Settin This Stage On Fire

I saw this on Sergio Brown's Facebook page. I'm fucking JACKED!!!

Moore Than Meets The Eye

The Fighting Irish gained their 12th commitment for the incoming class of 2010 Saturday, when Kendall Moore announced his intentions of attending Notre Dame. The inside linebacker is the first linebacker to commit in this class and held offers from numerous schools of which North Carolina State and Florida State were the other top contenders.

ESPN has this evaluation of Moore:

Moore has good size and can flat out run, close and hit. His tools may project best in the short-area and he could get recruited to play either middle or strong side 'backer. Has coveted versatility. Has adequate height with great thickness and bulk. Compact frame may have limited physical upside but already has the bulk and strength to make the jump to the next level. Does have longer arms for his height but we have yet to see him consistently uses them to shed. Flashes a good burst of speed for his size filling downhill. Mirrors well between the tackles with above average feet and smart reads. Shows good power and explosiveness at the point of attack but is most productive beating blockers to the hole. Good initial quicks coupled with his great size and relentless style makes him a disruptive blitzer. Makes a lot of plays inside out on the football. Takes very sharp, direct angles to the ball carrier when pursuing off-tackle. Demonstrates very good acceleration for his size chasing plays down to the sideline. Shows some wasted motion at times changing direction on his pursuit but masks it well with great recovery quickness and explosiveness in the short-area. Closes very hard in space generating very good velocity which leads to some impressive hits. Will surprise you with his fluidity, athleticism and awareness skills in coverage. Reads the quarterback well and sees underneath routes develop. Soundly anticipates the pass and breaks quickly on the throw. Plays fast between the white lines but we do question his sideline-to sideline range if employed on the outside; has better short-area speed and burst. Can overrun the play at times and struggle to recover sharply. Does not consistently wrap cleanly as a tackler. Needs to work on playing more under control and breaking down in space. Has some hip stiffness which could get exposed if employed on the outside. To play on the inside and remain productive we would like to see him improve his leverage and hand technique; can open up his whole body to the cutoff block. Overall, Moore has a good combination of size and range and the physical tools for a program to develop into a productive linebacker. Will most likely start off his career on the inside.

Some camp highlights from Rivals:

AMP: Kendall Moore camp highlights @ Rivals Video

Welcome to ND Kendall!!!

As you may have noticed, I've changed the way I am doing these "commitment profiles" lately. I am very excited about the individual commitments, but I have really become more interested on how the class is developing as a whole and how the roster breaks down. That is why with every one of these commitments , I include the eligibility chart and the State of Recruiting Map.

So Kendall's commitment is very interesting. Three years ago, a 4 star linebacker giving his pledge to Notre Dame would have fans going apeshit. Things are a little different now- expectations for incoming freshman are becoming diminished- depth is increasing not just in numbers alone, but in quality as well.

Take the Mike backer position for example, which Moore is likely to play in South Bend. In 2010, Notre Dame will have Carlo Calabrese and Anthony McDonald on the depth chart, as well as possibly Te'o (he might be preaching in Guam by then), or even Brian Smith could be back at Mike during his senior year. The quality of the depth at all the linebacker positions has gone up dramatically in the last 3 years. This is good- very good. This allows for players to develop and improve with time and true competition at practice. Tenuta is licking his chops as wee speak. His mouth is foaming, as he thinks of his linebackers hitting others in practice.

So back to Moore... more of the same- really. This is a quality defensive player that should have Irish fans going apeshit over, because he helps seal the future of this program. Every recruiting class has its role and this 2010 class is certainly defining itself as the recruiting cycle continues. It is becoming the "Depth and Develop" class. Now if we could only add a few more offensive lineman- but that is for another time...




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A Reesonable Commitment

Just the other day, Notre Dame received its 11th verbal commitment for the incoming class of 2010. Illinois quarterback, Tommy Rees, impressed the Irish staff enough at a camp that he earned an offer- and he repayed that offer with a commitment.

Here is an evaluation from ESPN:

The first thing that jumps out about Rees is his release. In fact, we are surprised he has not received more attention due to his delivery alone at this stage. He is a prospect that coaches may look at and see an intriguing prospect three years down the road with upside and late bloomer potential. He has adequate-to-good size and the frame to continue to add bulk and strength. Plays in a version of the shotgun spread, but strictly as a passer with limited run snaps. He has quick feet and set up balance in the pocket. Stands tall and does an excellent job of keeping his eyes downfield and working through progressions. Feels the rush, will side step and buy himself a second chance to get the ball off and shows very good toughness in the face of pressure. Release mechanics are smooth and compact. Ball pops out and there is little wasted motion. He can beat the rush with his delivery and while he does not have an elite arm, his release can compensate somewhat. Arm strength is efficient and allows for him to make most, if not all the necessary throws when his feet are set. Rees' overall accuracy is also an impressive trait. Throws a soft, catchable pass that rarely strays to far from the strike zone. Does a nice job of leading receivers to the open spot and shows the touch to drop the ball in over the top of coverage on downfield corner and fade routes. He is an adequate athlete for the position. Rees is extremely efficient in his methods and while he may not be in the elite category in terms of overall physical tools, he has a high ceiling for development and productivity and is the type of player we could see being a different player down the road than he is now. Good, under the radar prospect.

Fair enough. Notre Dame got its desired "2nd" quarterback for this class and it was the one that they wanted by proof of him being the only QB they offered after Hendrix committed. He wants competition to prove himself, and so does Hendrix. This could be a good fit for the both of them.

The last time Notre Dame took 2 QB's was in the infamous 2006 class when they signed both Demetrius Jones and Zack Frazer. Neither prospect worked out, as Frazer gracefully transferred to UConn after sliding to 4th on the depth chart during the Spring of 2007- and Jones acted like a bitch and ended up at Cincinnati where he now finds himself as an outside linebacker.

Only time will tell if Rees and Hendrix will be able to coincide in 2010 and beyond with Clausen in his last year of eligibility, and Jimmy's heir apparent, Dayne Crist having 3 years left. I have a gut feeling that the Irish staff and Coach Weis learned from the aforementioned mistake, and are doing their best to help both young recruits their future role as competitors.

Welcome to ND Tommy!!!

This commitment also sparked some big discussion across the message boards- What's up with the 3 star players? Yes, Notre Dame is taking quite a bit of their share of 3 star prospects early in this class. The breakdown of "stars" is as follows:

Rivals-

• 7-- 3 stars
• 3-- 4 stars
• 1-- 5 star

Scout-

• 5-- 3 stars
• 5-- 4 stars
• 1-- 5 star

There is a two player difference as far as the tally is concerned in the numbers of stars. Lombard, Smith, and Jackson are all rated as 4 star players on Scout as opposed to their 3 star ranking on Rivals. Hendrix is listed as a 4 star prospect on Rivals as opposed to the 3 star ranking he received on Scout. There could be another difference on Saturday as North Carolina linebacker, Kendall Moore, is expected to commit to Notre Dame. Moore is a Rivals 4 star and a Scout 3 star. So the tally could be 1-4-7 for Rivals and 1-5-6 for Scout.

Get all that?

Look, forget the star rankings for a moment and look at who has been offered and by whom else- as well as the future depth chart and what role these players will play not just in their freshman seasons, but throughout their career. A 3 star player can develop , just as a 5 star player can become a bust. These are guys that Weis has offered and offered before their senior year, so I think that should be a good omen for all to relate to. Also, some of these 3 stars could very well earn an extra star by having outstanding senior seasons.

And while I'm feeling optimistic, there are a large number of prospects that ND is still recruiting that are rated very highly, and the Irish are in very good shape with those players as well. Throw names like; Anthony Barr, Justin McCay, Cameron Roberson, Sean Parker, and a few others into the commitment list and you have a top 10 class. Signing top 10 classes on a consistent basis, allows you to compete for championships. There is a long time between now and signing day- so just relax there Bianca Bitchalot.




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The Two Ute's- Well, One Utupo Is Irish

Notre Dame just picked up it's 10th commit for 2010, 3 star defensive end Justin Utupo. I know next to nothing about Justin, but I do know that he is the 3rd defensive end in this class and that should seal the fate of Chance Carter going elsewhere.

Here is the ESPN evaluation:

Utopo is an active defender. He plays a little out of position in high school as a defensive tackle, but we feel he will make the move to defensive end in college. He has solid size though he looks as if he may not be as big as listed. He has a good get-off and plays with a good motor. He can be a physical kid at the point of attack. Displays the ability to come off the ball with good pad level and shoot his hands and be able to take on a block and even at times knock the blocker back. He will use his hands to shed and make a play on the ball. Does a good job of being able to get to the shoulder of the blocker and get in the gap. Does a good job of being able to stay square and keep himself in a position to make a play. He displays good speed and short-area change-of direction skills. He will leave his feet at times, but for the most part is a physical wrap-up tackler. As a pass rusher he can create some push and work off the block. Utopo combines some ability with effort and can be productive. Defensive end will likely be his better fit in college, but depending on how he physically develops he could be a swing guy as he shows he can play inside also.

Welcome to ND Justin!!!

Everything I know about Utupo I learned from Youtube:






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Wu Am I? Tha Human Planet & Masta Destroyer

Welcome to another edition of Wu Am I? for the 2009 season. Once again- I am trying to identify the 36 players of impact for the 2009 squad. So without any further bullshit, I open chambers 17 & 18...

Chris Stewart #59
Offensive Guard
6'5" 337 lbs.
Senior
Spring, Texas
Wu Name: Tha Human Planet

Chris was the biggest recruit to ever commit to Notre Dame... literally. At 6'5" and over 360 pounds- Stewart became the largest man ever enrolled at the university and showed up as an early admit in January of 2006. He needs no other Wu Name than the one he received when he arrived- Human Planet. He didn't make that big of a splash right away though. He redshirted his freshman year, and in the spring of the 2007 season, he was moved to nose tackle to see if he could anchor the line in Notre Dame's new 3-4 defense. The experiment didn't work, and it may have set Chris back in his development as an offensive lineman. He played as an extra offensive tackle in the jumbo formation in 2007 and at times he played like his physical presence would suggest. He also looked like he took a play or two off- not good for a struggling line. In 2008 Chris became the starter at right guard and formed a gigantic duo with him and big Sam Young on the right side. Old habits from the previous year set in, and Chris took a few plays off from time to time. When this happened, he was replaced by freshman sensation Trevor Robinson. Trevor would come in kick some ass- and then Stewart would come back out and just destroy people.

A strong enough pattern is there to suggest that Chris will become the starter in 2009, but will be replaced from time to time because he will either take a play off, or nurse an injury (he was hurt quite a bit in 2008)- then he will re-enter the game and kill people. Call me crazy, but I think Stewart will reinvent himself in 2009 as a consistent destroyer of those who would dare line themselves up against a planet. I think Verducci will be able to light a fire so big and so bright under his ass, that if he passed gas- half of the stadium would be vaporized. Chris has very quick feet for a man of his size and he is also very athletic. The NFL loves lineman like Chris- if he can just stay consistent. I've seen more obscure and less physically gifted players go very high on draft day and I will dare to say that I think Stewart could make himself a first round draft pick in either 2010 or 2011, should he exercise his 5th year option. Are you sensing that I think Stewart could dominate in 2009? Good- because I'm not sure if I was that clear.

Kyle McCarthy #28
Safety
6'1" 209 lbs.
Senior
Youngstown, Ohio
Wu Name: Masta Destroyer

Kyle was relatively small potatoes coming out of Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio. He was rated as a 3 star athlete by Rivals.com and a 2 star cornerback by Scout.com. He played both quarterback and defensive back while in high school and held offers from Ohio State and Navy among others. Add an extra star or two next to his name and he is eerily similar to the former star he replaced- Tommy Zbikowski. McCarthy's rise to Irish starter was quite a different path than Tommy Z's however. It was more gradual. Kyle redshirted his freshman year and than was a special teams standout his sophomore season in 2006. In 2007 he saw his playing time double as he continued to kick ass on special teams as well as spell relief in the secondary. He saw the first start of his career in 2007 against Navy (we shouldn't hold it against him). Than after a heated battle in the spring and summer- Kyle took over as the starter at the safety spot vacated by Zbikowski. All he did, was lead the Fighting Irish in tackles with 110.

McCarthy is back for his 5th year in a Fighting Irish uniform and he looks to help lead Notre Dame back to a BCS game- and perhaps more. Although he has many some similar qualities that Zbikowski had while at ND, Kyle does not have the flash in respect to the returns and ball-hawking ability, but he has become a better tackler than his predecessor. When McCarthy locks in on a ball carrier- that ball carrier goes down. Mr. Dependable is what Kyle really has become for this Irish defense. Maybe as much as anything- that's what this insanely talented secondary needed. Someone they could depend on if they break too soon, or slip. Kyle McCarthy: your State Farm Insurance Agent. Look for more of the same in 2009.

Happy 4th of July

Have a safe and happy July 4th weekend!

Wu Am I? Greasy Choirboy & Tha Foolish Magician

Welcome to another edition of Wu Am I? for the 2009 season. Once again- I am trying to identify the 36 players of impact for the 2009 squad. So without any further bullshit, I open chambers 15 & 16...

Duval Kamara #18
Wide Receiver
6'5" 220 lbs.
Junior
Hoboken, New Jersey
Wu Name: Greasy Choirboy

When it comes to Kamara, things are usually very quiet. He was a highly rated 4 star prospect in high school, yet his commitment to Notre Dame in early June of 2006 went largely uncelebrated. Kamara set freshman receiving records in 2007, but the team had one of the worst seasons in its entire existence and no one outside of the ND fanbase really took notice. As good as Duval was in his freshman year, he did regress quite a bit in 2008. When Kamara arrived to ND in the summer, he weighed more than what the staff wanted and was punished until he dropped the pounds. (He had to wear a lineman's jersey). Duval never regained his freshman form and watched his minutes dwindle as fellow sophomore WR, Golden Tate, became a star and freshman phenom, Michael Floyd, skyrocketed to stardom himself as he crushed the records set by Kamara a year earlier.

Here comes 2009. With Tate and Floyd virtually locked in as the #1 & #2 WR's, Kamara finds himself in a battle with two redshirt freshman ( John Goodman & Deion Walker), a senior (Robby Parris), and yet another bigtime freshman (Shaq Evans) for the "3rd" WR position. Notre Dame has arguably the best and deepest receiving corps in the country, so whoever emerges as the "3rd" WR will definitely have earned the job. My money is on Kamara. He has the experience and the skill set to set himself apart from the rest of the pack. It will ultimately come down to Duval and his ability to go up and get balls in traffic that has me believing in him. He will be pushed- but that push may be to the top of the mountain and not, to the bottom of it.

Kerry Neal #56
Defensive End
6'3" 246 lbs.
Junior
Bunn, North Carolina
Wu Name: Tha Foolish Magician

Speaking of quiet. Kerry Neal was the first commitment for the incoming class of 2007. What sometimes happens in recruiting is that even though you may be rated very high (as Neal was) you don't receive a lot of hype or attention. (Bad for business for the recruiting services.) What Neal lacked in flash during the recruiting period, he made up for once he got to South Bend. He played in all 12 games during his freshman year and started 5 of those games at outside linebacker. He was developing into a very nice pass rusher and showed good coverage skills on the outside. In 2008 Neal played almost the entire year with his hand on the ground at defensive end and was pushed around by offensive tackles, much bigger than him. The run support on the outside suffered.

I'm looking for a huge step forward for Neal in 2009. I think he had some injury issues with his shoulder in 2008 and he should be a little more healthy- plus if the Fighting Irish use more of a rotation system in 2009- he should stay fresh. Neal didn't have huge stats his freshman year, so saying his sophomore year was a downturn when he switched positions doesn't make all that much sense to me. I think Kerry has a swagger and a determination that is all his own, and we should expect more from him in 2009, as I believe he will deliver. Tenuta has been known to get the most out of his defensive ends in his scheme, and with new coach Randy Hart along to help- this could be a very big year for Neal.

Badger Is Irish... Recognizes Harbaugh Is A Tool

The Fighting Irish are on a roll with commitments as off late. They got their 4th commit in 5 days when 3 star safety, Chris Badger committed to Notre Dame. Badger is a big hitter and will definatly play more of a strong safety role that rolls up on run support.

Badger was a verbal commitment to Stanford and Jim Harbaugh up until now. Harbaugh may be crazy as bat shit, but he is becoming a thorn in the side of Notre Dame's recruiting efforts. The Irish may still get another "flip" from Stanford before this is all over with.

Chris is the first safety to commit for the class of 2010. Notre Dame would like to take no less than 2 safeties, but will probably take 3 or even 4.

Here is an evaluation from ESPN:

This guy is one tough nut. He has good size and for the secondary and really stands out at the safety position. Very instinctive and is a quick reactor to both the run and the pass. Attacks downhill on run support and takes great angles to the football; rarely is out of position. A sure reliable tackler attacking from the inside out and in the openfield. Especially impressive defending the sweep and option before the ball can break the perimeter. A physical hitter that makes a ton of face up tackles; absolutely doesn't shy away from contact. Tackles from low to high and explodes through the ball carrier. Intelligent safety that understands and reads route progression; knows when to jump the route. Transitions well and gets a great break on the ball. Excellent ball skills and times the interception to perfection; knows exactly when to go up for the ball. Soft and confident hands that gets north and south instantly after the interception. Goes up in a crowd and high points the ball. Fluid in the hips and can change direction without losing speed or balance. Very solid zone coverage safety from both the two and three deep. Quicker than fast but runs well and has a burst out of his break. Shows some limitations in one-on-one coverage when in man. Badger is an outstanding run support safety and possesses all the skills to be a very good free safety at the next level as well as a special teams standout.

Here's a nice video of Badger laying dudes out:



Welcome to Notre Dame Chris!!!





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