Ziegler, Snead, and Burnham

[IrishMike409]

Hearing that these 3 have really impressed during the off-season. Could they start? I’d love to see young guys add some much needed athleticism, juice, and energy to the Defense.

Onye too….read that’s he’s absolutely emerged. We’re being forced to replace a lot of production, especially on the DL. I’m optimistic that we’re positioned favorably with 5-6 young guys ready to emerge.

 

[jcswoopnh]

Ziegler has a legit chance to be in the rotation and see starter like snaps. The other 2 will see situational snaps to begin the season and their production /growth will determine their snaps from there. The mental part of the game is a work in progress imho

 

[Golson5]

Ziegler has really impressed. Sneed got injured but needs to play a lot.

I dont see Burnham playing much as of now

 

[Tru2Irish]

Ziegler has really impressed. Sneed got injured but needs to play a lot.

I dont see Burnham playing much as of now

Any productive snaps that they can give will be a boost. Injuries,other unproductive players, etc. might be reasons to have them developed and prepared. I think Sneed is going to improve like Kollie has done thus far. I always thought Ziegler could even play safety if needed. Burnham has talent to play DE or MLB.

 

[Golson5]

Any productive snaps that they can give will be a boost. Injuries,other unproductive players, etc. might be reasons to have them developed and prepared. I think Sneed is going to improve like Kollie has done thus far. I always thought Ziegler could even play safety if needed. Burnham has talent to play DE or MLB.

They need to do more than productive snaps. Ziegler and Sneed to push to start and possibly play big time snaps.

Sneed needs to improve more than Kollie. Kollie didn't play that much last year.

No chance Ziegler at safety. Way too big

Burnham is playing vyper. Extremely talented

 

[mirer03]

They need to do more than productive snaps. Ziegler and Sneed to push to start and possibly play big time snaps.

Sneed needs to improve more than Kollie. Kollie didn't play that much last year.

No chance Ziegler at safety. Way too big

Burnham is playing vyper. Extremely talented

I've seen reports that Sneed is farther away from starting, but needs to rotate. He still having issues being in the right place, but can cover some of it up with athleticism....but he's small for a full time gig right now...like 215. It'll be hard to hold up at that weight with a ton of snaps and will limit him. People need to be patient with his physical development and ability to put on weight while maintaining his speed.

 

[Golson5]

I've seen reports that Sneed is farther away from starting, but needs to rotate. He still having issues being in the right place, but can cover some of it up with athleticism....but he's small for a full time gig right now...like 215. It'll be hard to hold up at that weight with a ton of snaps and will limit him. People need to be patient with his physical development and ability to put on weight while maintaining his speed.

At worst Sneed is going to play like he did against Scar. Used to rush the passer.

But strength staff and coaching staff have 4.5 months to get him ready. Thats a long time. They get paid a lot of money. Get the job done.

He needs to play

 

[Get Nasty]

A Vyper/DE needs to step up and show the ability to rush the passer. We know Botelho can but after that it's all a big ?.

Burnham, Sneed (more so in packages), jean-baptiste, Gobaira.......... The opportunity is there for someone to play DE and be able to rush the passer after Botelho. I think Junior can play the position but isn't really a pass rusher, and Nana is physical but not really a pass rusher.

 

[Telx1]

I've seen reports that Sneed is farther away from starting, but needs to rotate. He still having issues being in the right place, but can cover some of it up with athleticism....but he's small for a full time gig right now...like 215. It'll be hard to hold up at that weight with a ton of snaps and will limit him. People need to be patient with his physical development and ability to put on weight while maintaining his speed.

Mirer…. I was really taken back the first time I saw Sneed on the field. He looked so damn skinny in pads. Still hoping he can get to at least 225 before the season starts. We need his speed and athleticism, just as we need that from Kollie. Our Incumbents have a ton of experience, but I’m hoping we see these younger guys force their way onto the field with significant playing time. We need their speed and athleticism, but not at the expense of position correctness.

 

[mirer03]

At worst Sneed is going to play like he did against Scar. Used to rush the passer.

But strength staff and coaching staff have 4.5 months to get him ready. Thats a long time. They get paid a lot of money. Get the job done.

He needs to play

He's 215 lbs in spring. He's going to lose weight during the season. You can't have a 210 lbs lb playing tons of downs.

And frankly a wr body won't hold up at lb all year and could hurt him long term.

 

[mirer03]

Mirer…. I was really taken back the first time I saw Sneed on the field. He looked so damn skinny in pads. Still hoping he can get to at least 225 before the season starts. We need his speed and athleticism, just as we need that from Kollie. Our Incumbents have a ton of experience, but I’m hoping we see these younger guys force their way onto the field with significant playing time. We need their speed and athleticism, but not at the expense of position correctness.

I totally agree, and likely he has a big jump coming when his body matures, but he may just be a late bloomer and we may have to wait a year for him. Putting a wide receiver body at LB isn't going to help anyone long term... It puts him at risk of injury and puts a potential run liability on the field. I can't see anything more than situational role at his size.

I doubt he will put on 15 lbs of good weight in 4 months...while prepping for season. To start he really needs to be near 230.

 

[Golson5]

A Vyper/DE needs to step up and show the ability to rush the passer. We know Botelho can but after that it's all a big ?.

Burnham, Sneed (more so in packages), jean-baptiste, Gobaira.......... The opportunity is there for someone to play DE and be able to rush the passer after Botelho. I think Junior can play the position but isn't really a pass rusher, and Nana is physical but not really a pass rusher.

I think Baptiste Sneed and Junior will be the next 3 after Botelho

NaNa is a big end and will be there to stop the run

 

[Golson5]

He's 215 lbs in spring. He's going to lose weight during the season. You can't have a 210 lbs lb playing tons of downs.

And frankly a wr body won't hold up at lb all year and could hurt him long term.

JOK did it and did it extremely well.

Id be surprised if he was ever over 220 at ND. And more likey between 205 and 215 during his career

You dont have to have a ton of weight and be a big body to play Rover

 

[Golson5]

I totally agree, and likely he has a big jump coming when his body matures, but he may just be a late bloomer and we may have to wait a year for him. Putting a wide receiver body at LB isn't going to help anyone long term... It puts him at risk of injury and puts a potential run liability on the field. I can't see anything more than situational role at his size.

I doubt he will put on 15 lbs of good weight in 4 months...while prepping for season. To start he really needs to be near 230.

No he doesn't

 

[IrishMike409]

He's 215 lbs in spring. He's going to lose weight during the season. You can't have a 210 lbs lb playing tons of downs.

And frankly a wr body won't hold up at lb all year and could hurt him long term.

Is he a Safety?

Agree 215 won’t hold up at LB.

 

[savvyandsassier]

So are these guys pushing for starting jobs? I just want to see Bothello become a star at DE this year. I'll be happy with that....

 

[HRC08]

Is he a Safety?

Agree 215 won’t hold up at LB.

He played Safety for much of his high school career.

 

[mirer03]

JOK did it and did it extremely well.

Id be surprised if he was ever over 220 at ND. And more likey between 205 and 215 during his career

You dont have to have a ton of weight and be a big body to play Rover

Thomas Harper is going to be the next guy at rover. Sneed doesn't have coverage recognition to play rover full time.

 

[mirer03]

He played Safety for much of his high school career.

He also played defensive end.

 

[mirer03]

He does. Even kiser gets around 225 to start the year.

This is a matter of you wanting him to play and ignoring what the coaches have historically done.

Jok was 225 going into last year at Notre Dame....

 

[mirer03]

So are these guys pushing for starting jobs? I just want to see Bothello become a star at DE this year. I'll be happy with that....

I don't care who starts there as long as the position is more disruptive than last year. They got some choices.

 

[mirer03]

JOK did it and did it extremely well.

Id be surprised if he was ever over 220 at ND. And more likey between 205 and 215 during his career

You dont have to have a ton of weight and be a big body to play Rover

Unless he learns to cover better he will still be situational. Also, I believe they have been pretty clear that under freeman/golden the rover spot is really a safety spot now not the hybrid.

 

[mirer03]

I think Baptiste Sneed and Junior will be the next 3 after Botelho

NaNa is a big end and will be there to stop the run

Babtiste so far has practiced exclusively at big end, and is apparently VERY disruptive there.

I think your looking at botelho and junior with others dropping in as they do more 3-3-5 looks. Hence the importance of getting disruption from the big end side.

 

[Golson5]

Thomas Harper is going to be the next guy at rover. Sneed doesn't have coverage recognition to play rover full time.

Thomas Harper is a Nickel/backup safety. Hes way way way too small for Rover.

Kiser is our Rover now but Sneed has a good chance of replacing him there

 

[Golson5]

He does. Even kiser gets around 225 to start the year.

This is a matter of you wanting him to play and ignoring what the coaches have historically done.

Jok was 225 going into last year at Notre Dame....

No way. He only weighed 221 at combine after the season and that was with 4 months of training. And they say he gained a lot of weight to get to that

He played the majority of his career between 205 and 220 with most saying he was 210 a lot

How can you say Harper is backup rover but Sneed not when Harper is about 185 pounds?

 

[Golson5]

Unless he learns to cover better he will still be situational. Also, I believe they have been pretty clear that under freeman/golden the rover spot is really a safety spot now not the hybrid.

Thats not how they have played it all the time because if it was a safety spot it wouldnt be Kiser because hes not close to the athlete of a safety

 

[Golson5]

Babtiste so far has practiced exclusively at big end, and is apparently VERY disruptive there.

I think your looking at botelho and junior with others dropping in as they do more 3-3-5 looks. Hence the importance of getting disruption from the big end side.

Baptiste has done both but mainly at Big End. They are pleasantly surprised at his pass rushing skills

 

[Golson5]

Is he a Safety?

Agree 215 won’t hold up at LB.

No. Not athletic enough for a safety.

Hes definitely a LB. Can play rover at his weight

 

[mirer03]

Thats not how they have played it all the time because if it was a safety spot it wouldnt be Kiser because hes not close to the athlete of a safety

They didn't have the personnel last year. MF has made it known he's a big proponent of 3-3-5. Last year and this year you will hear them talk of being "multiple" which is basically saying we like being able to switch to the 3-3-5 on the fly. There is a very significant thought that MF would prefer to be 3-3-5 base and do away with rover completely.

 

[mirer03]

Baptiste has done both but mainly at Big End. They are pleasantly surprised at his pass rushing skills

Again. Have not heard of him at drop end/vyper at all. They have zero desire to drop him to coverage.

 

[Golson5]

They didn't have the personnel last year. MF has made it known he's a big proponent of 3-3-5. Last year and this year you will hear them talk of being "multiple" which is basically saying we like being able to switch to the 3-3-5 on the fly. There is a very significant thought that MF would prefer to be 3-3-5 base and do away with rover completely.

We dont have the safeties to run that right now

Kiser played 305 snaps on defense last year and that was prior to bowl game.

So we play the rover a ton and will as well this year

Those snaps need to go to Sneed

 

[mirer03]

We dont have the safeties to run that right now

Kiser played 305 snaps on defense last year and that was prior to bowl game.

So we play the rover a ton and will as well this year

Those snaps need to go to Sneed

We disagree.

 

[Golson5]

Again. Have not heard of him at drop end/vyper at all. They have zero desire to drop him to coverage.

He wont drop as a vyper. He'll rush the passer if hes in that spot like that position does over 80 percent of the time. Maybe more than 80

 

[Telx1]

We dont have the safeties to run that right now

Kiser played 305 snaps on defense last year and that was prior to bowl game.

So we play the rover a ton and will as well this year

Those snaps need to go to Sneed

I’m not sure we have a front three to run this. We should be fine at the two end spots, but who is our immovable nose that occupies and gobbles up blockers?

 

[mrwigglesby21]

I'm more in favor of a 4-2-5 with someone like Sneed playing the quasi LB/S Rover position blitzing, covering the RB out of the backfield and spying the QB.

 

[Golson5]

I’m not sure we have a front three to run this. We should be fine at the two end spots, but who is our immovable nose that occupies and gobbles up blockers?

We have

Botelho
Cross
Mills
Baptiste

Liufau
Bertrand
Kiser

Morrison
Hart
Watts
Brown

Thats our base if it was today. Hopefully Sneed can jump Kiser. Kollie/Ziegler jump Liufau. Henderson jump Brown

And when we go to nickel, the transfer from Ok st comes in.

 

[Telx1]

We have

Botelho
Cross
Mills
Baptiste

Liufau
Bertrand
Kiser

Morrison
Hart
Watts
Brown

Thats our base if it was today. Hopefully Sneed can jump Kiser. Kollie/Ziegler jump Liufau. Henderson jump Brown

And when we go to nickel, the transfer from Ok st comes in.

Agreed, but who of the front four sits when we go nickel? Is Mills the nose? I Think Henderson will jump Brown. Hope someone jumps Marist, but no sign of this yet. Marist might surprise us with a full year under his belt.

 

[Golson5]

Agreed, but who of the front four sits when we go nickel? Is Mills the nose? I Think Henderson will jump Brown. Hope someone jumps Marist, but no sign of this yet. Marist might surprise us with a full year under his belt.

We can still go 4 DL when we play nickel. You pull a LB and add the nickel

If you want to go 3 DL in pass situations it would be Mills Botelho Baptiste

 

[Tru2Irish]

They need to do more than productive snaps. Ziegler and Sneed to push to start and possibly play big time snaps.

Sneed needs to improve more than Kollie. Kollie didn't play that much last year.

No chance Ziegler at safety. Way too big

Burnham is playing vyper. Extremely talented

Okay, I guess everything I say is wrong. Sorry that you are the only voice on this site.

 

[mirer03]

He wont drop as a vyper. He'll rush the passer if hes in that spot like that position does over 80 percent of the time. Maybe more than 80

Youre missing major changes.

The big end size is down to 255-265

They are moving lb size guys over to vyper....around 240-250. They have a pro DC, where drop ends are very common and freeman likes a 3-3-5 defense.

The writing is on the wall. ESPECIALLY if Baptiste is giving pressure from the strong side.

What has been done in the past is not indicative of the future.