Tag: Fighting Irish football

ESPN: Notre Dame Hiring Kelly One of Best in Last 25 Years

ESPN took a look at the top 25 Head Coaches hired in the last 25 years and the Irish’s hiring of Brian Kelly was high on the list.

The Charlie Weis Era was a forgettable one, after posting 9 then 10 wins in his first two seasons at the helm of the Irish seemed to be going in the right direction, but then a 3-9 season followed up by 7 and 6 wins seasons did Weis in. His firing led Notre Dame to hire Brian Kelly from Cincinnati and ESPN thought that the hire was the 13th best in the last 25 years.

Kelly, according to Adam Rittenberg, “created the type of stability Notre Dame struggle to achieve after Lou Holtz left town…. A two-time AP national coach of the year, Kelly doesn’t dance around Notre Dame’s national championship ambitions and knows there’s work to do there. But he has put the program in a position to challenge the nation’s best.”

Similar to Weis, Kelly had a very down year during his tenure as the head coach in 2016 when the Irish went 4-8, but Kelly’s rebound since that year makes the ’16 season look like a blip in the radar. That was a “disastrous season, Kelly made important changes to the staff and how he runs the program,” Rittenberg stated. Since then, the Irish have accumulated a 33-6 record, more along the lines of what fans expected when Kelly was hired in 2009.

Kelly has done a fantastic job as the Notre Dame head coach, as it takes time to build a program and sometimes a year like in 2016 needs to happen in order to self-analyze and make positive changes going forward. Those changes have seemed to work, with the Irish headed in the right direction. Kelly has focused on the programs consistency, something that only time can bring and he is close to getting the Irish into the elite of college football.

When Notre Dame DC Lea Speaks, We Listen

Irish defensive coordinator Clark Lea breaks down how he goes about coaching linebackers.

Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator Clark Lea sat down with 247Sports Barton Simmons today and among the topics they discussed was what the Irish are looking for out of their linebacker’s.

In a common theme among the Irish coaching staff, Lea made sure that he reiterated what Brian Kelly preaches all the time, it’s not just about playing football in South Bend for the next 3-5 years, is a lifetime commitment. “These guys come to Notre Dame because they know about backup plans. We want guys that are so focused in every area, so prideful in excelling in all areas, that we really just get to pour into them as football players and make the four year experience the best we can make it.”

Lea also went in depth as to how the staff goes about the academic side of being a member of the Notre Dame Football team. “We want to make sure we have guys that are focused, that are task-orientated, that have the resilience to get done what needs to be done in the classroom, in study table, and in tutoring environments so that everything that we do in coaching them is centered around football.” My biggest take away is the resilience portion, as we all know in football there are going to be trying times at certain points in the season and having the ability to keep their focus and get the job done is paramount in life as well as football.

Lea also went on to talk about one of his star pupils, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and what stands out about the linebacker. “I went and watched him play basketball and the twitch was unbelievable. It wasn’t just the ability to jump, I’m watching him crossover dribble in warm-ups and just his head and shoulders, and the way he moved. It was so evident to me he had elite twitch, short area movement skill that through our system developing has only increased.” It seems as if Lea knew early on, Owusu-Koramoah had the skill set to dominate at this level.

It was a great insight in the defensive coordinators mind, and it shows why Lea is one of the best in the country. If he continues developing players like Owusu-Koramoah, school will be knocking at the door with head coaching offers soon. Hopefully, its not too soon.

Could Another Notre Dame Commit Get his 5th Star?

There is one Irish commit who could make a move into the elite 5-Star club, find out who could be on the upward movement in the rankings.

With Rivals updating their 2021 recruiting rankings this week, all three of the major recruiting services, 247Sports and ESPN also, have recently done the same. It is a good time to look at what their composite rankings are and if another future Irish star could get the elusive 5-Stars next to their name.

California quarterback commit Tyler Buchner still has his 5-Star status, just barely however as after the update his is the last player with that distinction. The player in question isn’t Buchner, its instate offensive tackle Blake Fisher. In Rivals recent update, Fisher is just outside their 5-Star range, 22nd overall in the country just 4 spots away from getting that extra star.

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Rivals recruiting expert Mike Farrell sees potential for Fisher to get that 5th star, not having camps hurt the fact they were not able to reassess Fisher. Farrell sees the Irish commit as “a massive tackle with light feet and he was so pumped and determined to show out this spring it’s a shame we didn’t get to see his hard work. I expect a huge season from the Notre Dame pledge.”

Fisher’s composite ranking now puts him as the 54th overall player in the country, and if he’s to join Buchner, Fisher will have to make another jump in the rankings. The strength of his Rivals ranking currently is keeping Fisher inside the top 60 composite rankings, while his ESPN ranking of 103rd and 247Sports 82nd are significantly lower. If Fisher is able to continue to get better like Farrell believes he can, Fisher could very well end up with his 5th star when its all said and done.

Which Notre Dame True Freshman Steps Up Contributes Immediately? (Part 2)

Yesterday, it as the offensive freshman that were profiled as contributors and today it’s the defenses turn for potential early impacts.

Yesterday we took a look at which Notre Dame offensive true freshman could make an impact this coming season. The key part of yesterday’s quote from Irish head coach Brian Kelly was that he expected both sides of the ball to have an impact freshman. Today, it’s time to look on the other side of the ball and see who could impact the Irish defensive after being in high school just a few months ago.

Linebacker Jordan Botelho

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The Irish have had good luck with Hawaiian prospects before, Manti Te’o worked out pretty well and Alohi Gilman was just drafted in the sixth round a few weeks ago, and the 6’3” and 230-pound edge rusher could see time early this coming season. Botelho won’t be an every down player, but in certain situations he could be deadly. Imagine a 3rd and long with a fresh Botelho coming off the edge, causing havoc for opposing offenses. The leading tackler from last year Drew White returns along with rising star Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, but there is one spot open and there is potential that Botelho can force Brian Kelly to get him on the field early and often.

Defensive End Rylie Mills

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The Illinois native was a wanted man during his recruitment, the who’s who of college football was after his pledge (Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU and others) but Kelly won the battle for Mills’ commitment. A player with that kind of offer list is not expected to come in and sit, and the 6’5” and 275-pound defensive end should have an opportunity for some early playing time. With Khalid Kareem and Julian Okwara moving on to the next level, Kelly will be looking for someone to fill that production and Mills could be that guy. There aren’t many proven commodities at defensive end for the Irish and Mills could push his way into the lineup early in his career.

Athlete Ramon Henderson

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Henderson does not come with the accolades as his two classmates before him do, but he could have just as good of a career as either of them. Henderson could make his impact first on special teams, where the 6’3” and 180-pound Californian strides long, gets to his top speed quickly and takes fantastic angles to find open return lanes. The Irish haven’t returned a kick or punt for a touchdown since 2016, when C.J. Sanders did it twice. In the long term, Henderson could be a special cornerback, his length is elite and if he continues to get more experience on that side of the ball, his ceiling is sky high. Henderson could very well end up as a high pointing receiver as well, his body type gives the Irish staff plenty of options.

The last two days we have looked at potential freshman who could make an impact in their first year at South Bend. Who knows, maybe one of the overlooked prospects such as Germany’s Alexander Ehrensberger emerges as the freshman who has the biggest impact next year. What we do know is it will be fun watching each of these 17 recruits for the next 3-5 years while they wear the Blue and Gold.

Which Notre Dame True Freshman Steps Up and Contributes Immediately?

Which offensive true freshman will step up for Notre Dame and play a big part in the 2020 season?

Every year you expect a freshman to arrive onto campus, make an impact right away and contribute to the team. Last year it was safety Kyle Hamilton, exploding onto the national scene, becoming a Freshman All-American, and setting himself up for a huge second season in South Bend.

Yesterday, not only did Brian Kelly speak on raising money for COVID-19 during “The Fight,” but he also had a chance to speak about the upcoming season. Kelly was pretty positive that “a true freshman will emerge and play significant time on both sides of the ball.”

This past year’s recruiting class for Notre Dame had a total of 17 players, which was good for 17th overall in a nation according to the 247Sports composite. There were plenty of good players which signed with the Irish and Brian Kelly will have to figure out which ones can see the field early. Today, we will look at some of the offensive freshman that could make an impact.

Tight End Michael Mayer

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Mayer is the lone five-star prospect in the class, but even if he wasn’t there would be an opportunity for the Kentucky native to see playing time early. Gone is Cole Kmet, drafted in the second round by the Chicago Bears, and in comes the 6’4” and 232-pound Mayer as his potential replacement. Mayer will have to battle upper-classmen Brock Wright, George Takacs and Tommy Tremble for playing time, but he should be able to crack the rotation due to his impressive skill set.

Running Back Chris Tyree

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The speedster out of Virginia fills an immediate need, gamebreaker in the backfield. With Tony Jones Jr. using up all his eligibility, the opportunity for Tyree to make an impact early is there. Tyree’s size at 5’10” and 180-pounds won’t allow him to be a 20 carry a game back, but 10-15 touches a game for the freshman seems very logical. Like Mayer, the depth chart is in Tyree’s favor, with Jones Jr. leaving no other back on the team registered more than 48 carries, so playing time is there. I expect to see Jahmir Smith as the starter, but Tyree should be a good change of pace back and see plenty of time on the field as a true freshman.

Offensive Lineman Tosh Baker and Michael Carmody

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The offensive line isn’t a need for an instant impact freshman, every starter returns from last years squad, but the need is looking towards the future. Six seniors will graduate from the offensive line next year, although three of them could return for a 5th year, the need is still there for the future of the program. Getting Baker (6’7” and 271-pounds) and Carmody (6’5” and 283-pounds) ample playing time would be ideal, especially considering the Irish will be breaking in a new starting quarterback in 2021. Having an offensive line that can give a first year starting QB plenty of time would make the transition much easier.

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These are just a few of the talented offensive freshman that could make an impact early in their Notre Dame careers. Tomorrow we will take a look at which freshman defensive stars could emerge for the Irish during the 2020 season.

Okwara Named One of Biggest Steals of NFL Draft by PFF

Its safe to say the Detroit Lions got a steal in the 3rd round when they selected Notre Dame DE Julian Okwara.

Former Irish star Julian Okwara’s career did not end the way he would have liked, breaking his left fibula against Duke which caused him to miss the final few games of his career. Although Okwara put together enough good film to pop up on a few first round NFL mock drafts, it seemed much more likely to hear his name getting called in the second round of the draft.

Well, the second round came and went without Okwara hearing his name being called but didn’t have to wait long in the 3rd round as the Detroit Lions picked him with the 67th overall selection, the 3rd pick of the round. Okwara’s fall shocked many, including the folks at Pro Football Focus.

Okwara was ranked as the 28th overall prospect by PFF, which means he should have been a first round selection based on the grade they gave him. Well, the Lions were the benefactor after Okwara was looked over. Anthony Treash, who put together the info for PFF, explained “there’s no reason Okwara should have been available in the third round. With his explosiveness off the line, overall athleticism and long arms, Okwara was a first-round talent in this draft.”

The Lions should be pretty happy that Okwara slid to the early portion of the 3rd round, anytime you can get a first day talent towards the end of the second day of the NFL Draft, front offices get very giddy. I expect Okwara to have a long and successful NFL career.

Notre Dame adds NC State Grad Transfer CB McCloud

Irish add former NC State DB Nick McCloud to 2020 roster as a graduate transfer.

The Irish have hit the transfer portal jackpot once again, this time going to North Carolina State and adding cornerback Nick McCloud. An injury held McCloud to only two games last year, his final season after being named a captain.

In his four years at NC State, McCloud totaled 105 tackles, 3 interceptions and 20 passes defended. What Brian Kelly is getting from McCloud is a talented player who will bring valuable experience to the Irish’s defensive backfield.

The Irish have reworked their secondary, with Ohio State transfer Isaiah Pryor as another player who didn’t start his career in South Bend. McCloud will battle Shaun Crawford and TaRiq Bracy for one of the corner starting spots and should have an impact this year, his only year where he will be able to wear the Blue and Gold.

Kelly Mentioned as one of the Top Coaches in the Country

Once again, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly ranks high among his coaching peers.

It is a fair assessment to add Notre Dame’s head coach Brian Kelly in a conversation for one of the best coaches in the nation. Although he has yet to win a championship in South Bend, he thinks they’ll break through soon, his run as the Irish leader has gone well.

Today, Brad Crawford of 247Sports, named Kelly the 10th best coach in all of college football. Although the Irish haven’t had a chance to be crowned champs since losing to Alabama in the BCS Championship game in 2012, his tenure has seen 92 wins, 5 bowl wins, and six Top 25 finishes. Yes, 21 of those wins have been vacated, but its still impressive none the less.

Crawford had an interesting assessment of Kelly, as he “isn’t often mentioned as one of the nation’s elite, but his four Top 15 finishes since the start of the 2015 campaign proves otherwise.” Only a few schools can beat that, as Kelly has preached the need for winning consistently to take that next step for the program.

The consistency is coming, the last three years a combined 33-6 record indicates the Irish are well on their way to being a top tier program. The list is clearly subjective, I think Kelly is better than Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher and Florida’s Dan Mullen, but getting placed inside the top 10 is a very good sign for the Irish.

ESPN Updates FPI, See if Notre Dame is predicted to make the CFP

In an post-spring version of ESPN’s Football Power Index, find out where the Irish rank among contenders for the CFP.

Although much can’t change at the moment with on-field improvements, ESPN still is looking forward to the 2020 season by releasing a post-spring football power index. This one is a bit different as they combined the FPI with their Allstate Playoff Predictor and predicted what percentage the top teams have to make the College Football Playoff.

Seth Walder, who put together the data, sees the Irish’s chances at being one of the four teams to have a chance at a National Championship as slim, just 3% to be selected in the CFP. Their chances for a title are even lower, at under 1%, which makes sense when looking at the percentage of making the playoffs.

It seems like the data doesn’t favor Brian Kelly’s 2020 squad, but that shouldn’t mean the Irish won’t be competitive this fall. Looking at some of the teams ahead of Notre Dame, you will see two opponents projected into the final four. Clemson, who annually represents the ACC, and a surprise, Wisconsin, are two of the four to advance in this projection. The Tigers are a no-brainer, as they have only missed out on only the first edition of the CFP, but the Badgers have never been selected. I am not as high on Wisconsin as ESPN is at the moment, replacing a record setting running back, your top 2 receivers, best linebacker and senior center is a tall task.

The Irish will most likely end up facing just one playoff competitor this season, Clemson, but that game along with the trip to Lambeau to face the Badgers won’t be easy. Here’s to making this version of the FPI wrong, and the Irish having a chance to really put a wrench into the committee’s thinking when they select their final four.

Could Notre Dame get a Recommitment from WR Colzie?

The Irish staff are still recruiting Georgia WR Deion Colzie, trying to get the talented wide out to return to the 2021 ND recruiting class.

It was a surprise to many when Georgia WR Deion Colzie decommitted from Notre Dame, his dream school, a little over a month ago. Right after his exit from the 2021 Irish recruiting class, he received offers from Michigan, Penn State, Florida State and Auburn.

It is rare but not completely rare for a prospect to commit back to the school they decommitted from. After hearing what Colzie had to say during an interview yesterday with Rivals’ Chad Simmons, it seems like the Irish haven’t given up hope.

When asked about his relationship with Brian Kelly and Del Alexander, Colzie said “we still have the same relationship we had before. Talks every day, phone calls, trying to start the whole process over… They were willing to start rebuilding the relationship as well.”

This bodes well going forward for the Irish although it seems like distance may factor into Colzie’s final decision. Georgia has been in his ear about staying home while their 5-Star QB commit Brock Vandagriff has been trying to get Colzie to join him in Athens.

Colzie will release a top list soon and says a few schools will surely be on that list. Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Penn State are the schools he knows will be moving on with his recruitment.

With just one other WR commit in the class, Ohio’s Lorenzo Styles Jr., the need is clear for Kelly to add another commit to the fold. Although it won’t be easy to get Colzie to commit again, the staff is still hard at work trying to get the talented wide out trending back to South Bend.