Rockne's Roundtable

Hes our starting corner for a BCSNChampionship team. He aint going anywhere.

My thoughts exactly. +1

If they lost either Jackson or Russell they wouldn't have much experienced depth at CB. He should stay at CB, and I doubt that will even be debated this off-season. He played very well for a true freshman and he should only be getting better.

Guys he just hung with Lee and Woods, the two top WRs in the country. He will be back at corner next year. We wont try a what if when we know what he can already do and do well at.

and as we know injuries happen. So need quality depth there. He was good this year and only see him improving. Remember he was just switch to corner this year.....

Let's all be honest, he earned the position AND it also kind of landed in his lap. Sure he still had to beat out all of the healthy guys, but if Lo Wood doesn't get hurt, he wouldn't have been given his chance to shine.

That being said, he's taken that chance and demonstrated an ability that NO ONE knew he was capable of then he signed last February. If you saw this coming when we were so concerned about Tee and Darby, you're a lier. This was a complete surprise this year, and a very pleasant one at that.

He's been great. And I think he's also going to carry the label of fill-in for a while because he wasn't hyped as a shut down corner. He was hyped as an athlete and he turned out to be a great fill in. He stood toe-to-toe with Lee and Woods and that should say enough about his ability. But because he got the start in part because of injury and because he filled in where he was needed, I think it will take some time for people to re-define him as the shut down corner that he has become.

I agree with most of the sentiments already expressed. However, I feel compelled to add one caveat to this discussion: Brian Kelly has proved time after time that he will put the best players on the field after a competetive audition period spanning the spring and fall practices. This isn't Weis' team. Seniority doesn't count for sh*t in South Bend anymore.

If KeiVarae can continue to shine, Coach will put him at first string. If someone else steps up and knocks KeiVarae from the top of the mountain, then so be it. I'm pulling for him to win the position because he competed so hard during the run up to the season, and during the 12-0 journey to the NC Game. He and Bennett were pure magic this year.

If KeiVarae starts next year, it's because he won back his position.

If not, it's because he fell off (not likely) or someone else is the better option.

My reason for asking the question is not about what he can do on defense. He could be a true shut-down corner... one of the best we have had in a while if he keeps progressing the way he is.

I am more concerned about what we are losing on offense in the backfield and in the slot (especially if Wood goes pro). For everything Neal was supposed to be coming in, he hasn't seen the field in the slot as much as we all thought he would... even in packages. GAIII is a game breaker, but can he carry the load in the backfield. How will Amir look coming back from a season ending ankle injury? Will Mahone is supposed to be great, but it is still a question mark. Then add in the question about James qualifying, and we are looking a little sparse there.

If, and it is a big if, Lo Woods comes back off the injury to be as good as he was before, should Russell move back to the offensive side of the ball because of all his athletic ability. Shumate has shown a lot of ability in coverage as well.