Who would you rather have at MLB: Schmidt or Grace?
- Thread starter IrishBlooded
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Schmidt with Grace as a back up. Grace should get PT. Overall it will come down to who stays healthy.
I'm hoping to see a starting 3 LBs with Smith at Sam, Grace at Mike, and Morgan at Will. could be the best trio of LBs ND has had in some time.
Schmidt seems to really understand the scheme. When he started last year everybody was in the proper place. Grace had a terrible injury and I wonder what that did to his lateral movement. Both are good players, though.
Agree with this. The ideal lineup for me (meaning ideal health and progress from the right players to seize the positions, not other players just being unavailable or "just losing")
WLB - Morgan / Martini / Barajas
MLB - Grace / Schmidt / Coney
SLB - Jaylon / Onwaulu / Bilal
LB/S - Farley / Tranquill
That would maximize talent,skill set, size, experience, and knowledge imo...but to do that we need Grace to truly be 100% physically and really know he defense as well as BVG has hyped (and just be natural in), Jaylon to take on a more vocal leadership role, and Morgan to make a big "jump" mentally in year 2.
You also need players like Schmidt and Onwaulu (who have played a lot) being very receptive of support roles and coming in 109% when they're asked to play (I would want them to get onto the field situationally and for substitute rotations)
That would be a killer LB unit, imo
Schmidt was the most valuable on defense last year and when we lost him the D fell apart . The kid is just so smart with great anticipation that he appears all over the field . Grace has talent but has only played in a few games and didn't seem to have the playmaking ability of Schmidt . But we will see
It's easy to forget that Grace was the leading tackler in 2013 prior to his injury.
He was the leading tackler despite being a RS Sophomore and sharing time with RS Seniors Fox and Carlo
Additionally, BVG heaped praise on Grace this spring for his vast knowledge of the defense and how intense his study was while injured.
Not to mention the praise that was heaped on him by Kelly and Diaco prior to that as just an incredibly natural ILB and leader
When Grace was playing he looked very natural and appeared to me to show real playmaking ability (especially against Oklahoma)
Schmidt was easily one of our most valuable players in 2014...but that had as much to do with the options behind him as his play itself
Schmidt is a very intelligent, natural player who's also a great leader...but he'd also athletically limited in all phases of the games (size v. he run, speed/athleticism v. he pass)
The great news here is we have 5-6 guys who are capable and competing for 3 LB spots....which really helps both quality and depth
Schmidt absolutely has a place/role on this defense, no matter what
Bodizephax
I've posted how many times?
SCHMIDT !! He is a brainiac and great leader with great football instincts who bench presses over 400 pounds !!
A beast !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who knows if he plays in the NFL but he is a great college player !!
With him we would not have lost more than 1 game last year !
Most important defensive player on the team ! Led the team in tackles (65) before he got hurt at Navy !
Walkon two star !! How do you like them banana's !!
A beast !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who knows if he plays in the NFL but he is a great college player !!
With him we would not have lost more than 1 game last year !
Most important defensive player on the team ! Led the team in tackles (65) before he got hurt at Navy !
Walkon two star !! How do you like them banana's !!
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Ideally, if Grace was back to 100% of what he was pre injury, it would look like this....
WILL: Joe Schmidt
2. Greer Martini
3. Josh Barajas
MIKE: Jarrett Grace
2. Nyles Morgan
3. Te'Von Coney
SAM: Jaylon Smith
2. James Onwualu
3. Asmar Bilal
I've said it before though, Jaylon Smith should never come off the field. When Schdmit needed a blow Martini wouldn't actually be my next guy in at WILL, it would be Jaylon sliding over and Onwualu in at SAM, where he's a proven player....
Really I think you have a 5-man rotation at LB between Smith, Schmidt, Grace, Morgan and Onwualu... The other 4 guys I listed are in the "next group". You play 5 for 3 positions as much as possible, with Smith and Schmidt as your flexible "swing men".
You also have to factor in the fact that ND won't actually be in this "base" defense a whole lot in some games. Against spread teams ND will play a base "Nickel" defense, and depending on the team they'll play "Big Nickel" or "Little Nickel"... So you'll see a lot of this...
LB: Joe Schmidt
2. Nyles Morgan
LB: Jaylon Smith
2. James Onwualu
BN: Matthias Farley
2. Drue Tranquil
OR
LN: Shaun Crawford
2. Nick Watkins
WILL: Joe Schmidt
2. Greer Martini
3. Josh Barajas
MIKE: Jarrett Grace
2. Nyles Morgan
3. Te'Von Coney
SAM: Jaylon Smith
2. James Onwualu
3. Asmar Bilal
I've said it before though, Jaylon Smith should never come off the field. When Schdmit needed a blow Martini wouldn't actually be my next guy in at WILL, it would be Jaylon sliding over and Onwualu in at SAM, where he's a proven player....
Really I think you have a 5-man rotation at LB between Smith, Schmidt, Grace, Morgan and Onwualu... The other 4 guys I listed are in the "next group". You play 5 for 3 positions as much as possible, with Smith and Schmidt as your flexible "swing men".
You also have to factor in the fact that ND won't actually be in this "base" defense a whole lot in some games. Against spread teams ND will play a base "Nickel" defense, and depending on the team they'll play "Big Nickel" or "Little Nickel"... So you'll see a lot of this...
LB: Joe Schmidt
2. Nyles Morgan
LB: Jaylon Smith
2. James Onwualu
BN: Matthias Farley
2. Drue Tranquil
OR
LN: Shaun Crawford
2. Nick Watkins
According to Continual35, when Schmidt got injured the rapture almost occurred. So it must be Schmidt!!
Bad question. How about we go to a 3-4 and let Jaylon and grace work the edge, Schmidt and Morgan play inside. That is the best possible line-up.
Anyone sense my hatred for the 4-3 defense yet?
On a side note....trumbetti needs to pick a size. Either shed more weight and be an outside backer or pack it on and play dt/de
But at his current size he is in no man's land.
Anyone sense my hatred for the 4-3 defense yet?
On a side note....trumbetti needs to pick a size. Either shed more weight and be an outside backer or pack it on and play dt/de
But at his current size he is in no man's land.
That's only true if you assume we okay a 3-4
The reality is that he's basicay a prototype 4-3 DE and is idealy sized to play that position
He's definitely never going to be any type of OLB
I'm my opinion his best position (by far) is a 4-3 SDE when playing at about 270lbs
Chris Long: 6'3, 268lbs (1st round pick)
Ryan Kerrigan: 6'4, 260lbs (1st round pick)
Bjoern Werner: 6'3, 255lbs (1st round pick)
Jared Allen: 6'5, 270lbs (4th round pick)
Rob Ninkovich: 6'3, 255lbs (5th round pick)
Those are 5 guys who play a very similar game to of Trumbetti, off the top of my head. All were 4-3 DE's in college who were power pass rushers and all have had a great impacts in the NFL.
At 6'3.5, 260lbs, as a college sophomore, Trumbetti fits right into the same mold as those guys. He'll play consistently during college at between 260-270lbs.
Ryan Kerrigan: 6'4, 260lbs (1st round pick)
Bjoern Werner: 6'3, 255lbs (1st round pick)
Jared Allen: 6'5, 270lbs (4th round pick)
Rob Ninkovich: 6'3, 255lbs (5th round pick)
Those are 5 guys who play a very similar game to of Trumbetti, off the top of my head. All were 4-3 DE's in college who were power pass rushers and all have had a great impacts in the NFL.
At 6'3.5, 260lbs, as a college sophomore, Trumbetti fits right into the same mold as those guys. He'll play consistently during college at between 260-270lbs.
I'd go with Schmidt, because he's like a player-coach out on the field. Grace is more physically imposing, but Schmidt, at 230 lbs with good speed and quickness, can certainly get the job done. And as we saw vs fsu, he also has excellent hands, for making interceptions.
Grace will provide excellent depth, as BVG rotates 5-6 linebckers regularly.
Grace will provide excellent depth, as BVG rotates 5-6 linebckers regularly.
Schmidt for sure. Kid was great last year before he got hurt. For him, the sum is greater than the parts.
