Media Day and Fall Practice

Finally, some meat to chew on as we move into the 2008 football season. With the start of fall practice, we have practice clips, player interviews, and (my favorite) Coach Weis press conferences.

Coach Weis Press Conference Notes

The first thing that jumped off the page when reading Coach Weis' press conference was this tidbit:

All three of the [running backs] that are in contention all raised their bench press 100 pounds from last year to this year.

Weis called that a "significant upgrade in strength." I call it downright astounding. If their strength gains in other areas are similarly impressive, we should see more powerful running this year. The player this is most likely to help is Armando Allen, who often appeared to lack the necessary strength to fight through arm tackles last year, costing him the opportunity to break some big runs. He's also listed as the primary kick and punt returner, where speed is paramount, but being able to shrug off arm and shoestring tackles can make a huge difference.

Another note comes off of the offensive line. I commented in an earlier post that I saw Chris Stewart, and he looks like he is in amazing shape compared to last year. In the weigh-in, Stewart actually dropped below Sam Young in total weight, at only 329 pounds. All of the linemen are over 300 pounds, and the increases in size and strength should translate into overall improved play. Size and strength won't correct missed assignments, but it should reduce the number of times that players just get beaten by their opponents, and also should provide a fraction of a second more when they do get their hands on a blitzing opponent. And if you ask a QB, fractions of a second can mean the difference between a completion and a sack.

David Bruton is still in freakishly good shape, and is adding strength despite already being in peak physical shape.

There are no injuries to speak of going into camp, which is a huge difference from last year and even earlier this spring. Only a minor hamstring pull on Will Yeatman was reported as an injury. Undoubtedly, there will be injuries as training camp progresses (there almost always are, we lost Gary Gray last year in training camp), but the lack of injuries going in means that the attrition should be much lower. Also, it means that there aren't any players (like Clausen last year) whose progress may be hindered by an injury or limited practice time. Also (no surprise) there are no academic casualties. Only Darrin Walls' absence from the team is notable as losses go.

Pat Kuntz is listed as a defensive end, not a defensive tackle, on the depth chart. At first, I was surprised, considering the lack of depth inside. But then, I thought that Laws should have been kept inside last year, which shows how much I know. Kuntz is similar to Laws as far as playing style (except that Kuntz is rabid dog crazy). This leaves Ian Williams and Paddy Mullen inside, with freshman Brandon Newman pushing into the rotation as well. They set a 600 pound standard for DT's in the squat, and even the freshman hit that mark. Weis did mention that Kuntz has position flexibility, so we may see him move around on the D-line, depending on how other players develop.

Weis exuded confidence about the all-around depth on the team, with the lone exception of the defensive line, which bodes well for the end of the season. Many recent Notre Dame teams have sputtered down the stretch, which can be partly attributed to the lack of depth at key positions, especially along the offensive line.

Weis - Aug. 9 Presser

Weis' first media session gave us the opportunity to get Weis' impressions of the players now that he's seen them on the field during practice.

He likes the talent at the running back position across the board, which is a good sign. Despite the fact that he is in great shape, all signs point to Jonas Gray sitting out this season while the three headed monster battles it out through camp and into the season. There's no sense in burning eligibility when you have that much quality depth at the position.

He also pointed out Ethan Johnson, as a player that impressed in the first practice, although he said that there are several freshman that looked good. We'll have to wait until the freshman get some reps with the first teamers to know how good they really are.

Kyle Rudolph is still growing, and has put on 40 pounds since his recruitment, and has plenty of room to grow on his frame.

Kamara needs to drop weight, but has looked good in practice despite the extra weight. Weis also singled out Kamara and Grimes as players that have shown really good hands in practice.

Things to Watch: Fall Camp Edition

With fall camp starting today, I thought I'd take a couple of minutes to outline the story lines to watch over fall camp this year. For those of you in or around the South Bend area, there is an open practice on Sunday afternoon at the stadium, and you can come and see for yourself. I'm not sure yet whether I'll be going to the open practice (sacrilege, I know), as I may instead be headed to the beach with a hot brunette.

Freshman to Watch
Fall practice is always spotlight on the freshman making their first appearance. There are a handful from this class that are worth keeping your eye on:

Michael Floyd, WR Floyd was the jewel of last year's class - the staff's top target and the most potential for an early impact. Floyd still needs to work on some fundamentals (see below), but he has the raw talent to make an immediate impact (ala Arrelious Benn for Illinois).

Dayne Crist, QB A bit of a surprise, right on the heels of Clausen's high profile commitment last year, Crist committed despite being a clear backup walking in the door. His confidence and swagger are as impressive as his size (nearly as large as TE recruit Kyle Rudolph), strength and accuracy. He will be battling Sharpley for the backup spot. Not sure if he can absorb enough of the playbook quickly enough to make an impact this year (he'll likely 'redshirt'), but his development should be watched with great anticipation.

Kyle Rudolph, TE A complete package tight end, with that rare combination of size, strength, speed and hands that make him a great blocker as well as a great receiver, Rudolph could make an impact sooner rather than later. He has some talent ahead of him on the depth chart, with Mike Ragone and the recently reinstated Will Yeatman having the advantage of experience on Rudolph. However, with so few tight ends on the roster (Mullen moved to DT, Reuland transferred), Rudolph could see early work in goalline/3 TE sets.

Brandon Newman, Sean Cwynar, and Hafis Williams With the lack of depth on the D-line, these three kids should have ample opportunity to play themselves into the rotation. Newman is the most likely to see early playing time, if he shows up to camp in shape, as he already has the size to compete. Cwynar and Williams both need 15-20 pounds of bulk to be truly competitive.

Offensive Line Development
There has been much talk in the offseason about the offensive line. Reports out of spring and summer have shown that the entire offensive line has bulked up, and I can tell you from first hand knowledge that these guys look ripped. I ran into Chris Stewart on campus a couple of weeks ago, and he looks night and day from when he came to campus - he looks like he could rip trees out of the ground.

Wide Receiver route running
We know David Grimes has excellent route running and footwork, but the rest of the receiving corps last year leaned more on their innate physical ability than the fundamentals of good route runnning. With Grimes returning to lead this group, I would look for cleaner route running, especially from the youngsters Kamara and Tate.

Defensive Line Depth
Pat Kuntz is out of his damn mind, always has been, and I expect nothing less than everything he has on every play. Ian Williams showed promise last season as a true freshman. Behind those two, there isn't much to get excited about on the D-line so far. Paddy Mullen is working into the position, and the freshmen likely need some time to work into playing shape.

Backup QB Derby
Evan Sharpley rolls into summer as the solid backup to Clausen, but he spent most of his time on baseball this spring, and may have some lingering resentment about not being given a chance to compete with Clausen this offseason. With highly touted true frosh Dayne Crist coming in, the backup battle could get ugly. Either way, I just want to see signs that there will not be a major dropoff if Clausen goes down.

Middle Linebacker
Mo Crum has locked down one of the inside linebacker spots, but the other MLB is still up in the air. Last year, it was hoped that Toryan Smith would take that spot, but now there have been rumors that we are moving Brian Smith inside, rather than leaving him outside where he had some success last year. There are a lot of players in the mix in the linebacker position, and the flexibility of the OLB/DE position complicates things even more. Hopefully, someone steps up and embraces the inside linebacker position and makes it their own.

Kicker
I'm starting to feel like a broken record, but hopefully this year we can find a dependable place kicker so we don't have a repeat of last year's Navy game. (YOU KICK THE BALL TO TRY TO WIN THE GAME!!!)

There won't be much opportunity to garner much information about Haywood's playcalling or the Tenuta/Brown combo during practice, as all of the wrinkles will be kept under wraps until SDSU, if not Michigan.

Jack Swarbrick tapped as new Athletic Director

In a bold move for the leadership of the Notre Dame athletic department, the University has eschewed the traditional paradigm of hiring athletic directors at major universities and instead conducted a search focused on the requirements of the position and identifying a candidate that fills those needs.

The previous director, Kevin White, was very good at some aspects of the position and very poor at others. Kevin White was excellent at promoting Olympic sports and building top notch facilities. Where he suffered, however, was in leveraging Notre Dame's unique position in the negotiation of agreements with other entities. The BCS negotiations, scheduling negotiations (Nevada and SDSU), control over ND's image through Adidas and NBC - all areas in which Notre Dame has seen it's bargaining position eroded over the course of Kevin White's career.

Enter Jack Swarbrick.

Indianapolis was hardly the hotbed of amateur sport before Mr. Swarbrick appeared on the scene. Due to his prowess at negotiation, now Indianapolis is the home of the NCAA, has a long-term deal with the Final Four (hosting once every 5 years through 2039), hosts the Big Ten tournament (beating out Chicago, a larger market and home of the Big Ten offices), and will be home to the 2012 Superbowl. He was a finalist for the presidency of the NCAA, and open athletic director positions at Arizona State, Ohio State, and Indiana - all schools which he did not have a connection to.

For some insight on the import of this hire, look no further than this excerpt from the Indianapolis Star article dated April 27, 2005:

Swarbrick, a partner at Baker & Daniels, is not a college sports administrator. He said he is not looking to leave Indianapolis, either, but responded to an inquiry by Arizona State president Michael Crow .

"For ADs, the relationship with the president is everything," Swarbrick said. "There are very few of these that I would consider. As I got to know him and understand him a little better, I was intrigued.

"My impression was borne out. It's a university that's going to do some great things under president Crow. At the end of the day, it wasn't right for me."

Swarbrick said sports can exist as a central part of a university's educational mission. Public perception is that sports, specifically big-time football and men's basketball, are merely an entertainment adjunct.

If Swarbrick were to become an athletic director, "it's because I really want to change that paradigm," he said.

I wanted Orsini, as I stated earlier, but I must say that for the first time in a long while, I am truly impressed with the way the University handled this process.

Swarbrick has a long history of success with not only Olympic sports, but also negotiating with athletic conferences and big time football. As an alum, he understands the needs of this University. As a long time veteran of big firm life at Baker & Daniels, he has shown an impressive work ethic. He has proven to be a shrewd negotiatior even when he lacks leverage.

At Notre Dame, he will not lack for leverage.

In fact, this hire is in many ways the same hire that Jenkins made when he hired Coach Weis - tireless worker, brilliant mind, a true Notre Dame man.

There are many things that he will need to fix when he arrives at the University, and like all humans, there will be weaknesses that will appear as time moves forward. However, I am confident that time will show that this was a great hire.

Top 10 "Football Factories"

While I hate the term "Football Factory" when applied to a University, the fact remains that there are certain schools that, year-in, year-out, produce a slew of talented NFL players. The NFL network recently aired an episode of their "Top Ten" show that counted down the top football factories. With this being the slow season, I thought I'd try to take a deeper look at their list, and see whether they were really accurate in their assessment, or whether it is just more hype.

Here is the list of teams on the NFL Network list:

10. Tennessee

9. MAC Conference

8. Syracuse

7. Penn State

6. Alabama

5. Michigan

4. Ohio State

3. Notre Dame

2. Miami

1. USC

I'm going to break this down, and try to determine which teams really do the best job of sending successful players to the NFL. I'm going to look at not just number of players drafted, but also Pro Bowlers, Superbowl MVPs, and the best players at the various positions to come up with my own list.

First, let's break down the numbers of some perennial powerhouses in my analysis:

Southern Cal
Total players drafted: 450
Current number of players on NFL rosters: 43
Superbowl MVPs: 2 - Lynn Swann (X), Marcus Allen (XVIII)
Hall of Famers: 11
Quarterback:
Running Back: O.J. Simpson*, Reggie Bush, Marcus Allen*, Frank Gifford*
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Keyshawn Johnson, Lynn Swann*, Morris (Red) Badgro*
Offensive Line: Bruce Matthews*, Anthony Munoz*, Ron Yary*, Ron Mix*
Defensive Line:
Linebacker: Lofa Tatupu, Junior Seau
Defensive Secondary: Ronnie Lott*, Willie Wood*

Notre Dame
Total players drafted: 461
Current number of players on NFL rosters: 40
Superbowl MVPs: 3 - Joe Montana (XVI, XIX, XXIV)
Hall of Famers: 9
Quarterback: Joe Montana*, Joe Theismann
Running Back: Paul Hornung*, John McNally*, Jerome Bettis
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Dave Casper*, Tim Brown
Offensive Line: George Trafton*, Jeff Faine, Aaron Taylor
Defensive Line: Alan Page*, Wayne Milner*, Chris Zorich
Linebacker: George Connor*, Nick Buoniconti*
Defensive Secondary:

Miami
Total players drafted: 293
Current number of players on NFL rosters: 53
Superbowl MVPs: 2 - Ottis Anderson (XXV), Ray Lewis (XXXV)
Hall of Famers: 4
Quarterback: Vinny Testaverde, Bernie Kosar, Jim Kelly*
Running Back: Clinton Portis, Edgerrin James
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Michael Irvin*
Offensive Line: Jim Otto*
Defensive Line
Linebacker: Ted Hendricks*, Ray Lewis
Defensive Secondary: Sean Taylor, Ed Reed

Ohio State
Total players drafted: 383
Current number of players on NFL rosters: 49
Superbowl MVPs: 0
Hall of Famers: 5
Quarterback
Running Back: Eddie George
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Paul Warfield*, Dante Lavelli*
Offensive Line: Jim Parker*, Lou Groza*, Bill Willis*
Defensive Line
Linebacker
Defensive Secondary

Michigan
Total players drafted: 330
Current number of players on NFL rosters: 51
Superbowl MVPs: 3 - Desmond Howard (XXXI), Tom Brady (XXXVI, XXXVIII)
Hall of Famers: 4
Quarterback: Benny Friedman*, Tom Brady
Running Back:
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Bill Hewitt*
Offensive Line: Dan Dierdorf*, Tom Mack*
Defensive Line:
Linebacker:
Defensive Secondary:

Alabama
Total players drafted: 276
Current number of players on NFL rosters: 25
Superbowl MVPs: 3 - Bart Starr (I, II), Joe Namath (III)
Hall of Famers: 6
Quarterback: Joe Namath*, Bart Starr*, Ken Stabler
Running Back: Shaun Alexander
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Don Hutson*, Ozzie Newsome*
Offensive Line: Dwight Stephenson*, John Hannah*
Defensive Line
Linebacker: Cornelius Bennett
Defensive Secondary

Oklahoma
Total players drafted: 334
Current number of players on NFL rosters: 31
Superbowl MVPs: 0.5 - Troy Aikman (XXVII) drafted out of UCLA, started college in OK
Hall of Famers: 2
Quarterback:
Running Back: Adrian Peterson
Wide Receiver / Tight End: Tommy McDonald*
Offensive Line:
Defensive Line: Lee Roy Selmon*
Linebacker
Defensive Secondary


After looking at the players from each team through the years, it becomes apparent that there are two schools head and shoulders above the others: USC and Notre Dame.

Southern Cal actually edges Notre Dame on the resume recently, pouring players into the NFL in recent years, with a strong history going back to the 70s. Notre Dame's history goes back much further, but has not been as strong in recent years.

Notre Dame, however, has the best spread of players to come out of its system. USC is heavy on the offensive skill positions, except for QB. Miami is strong in offensive and defensive skill positions, but lacks the inside linemen. Notre Dame (with the lone exception in the defensive secondary) has produced multiple standouts (often multiple HOF-ers) at each position group.

Therefore, after close consideration, my ranking would be as follows:

1. Southern Cal
2. Notre Dame
3. Miami (FL)
4. Ohio State
5. Michigan
6. Alabama
7. Oklahoma

Mmmmm.... Kool-Aid!

Even ESPN is starting to drink the Kool-Aid this year.

After an earlier post where I placed the Irish at 20th in the nation after spring ball, the pundits are starting to taste the "this team just may grow up" kool-aid that us ND fans have been gulping to help us through the offseason following 3-9.

Mark Schlabach, of ESPN, placed the Irish at 25 in his latest preseason rankings.

To put this in perspective, on Schlabach's rankings only two (2) Irish opponents are ranked ahead: #4 U$C, and #19 Pitt. Which means, if Schlabach's rankings held true to form, that the Irish would end the season at 10-2, or thereabouts.

And Schlabach isn't the only one coming around. Pat Forde's first note in his latest column:

1. Notre Dame will be better.
Perhaps improved enough to lose another bowl game. But part of the Fighting Irish fan base won't notice, because it'll be consumed with watching for Scourge of Humanity Ty Willingham to fail at Washington.

While it's not exactly a ringing endorsement (and of course has the obligatory shot at our recent bowl record - original stuff, Pat), it acknowledges what many around the program are starting to realize: That much talent will start to win sooner or later.

So scoff all you will, haters. But the truth will out.

Domer Law blog endorses Steve Orsini for Athletic Director

After considering all of the candidates for a couple of weeks, and reading everything I could get my hands on about the potential candidates out there right now, I am finally prepared to endorse a candidate for Athletics Director at the University of Notre Dame: Steve Orsini, currently at Southern Methodist University.

The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, was this article about the hiring of June Jones at SMU.

Southern Methodist was the first and only recipient of the NCAA's feared "death penalty" back in the 1980s, and has not been any type of contender since, with only one winning season since (6-5 in 1997). The hiring of June Jones constituted a major paradigm shift at SMU - hiring an elite coach and paying him as if you were already a top 25 program. And to fund this bold move, Orsini personally put together a group of alums to pay the salary.

That kind of drive and vision is exactly what this athletics department needs. Kevin White was a great administrator that did many wonderful things for Notre Dame athletics. However, he never seemed to engage some of the University's most powerful tools - namely, its tradition and history, and wealthy and dedicated alumni network. Orsini managed to do this at a program that had been dead for over 20 years, reinvigorating the entire program.

This is the type of vision that will find a way to make an Alabama - Notre Dame series fit into the NBC contract and current scheduling commtiments. The type of vision that will ensure that every hire is an upgrade, and that every facility is top notch. The type of vision and leadership that can bring all of Notre Dame athletics - not just football - back to the apogee of collegiate athletics. He can bring the Notre Dame basketball team back to the Final Four, and restore Notre Dame's place at the pinnacle of college football. He can build on the solid foundation that Kevin White has laid and take this university to the next level.

Notre Dame Adding Talent On and Off the Field

While I was away at my first legal conference, there were a couple of commitments on the recruiting front.

Dan Fox, a 4-star outside linebacker from St. Ignatius (Cleveland, OH), was no surprise to me. Ignatius has been a pipeline to Notre Dame, sending Robby Parris and John Ryan to Notre Dame ahead of him. More importantly, Mr. Fox has a history with Notre Dame. His father worked at the University as a new immigrant in the 1930s. He's an athletic kid, with good pass defense skills from the linebacker position. He needs to bulk up a bit, but has a lot of upside.

Alex Bullard is a 4-star offensive guard we plucked out of the Volunteer State, a recruiting ground that is becoming increasingly fertile for the Irish. He had an impressive offer list, including Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma and Florida. He could play either tackle or guard in college, a trait that Weis loves in his linemen. Also, he comes from good stock, being the son of former Seahawks O-lineman Louis Bullard.

*****

There is no news on the search for a new athletic director, but there is a new addition to the Irish staff that I wanted to highlight.

Chris Zorich has taken a position at the University as manager of student welfare and development in the athletic department. Chris' return to his alma mater is VERY good news for Irish athletics. Chris Zorich, for me, is a shining example of a true Notre Dame man. From his beginnings on Chicago's south side in a rough neighborhood, through his career as a student athlete at Notre Dame and an all-star lineman for the Chicago Bears, to attending law school at Notre Dame and starting the Christopher Zorich foundation, he represents all that is good at Notre Dame.

I had the distinct privilege of briefly meeting Chris at a recent event celebrating the 100th anniversary of the South Bend YMCA. His speech at that event truly moved me, largely because he not only remembered the impact of the YMCA on him as a young person, but also clearly remembered the name of his swim instructor as a child and credited him with inspiring him to rise above his modest beginnings.

As a lifeguard and swim instructor at the YMCA for the past 12 years, I felt good about my contributions to the lives of young people, but never believed they would remember me down the road, much less credit me with any of their success. Furthermore, when I went to thank Mr. Zorich after his speech, he took several minutes to talk about my time at the YMCA, and then thanked ME for my service.

He is a hard worker and a supremely ethical person who has been a great asset to every organization he has been involved with in his career. I'm sure he will rise quickly in the ranks here at Notre Dame.

He is no shy kitten, either.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Zorich has no small ambition at Notre Dame. He wants to rise to Athletic Director.

While he isn't experienced or polished enough for the position right now, I can certainly see Zorich being in a perfect position to take the reins after the next director concludes his career. And if he does, I am supremely confident that he will do so with distinction.

Welcome back home to Notre Dame, Chris.