With Hegarty gone the Depth Chart on Offense is becoming clear

[Andover1]

Seems like the depth chart on offense is already taking shape behind the scenes.

Have to appreciate the clarity in Hegarty's statement, especially as it can't have been easy to say "I'm leaving for PT because other guys are beating me out"...but it really helps our understaning, imo

I think it's clear the Nick Martin is moving back to Center.
The coaches were REALLY high on him there, and it's clearly where they wanted him in 2014 (prior to the hand injury). He's "undersized" compared to the rest of the OL we have...but he's our most experienced OL, likely our smartest OL, and has the right build for a center.
I think it's clear that Hegarty was told Martin was moving back to center and that he could compete at guard....and against Nelson, with his size....he saw it's time to move on

The offensive depth chart, imo:
QB -- Golson/Zaire (one of the unclear spots, who knows who wins, but I think it's a 2 QB combo if they're both in)
RB -- Folston , Bryant
WR -- Robinson , Brown
WR -- Fuller , Hunter/Brent
WR -- Prosise/Carlisle (Another position where the starter isn't clear cut, but I assume their will be a lot of rotation)
TE -- Smythe/Luatua (Not sure who will win, but I assume there will be a lot of situational usage)
LT -- Stanley
LG -- Nelson (Maybe still open with Montelus, McGovern, Bivin, and Byrne...but I see Nelson with a major edge)
C -- Martin
RG -- Elmer
RT -- McGlinchey

It seems to me that the QB position is really the only major ? left on offense...and it's hard to see that one coming up with a serious negative. Options:

1.) Golson holds onto the job by "getting it back together" and beating out a very obviously motivated and talented Zaire. With this, Zaire still has a major role, and brings in a real triple option and "change of pace" option to the offense. Becoming a legit (and terrifying) 1-2 punch

2.) Zaire wins out, meaning he beat out an experienced and talented 3 year starter with all the tools...and more importantly meaning that Kelly really believes he's a developed enough passer to fully utilize the weapons he has (he still has a lot to prove to me as a passer)....that would be a lethal combination and show a QB who's growing rapidly

I can't see any situation where Golson leaves and Ziare isn't playing high level, impressive ball



This offense has a lot of potential, it could be powerful and consistent, as well as explosive and versatile....and it's starting to fall into place

 

[Andover1]

Btw, I want to make it very clear, I RESPECT Hegarty 100% and I wish him the best wherever he ends up

I think he's a solid player, with a good deal of upside. His best position is center, and we won't win that here...but he could be a very valuable zone blocking center to some real teams
He's good enough to be a starting OL at ND, he just happens to be in an unfortunate position

I wish him the very best
I'd love to see him go to Miami (OH) and have a big year and a shot at an NFL tryout

 

[ssavon66]

Agree with all your above statements.

 

[MTIrish98]

Well said.

I would add that it means Hoge might be good enough to play in a pinch.

 

[BGI User 348]

Andover---welcome & nice post!


Go Irish!!!

 

[pennirish]

good read Andover.

 

[Andover1]

Originally posted by MTIrish98:

Well said.

I would add that it means Hoge might be good enough to play in a pinch.

Not sure I see that implication

I like Hodge a lot for the future, but when you watched Hodge at the national camps it looked clear to me that his biggest "problem" right now what physical development and that he's going to need 2+ years in a serious college S&C program before he's able to realize his significant potential. Additionally, he played very poor competition in high school (relative to top national prospects) and a combination of those two factors rarely leads to early PT at major programs (though it's often how big and small programs get developmental kids that make all the fans say "where did he come from")

Personally, I don't expect to see Hodge on the field much prior to his RS Soph year (at the earliest), but once he's playing he has the chance to be very good



I do see the "Coaches must be comfortable with the depth" implication of the move, especially at Center (and at Guard).

However, I think people are overlooking Harrell here because he's a 3* who hasn't played yet...even though he brings out best measurables at the position and will likely be 6'4" 310lbs by the 2015 season and he'll be a RS Junior.
Also, Mustipher was a heralded recruit with great size and athleticism for the OC position, who played strong competition in high school. He'll be around 6'2" 310lbs by the 2015 season as well

I assume that with Martin starting and Harrell/Mustipher providing depth the coaches are comfortable with the OC positions
The same is likely true with the OG position consisting of Nelson, Montelus, McGovern, Bivin, and Byrne

 

[john0gaunt]

Great post Andover. It's appreciated.

I'm curious if you have an opinion. Does ESB play this year or is he RS? He seems like the kind of kid that could play immediately in many programs, but would still come to ND knowing he would not see the field. He has a ton of talent, but there is a ton of talent in front of him.

Go Irish!

 

[cheta41]

Excellent post(s), Andover...

 

[Zahmhall1994]

IIRC, several posters here were complaining about Elmer getting beat a lot and being a weak link up front in 2014, but I see him listed on Andover's depth chart as an unchallenged starter.

Is he better than he looked and just had a rough year? Is he expected to improve a great deal? Is there simply no one ready to push him for playing time? What's the deal with him?

 

[SALittleGiant513]

They moved him inside. When he was struggling the most he was playing RT I believe and he wasn't ready for that. Lombard being there and him moving inside helped. When he and McGlinchey were there on the right side for the bowl game things looked really good. If he or Nelson get pushed at the guard spot next year I would expect Monty to be the guy to do it. Also, FWIW it appears Andover didn't put the 2 deep for the OL except for Nelson who would be the only truly new starter next year.

 

[MTIrish98]

Originally posted by Andover1:

Originally posted by MTIrish98:

Well said.

I would add that it means Hoge might be good enough to play in a pinch.

I do see the "Coaches must be comfortable with the depth" implication of the move, especially at Center (and at Guard).

Probably a fair adjustment to my statement. I don't follow who/how the recruits played in H.S. I just know that he is on campus already and was #1 in the nation for incoming centers. To let Hegarty go means that the coaches are comfortable with someone. I jumped to a conclusion that it was Hoge.

It might be wishful thinking or maybe I am biased towards how tough Northern Rockies boys can be!

 

[Andover1]

I completely agree with the above on Elmer

There were a lot of complaints on Elmer when he was out at tackle
He played Right Tackle for the first 4 games (if I recall correctly) and was up and down (at best) while there. He looked good against Michigan and okay again Syrcuse, but he looked slow and off balance against Rice and Stanford
It was clear that Elmer was least comfortable when he had to deal with large spaces and against faster athletes....sort of the key components for OTs

After the that he was shift to RG, where he looked better imo, and really seemed to improve throughout the season

Elmer has enough athleticism (though not an elite level) to be a really good OL, but his balance/coordination limits his ability to utilize that speed and power when he's forced out on the edge. On the interior, he's able to make contact more quick and use his excellent size/power, plus his athletic burst, to be a very good player with a great deal of upside

If he continues to develop I think he could end up as a 6'5" 330lbs+ OG with very good athleticism and burst plus all the right intangibles (plays physical, hard worker, very smart and scheme versatile)

I love the concept of the Elmer/Nelson combo at OG, giving us to 6'5" 330lbs+ OGs






All of this said, we have so much talent on the OL right now, it's very possible that guys like Montelus, McGovern, Bivin, etc. could push for either one of the starting OG spots.......which is an awesome problem to have

 

[Andover1]

Originally posted by john0gaunt:
Great post Andover. It's appreciated.

I'm curious if you have an opinion. Does ESB play this year or is he RS? He seems like the kind of kid that could play immediately in many programs, but would still come to ND knowing he would not see the field. He has a ton of talent, but there is a ton of talent in front of him.

Go Irish!

ESB has to be one of the most interesting prospects in the entire 2015 class

He has great athleticism, an absolutely elite catch radius, pretty good hands, and a decent ability to high point the ball (at least from what I can see in highlights, camps, and All-American practice footage) plus he played against great competition in high school

However, the high school production wasn't really there, and he didn't even produce how you'd love to see in camp settings
Part of this is likely due to the system their high school ran (elite level, Rivals100 athlete at QB and spread-option offense, somewhat similar to Oregon's) but part of it is definitely underwhelming production given his skill set

There were a lot of questions raised about ESB's toughness/heart/drive/love-for-the-game (or whatever you want to call it) which is really why his recruitment was so quiet towards the end

In some ways he reminds me of a fellow Californian ND recruit, Tyler Luatua. Luatua had the same questions raised about him, but he seems to have come to ND and turned those around and started to really capitalize on his physical skill set

If ESB can really "fire-up" and come to play ever single day...he can be an elite WR imo
But that's one major "IF"




Because of all of that, and given that we already have Fuller/Robinson/Brown/Prosise/Carlisle/Hunter/Brent/Holmes and only lose Carlisle out of that group after 2015....I'd expect ESB to "season" for a bit

But if ESB can show the drive and toughness in practice during his first 1-2 years, there will be no way to keep him off the field