Tuesday Practice Video – Full Pads Edition
Today was the first day in full pads and the media was treated to seeing the entire practice. The video II posted on YouTube definitely shows the team in much higher spirits than I remember seeing them in years past but I really don’t know whether to be impressed with our defensive line or really, really concerned with the play of our offensive line. Unfortunately, I think it might be the latter.
[youtube]gtRAhEw_wgQ[/youtube]
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
We can’t do anything without a line. I’m a firm believer in using one primary back(aldridge)and allow him to get stronger as the game goes and use the others as a change of pace. Its too hard for the line to get used to all the different running styles.
Amen, Irish2, I agree 120% with 2 talented backs in the back field at the same time.
If we don’t play our best players, we are not going to be happy with the results. And its not like we don’t have an extra large talented RB to move to FB!
I don’t understand either why this concept is not reconized by the coaches with the all the depth at running back? I agree this should be an immediate grasp of the obvious.
We’ve been proposing this idea for some time. Why don’t we put BOTH Hughes & Allen or Hughes & Aldridge on the field at the same time & go with a 2 back offense in the “I” or split back formation either as our base offense or as a change-up second half offense or 2-minute offense? We think that our offense would be MUCH stronger, & it would open up the passing game. It worked for USC a few years ago. It’s perplexing why we continue to press ahead with a single back offense & waste the options that are available with 2 GOOD running backs on the field at the same time. Yes, we are aware that we use a 2-back offense sometimes with Schwapp as FB, but he is not a runner like Hughes and Allen. He is mostly used as an extra blocker at the point of attack. It ain’t rocket science folks! ND is missing out on the chance to have an EXPLOSIVE offense with 2 backs & a throwing QB – Mr. Inside (Hughes); Mr. Outside (Allen); Mr. Aerial (Clausen or Crist). Food-for-Thought. We wish someone would suggest that to Charlie or Mike Haywood!!
Still not seeing any explosion from the O-line on those goal line sets. They need to come off the snap with some violent intent, but I’m not seeing it yet.