If you are starting to notice a trend with our breakout candidates in 2014, you probably get the idea that we think the offense is going to explode in 2014 like we haven’t seen previously under Brian Kelly. We’ve already looked at Durham Smythe and talked about Tarean Folston breaking out of a crowded backfield so far and this morning we’re taking a look at another sophomore – wide receiver Will Fuller.
Pedigree
Notre Dame won a regional recruiting battle for Will Fuller two years ago. Fuller, a Philadelphia native, originally committed to Penn State before reconsidering and selecting Notre Dame. That commitment to Penn State came before the NCAA sanctions from the Jerry Sandusky scandal were handed out. Those sanctions helped lead to Fuller reconsidering his college choice and Penn State’s loss was Notre Dame’s gain.
Throughout his recruiting, Fuller saw his stock rise. Originally a 3-star recruit by Rivals, Fuller picked up a 4th star prior to his senior season and was selected to play in the Semper-Fi All-American Bowl game. Fuller also moved into the Rivals Top 250 as a senior before settling in at number 176 overall.
On top of offers from Notre Dame and Penn State, Fuller help scholarships from Boston College, Rutgers, and Temple.
Why Fuller Will Breakout
Of the three freshmen wide receivers to see action for Notre Dame last year, Fuller possess something the others do not – pure top end speed. Classmate Corey Robinson is a physical specimen – a literal giant on the field that can cause match-up nightmares in his own way – while James Onwualu was more of a physical presence who has since moved over to the defensive side of the ball. Fuller on the other hand has the ability to be a deep threat in the Irish offense as early as week one when Rice comes to town.
With TJ Jones trying make his mark with the Detroit Lions this summer, one wide receiver position is completely up for grabs in fall camp. Davaris Daniels, despite missing the spring due to academic reasons, figures to have one starting spot all but locked up which is why Fuller might have a leg up on his classmate Corey Robinson for the other. While Daniels has shown the ability to make plays downfield for Notre Dame (see Purdue and Temple games last year), he doesn’t have the speed of Fuller.
Fuller showed against Air Force what he is able to do downfield with two catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. With Everett Golson under center this year instead of Tommy Rees, he should have the opportunity to use that down field speed even more. If Fuller can hold off Robinson, junior Chris Brown, and true freshmen Justin Brent and Corey Holmes, he will have plenty of opportunity to put up big numbers this season.
Why Fuller Might Not Breakout
Competition. Fuller has speed to burn and started to show that in flashes during the 2013 season, but he is going to have a fight on his hands in fall camp for a starting role in order to really have a big season. Chris Brown started to build up a little bit of rapport with Golson in 2012 but had a disappointing campaign as a sophomore without a quarterback that could really push the ball downfield.
While Robinson doesn’t have the speed of Fuller or Brown, Brian Kelly could still decide that his best starting duo of receivers are Daniels and Robinson. Even without deep threat potential, Robinson is a huge target with the largest catch radius on the team and will tower over many (all?) of the cornerbacks who draw the unfortunate assignment to cover him. He also has showed an uncanny ability to adjust to the ball in the air and use his body to position himself to make tough catches.
Then there are the two freshmen receivers. Justin Brent enrolled early in January and actually looked like the most physically advanced receiver on the roster in the spring. He just looked like anything other than a freshman and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he emerged ahead of the sophomore pack this year. Holmes didn’t report early but comes in with all of the talent and skills necessary to play early.
Even if Fuller does lock down a starting role, there is also going to be a lack of balls to go around in the Notre Dame offense this year. With a loaded backfield, a capable tight end in Ben Koyack, and the stable of wide receivers, it could be difficult for any wide receiver to really breakout this year.
2014 Outlook
Look for Brian Kelly to give a lot of wide receivers some opportunities early in the season just as he did the last two years when he was not shy to play a lot of young receivers before settling in on more of a rotation. Whoever ends camp at the top of the depth chart at the end of August might not stay there the entire season given all of the depth Notre Dame has built up over the last few seasons.
I said earlier this summer that I think Chris Brown will start the season in the starting lineup, but at the same time, I think Fuller will end up at least pulling even and splitting some time with him at least if not passing him and seeing more passes come his way by the end of the season.
Given all of the potential playmakers Notre Dame has on offense this year, I don’t know that we’ll see any receivers other than Daniels have huge statistical seasons, but Fuller has the talent to do so if he can hold off the competition.
bleacher today
“Notre Dame is a hard team to peg.
The Irish lost both of their coordinators, Bob Diaco and Mike Denbrock, to head coaching jobs, and defensive stalwarts such as Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix and Prince Shembo to the NFL.
But they also get back Everett Golson, the only active quarterback besides Jameis Winston who has started more than 10 regular-season games without a loss. With him and Brian Kelly reunited, this team might be able to salvage part of the magic from two years ago.
A big part of doing so relies on Brian VanGorder, the new defensive coordinator who is shifting Notre Dame’s traditional 3-4 defense into a more aggressive 4-3. The pieces are there, on paper, for BVG to field a solid defense, but the image of his last college coordinator job (2012 Auburn) remains fresh in the college football world’s mind.
Either way, though, any Kelly-coached team should be competitive.”
I love a good race!!!
Some of my favorites include:
-The great Jesse Owens who once raced a thoroughbred in a 100 dash…. and won!
-Chris Johnson (no relation to Bruce)and Devin Hester both raced a cheetah.
-2004 Olympic Champion Shawn Crawford raced a giraffe and a zebra (on what quickly became a very sloppy track)
-And who could forget our very own, “Tommy the Turtle” Rees vs “Mall Cop” Paul Blart!
“And they’re off!”
First, Frank, I love this format. You are confident enough that you don’t have to make ESPNmoronic numerical predictions, but you set forth both sides, and that’s really cool.
For Lyons and Burgundy, Kelly has specifically identified Robinson as one of the best learners on the TEAM, let alone the wide receiving corps. He singled out Robinson for having the “You only have to tell him something once” trait. In a separate statement, Kelly, while praising Fuller, mentioned that he was trying to get Fuller to trust the pattern and rely less on his speed.
Now I love Fuller. The NBC dude has projected him as a 1,000 yard receiver. While I wouldn’t predict that, it would not SHOCK me. He is skilled. But I am not sure he’s faster than Chris Brown.
I’d love to see, with Toulmin the starter, a series of races with Brown, Fuller and Prosise at 40, 60 and 100 yards. I think it would be fun and be very encouraging to us drones.
Toulmin, I think you have achieved something marvelous. The word “hater” only leapt into our lexicon in this century, I believe. But you planted a seed, with speed, in ’66 that has resulted in your harvesting Burgundy’s “hatin'” some 48 years later. Bravo!!
Everything said is a positive! Still have to score in the red zone. Go Irish!
fuller is a burner. He separates.
golston has a big arm.
Defense will be stretched. RB’s will get lots of yards, then fuller/brown will get some bombs.
yippie!!!!!!
go irish
WoOdy
People are often enamored of the idea of speed in a receiver. While obviously it can be important, so many more factors go into being a good receiver. That said, it is not a given that Daniels will know his routes and the playbook better than he did last year or that he will be more conscientious and disciplined than he has been in the past. It may be a shocking idea, but I do not think Daniels is guaranteed a starting spot.
The only certainty is that Robinson, who is smarter, more savvy, learns better, has better hands and is more reliable than anyone else, will probably start. In the Spring, Fuller was dynamic and very promising; but Chris Brown showed both his experience and his drive late and is probably slightly ahead of Fuller at this point. If Daniels can finally get himself on track, ND could have four excellent receivers, which would make receiver a major strength of the team.
Please divulge your inside source that lets you know with certainty that Robinson is smarter, more savvy and learns better.
The only “certainty” is that I “probably” disagree with 99% of your assertions. You should be thanking your lucky stars we got Daniels back after his suspension. And Chris Brown showed nothing last season, other than in the pointless, bush league bowl game where Kelly obviously spent several weeks making a concerted effort to get Brown involved in the game plan.
Now the only certainty here that I see is that Robinson is taller than Fuller unless Fuller gets on Chris Brown’s shoulders which may be a shocking idea, but is very dynamic, and then that puts Fuller slightly ahead of Robinson unless an experienced Daniels finally gets himself on track and gives Robinson a boost, which is smarter because Daniels is more savvy, has better hands, and is more reliable than Fuller and would make Daniels a major strength of the team unless Brown shows his drive late which would allow ND to have four excellent receivers that would stack up very well against anyone!
Which is promising!
I always looked for a receiver who could cut on a dime and get open.
It is the guys who work their free to perfect pass routes till hell freezes that are a good fit for me. You know they’re gonna get the ball and advance the ball down the field. (they’ll also be denied close pass completions against #1 Alabama) aka Tyler Eifert
Again, ok he made the catch. 1st and 10 at the 46. Now what?
If only your brain were as quick as your feet, allegedly.
“Again, ok he made the catch. 1st and 10 at the 46. Now what?”
Notre Dame would have scored that touchdown…AND WON THAT GAME!
just like they did in 1973. Bryant could not believe it. lol……………https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmHweQiUlNA
“Of the three freshmen wide receivers to see action for Notre Dame last year, Fuller possess something the others do not – pure top end speed.”
On that new field turf which will be consistent each week he’ll fly. This is good news for Irish types.
Question: who’s faster, THB or Fuller?
Discuss
me
THB on THC
Wait…is that a “which came first, the chicken or the egg” type of question? Though interesting to consider, (which is really the whole reason of these post-it-boards) I take more of a “whoever is in is the better one” approach. Both are skilled. Splitting hairs over teammates is something I just stay-away from.
Back to Toulmin’s thesis, we are in very good shape this year. I’m psyched!
You realize there is no difference in the speed of an athlete with regard to playing on Field Turf vs natural Grass surface don’t you?
Saying there is a difference is like saying a ton of cement weighs more than a ton of feathers.
Do you realize your speaking to THB “Louisiana Flash” the self reported fastest white boy in the ragin Cajun state. He knows a thing or two about speed.
Btw, everybody knows a ton of cement weighs more than a ton of feathers. Duh it’s science.
“there is no difference in the speed of an athlete with regard to playing on Field Turf vs natural Grass surface”
Does Sir Isaac Newton know about this?
I’m afraid this theory lacks serious traction.
This comment is hilarious. You are definitely faster on field turf because you dont ‘dig in’ as much as you would on grass. Cutting and general running on field turf will be faster. Anyone who thinks differently probably has no experience being an athlete, or they have never experienced all out running on field turf.
@Chris J. – You can say it all you want but the answer will always be the same, you cannot run faster on field turf than you do on a natural grass surface. If you are saying you perform better on field turf you will have no argument from me but straight out speed, there is no difference. You are not faster on field turf than you are on grass.
According to a Wolters Kluwers report in 2010: agility times are 3 percent faster on field turf.
If he isn’t buying into Newton’s Law, I doubt a 2010 Wolters-Kluwers report is going to make much of a dent.
An imbasil remains an imbasil unless an external force acts upon it.
Well it’s clear the two of you see agility as speed so there is no discussion.
Burgy’s Law:
“An imbasil remains an imbasil unless an external force acts upon it”
Friggin hilarious!!!
The agility measurements were based on the 40 yard dash and the pro agility shuttle. They combine straight ahead speed and change of direction speed. So yes I’d say this constitutes speed.
If you were going to race Toulmin would you rather race on grass or turf? Why is the combine done on turf? Why did ND used to raise the mowers when playing USC? Why does Veronica Corningstone love me?