Notes from Wednesday Press Conference

Here is the Cliff Notes version of Charlie Weis’s press conference on Wednesday.

• Travis Thomas was moved back to running back and Chris Stewart was moved to defensive tackle
• Everyone is healthy and “full speed” according to Weis, and that includes Jimmy Clausen despite the report yesterday in the Sun Times about an arm injury
• Weis doesn’t like other people talking about player injuries apparently
• Travis Thomas is a leader on the field no matter where he plays
• 5th Year applicants participating in Spring ball –  Tom Zbikowski, John Thomas, Carlson, John Sullivan, Trevor Laws, Dwight Stephenson, Joe Brockington, Ambrose Wooden and Geoff Price.
• Chase Anastacio decided not to come back
• Guys playing a spring sport – Evan Sharpley (baseball), Eric Maust (baseball), and Will Yeatmen (lacrosse)
• Sharpley won’t miss any practices, Yeatman will be at about 8 of the 15 practices, and Maust (a backup punter) will be there when he can
• Theme for the spring is “Tradition Never Graduates”
• All coaches will have a hand in special teams this year – THANK YOU CHARLIE!
• Weis would like to make the 4 horse quarterback race a 2 horse race by the end of Spring
• Coaches are excited about Stewart’s athletic ability to play along the defensive line
• Dan Wenger will work at center and guard, Michael Turkovich will work at guard and tackle
• Thomas Bemenderfer, a walkon offensive lineman, will be in the mix for playing time amongst the interior offensive linemen.
• Work on the offensive side of the ball will be personnel oriented with an offensive identity already established; defensively the work will be schematic and trying to establish an identity
• DJ Hord is healthy and at full speed, but will need to get over the mental road block coming off the knee injury just like McKnight last year
• Weis talked a lot about the flexibility the 3-4 defense will give Notre Dame as well as giving them the ability to confuse opposing offenses
• John Ryan is playing outside linebacker and is a prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker according to Weis
• David Grimes is also full speed and Weis talked to him a lot this off-season about wide receivers like Troy Brown, Deon Branch, and Wayne Chrebet – small guys that produced big numbers in the NFL under Weis
• Weis is encouraged about the play of the interrior offensive linemen from last year’s freshman linemen
• Trevor Laws will a defensive end in the 3-4 defense.