ran the secondary twice after the catch.

 

[echowaker]

BW looked good. Nice touch on the deep ball. Missed some slants. Very quiet player. When he is on the field it is all business. He really locks in and laser focused. A lot taller in person.

Book also looked good. He made some nice throws. Very competitive kid. BW is going to get pushed by Book.

Avery is fun to watch. Very vocal guy. A ball of energy.

This was the talk as far as oline. These boys are BIG! Eichenberg is 6'5 - 6'6. 4 of 5 of these guys have started.

• Depth (LT): Eichenberg, Lugg
• Depth (LG): Bars*, Banks
• Depth (C): Mustipher*, Ruhland
• Depth (RG): Kraemer*, Gibbons
• Depth (RT): Hainsey*, Mabry

Also, Alizé Mack looked outstanding! He caught everything. Bad passes good passes he had zero drops. He also out ran the secondary twice after the catch.

Interesting. either there have been unreported massive changes up front in the last few days or you were not there at all.
LT-HAINSEY
LG-LUGG
C-MUSTIPHER
RG-BARS
RT-KRAEMER
was the first unit last week.

 

[Telx1]

Interesting. either there have been unreported massive changes up front in the last few days or you were not there at all.
LT-HAINSEY
LG-LUGG
C-MUSTIPHER
RG-BARS
RT-KRAEMER
was the first unit last week.

Echo...thought I read that Ruhland (sp) played LG with the first unit last week. Frankly, been surprised that Kraemer is playing RT again. Thought for sure he would slide over to LG as I continue to think he is a potentially elite guard vs good tackle. Thought the real battles would be for the RT slot between Eichenberg and Lugg and Banks. Great to have this depth and competition on the OL.

 

[echowaker]

Echo...thought I read that Ruhland (sp) played LG with the first unit last week. Frankly, been surprised that Kraemer is playing RT again. Thought for sure he would slide over to LG as I continue to think he is a potentially elite guard vs good tackle. Thought the real battles would be for the RT slot between Eichenberg and Lugg and Banks. Great to have this depth and competition on the OL.

agree completely on kraemer. just double checked the spring depth chart at the south bend trib and they show lugg at left guard also with ruhland as the backup there and at center.

 

[Bumpdaddy]

Here's a detailed write-up about Saturday's practice:

https://irishsportsdaily.com/s/5874/practice-observations-324

First team o-line looked like this:

LT: Robert Hainsey
LG: Trevor Ruhland
OC: Sam Mustipher
RG: Alex Bars
RT: Tommy Kraemer

2nd team looked like this:

LT: Aaron Banks
LG: Josh Lugg
OC: Colin Grunhard
RG: Dillan Gibbons
RT: Liam Eichenberg

Based on what the coaches have been saying at press conferences and what the beat reporters have been saying, the only slot on the OL right now that seems to be a true open competition is at RG. Ruhland and Lugg are the leading contenders as of now. Ruhland is said to be more consistent and technically proficient while Lugg has flashes of dominance mixed in with some mistakes. If Lugg can erase the mistakes he's likely going to be the starter.

Telx1, I think if there are going to be any other shake-ups along the OL you might be right. If there are any other changes it's likely going to happen at RT where Lugg or Eichenberg could take over and force Kraemer over to RG.

 

[SIhoosier26]

I am so excited about this year. I can't remember a time when ND had more impact guys on defense.

DL
Tillery
Daelin
Jay Hayes/Treadway
Okwara

LB
Coney
Bilal
(one of my favorite players at ND in years, Drue Tranquill)

Secondary
Crawford
Love
Watkins

Talented, highly recruited freshman that could get snaps right away in Houston Griffith and Derrik Allen

Lot of potential this year!

 

[Buguit]

Interesting. either there have been unreported massive changes up front in the last few days or you were not there at all.
LT-HAINSEY
LG-LUGG
C-MUSTIPHER
RG-BARS
RT-KRAEMER
was the first unit last week.

What irony calling someone else a fraud ....... LOL!

 

[NDIRISH53]

Starting line should be
LT: Hainsey
LG: Kraemer
C: Mustipher
RG: Bars
RT: Eichenberg

Liam Eichenberg has amazing potential as a pass blocker. It would suck to see him get passed up on

 

[pennirish]

I am so excited about this year. I can't remember a time when ND had more impact guys on defense.

DL
Tillery
Daelin
Jay Hayes/Treadway
Okwara

LB
Coney
Bilal
(one of my favorite players at ND in years, Drue Tranquill)

Secondary
Crawford
Love
Watkins

Talented, highly recruited freshman that could get snaps right away in Houston Griffith and Derrik Allen

Lot of potential this year!

No talk about Ewell, there shoud be. Could be the biggest "not talked about' player making a gigantic impact this fall.

 

[SIhoosier26]

No talk about Ewell, there shoud be. Could be the biggest "not talked about' player making a gigantic impact this fall.

Ewell definitely has the ability to make make plays, still has to keep getting more consistent. That being said this is one of the deeper defensive lines for ND in quite awhile.

 

[NDIRISH53]

How the hell did you get on the field? Are you actually chris zorich?

 

[Zorich 88]

How the hell did you get on the field? Are you actually chris zorich?

Lol, no not Chris, he is my all time favorite. I was at the coaches clinic. We attended two practices and the pro day. I did not watch a lot of oline but that was the depth chart beat writers had that also attended the practice.

 

[Zorich 88]

I will tell you now, this will be the best the secondary has been for some time. Chip long was awesome. Not really impressed with the new DC. However, I was only around him for 50 minutes in class and 2hrs in practice. The players responded to him well, that's what matters most. Outside of Polian, this has to be the youngest staff ever at ND. Todd Lyhtt is the elder statesman.

 

[BGI User 1596]

I will tell you now, this will be the best the secondary has been for some time. Chip long was awesome. Not really impressed with the new DC. However, I was only around him for 50 minutes in class and 2hrs in practice. The players responded to him well, that's what matters most. Outside of Polian, this has to be the youngest staff ever at ND. Todd Lyhtt is the elder statesman.

What stood out about the new DC that you didn’t like?

 

[Zorich 88]

Not that I didn't like him, I just wasn't impressed. During his talk he sounded more like a position coach than a guy that has been handed the keys to a defense that is coming off their best performance since 2012. Zero experience as a DC. Now, you jump to one of thee Norte Dame Fighting Irish? I just think they could have hired a guy with some DC experience.

What will help is Coach Lyhtt and Joseph will have the secondary playing at a high level.

 

[BGI User 1596]

Not that I didn't like him, I just wasn't impressed. During his talk he sounded more like a position coach than a guy that has been handed the keys to a defense that is coming off their best performance since 2012. Zero experience as a DC. Now, you jump to one of thee Norte Dame Fighting Irish? I just think they could have hired a guy with some DC experience.

What will help is Coach Lyhtt and Joseph will have the secondary playing at a high level.

You get what you pay for! Hopefully his audition at DC works out for ND.

 

[IrishMike409]

All cool info, Zorich. Appreciate you sharing it.

 

[NDIRISH53]

Zorich was Jeff brohm at the clinic?

 

[Zorich 88]

Brohm was not there. Just ND staff this season. Denson is an awesome RB coach. That group practices at a high level. He coaches a lot of fundamental's. Ball security Ball security Ball Security. If a QB or RB holds a ball during warm ups they all hold the ball the same way. High and tight.

 

[justified1]

did you see Pikehead?

 

[Zorich 88]

did you see Pikehead?

Yes, he ran the QB dtills

 

[SIhoosier26]

Not that I didn't like him, I just wasn't impressed. During his talk he sounded more like a position coach than a guy that has been handed the keys to a defense that is coming off their best performance since 2012. Zero experience as a DC. Now, you jump to one of thee Norte Dame Fighting Irish? I just think they could have hired a guy with some DC experience.

What will help is Coach Lyhtt and Joseph will have the secondary playing at a high level.

Well he's not going to have any excuses. This is the deepest defense ND has had in years. No reason with the talent returning to not be at least a top 30 unit.

 

[justified1]

Not that I didn't like him, I just wasn't impressed. During his talk he sounded more like a position coach than a guy that has been handed the keys to a defense that is coming off their best performance since 2012. Zero experience as a DC. Now, you jump to one of thee Norte Dame Fighting Irish? I just think they could have hired a guy with some DC experience.

What will help is Coach Lyhtt and Joseph will have the secondary playing at a high level.

When you look at the roster, the position group that is deepest, with the most talent, is WR. The good news bad news, only 3 are generally on the field at any one time. That leaves a lot of talent on the sidelines. Aside from the Wimbush/Book QB position, guys that are key to keeping healthy for a successful season are Mustipher, Dex and Barr (the OL without Barr is very inexperienced). Other position groups are well manned and can takes a few hits. It might be said another key to the D is keeping Hayes and Tillery healthy and on the field together, each makes the other more effective than if one goes down with injury.