Notre Dame Spring Football ’18: Day 1 Practice Videos

Day 1 of Notre Dame football spring practice is officially in the books. The Irish kicked off practice yesterday with their first practice without pads since the Citrus Bowl. It’s impossible to make any conclusions on the first day of spring ball when players are in shorts and no pads, but we’re all hungry for some football so here is a round up of yesterday’s practice videos.

WatchND’s Practice Video

Easily the most dramatic and well put together video of the bunch, but also not too many plays visible here.

  • Nice high point catch by Alize Mack on display
  • Interception by Julian Love – get used to hearing that a lot – but not clear on who actually threw it

Fun to watch, but not too much to glean here.

Irish Illustrated’s Practice Video

  • First pass really sailed on Wimbush.  It’s early and it’s spring and all of that, but also not ideal.
  • After that first pass in the video, Wimbush looked much better.  Some nice throws on the run and nice to see the offense working on the quick hitters after all of the problems Wimbush had with them last year.
  • Michael Young is going to be really fun to watch.  He looks comfortable and smooth running his routes.
  • Javon McKinley looked to be in great shape.  Would be huge for Notre Dame to get him going.
  • Lots of examples

Irish Sports Daily Practice Video

  • Miles Boykin makes a pretty ridiculous catch here, but then misses one later he probably should have had.
  • McKinley looks pretty good in these reps too.
  • First look at Jafar Armstrong in running back drills.  Between he and Tony Jones, there is no reason for Notre Dame to struggle passing the ball to backs out of the backfield.
  • Avery Davis looked like a guy who hasn’t run a route in a while.  It will be pretty interesting to see if Notre Dame can develop him into a weapon in the passing game.  He obviously offers a lot of flexibility and trick play potential.

 

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7 Comments

  1. I like the cross-training and attempt to get the best athlete’s on the field–but that probably means Davis isn’t a real factor in this year’s QB competition. I’m a little disappointed by that. I always expected him to jump Book and challenge Wimbush. Maybe I wasn’t give Book enough credit.

    I like that Lugg is establishing himself, and whoo boy, is that a big guard. I can’t imagine he doesn’t slide out to tackle at some point in his career. Good to see there’s plenty of competition and an established core on the offensive line. There’s room for people to get pushed, but it isn’t wide open. We can move people around to find the right mix. I like that.

    No huge surprises, and nothing smells of desperation. Looks like last years starters on defense are getting a chance to prove they should stay starters. Nice blend of continuity and competition. Encouraging start.

  2. I don’t know how everyone else feels about spring football but for me there are two parts….one, it is ND football and it’s impossible not to get excited that the team is practicing and getting ready and all the hype that comes from spring practices. And then two, there is the other feeling of how past history of this excitement leads to disappointment once fall comes around. An example is last spring you heard about how Alize Mack was uncoverable during practice and how Miles Boykin was catching everything and having a really good spring. Come fall, Mack sucked (lets just call it as it is) and Boykin barely played (maybe this one is on the coaches). It makes you wonder if it’s just the fact that these guys are just going against ND guys and when you don’t see the same kind of output once fall comes around, are the other teams just that much better that we are going against or something? How can a guy get all that hype coming out of spring but then basically have zero production in the fall? That’s always a head scratcher and as much excitement that I do get that the football team is practicing now, excitement for the blue/gold game, etc., I know in the back of my mind that its just all speculation right now until the transition to meaningful games in the fall happen. That’s when we will truly know where the team and the players stand. Still overall excited though 🙂

    1. I think a lot of people get really bogged down by details in the spring. Who looked good in drills? Who is switching positions?

      That doesn’t really matter a whole lot. But a successful spring can lead to a successful fall if some of the big picture starts to come together. Do we have 5 guys on the offensive line? Is QB settled, or is there at least a clear order established heading into camp? Is the team practicing with intensity? Are leaders emerging?

      No player’s performance in the spring is ever going to reveal much about what that player can do in the fall. But when you look at the team’s progress, it can give you an indication of how close the team is to being complete and ready to play come fall.

      1. Well, you both have good points.

        But I have long believed more in the goose (production capacity) than Spring’s Golden Eggs (individual player production).

        After being deluded by Spring performances for decades. E.g. I thought Scott Grooms was WAAAAAY better than Blair Kiel,
        I know feel that Spring is more about the team and the units rather than individual players.

        Does the TEAM and the UNITS play with energy?
        Do they execute?
        Do they show that they are on the same page with their coordinators and coaches or are there visible and significant disconnects?
        Do they come out of the Spring with what appears to be energy and focus, providiing a good plateau from which to leap forward
        throughout the rest of Spring and Summer and will, thereby, the 20 frosh who arrive in June be coming into a vibrant organism, and an
        energetic team with the “traits” of a winner?

        But keep the comments coming!

  3. Book looked better. He got the passes off quicker, especially that dangerous thing to the side when there are two receivers out there and one blocks for the other. Winbush looks ready to be picked. Dexter Williams’ feet look very quick. I remember when Riddick though not fast displayed very quick feet as a freshman. I would not count on Alize Jones making a high point catch in traffic but hopefully he does. His focus has always been suspect.

    1. you know, Rajay, I’ve been thinking about that “dangerous” play for a couple of years. (1) First contact on our guy has usually been behind the line of scrimmage…and (2) the sideline is a third (or fourth) defender!
      I hate the play…always have.

      But a couple of times this year we passed it to a guy coming from the line outward, and it worked partly because they expected the pass to go into the stack on the far sideline. Long, maybe? Any way, we should lose that “dangerous”, and always futile, play.

      BGC ’77 ’82

      1. If you mix in some pump fakes as part of it and have the blocking receiver fake the block and take off downfield, this is very effective but I rarely ever see that. I remember Everett Golson throwing a TD to Will Fuller on this exact play setup only it was Fuller breaking deep after a pump fake and the D bit so bad on it.

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