Tyler Eifert isn't 100%, didn't play last weekend has shoulder issues which won't help him when he's asked to block. Ragone has stone hands and Jake Golic has a famous daddy. Given all the highly rated TE's that Charlie recruited, and there are more than a few, it's hard to believe we are down to this at TE. A couple of transfers, one guy who quit football for architechture (Joey Hibbens). Bobby Burger come on down!! BTW not to build up WMU, but I didn't realize that the coach at WMU has beaten Iowa twice and Virgina once while at WMU. So he's not exactly a slouch.
oh yeah in addition to the bad news on Kyle, we also had a highly rated recruit de-commit in Jordan Prestwood from Fla. Supposedly just doesn't want to leave the state of Fla for college. He was a highly rated OT, we needed him. Hopefully going forward he can be replaced and we don't have any more fall out, but you never really know till they fax in their LOI's!! Man I wish we had an early signing period.
You know I've always wondered if somebody gave ND say a trillion dollars and provided them with a 1000 acres to develop for a new campus some where in the South...would our recruiting be better? I read one time that somebody did that for Wake Forrest and they moved their entire campus from Wake Forrest to it's present site in Winston-Salem, took them about 10 years to do it. Just a thought!
Based on what I've seen so far, a healthy Tyler Eifert is a better blocker than Rudolph. That's one segment of Rudolph's game that IMO is lacking. I haven't seen enough of Ragone to have an opinion re: his blocking.
In this offense a good blocking TE is more valuable than a receiving TE. One of these TEs must be a good blocker.
nd <t>Between Eifert and Ragone for this upcoming game the Irish should be fine. <br/> <br/> I will remind myself and other Irish fans that you can't take any team for granted anymore. It's been proven too many times not only to ND but to many other so-called big name DIV 1 teams that these are just the kind of games that can really reach out and slap you if you take them lightly. I'm sure Kelly is telling the boys to prepare for a slugfest with WMU cause those boys are sure as hell fixin to give you a gut punch I don't care what there record or name is. <br/> <br/> Should win by 3 touchdowns or more but........................we'll see</t>
Kelly is confident in sophomore Tyler Eifert and senior Mike Ragone to step in for the All-American candidate at tight end. “I really like both of them,” Kelly said. “They’re a great tandem and a complement. I think they’re going to fill in and do a really, really good job. I’m not concerned about that position really.”
Injuries to the right of us... Defections to the left of us... Onward rode the Irish into the Valley of Death...
I hear you PJ, but I promise there will be a firestorm if we don't win big. Even though we will be missing Rudolph and probably Armando Allen. I think the key to a happy fandom after this game, will be a solid lead at halftime and extend it to 30+ points by the 3r qtr and play the backups a lot in the 4th qtr. One thing for sure I don't believe Brian Kelly will approach this like Charlie did, Charlie had more of an NFL mindset a 14 pt lead in the 2nd half is one you sit on and run the clock and end the game. I believe that Kelly will continue to run his offense and will not feel bad about, as Barry Switzer used to say, hang half a hunnert on them. I would like to see a lot of running in this game, assuming it's successful of course.
There could be a silver lining in this. You got to believe that Wood and Eifert are going to be pumped starting this game. It might not have been the same with Allen and Rudolph. We're going to see a number of players who want to show what they can do. I'm trying to convince myself that this could be a good thing. Hey, remember, I'm a Lions fan. Delusion is our middle name.
Wood didn't start but he had a hell of a third quarter. Eifert scored his first TD. Irish didn't show up until the third quarter. Nice to see the "notables" kids get in. Starting to look like USC on the sideline. Collinsworth, Godell, Montana...Golic's kids got in too. On to the meadowlands.