Tag: Aaron Banks

The MVG was on Notre Dame’s offense line according to PFF

The second Notre Dame player to be recognized by Pro Football Focus as the best at their position in the country is guard Aaron Banks.

The season is over and although some awards have already been giving out, Pro Football Focus is still going over their data and handing out individual recognition. Yesterday, Kyle Hamilton was named their MVS (Most Valueable Safety) and today it was Irish guard Aaron Banks turn to be spotlighted.

Banks led the way for a Notre Dame rushing attack that saw Kyren Williams go for over 1,100-yards and his backup, Chris Tyree run for almost 500-yards in limited duty. Banks and his offensive line mates finished in the top 3 for the Joe Moore Award, given annually to the best unit up front.

Banks helped Notre Dame rush for 222-yards a game, while piling up 33 scores on the ground. Unfortunately for the Irish, Banks has elected to move on and will play in the NFL next year, declining the extra year the NCAA has given all their fall sport athletes. We will be watching Banks on Sunday’s from here on out, but what a great career he had in the Blue and Gold.

Grading Notre Dame’s positional groups for the 2020 season

Letter grades for Notre Dame football during their 2020 season, which saw them go undefeated in regular season play, only to lose their final two games.

The season has now ended and we can start to look back on what was a very odd 2020 season of college football. Two of 247Sports analysts Brad Crawford and Bud Elliott, broke down each team in the ACC and gave out grades for their performances.

Both, Crawford and Elliott gave the Irish A’s for the 2020 season, but I wanted to dig a bit deeper and give grades out for each position group and coaching. So here it is, my grades for each Notre Dame unit from this past season.

Four Notre Dame Standouts Earn AFCA All-America Honors

Four Notre Dame players were named to the AFCA All-America team on Thursday. See who earned the awards here…

NOTRE DAME, Indiana — On the fourth of five major All-America lists, the Irish again notch multiple mentions, now on the AFCA All-America teams. Graduate student offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg, senior offensive lineman Aaron Banks and senior linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah earned spots on the first team, while sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton claimed the honor on the second team.

Eichenberg and Owusu-Koramoah, already consensus All-Americans, notch their third and fourth All-America honors, respectively. Banks marks his second first-team All-America honor this season, officially cementing his place as a consensus All-American.

First Team

Liam Eichenberg

Totaling 37-consecutive starts on his career, Eichenberg has been tabbed as one of the best linemen in the country, being named a finalist for the Outland Trophy and recipient of the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy. He was twice named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, and is a member of an offensive line unit that has been named a finalist for the 2020 Joe Moore Award. Eichenberg was also named to the Sporting News All-America First Team and FWAA All-America First Team this season.

Aaron Banks

Banks has racked up 30-career starts and was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance vs. Clemson (11/7). Selected to the preseason All-ACC Team, Banks is part of an offensive line that leads the ACC and ranks eighth in the FBS in time of possession, controlling the ball for 33:57 minutes of game time and winning the time of possession battle in 10-of-11 games this season. The 33:57 time of possession average leads the ACC by more than two minutes per game. Banks is now a consensus All-American, also being named to the Associated Press All-America First Team.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

The 2020 Butkus Award winner and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Owusu-Koramoah is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the nation. Also a finalist for the Bednarik Award and Bowden Trophy, and semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Owusu-Koramoah was also a finalist for the Nagurski Award. The senior has totaled 56 tackles (38 solo), 11.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three PBU, two FR and three FF on the season. Already a consensus All-American, Owusu-Koramoah has also been selected to the Associated Press, Sporting News and FWAA All-America First Teams this season.

Second Team

Kyle Hamilton

An All-ACC First Team selection and Bednarik Award semifinalist, sophomore Kyle Hamilton ties for the lead on the Irish defense with 56 tackles (45 solo) in 2020. Along with a 14-yard interception vs. Clemson in the ACC Championship, he has posted five PBUs, 3.5 TFL and two QB hits. He was selected to the FWAA All-America First Team and the Associated Press All-America Third Team.

Notre Dame has five earn All-American status

The Associated Press released their All-America teams for the 2020 college football season on Monday and five Notre Dame players were named to the three teams. On the third team was right guard Tommy Kraemer as well as sophomore safety Kyle …

The Associated Press released their All-America teams for the 2020 college football season on Monday and five Notre Dame players were named to the three teams.

On the third team was right guard Tommy Kraemer as well as sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton.

Second team honors were earned by left tackle Liam Eichenberg.

Representing Notre Dame on the first team were left guard Aaron Banks and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

The following profiles on each player are courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics:

First Team

Aaron Banks

Banks has racked up 30-career starts and was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance vs. Clemson (11/7). Selected to the preseason All-ACC Team, Banks is part of an offensive line that leads the ACC and ranks eighth in the FBS in time of possession, controlling the ball for 33:57 minutes of game time and winning the time of possession battle in 10-of-11 games this season. The 33:57 time of possession average leads the ACC by more than two minutes per game.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

The 2020 Butkus Award winner and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Owusu-Koramoah is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the nation. Also a finalist for the Bednarik Award and Bowden Trophy, and semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Owusu-Koramoah was also a finalist for the Nagurski Award. The senior has totaled 56 tackles (38 solo), 11.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three PBU, two FR and three FF on the season.

Second Team

Liam Eichenberg

Totaling 37-consecutive starts on his career, Eichenberg has been tabbed as one of the best linemen in the country, being named a finalist for the Outland Trophy and recipient of the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy. He was twice named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, and is a member of an offensive line unit that has been named a finalist for the 2020 Joe Moore Award.

Third Team

Kyle Hamilton

A Bednarik Award semifinalist, sophomore Kyle Hamilton ties for the lead on the Irish defense with 56 tackles (45 solo) in 2020. Along with a 14-yard interception vs. Clemson in the ACC Championship, he has posted five PBUs, 3.5 TFL and two QB hits.

Tommy Kraemer

Returning to the field in 2020 after a season-ending injury in 2019, Kraemer has totaled 38-career starts and has produced at a high level, even after missing a game due to injury. Named ACC Offensive LIneman of the Week at Boston College, Kraemer is a member of a unit that helps move the chains at a high level on third down. The Irish lead the ACC and rank ninth in the FBS in third down conversion percentage with a remarkable 49.3 success rate.

Notre Dame walks away with tons of All-ACC awards

For the first time in Notre Dame history players and a coach have been awarded all-conference honors. Details on the All-ACC honors here.

The Associated Press released their All-ACC first and second teams on Monday afternoon and to the surprise of exactly nobody, Notre Dame has players all over the roster.

Nine players wound up elected to either the first or second teams and we’ll get to them in just a minute but awards were also given to Brian Kelly and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on different levels.

Kelly was voted as the ACC Coach of the Year while linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah took home Defensive Player of the Year honors in the conference.

Kelly makes history as he’s obviously the first Notre Dame head football coach to ever win a coach of the year award for an individual conference.

Now for those who made the All-ACC first or second teams.

First-team Notre Dame selections:
OT – Liam Eichenberg
OG – Aaron Banks
OG – Tommy Kraemer
LB – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
S – Kyle Hamilton

Second-team All-ACC Notre Dame selections:
RB – Kyren Williams
OT – Robert Hainsey
C – Jarrett Patterson
CB – Nick McCloud

Clemson saw 10 players selected to either the first or second teams and in the least surprising news of the day, quarterback Trevor Lawrence was named the ACC’s Offensive Player of the Year.

You can see the entire first and second-team All-ACC selections here.

Notre Dame’s offensive line named best in the country

The big guys up front for Notre Dame get some recognition from Pro Football Focus.

Although they don’t normally get much recognition, the Notre Dame offensive line continues to impress. We all knew going into the year the starting five was among the best in the country, but they still had to prove it on the field. Well, they certainly have lived up to the billing.

The Irish have graded out by Pro Football Focus as having the best offensive line in the country. Aaron Banks, Liam Eichenberg, Jarrett Patterson, Tommy Kraemer and Robert Hainsey should get the majority of credit for the group, but you can’t discount what Zeke Correll and Josh Lugg have done filling in as well.

PFF singled out Eichenberg as well, and rightfully so. That’s a extremely impressive stat not having given up a sack in over two full seasons.

The line has given time for Ian Book to find his receivers and opened up huge holes for runnings backs to run through. Kyren Williams is 10th nationally in rushing yards while the offense averages over 450 total yards a game.

Games are typically won up front, and the Irish have a distinct advantage with their offensive line.

Notre Dame Offensive Line Makes Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll

Losing starting center Jarrett Patterson for the season has forced Notre Dame to make changes to its offensive line.

Losing starting center Jarrett Patterson for the season has forced Notre Dame to make changes to its offensive line. However, contributions from Patterson and the rest of that unit have not been lost on people. The Irish’s O-line has been named to this year’s Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. The award, which the Irish won in 2017, goes to the “toughest, most physical offensive line in the country.”

This is the second season in a row that Notre Dame’s unit has been so honored. It’s one of the most seasoned in the country with 147 collective starts between Patterson, Robert Hainsey, Liam Eichenberg, Tommy Kraemer and Aaron Banks. Four of these five players have been named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week in 2020.

The Joe Moore Award is the only major college football award given to a group rather than an individual. If the Irish make the College Football Playoff, this unit will be a big reason why. Major props go to offensive line coach Jeff Quinn for keeping the group at the top of its game.

Three Notre Dame players named ACC Players of the Week after Clemson upset

Three Notre Dame players were named ACC Players of the Week for their performances in the upset of No. 1 Clemson on Saturday.

Saturday night was an all-timer at Notre Dame Stadium as the Irish upset previously top-ranked Clemson in double-overtime, 47-40.  As a result three Notre Dame players were honored by being named ACC Players of the Week for their performances in the victory.

Kyren Williams – Running Back:

Williams posted 23 rushes for 140 yards (65-yard long) and three touchdowns, including both scores in overtime, vs. Clemson. It marked his first-career three-touchdown game, and his fourth-career game with multiple rushing touchdowns (all occurring this season). He is the second Irish player to rush for three touchdowns in a single game this season (Ian Book vs. South Florida). His140 yards came against the third-ranked rushing defense in the ACC, as Clemson entered Saturday allowing just 99.9 rushing yards per game. Prior to Saturday, Clemson’s defense had allowed just three rushing touchdowns all season. Williams single-handedly doubled that figure.

Williams broke through for a 65-yard rush on the first official play of the game’s opening drive, tying his career-long rush (Florida State) and marking the longest scoring rush of his career. Only one player in the ACC this weekend had a longer scoring rush. Williams surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark with a five-yard run on Notre Dame’s final drive of the first half, and he contributed six of Notre Dame’s 22 first downs on the day.

Aaron Banks – Offensive Guard:

Banks and the Irish offensive line paved the way for 518 yards of total offense (208 rushing with three touchdowns, 310 passing with one touchdown). The Irish have now won the time of possession battle in six of seven games this season, posting 30:22 minutes Saturday, and lead the ACC in time of possession, averaging 34:01 per game.

The Irish posted 208 rushing yards against Clemson, which, entering Saturday, had allowed just 99.9 rushing yards per game. Notre Dame’s three rushing touchdowns doubled Clemson’s season total of rushing touchdowns allowed (was three entering the weekend, now totals six). The line made it possible for Ian Book to pass for 310 yards against the ACC’s then-second-ranked passing defense, as Clemson entered Saturday allowing 174.9 passing yards per game. Notre Dame continues to lead the ACC in third-down conversions, executing successfully at a 54.4 percent rate.

Three of Notre Dame’s five starting offensive lineman have been named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah – Linebacker:

Owusu-Koramoah posted nine tackles (seven solo), 0.5 sack and 2.0 TFL (-6 yards) vs. Clemson. He recovered a Clemson fumble and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, marking the only fumble returned for a touchdown this week in the ACC.

It was the first touchdown of the senior’s career, and the third fumble recovery of his career (first this season, last came in 2019 vs. Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl). Owusu-Koramoah’s touchdown marks the first true defensive touchdown of the season, as both prior non-offensive touchdowns were on opponent punts.

Three plays later, Owusu-Koramoah forced a Clemson fumble, which was recovered by cornerback Nick McCloud. It led to an Irish field goal.

Owusu-Koramoah tied for the team lead in tackles with nine, and ranks 14th overall in the ACC in total TFL with 8.0 this season.

Notre Dame’s ACC Weekly Honors in 2020:

9/14: Kyren Williams, Running Back of the Week (Duke)

9/21: Robert Hainsey, co-Offensive Lineman of the Week (South Florida)

10/19: Kyren Williams, Rookie of the Week (Louisville)

10/26: Ian Book, Quarterback of the Week; Liam Eichenberg, Offensive Lineman of the Week (Pittsburgh)

11/2: Daelin Hayes, Defensive Lineman of the Week (Georgia Tech)

11/9: Kyren Williams, Running Back of the Week; Aaron Banks, Offensive Lineman of the Week; Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Linebacker of the Week (Clemson)

Notre Dame vs. Clemson: Positional breakdown advantages

A breakdown of each position for Notre Dame and Clemson and who has the advantage.

This is the game of the year in the ACC, if not all college football, at least in the regular season. No. 1 Clemson travels to South Bend to take on No. 4 Notre Dame. This highly anticipated game will feature a number of future NFL stars.

A look at each position and which team has the advantage in Saturday’s huge contest.

Don’t forget to take a look at each of our tales of the tape as well (wide receivers, running backs, and quarterbacks)

(Some photo’s courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics)

Watch: Notre Dame Highlights from Florida State win

Notre Dame worked it’s way to 3-0 with a 42-26 win over Florida State on Saturday. Put a bow on that game by seeing the highlights right here!

The Notre Dame game against Florida State has come and gone but when your offensive line plays like it did Saturday night and you walk out with a 42-26 win over a traditional powerhouse program like Florida State, you can’t help but be happy as a fan even days later.

As we get ready for No. 4 Notre Dame and 1-3 Louisville on Saturday we can take our final look back at the win over the Seminoles with the official ICON highlights that were put together by the Notre Dame digital team.

Noteworthy in this is how open Brian Kelly is about the Irish not playing their finest of games yet still walking out with a win that wasn’t exactly compelling besides in regards to the point spread down the stretch.

Notre Dame returns to action on Saturday afternoon when they host Louisville at Notre Dame Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBC.