Let’s get back to the over-analysis!
As we examine another two minutes of ND football players going through drill work, here are a few things I picked up, from either talking to people close to the program or reading other reports:
* It’s interesting to note that a broken collarbone for Amir Carlisle doesn’t mean his spring is over. You can see Carlisle taking actual reps during the practice video, wearing a helmet and participating in practice. (Same for Bennett Jackson, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.)
Again, not to say this isn’t what other programs are doing (or what the Irish did in the past), but it’s good to see that an injury or surgery means a wasted spring of development.
* I’m guessing somebody will ask what’s wrong with Davaris Daniels, who wasn’t wearing pads in the latest video. Ditto with Danny Spond. Not that either player really needs to prove themselves this spring, but worth monitoring.
* In the same interview that Denbrock talking wide receiver roles, he discussed senior Daniel Smith. The man best known for dating Skylar Diggins and his blocking might have a surprise season in him, with Denbrock raving about Smith’s athleticism and ability to catch the football.
Smith might not have the high-end speed needed to be an elite receiver, but he looks like he’ll be a useful part of this offense, doing more than just getting PT on running plays.
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0:14 -- That’s Romeo Okwara (#45) breaking down the team. Also known as the biggest 17-year-old football player in the world. Do you think the guys are going to do something special for when he turns 18? Buy fireworks? Head to a riverboat casino? Hit up the voting booth?
Jokes aside, Okwara’s development will be really fun to follow. Could ND stash him on the sideline with a redshirt this season? Will he be too good to let them? (More unanswered questions?)
0:26 -- Another video, another session of blocking drills! This one features Corey Robinson (#88) locking up with a DB about 1/3 of his height.
0:31 -- That’s walk-on Gerard Martinez (#83) getting a rep.
0:35 -- Keep those hands inside, CJ Prosise. That looks an awful lot like 10 yards from the spot of the foul.
0:40 -- That’s John Turner (#31) doing a nice, physical job with Luke Massa (#14). Turner it the type of big bodied kid you expect to see on special teams this season. Wonder if he’s got the jets needed to play on the back line of this defense.
0:45 -- James Onwualu (#17) has a big collision with somebody. (Looks like Matthias Farley.)
0:52 -- Back-to-back reps of walk-ons getting reps. Nicely done guys. Use this YouTube clip to your advantage at Corby’s this weekend.
1:00 -- TJ Jones (#7) does a nice job exploding on the block. Don’t look now, but Jones is primed to have a very nice senior campaign.
1:03 -- KeiVarae Russell (#6) does a nice job of getting underneath Chris Brown (#2). Nice job initiating contact by Russell, who is on the fast track to becoming one of my favorite players.
1:06 -- Another big collision with Onwualu.
1:17 -- A better job by Prosise this time. (Still a ways to go, though...)
1:22 -- Good to see Austin Collinsworth (#28) getting reps out there. He battles the lanky Robinson.
1:25 -- Nick Martin (#72) gets the best out of what looks like Justin Utupo. I get the feeling we are looking at the Irish’s starting center.
1:28 -- Christian Lombard (#74) guts out a tough collision with Kona Schwenke (#96)
1:38 -- There’s something very graceful about the way Corey Robinson catches the football. Should be a fun four years.
1:41 -- Isn’t that almost the story of Jalen Brown (#21) so far? Big kid, athletic kid. Let’s a receiver catch a ball in front of him and then tries to tackle. Then again, in this defense corners can give up short, underneath throws all they want.
1:45 -- Keep running hard, GA3.
1:51 -- Nice hole shot by Tommy Rees, into the soft spot of a two-deep zone. Rees hits freshman Mike Heuerman (#9).
1:59 -- TJ Jones makes a nice catch through traffic. Imagine that’s a lot easier than doing it when the bullets are live, but Jones displayed that kind of courage against Alabama in a sneaky good performance.
2:01 -- Cam McDaniel with another big gainer. O/U on Cam’s YPC in 2013: 4.9.
2:09 -- Russell shows himself to be a savvy DB. Mugs Chris Brown, then gets his hands off him fast enough to sell the purity of the play. (Before anyone complains, that’s just proper gamesmanship for a cornerback.)
2:22 -- How excited was Bobby D? Jumping back bump, that’s how.