Notre Dame has a Depleted Roster and Coaching Changes for 2015

[cuttysark]

While everyone in the talking head media has been focusing only on the departure of QB Everett Golson from Notre Dame to the Criminole$, he is not the only transfer to depart their program the past several months. Here are a few more who have left:

The Fighting Irish lost a promising defensive lineman from its defensive end rotation; Jhonny Williams, a 6-foot-4, 260 pound defensive end out of Berrien Springs, MI who just announced that he is leaving the program after redshirting in 2014;

Notre Dame also lost versatile offensive lineman Matt Hegarty who started 11 games in 2014. With one year of eligibility remaining Hegarty decided to spend it at Oregon. He announced his intention to leave Notre Dame in March;

Safety Eilar Hardy, a four (4) stars recruit from the same class as Golson transferred to Bowling Green; and

It appears now that Ishaq Williams, Notre Dame's prized five (5) stars recruit from the same class as Stephon Tuitt is still having an NCAA clearinghouse issue as a result of the pre-season academic scandal from a year ago. So if that holds true to form then the Fighting Irish are now down TWO (2) DE's going into the 2015 season.

They also lost a big chunk of their Assistant Coaches after the season so now they have to plug in new faces on the staff too and that always adds to confusion:

Assistant coaches Tony Alford (Ohio State), Kerry Cooks (Oklahoma) and Matt LaFleur (Atlanta Falcons) all moved elsewhere. Kelly brought in offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Sanford, running backs coach Autry Denson, defensive line coach Keith Gilmore and defensive backs coach Todd Lyght to replace them.

So while everyone is talking about the losses that GT had from natural attrition; GRADUATION, the Domers are going into camp with some significant losses that were not expected. Add to that equation several new coaches to the staff, and it creates an atmosphere much different than the Yellow Jackets who have the continuity of the same coaching staff and a full roster heading into the 2015 season.

 

[swampsting]

Their biggest liability?
Van Gorder is still the DC.
I bet dollars to donuts PJ can't wait to light up the scoreboard on him.

 

[cuttysark]

Add another player to that list in WR Davaris Daniels (four [4] stars) who was part of that academic situation and decided to make himself eligible for the 2015 draft as opposed to coming back to Notre Dame for the 2015 season. He signed a FA Contract with the Minnesota Vikings.

 

[UgaBlows]

Their biggest liability?
Van Gorder is still the DC.
I bet dollars to donuts PJ can't wait to light up the scoreboard on him.

Uncle Rico better bring his freaking A game to this one!

 

[DC Bee]

Their biggest liability?
Van Gorder is still the DC.

That's a paddling.

 

[LibertyTurns]

We're screwed. We ALWAYS do poorly when the other team's at a perceived significant disadvantage. There's a ton of examples, ie like that ginger QB the Mutts had with the chicken legs and limp arm. How many times have we made some "supposed defective replacement" have a Heisman performance against us? Maybe I drink too much, but it seems like a lot over the years.

I'd rather the Domers have 22 5 stars starting, all of them redshirting as freshman & forgoing the NFL draft to come back to win a national championship. I wish they still had Ara Parseghian as their coach. Then I'd put money on GT winning. We're at our best when everyone thinks we're going to get whipped.

 

[DvilleJacket]

I'm sure they have 22 five stars on the roster still! It won't be easy.

 

[GTBandit22]

Pretty cool that Autry Denson is their running back coach. May he leave our matchup with an 0-2 record against Tech.

 

[tech_wreck47]

We're screwed. We ALWAYS do poorly when the other team's at a perceived significant disadvantage. There's a ton of examples, ie like that ginger QB the Mutts had with the chicken legs and limp arm. How many times have we made some "supposed defective replacement" have a Heisman performance against us? Maybe I drink too much, but it seems like a lot over the years.

I'd rather the Domers have 22 5 stars starting, all of them redshirting as freshman & forgoing the NFL draft to come back to win a national championship. I wish they still had Ara Parseghian as their coach. Then I'd put money on GT winning. We're at our best when everyone thinks we're going to get whipped.

If ND wins their first two games before they play us, all the sports "analyst" will have them beating us. I'm pretty sure to a lot of people we will be underdogs in the game.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

lol, there's no way we overlook the domers, period.

 

[Minawreck]

Their biggest liability?
Van Gorder is still the DC.
I bet dollars to donuts PJ can't wait to light up the scoreboard on him.

it's probably just my perception creating a narrative, but it seems like when CPJ appears to give indication that a game has gotten personal, the team tightens up and we underperform.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

So how many 5 stars does ND have left 5 to 10?

And how many 4 stars 10 to 20?

Cry crocodile tears. If they can't make their talent work it just shows something unflattering about their program. ND was the most overrated D1 football program when evaluated by consecutive bowl losses ..... over rated and then get their butt kicked in bowls.

 

[Ash]

We're screwed. We ALWAYS do poorly when the other team's at a perceived significant disadvantage.

Always? We handled Maryland when they had to start a LB at QB against us a few years ago.

If we are going to step up to the next level, we are going to have to shake this "we do better with low expectations" jive and win when expected, without excuses. That's what great programs do.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Uncle Rico better bring his freaking A game to this one!

" I used to be able to throw a pigskin a quarter mile."

 

[TheGridironGeek]

If ND wins their first two games before they play us, all the sports "analyst" will have them beating us. I'm pretty sure to a lot of people we will be underdogs in the game.

My thought as well. It's hard to go into a game vs. ND being the "overhyped" team between the two.

 

[TheGridironGeek]

it's probably just my perception creating a narrative, but it seems like when CPJ appears to give indication that a game has gotten personal, the team tightens up and we underperform.

Can you think of an example other than last year's Duke game? I'm not challenging you but I'm actually curious and can't think of one. It's true that a nervous mother makes a nervous child when it comes to coaching.

 

[GTech63]

Always? We handled Maryland when they had to start a LB at QB against us a few years ago.

If we are going to step up to the next level, we are going to have to shake this "we do better with low expectations" jive and win when expected, without excuses. That's what great programs do.

Never take any team for granted. Practice for each game and prepare for each game with same intensity. Know your assignments. Play hard. for each other and do your job. We will then be successful in all games.

 

[wishbone]

Let's win one and two. Then sort out three.

 

[Minawreck]

Can you think of an example other than last year's Duke game? I'm not challenging you but I'm actually curious and can't think of one. It's true that a nervous mother makes a nervous child when it comes to coaching.

I feel like we sort of created the same environment with the "outschemed" comments post-VPI 2009.

Other than that I'm hard-pressed.

 

[Legal Jacket]

"Depleted" is kind of ridiculous.

Golson was going to be a backup this year.

Jhonny Williams never played. He'd also be a freshman next year. He was someone who may have contributed this year, but he probably wasn't going to start.

Matt Hegarty - This was probably the biggest loss. That said, Hegarty is not an all conference type, he's more of a serviceable starter.

Eilar Hardy - Funny you look only to his status as a recruit even though he spent FOUR YEARS at South Bend. Yeah he was a four star recruit - IN 2011. He's a guy that simply didn't pan out. That's why he's going to Bowling Green. He had 35 tackles in 15 games over the past two seasons. I'm pretty sure whoever takes his place on the 2-3 deep (cause Hardy wasn't going to be a starter) is just as good, if not better.

Ishaq Williams - Again, who cares if he is a five star, dude has played since 2011. He had six tackles in 2011. In 2012 he had 22 tackles in 13 games. In 2013 he had 17 tackles. One sack in his career. He's not a Tuitt caliber player by any stretch, although he is serviceable.

I would much rather lose those five players than Days, Laskey, Waller, Smelter, and Perkins. Our roster, esp at the offensive skill positions, is much thinner than theirs.