Rockne's Roundtable

Niklas needs to be at defensive end.

kking,

That's a good question. Ben Koyack and Alex Welch make for a pretty good duo behind Eifert. Welch actually started the Blue-Gold Game in a double TE set as an in-line blocker while Eifert was split way wide. Koyack caught four passes in the game, and he was a prime recruit.

If Niklas truly can get a good 20-25 snaps at tight end and take on that in-line blocking role, I see him staying on offense. I'm thinking of him more as a utility player. I wonder if he could help out on defense and offense part time, while also working on special teams. He just seems to good an athlete to languish.

In the third game of 1972, Dave Casper started at left offensive tackle against Michigan State, and then also was inserted in short-yardage, goal-line situations along the defensive line. Then the next week against Pitt, when starting split end Willie Townsend was injured, Casper started at split end in place of him. The next year he moved to tight end for the national champs. How many football players could start at offensive tackle one week (while also playing part-time DL), and then split end the next?

I'm not saying Niklas is another Casper, but he has the type of versatility and skill that is too valuable to just let stand by without activity.

Tuitt is not 6-2 and 250 pounds with 2 years of eligibility. He has 3 years left, 6-6 and 290 pounds! Jarron Jones is a beast and all that talk about him being an offensive tackle is nonsense. I think Jones will play this season for sure because he's too good to keep off the field.

Sounds more like Utopo, maybe?

They'll need to figure out Jones' position, but he should be a good one on either side of the ball.

Maybe it was stated (already) above), but if Prince Shembo plays the same position that he played in 2010, it will greatly improve the defense.

Lou,

I know they are walk-ons, but Kevin Carr, Patton and Romeo seem to have the size that might, and I say might, make them "quality insurance." Is that my perception only or does the staff think there may be potential here?

Back in the old days of the 60's, 70's and maybe80's, Carr would have been good on goal line situations. Reminds me of a guy who payed back then Bob Clasby I think . Big mountain of a guy. In this day of spread even on the goal line you don't see the same type of stand as often as then

Thanks Lou for the insight on the walk-ons! I've always wondered who #99 was on the field...he's HUGE! This supports the fact that the D-Line has serious depth now and can compete with any team in the country. Go Irish!

I don't know about moving Nicklas, I leave that up to the coaches, but I do know that I like our dline, but adding at least three this class is very important.

My 88-year-old grandfather and I were at the Champs Sports Bowl. Let me tell you, during the 1st half, when Diaco let his boys go, the Seminole O-Line (extremely inexperienced, I grant you) were completely befuddled by our pass rush. Tuitt and Lynch were constantly in the backfield, giving Manuel fits. They couldn't do anything (and neither could our offense, for good measure), but we still led at halftime.

As we all know, Diaco played to preserve the win in the second half - as opposed to going for the jugular - and we lost the game. That, in conjunction with poor QB play, cost us a bowl victory and created, yet again, thousands of disappointed Irish fans who made the pilgrimage to Orlando.

If Diaco allows our front three (plus the occasional pass rush by a LB or Slaughter) to spend most of their time crashing the line - and racking up sacks - and instructs the LBs to worry about the RBs, rolling and/or rushing QBs and TEs, we'll be just fine.

I have a feeling that this defense just might win a few games for us this season and will surprise many who doubt our defensive prowess (I'm looking at you, Kirk "ND stands for No Defense" Herbstreit).

How long now until Dublin ... ?

Are you freaking kidding me?