The tradition continues as Notre Dame football is packing up and beginning fall camp away from the comforts of campus. Once again, the Irish will make the hour-long trek south to the banks of Lake Maxinkuckee for several practices at Culver Academies. As per usual, access to practices will be severely limited so we’re all going to have to deal with it.
On Monday I wrote about the quarterback situation. Basically, we’re waiting to see if Kizer or Zaire gets picked as the starter and just how much the backup will play, if he does at all. There’s so much talent but a maze to navigate to avoid a quarterback controversy.
Now for the rest of the offense…
Offensive Line
Notre Dame has to replace 3 starters but things are eerily calm up front for such much turnover. As expected, redshirt junior Mike McGlinchey moved from right to left tackle in the spring and pairs with redshirt sophomore Quenton Nelson to form a super talented duo. I thought we might see a battle at center to begin camp but redshirt sophomore Sam Mustipher built on his 40 snaps in 2015 and a strong spring to hold off the fast-rising redshirt freshman Tristen Hoge.
I was sure Hoge would find a starting spot in 2016 but to begin camp it doesn’t appear as likely. Each of Hoge, redshirt junior Hunter Bivin, redshirt junior Colin McGovern, and redshirt sophomore Alex Bars saw at least some time with the first-team at right guard but it was Bivin who settled into the role for the last two weeks of spring.
If you recall, Bars was recovering from a broken ankle early in the spring and once he got back into the swing of things it was well known he’d take over at right tackle following 139 snaps at left guard in 2015 while filling in for the then dinged-up Nelson.
McGlinchey—Nelson—Mustipher—Bivin—Bars
I’m not sold that Bivin holds things down for good at right guard but I do think he’s a better fit on the inside rather than at tackle where he’s practiced plenty during his time at Notre Dame. Mustipher’s job is more secure but also could open up with Hoge ready to fill in at either center or right guard. This might not be something to happen during fall camp but later in the season I can definitely see Kelly saying, “We like Hoge’s athleticism a little better at guard” at some point in October.
In terms of extra players to watch we have redshirt junior Colin McGovern and incoming freshman Tommy Kraemer. The elder McGovern hasn’t made his mark yet (26 snaps last year) and his career is likely at a tipping point. He was briefly tried out with the first-team at RG during the spring but didn’t last long and eventually missed 5 practices with a concussion. By the end of spring he was working with the 2nd-team at right tackle.
Kraemer is in the conversation as the most talented and game-ready freshman to arrive in South Bend during Kelly’s tenure. With perfect health the team should be able to redshirt him with no problem but it’ll be interesting to see if he’s someone who goes down to scout team or stays with varsity. I think he’s good enough to stay and work his way into the 2nd-team rather quickly. If there’s an injury to say, Alex Bars, don’t be shocked if Kraemer starts games in 2016. At any rate, he could push up to become the 7th offensive lineman past McGovern which is why I believe the latter player is at such a crucial point is his career at Notre Dame.
Wide Receiver
So it’s Torii Hunter and everyone else. The Irish lost 4 receivers this off-season who totaled 2,047 snaps last year. The spring was fruitful for this unit but maybe not in the ways we all expected.
Redshirt sophomore Corey Holmes and EE true freshman Kevin Stepherson have all the momentum heading into fall camp, which to be honest, comes with some skepticism. Holmes was seemingly left for dead and about to be passed up this off-season but really turned it on and received an outrageous amount of praise in the spring relative to his reputation after the 2015 season. We went from knowing basically nothing about him to finding out he’s one of the fastest players on the team and has a really good chance to start in the slot.
Stepherson was the talk of the beginning of spring but kind of tailed off by the end of the practices. He’s tiny (listed at 181 for the spring) but apparently fast and polished enough to remain on the outside. Can he really go from an unheralded recruit to legit playing time?
Rising sophomore C.J. Sanders is coming off hip surgery which won’t exactly be easy. He’s also going to have to deal with the Kelly-era specific problem of being a mainstay as a special teams return man while struggling to grab snaps at wideout. With his 822 all-purpose yards and 2 special teams touchdowns it feels like Sanders is quite experienced but he only logged 29 snaps at wide receiver and caught one pass for 0 yards. I’m not sure where he’ll be coming off an injury–he’s skilled enough to be a major weapon but could really be in for a fight for snaps on offense.
NEW 18S: For the talent to shine you better pray @NDFootball avoids a QB controversy. https://t.co/VgXqcDamjU
— 18 Stripes (@18stripes) August 1, 2016
The “Y” receiver position is going to be a fight a between sophomore Equanimeous St. Brown, redshirt freshman Miles Boykin, true freshman Chase Claypool, with sophomore tight end Alize Jones for sure stealing reps on occasion.
St. Brown is the clear favorite but needs a really strong camp. He’s received about as much praise as any young player on the roster which has bought him plenty of equity with the fans. However, if his progression is slow people will flip their attitude from hope to frustration. St. Brown’s blocked punt against USC has already endeared him to the faithful yet he was shut down early last year for shoulder surgery, played only 41 snaps with 1 catch, and didn’t have a great spring while nursing some injuries.
I have no doubt that Claypool will be on one of the early WatchND practice videos making an outrageous catch against a starting corner. Where he develops so early in his career I have no idea and I’m excited to find out. He seems far too athletic to redshirt–plus the depth at receiver isn’t that great–but I’m okay with seeing what we have with Boykin while the staff tries to figure out Claypool’s ultimate role if they want him to see the field.
I’m betting true freshman Javon McKinley gets to play this year. He’s one of those kids who got a bit of the overrated talk (he’s close to a Top 100 overall recruit) but may now be underrated coming into this first fall camp. He’s also from California and we all know these kids need to buy in early and feel at home. At minimum I see him on special teams and then working in a role such as the up-man on kickoffs.
Will all three freshmen play this year? I think Robinson’s retirement all but sealed that fate.
Tight End
The Tight End U moniker hasn’t been working in full force over the past couple years. Still, the depth for 2016 is outstanding if no one moves positions. There are still plenty of questions as to how big of an impact this unit can have, though. Redshirt junior Durham Smythe has claimed the “best all-around” title but missed most of last season and hasn’t been a difference maker in his career. Junior Tyler Luatua is back on the roster which is nice but can he develop into more than just a glorified H-back? Nic Weishar surprised last year with 286 snaps as a redshirt freshman so can he hold off numerous other players to see the field even more?
The hybrid Alize Jones is bound to have a big camp. He came in last year with so much hype as the nation’s top tight end that his 13 receptions seemed to disappoint some folks. I think he’ll be fine and move up to no worse than the team’s 4th best pass catcher.
Running Back
Josh Adams should have plenty of swagger after breaking the school record for rushing yards by a freshman and posting an incredible 7.22 yards per rush on 116 carries. His lanky speed should pair well with the return of Tarean Folston to create an exciting one-two punch atop the depth chart.
Sophomore Dexter Williams has progressed nicely after 21 carries in 2015 and grabbed some first-team snaps in the spring. It’s easy to write him off as the third option but he’s quickly becoming a valued part of the offense. I’m looking for him to make some noise in the latter stages of fall camp.
The future of redshirt sophomore Justin Brent remains cloudy as ever. There’s a school of thought that if you haven’t made a move after your second spring you’re in trouble and Brent finished his third spring earlier this year. Athletic as anyone but cosigned to placement outside the two-deep at either tailback or wideout. We know the fan frustration will continue to be loud so can Brent finally make a move?
There’s so much depth at running back that it’s easy to forget there are not one but two freshmen on campus. It’s difficult to envision a situation where either Tony Jones or Deon McIntosh are needed. Still, we know the opportunity to use 5th years from this position isn’t always available and both young players could be used as special teams depth immediately.
The receiving situation is a huge question mark and one that I think should be cause for more concern – yes, there’s a ton of talent, but little experience and separation, so it could take time (which isn’t really built into the schedule) to gel with the QB and shake out to get the best players on the field. If I had to bet on receptions at the end of the year, I’d go:
1. Hunter Jr.
2. Alize
3. Stepherson
4. St. Brown
5. Folston
I’m buying the Stepherson spring hype much more than Holmes, and think his skill set is more unique which will lead to more playing time. Equanimeous I think will be the recipient of a lot of deep throws, and earn more targets if he’s coming down with those and consistent getting open underneath as well.
Whoa lots of Stepherson love! That’s the thing though, you could be spot on who knows with all the inexperience.
All the inexperience on WR makes it even more important that we pick a QB and stick with him – and earlier the better. It seems only Kizer/Hunter have any kind of timing down – every other combination will be very new.
JUST RUN THE DAMN BALL KELLY
One thing Kelly’s teams at ND have had is WRs that block well downfield and on the edge in the running game. Does ND go jumbo with a group of bigger WRs and the duo of Smythe and Jones at TE ? I think a grouping like that would give the opposition matchup nightmares that ND could exploit.
If Zaire is back there I think that’s definitely one of our go-to lineups.
Well it’s not like Kizer can’t run. He’s a different style runner but still a good one. I think the heavy package gives the runners a better chance once their downfield. I think the athletes they have at WR, though unproven, have the ability to get downfield in the pass game. I don’t think it will be a Daniel Smith situation if ND goes big at WR. I think it may create a pick your poison scenario for the defense.
There, their, they’re…oops
In this year of all years, I think we need to RTDB-Kelly(tm). Experienced and powerful line, experienced and explosive RBs, pound the ball and grind out some wins.
I think more emphasis on the run game isn’t a bad idea, although ideally the line should be a little more continuity/be more proven. For comparison’s sake, last year’s Ohio State offense ran the ball on about 66% of standard downs, compared to 56% for ND. I don’t believe our offensive line will be quite as good as Ohio State’s last season, but an uptick to 60-65% seems like a reasonable expectation.
One thing that’s was interesting to me last season (and may have been somewhat opponent dependent / result of the Zaire and/or Smythe injuries) – we never really saw the multiple tight end looks from the Music City Bowl very often, save a few goal line situations. I hope it’s something we re-examine.
So, I’ll be “that guy”…
The Y receiver is usually the tight end, or could be a receiver in four- or five-wide, and has to be on the line of scrimmage covering the strong-side tackle. The Z is the old flanker, Will Fuller’s position, who’s outside the tight end/Y and is off the line, meaning he can be in motion at the snap. The X is the old split end; he covers the weak-side tackle and is on the line, meaning he has to be set at the snap, which in turn usually means it’s easier for the defender to press him and therefore he tends to be a more physical guy.
Blah blah blah blah, amirite? Anyway, I’m guessing you mean the X receiver spot is going to be a fight – Hunter is pretty clearly our best option at Z as of today, and the other side is a huge question mark. I think those are a really interesting group of guys because they all bring something very different. Boykin is probably the most physical with Jones not far behind – and faster. St. Brown is probably the most well-rounded, and Claypool is a raw athletic freak. But we haven’t seen much from any of them – or in Boykin and Claypool’s case, we haven’t seen anything at all – so it’s a box of chocolates over there.
I wouldn’t sleep on an even more jumbo set: Smythe at TE, Luatua at TE and/or H-back, Hunter and Jones or ESB wide. There are so many short-yardage possibilities out of that set for either Kizer or Zaire that it would be a nightmare.
I’m pretty sure the Kelly coaching staff uses the following:
X- field receiver
Z- slot receiver
Y or W- boundary receiver
A quick reference of posts elsewhere seems to confirm. I also remember being confused years ago at their usage but I think some staffs use different letters like they would linebacker and their names.
This. Whatever the “standard” may be, Kelly uses the terms as Eric stated.
FWIW, I did get a little confused reading about the “Y” receiver. As pertains to Kelly’s offense I’m used to that boundary receiver being the W and the field receiver being the X.
Any chance 18S can put a little guide together?
In my personal h.s. experience, in a Pro-Style offense, it is common to have what Brendan describes plus a 1-back (QB) 2-back (TB), and 3-back(FB). I’ve also seen Z used interchangeably with 4 as being off the line they are technically a back, and which designation is used is sometimes as simple as whether they are playing more of a slot receiver or wing role. Since NDN would be happy to tell us about Kelly’s lack of utilization of a traditional 3-back in base packages I wouldn’t be surprised if all the terms are used much differently by this staff.
“There are so many short-yardage possibilities out of that set for either Kizer or Zaire that it would be a nightmare.”
So, 5-wides in short yardage it is.
The Tommy Rees special
Despite all the losses, I’m not too worried about WR. They’re young and untested but the playmakers will rise to the top, actually pretty excited about the possibilities considering how many talented athletes they have to give chances out there.
The center and right of the line though, we’ll see. Hopefully they mesh and no changes are needed, feel pretty good about Mustipher and Bars should be good, if they can get serviceable RG play that would be huge for the team.
Welp, time to edit the article. Alize out for the season for academic reasons. Mother… Oh wait, this isn’t OFD, sorry!