A main topic of conversation after the initial practice was the small, portable “helmet cam” senior quarterback Dayne Crist had attached. He was the lone quarterback to wear it today, but it will be rotated among the four scholarship signalcallers throughout the spring.

Head coach Brian Kelly addressed myriad personnel matters on Wednesday.

“To make this a real competition we have to look at every area of their decision making,” noted head coach Brian Kelly of why the camera is being utilized. “If he’s staring down a particular receiver, you’re going to see that. If he’s moving his eyes through his progression, you’re going to be able to see that.”

Spring drills are the ideal time to use this mechanism because it’s a teaching time, whereas the fall is about quickly preparing for the next opponent — and Kelly said it won’t be used then.

“We liked the way it tracked the eyes of the quarterback,” Kelly noted. “I wouldn’t make too much of it, other than it’s going to really allow us, especially with Dayne, who’s been out a while, to see where he is.”

Kelly had heard about the University of Colorado putting a camera together and then followed up on it in the annual American Football Coaches Association convention where some vendors of the product were present. The Irish head coach listed criteria for the device.

“It’s got to be lightweight, it’s got to be portable — in other words, I don’t want to drill anything into the helmet,” he said. “It’s got to be something they can move off their helmet and it’s easy to download.”

So far, so good.

“[Crist] didn’t even know it was on there,” Kelly said. “He really didn’t even feel it.”

QB Competition
While Crist and Tommy Rees have the experience at quarterback, there is an emphasis to get sophomore Andrew Hendrix and freshman Everett Golson involved right away.

“Andrew has got such a strong arm, I think it stands out in everything he does — it’s just that we want him to throw it to our team, not the other team,” Kelly said. “With Golson, he feels comfortable in the shotgun. You can see he can operate right away, but obviously it’s going to have to be a tailored package. He’s not going to be able to run everything we do, but some of the things he does, he’s pretty good.”

The mechanics are what will be needed to be cleaned up most with Golson as he enters the collegiate stage of his career.

Early Standouts
When asked which individuals might have elevated their game to a level where they can have prominent roles, Kelly mentioned the tight end, drop linebacker (Dog) and corner positions.

With the absence of Michael Floyd, the tight ends might be in the forefront even more than last year when they combined for 58 receptions. Junior Tyler Eifert, in particular, has star quality.

“Eifert moves so well down the field,” Kelly said.

He also envisions fifth-year senior Mike Ragone, sophomore Alex Welch and junior Jake Golic seeing their share of action. In this Saturday’s scrimmage, Kelly might use three on the field at the same time.

“If you’re going to defend those three tight ends in some kind of configuration, then we’ll get one on one with Theo Riddick,” he explained. “If you want to double over there, then we’re going to do some [other] things.”

At drop linebacker, sophomore Prince Shembo lined up with the No. 1 unit in the skeletal drills. He backed up senior Darius Fleming last year on the shorter side of the field (Cat linebacker), but the staff appears confident that he can handle his new role. Classmate Danny Spond also could be a factor along the edge.

“Shembo on the perimeter, playing at the drop, can re-route receivers so much better in space,” Kelly said. “I think those two guys … Danny Spond really looked athletically fit that they can help at those positions.”

In the secondary, Kelly noted how senior Robert Blanton is a more robust 196 pounds to complement his already physical demeanor — one that even had him start at outside linebacker against Army. Playing in place of the graduated Darrin Walls, a legitimate NFL prospect, Blanton is expected to provide a greater physical presence.

“Walls was a very good corner for us last year, but Blanton brings a little more to that in that you feel like if the ball gets thrown out into the flat, there’s going to be a big hit out there,” Kelly said.

Confident Cierre
The body language of Cierre Wood, last year’s leading rusher (603 yards, 5.1 yards per carry) is conspicuously more confident after not seeing any game action as a freshman in 2009. It’s also manifested beyond the field.

“The biggest carryover is what he’s doing in class,” Kelly noted. “He was not a strong student in his first year here and he’s really changed the way … that’s maturity and confidence coming together at the same time. He has a lot of talent, but it’s all coming together — that confidence, he understands how to do things.”

Now Or Never
Two seniors Kelly is expecting much more production from are running back Jonas Gray and wide receiver Deion Walker.

The backup for Wood, Gray has only 75 carries for 309 yards his first three seasons. With sophomore Cameron Roberson not yet ready for major minutes, Gray’s role as a complement to Wood is absolutely crucial. Two “starters” at running back is not a luxury but a necessity.

“They have to play a lot of football for us,” said Kelly of Wood and Gray. “For Jonas it’s the consistent approach, focused, he can’t have a million things going on in his head. He has to really focus on football, and we’ll get him there.”

Walker has one career catch and did not make a positive impression on Kelly last year. With Duval Kamara out of eligibility, Floyd out of the lineup and sophomores Bennett Jackson and Austin Collinsworth shifted to defense, an opportunity to emerge beckons.

“He had to get up to my pace, and his pace has changed,” said Kelly of Walker. “There seems to be a sense of urgency in his want and desire to play this game. I always questioned whether he loved playing, and I’ve told him that.

“A couple times I saw him walking [today], and addressed that and said, ‘This is exactly what I’m talking about.’ We’re going to stay with him because he has some tools. He can catch the football, he’s pretty long, he’s got good speed … we just have to develop and get him to play for us.”

Collinsworth Sidelined
Sophomore Austin Collinsworth, who was shifted from receiver to safety, will be sidelined seven to 10 days after undergoing a tonsillectomy.

“He was scheduled to be practicing today, but they had a complication where it bled out again,” Kelly explained.

Another safety, Jamoris Slaughter, is still rehabbing from ankle surgery, but is cleared to play in some of the team drills.