There’s not much to gather from today’s practice report, but that certainly won’t stop us from trying. With Notre Dame opening training camp at an offsite location for the first time in recent memory, here’s a quick rundown of the day’s schedule, per a release from the sports information department.
7am -- Wake Up Call
7:15-8:15am -- Breakfast
8:15am -- Special Teams walk-through with Scott Booker
9am -- Offense/Defense position group meetings
10:30am -- Practice (24 periods)
12:30pm -- Lunch
2pm -- Team Building Exercises
5pm -- Position Group Meetings
6pm -- Dinner (Burgers, Chicken Brats, Sea Bass)
6:45 -- Position Group Meetings
All in all, a pretty action packed day for the Irish, who are spending these first days of camp with only the team and its staff.
Let’s take a look at the practice report footage, and do our best to pick out the interesting tidbits.
0:15 -- You’ve gotta think Shiloh Park is gonna get a bump in revenues from this, right? If only because the team building exercises look so fun. (Reminds me of the greatest TV show that never was...)
0:21 -- You didn’t think you’d get through two Jack Nolan videos without a weather update, did you?
0:34 -- Freshmen Steve Elmer (79) and Doug Randolph (19) show some nice flexibility during warm-ups.
0:40 -- That’s preseason All-American Stephon Tuitt (7) looking every bit as intimidating as you’d expect a 6-6.25, 322-pound defensive end to look.
(There’s been some talk about Tuitt’s camp weight, with his listed 322 pounds larger than Kelly expected him to be after his offseason weight gain raised a few eyebrows in spring practice. Tuitt was able to train with the team this summer, and before you read too far into the number posted, consider the very real chance that they just didn’t adjust the number from the last roster.)
0:42 -- Here’s our first look at Tarean Folston (25), practicing ball security drills with fellow freshman back Greg Bryant (1).
0:46 -- That’s Tommy Rees (11) working the mobility drills. I’ve heard from multiple people over the past few weeks that have independently said how strong and athletic Rees looks during summer and camp workouts. I’ve also heard that his arm strength looks better than it has in the past, something that could play a huge role in this offense being more efficient if the run game gets cranked up and play-action opportunities present themselves.
0:50 -- Rees hits Bryant (1) with a swing pass out of the backfield. From the sounds of it, Bryant is everything that’s been advertised.
0:52 -- Look closely and you’ll see the ground shake as big Louis Nix (1) works on a pass rush move.
0:56 -- Fifth-year senior linebacking duo Carlo Calabrese (44) and Dan Fox (48) work a coverage drill.
0:58 -- Freshman Max Redfield (10) looks comfortable covering the flat.
1:03 --Running back Cam McDaniel makes a catch in front of Jarrett Grace (59) and Kendall Moore (8).
1:05 -- Running backs coach Tony Alford gives George Atkinson III (4) and the running backs some pass protection tips.
1:13 -- That’s Rashad Kinlaw (26) (taking over for Jamoris Slaughter wearing No. 26) batting down a pass.
1:17 -- Safety Elijah Shumate (22) makes a mighty athletic play intercepting the pass in the break-up drill.
1:20 -- The Big Ginger, aka Tony Springmann (69) works the pass rush drill.
1:22 -- Shumate (22) is all over receiver CJ Prosise (20), breaking up a pass that’s a little late.
1:25 -- TJ Jones (7) runs a very nice route as he creates separation from KeiVarae Russell (6).
1:28 -- Davaris Daniels (10) sees Jones’ nice route and raises him an even better one, turning around cornerback Bennett Jackson (2) on the post-flag pattern, creating plenty of separation.
1:32 -- Safety John Turner (31) does a nice job defending a high throw to Cam McDaniel (33).
1:38 -- Fellow freshmen Devin Butler (36) breaks up a pass headed towards Kinlaw (26) in a positional drill.
1:42 -- One more look at Tuitt (7), very much playing the role of angry Optimus Prime here. (Or is it Bane, with that facemask?)
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