- USC transfer Amir Carlisle was granted a waiver by the NCAA to be eligible to play this fall without having to sit out the typical year. (Photo / Ric Tapia/Icon SMI)
While Notre Dame received the disappointing news that Tee Shepard would no longer be enrolled at Notre Dame last week, the Irish did receive a bit of good news when word spread that USC transfer Amir Carlisle was granted a waiver by the NCAA to be eligible to play this year without having to sit out the traditional year after his transfer.
Carlisle transfered to Notre Dame in January after his father took a position as the director of sports performance at Purdue after previously working for the San Francisco 49ers. Carlisle transfered to Notre Dame to be closer to his family once the elder Carlisle made the switch.
After making the move, Carlisle petitioned the NCAA for a hardship waiver in order to be eligible to play this fall for Notre Dame. Typically a transfer has to sit out a year before they are eligible to play for their new team – as Jordan Prestwood was a year ago when he transfered from Florida State to Notre Dame. In this case, however, the NCAA granted the waiver allowing Carlisle to see the field this fall.
Carlisle will immediately challenge for playing time as a running back/slot wide receiver for the Irish this fall. He is dynamic in the open field and is an excellent receiver out of the backfield. Carlisle received rave reviews out of fall camp for USC last year, but was slowed by a few nagging injuries that limited his impact on the field for the Trojans.
Notre Dame will have a number of options at the running back/slot receiver position that the coaching staff combined this off-season in addition to Carlisle as well. Theo Riddick will have one year of eligibility left to fullfil his potential while some newcomers like incoming freshman Davonte Neal will throw their names into the mix as well. Just how Kelly and offensive coordinator Chuck Martin plan to use these versatile backs/receivers remains to be seen, but at the very least the offensive coaching staff will have some dynamic playmakers at their disposal.
Just read an article on Irish Illustrated about corner depth. I like Cooks and his energy as a coach, I think we will all be surprised at the corner play this year. I like Bennett Jackson and think he will be a better corner than everyone thinks. I also like Wood, Brown and Atkinson. This group has more speed than Blanton and Gray.
Jack, I agree with Shaz,
Jack you got to give Urban his due. No kidding most coaches leave when the well runs dry! What’s new about that. Every year we could site an example. How long does Saban stick around when he can’t win? Not-very- long! He did’nt retire at LSU! Why? He won’t stay at Bama forever either. Urban’s got two titles and good for him, not many can say that even Lou can’t. Ara can and the last to do it at ND! So yes, Urban is big rub on ND but just not the end of the world either.
A more important nettlesome question is: “There is no set time table for the QB derby?” Why did BK make this statement? And why would BK not want an early and clear winner ASP! We all know it will be Hendrix or Golson and more than likely Golson. Don’t one of them deserve all the fall reps with the 1st team? If you thought it was “skewed” last year it appears we are getting more of the same this year without the dam weather!
I know you don’t agree with me but man I can’t be right all the time!
JC,
I’m glad you mentioned the “no time table for the QB deby” statement by Kelly.
I’m beginning to believe that it is just lip service.
Other than Gunner Kiel, Kelly has worked with the other three QB’s every day now for over two years.
He has seen them every day in practice, and two of them in real game situations.
I hope his objective here is to keep the competion up, because if he really is still unclear about the level talent and leadership he has at QB, we are already in trouble!
Exactly Shaz,
The actual QB derby is for the benefit of the fans and media demonstrating fairness.
BK already knows who his new QB is and will utilize Chuck Martin for cover to make it happen!
I mean dummying down the play book to be fair to all the participants?? Suuuuuure.
BK would save us from a lot of grief by being a Heach Coach and say: “Golson you’re the new starting QB and if you don’t work out next in line will come in!”
An efficient reality for the betterment of the team.
Go Irish!
JC,
I could see why the QB derby lingered into fall practice last year.
You had Crist who was coming off a second surgery and a young Rees who was still trying to find his way.
There were a lot of questions.
But I don’t think holding that starting QB decision until the last minute last year was the most effective way to start the season. But I understood it.
But to come out this year and say you are going to ‘dummy down’ the play book leaves me scratching my head… agian.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to give each QB a group of plays that highlight each players particular attributes?
(Like you were preparing them for a real game?)
I don’t like this “Let’s make easy so we can see what they can do” approch.
How about “let’s make it hard (like a real game) and see who has the ability to step up”
Find out who can make plays under pressure, name him the starter after spring. Give that QB 3 months (the summer) to get his head streight, and also a chance for the team to bond and rally around him.
(sounds like a better way to start the season to me)
I always go back to Lou who made practice so hard that the real games seemed easy.
That worked pretty good for Lou and his teams back then.
It should still work now.
Shaz & JC,
I have respect for Urban Meyer, I just think Urban is smart and sees the writing on the wall. He understood at Florida that he would be measured by those NC years and couldn’t live up. As far as leaving Florida due to discipline. He is going to Ohio State, that is a team of criminals.
JC,
Way to bring up the QB debat. BK needs to stop tinkering and playing around with these QB’s and just make a decision. CW did this crap and it ended up in a 3-9 season. If he is dumb enough to start Keil than he deserves to get fired at the end of the year. I love his comment about Keil being 6’4″ and being able to see everything. What about Dayne Crist being 6’5″. The more and more he talks at press conferences the more and more I am rethinking my position on him being able to run this program. What he needs to realize is two winnning seasons and Cincy and a NC at DIII doesn’t mean anything at ND.
Jack,
Great minds think alike, we were 9 minutes apart on picking a new QB and live with it. I definately agree!
Go Irish!
Well, let’s face it too, that Mr. Meyer chomped how ND was his dream job and turned it down back in 05. I think that rubbed some raw with that BS. Like him or not (and I place myself in the “not”) he won 2 NC’s in 3 years. He was competitive (given what Florida was willing to allow on their teams during his time). I’m guessing he will at the least, equal what Tressel accomplished or surpass him. Kelly letting 2 good assistants move on OSU didn’t sit well with me either, but, maybe they saw more oppportunity for themselves at OSU versus ND. As for spring ball, I hope the hell the best QB comes out as the number 1 by earning it outright. I guess we’ll see.
Go ND
Shazamrock and other posts,
I disagree with your arguement of hiring coaches with experience. Urban Meyer was an unproven coach from the MAC and was ND’s offensive coordinator under Davie. Also, CW hired Tenuta and see how that turned out. A little worried about Amir breaking his ankle, this is the second injury since he has been in college football in two years not good. Finally, I think the QB derby last year was skewed by the horrible weather in the B&G game. I think that the coaching staff needs to put these kids threw the ringer and see who comes out. Turn up the heat and see how they react.
Jack, interesting take on coaching.
While Meyer was unproven early in his career, he did prove himself as a young head coach at Utah.
When he made the big time as Florida’s Head coach, he immediately hired highly experienced assistant coaches.(See Greg Mathison now at Michigan, who was Florid’a D-Coordinator during their National Championship season)
Is it just coinsidence his teams always rank near the top of the BCS?
CW did hire Jon Tenuta, a defensive coordinator from Georgia Tech, but Weis already had a defensive coordinator in Corwin Brown.
Two guys with equil experience but different philosophies on what the defense should be.
(Brown wanted to play a read & react defense. Tenuta wanted a pressure defense that blitz’d every down)
They both wanted to be defensive coordinator.
And they both butted heads the entire time.
It was little wonder that it never worked out.
As far as the QB’s go, I too would like to see what each QB can do under pressure, but we all know that they will be wearing the red jerseys with the “no contact” rule in effect as usual.
(That’s just how they do it these days.)
Shaz,
Weis hire Rick Minter who was an experience d-coordinator that was fired because of the horrible play in the Sugar Bowl that made Jamarcus Russell a number one pick. Meyer was unproven at ND and showed his worth. I am sick of everyone on this board thinking Urban Meyer is the second coming of Jesus. He left the SEC because he couldn’t compete with the new FSU coach in recruiting and Nick Saban owned him. He will do well in the Big Ten because there is no big time coach that owns him. My question will be what happens if Brady Hoke owns him in the Michigan OSU game. How long will he get a pass if Hoke abuses him in that game.
As far as QB’s are concerned you have four and why not let them get hit in Spring ball if you truely want to know who is your QB they need to feel the heat of Lynch and Tuitt. I doubt BK does it, but if he doesn’t figure out this QB thing he will get eventually. A great or even good college QB is worth at least and addtional two wins.
jack,
can’t speak for anyone else but I hardly consider Meyer the second coming.
(In fact, I dispise the guy)
My rub with him as it relates to ND is that when he comes to Ohio St the first thing he does is look to (where else) ND to fill his coaching staff.
(Like we are a bunch of patsies and chumps!)
He takes two of our best assistant coaches, who came with Kelly from Cincinatti. (who were by the way, our two most established recruiters in the the state of Ohio.)
ND, instead of bucking up the dollars to keep these guys, lets them walk to the Buckeyes.
The way I see it, Meyer has “used” ND agian, strenghthening his recruiting in Ohio, while weaking ours.
(And we let him do it)
He adds experience to his staff, while our players must once agian must deal with coaching change and turn-over.
You make a valid point about the FSU’s, LSU’s, and Alabama’s getting the better of him recently, but I also think part of his leaving Flordia was the increasing difficulty he was having with team disipline. I’m not sure of the exact numbers but I think it was something like 16 player suspensions in 4 years at Florida.
I would like nothing better than to see Hoke and Michigan hand him his ass, but I don’t think that will happen.
He has full support of the Ohio St. Administration and all the resources that come with it.
As it stands, I can only hope that Kelly knows what he is doing with his staff, and the addtions that he has made are for the better of the team and the program.
Only time will tell.
Amir Carlisle broke his ankle in spring drills. Are we ever going to get any good news once in a while?
Yes, here’s some good news. He’s expected to be back by June. Injuries happen. Just be glad it wasn’t an ACL, MCL, etc.
scav,
It will be interesting to see how the 4 QB derby pans out. We have two primary pocket passers and two with running threat. If Hendrix, Golson or Kiel clearly win the starting spot by the Blue & Gold game would be outstanding news.
In my view, this would legitmately legitimize, a “new” starting QB heading into fall practice.
If there is no clear winner by the Blue & Gold game and the QB derby goes into fall ending with no clear winner again; Rees will more than likely start.
I would hope the 3 practice QB’s are up for the challenge. Without question, we would like an early and clear winner at the QB position.
May the best QB win! Go Irish!
May it not be TR
jack,
At the very least the incumbent CBs deserve the chance to show up and step up their game. If so, and like you say, they prove the naysayers wrong, then ND will be in fine shape on D. The front 7 should be strong, if not dominant, and that will allow the secondary to hold its own. Time will tell, especially against the big boys of OK and UCS.
Plan B should still, I insist, jack, call for Neal and Russell (2 distinguished HS CBs) to see some playing time on D. This is especially so if both Neal and Russell aren’t fighting for starting jobs on O. Russell will not be better than the #3 RB and Neal will have to beat out R. Toma and a few others at the slot WR position. If both these fine athletes aren’t playing on O and our DBs are struggling, why not give them a look see on D?
I still can’t get over (and I know I should by now) how great the this DB class could’ve been with a little luck and slack from the ND powers that be. The haul should’ve included Darby, Shephard, Wright, and Standifer to go along with Neal, Shumate, Proise, and the other DBs. ND would be locked in at DB for years had that been the case. So be it. Just another example of the long line of could haves, should, haves, and what ifs ND fans have suffered through for over 2 decades.
Did you see he switched Cam McDaniel. I try not to look at could, would have and should have.
jack,
No surprise that one of the RBs switched to CB. There’s a lot of depth there at RB. There’s no depth at CB. So the math at each position seems to necessitate the switch of one RB to DB. I would’ve thought of K. Russell since he was also a highly regarded and recruited CB in HS. He even played some DB at this year’s Army All-Star game. Don’t know how much experience Cam McD. has at CB, though. Seems like a solid move, however.
SFR
If the coaching staff can teach our corners to just turn their heads and look for the ball it will be a big improvement!
Sounds pretty basic doesn’t it?
Basic… like when your defense is getting to the QB, you keep it up until they “Prove” that they can beat it.
I also like your mention of some of the newer players having to beat out R. Toma.
Who would have ever guessed that we would be saying that?
Not a highly regarded recruite coming out of High School.
But the kid just makes plays.
Too bad it took until a mid-season injury to Riddick for him to see the field.
These things make we wonder about our coaching staff sometimes.
Teach the basics, go with what is working and keep to it, and find a way to get your best “playmakers” on the field.
Maybe this should be our Plan-A?
Shaz,
Remember CW’s Plan-B coaching changes? Plan-B ate Plan-A&B.
Hopefully, we avoid this past deleterious effect this year.
JC,
“Plan B ate Plan A&B”
I love it!
Nothing better than starting the day with a good laugh.
In that regard I guess you say CW was a glutton for punishment!
Thanks for the Chuckles!
Shaz,
Agreed! You’d think this was all pretty basic stuff. But one mustn’t assume, after all we all know the saying about what happens when we assume anything.
This coaching staff needs to stop out-thinking itself. That or not assume too much about itself. They’re not as bright as they’d like to believe they are. If they were, then they’d have kept the pressure on FSU’s young OL and QB in the bowl game. But lo and behold], why stick with something that’s working.
Like you, I like Toma. He’s our Wes Welker. If used properly, I think the young man will put up decent numbers. He needs a big-time play-maker on the flank (sadly, D. Greenbery would’ve been ideal!) and a TE that can rune down the seams of the D and open up the underneath routes. We have a couple of those.
Teach the basics, stick to what works, and get your play-makers on the field together at the same time.
That should be Plan A, B, C, etc.
SFR,
Michigan hires Mattison, a guy with 20 years of coaching experience, and he turns an absolutly dreadful defense around in just his first year.
Urban Meyer takes the Ohio St. job and promply takes our two most experienced assistant coaches and goes on to finishes in the top ten in recruiting.
BK hires a bunch of no names with 5 & 6 years of experience.
Not saying these guys can’t turn out to be good coaches.
But it seems experience plays a major roll when it comes to coaching success.
It’s not like ND can’t afford the best.
Of course, it’s Kelley’s party and he is entitled to invite who he wants.
I just hope he understands that if he wants to dance, he has to pay the band!
jack,
I’ll buy your scenario only IF the front 7 dominates. If not, and our lack of playing-time and athleticism in the secondary become apparent , then you try Russell and Neal at least part-time at CBs. After all, we’re deep at both RB and slot receiver, and both Russell and Neal were distinguished HS DBs. Needless to say, both Russell and Neal have the youth and athleticism to go both ways (part-time at least) early on in their ND careers. Hopefully next year, BK and Co. make up for the misses in the secondary this year (Darby, Shephard, and several others) and re-load at CB for years to come.
Steelfanrob,
I agree with your point, but I do think Bennett Jackson can be a good corner. He has the speed and size. Lo Wood played well in spots last year as a sophmore. Also, ND possesses a lot of players that are saftey corner hybrids in the mold of Slaughter that can play a little corner. Playing corner in high school is different than being on an island in college. I think you will see a step in the right direction with Jackson, Brown and Wood this year. I don’t think they will be as bad as everyone thinks. I want to at least wait until after spring ball to see how they progress.
scav,
I think BK has no choice right now but to try K. Russell and D. Neal at CBs.
I can’t help but think about how deep this secondary class would’ve been had BK and staff managed to keep it together. Darby, Shepherd, to add to Neal, Shumate, etc. What a shame. the ND D will be paying for these defections for a while.
SteelfanRob,
I disagree with moving any potential offensive threats to move to corner. My reasoning is this, if the front seven is as good as people say than corners only need to cover for 3 seconds. I think the speed at both saftey and corner will allow ND to press cover with a nickle package and apply pressure to with the front seven. I don’t see an offense other than SC and Oklahoma with a QB that will be able to exploit this defense. I think that the Irish need more speed on offense than on defense.
I wonder if Kelly will put Neal at CB to replace the loss of Tee. We seem to have a number of potential play makers on offense, but ND could really use some on defense.
I’m interested to see how this hybrid running back/slot receiver position pans out. I think ND can create some match-up problems, especially if there is a running threat at the QB.
Spring ball is almost here