Lots going on. Any more details on Golden Tate's leg injury? I hope it's not serious, we need that kind of speed on the team. Not too happy about his baseball aspirations, either. That didn't work out too well for the first half of our football season this year.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 2:36 pm | #

I hope the Oklahoma games come to fruition, thanks for the info.
Matt | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:08 pm | #

I think he just pulled his hamstring while running in the final race. Nothing that should affect him for long I guess.

As for baseball, he's always been a pretty good baseball player. In fact, the only reason he ran track this spring is because he hurt his thumb and couldn't play baseball.

And no, I don't know about his thumb injury.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:23 pm | #

You mentioned a while back the benefits for linemen of having wrestling experience -- leverage, etc. I love reading about our guys excelling in other sports. Tate gets drafted in baseball and takes top times in the state in track, and Smith wins state after one month of decathlon... that kind of multi-event athleticism certainly can't hurt us on the football field.
BlueDevilDave | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:31 pm | #

"Not too happy about his baseball aspirations, either."

Couldn't disagree more. I hope Weis is using the examples of Zibby, Shark, Yeatman and Sharpley to recruit more multi-sport athletes to ND.
Steve R | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:33 pm | #

That little tidbit about Harrison Smith is astounding. It takes an incredible level of pure, unaldulterated talent to do something like that without really knowing what you're doing. I really can't wait to see that kid on the field.

Also, I really hope that Frazer decides to stick around. He's still really young, and I think he has an incredible level of upside to him. There really is no reason he couldn't develop into a starter in a few years under Charlie. Big kid, big arm, great attitude. I wish him the best, and I'm glad to hear Charlie is giving him all the support he needs.

Lastly, am I the only one who remembers the two games we played against OU during the Davie years? It was the year before they blew up and got really big, but it seems to me like most ND fans just blank that game out.

It's sad, cause when I think about Davie, I remember the beatings we levied on OU and USC......just before they became powerhouses and we dwindled into obscurity.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:33 pm | #

Brad,
The Oklahoma games I hazily recall, but who the heck is Davie?
Voice
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:43 pm | #

It takes a great athlete to win the decathalon. However, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. As a former track guy, I have to say that Harrison Smith's sprinting times are less than stellar (100m and 400m) - granted I know he may have been tired from all the decathalon events. I thought he could run sub 4.4 in the 40? If so, that should translate into a better 100m time. I know football speed and track speed are different animals . . .
Greg | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:45 pm | #

My only point about Tate's baseball aspirations is look what it did to Zibby and Shark last year. There's a reason Zibby gave up on boxing this year so he could FOCUS and get in better football shape. Shark was burned out, no doubt about it, after playing minor league baseball all summer. I don't mind guys being two-sport college players, but having a pro job on the side is a little much for them I think.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 3:53 pm | #

Greg - Hopefully the days of ND safeties sprinting 100m at a time are over.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 4:25 pm | #

Ha!

Pat, I wish that comment wasn't so funny.

Or true.
jaisn | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 5:18 pm | #

Erik, I don't think Zibby was hurt at all by boxing last summer. The reason he is laying off boxing this summer is to let NFL recruiters know that he is, and intends to remain, a football player, first and foremost. He has gone on record saying that he enjoys boxing but will give it up if the NFL team that drafts him says no go.

As for Shark, I don't think it was burn-out that we say early last fall. He would have had more physical fatigue with summer football practice than with pitching in the minors. I think the real problem was that the timing and on field communication that existed between Brady and Jeff in '05 was gone in early '06. There were plenty of balls that I thought Jeff just gave up on but, after seeing them on tape, were thrown not close to where Jeff made his breaks. Brady didn't know where Jeff would be and Jeff obviously wasn't where Brady expected him to be in his routes. The problem did not exist in '05 when Jeff played baseball at ND and split his time between baseball and spring football. I'm sure it is a lesson not lost on Charlie.
Don E. Brook | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 5:37 pm | #

When I was in Europe in the late 90s you could buy ND gear. Don't think you could do that with any other American college...

They also knew who Tony Rice was, but I think that he played in NFL Europe for a while.
Jeremy | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 7:46 pm | #

Jeremy, are you sure it was the University? I hear they have a little church over there by the same name.
Southside | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 7:54 pm | #

Who did Weis meet? Hello Kitty?
indy | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 8:15 pm | #

southside, that is classic. Don, I think you are on the money. Those guys weren't on the same page and it ended critical drives at critical times last season. So it goes. Weis is smart enough to know when he's got leverage and when he doesn't. I expect he'll provide a little more encouragement to focus on football exclusively once there's legitimate competition at every position, and when the program has enough traction that people are coming to ND to play football. What a concept.
indy | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 8:22 pm | #

Soutside - that church in Paris has a licensing deal with UND. I believe adidias was integral in the negotiations.
Buck Mulligan | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 9:29 pm | #

Zibby's problem wasn't sparing over the summer. The guy really got clonked in an early game.. in the head. He was held out for a while. I hope he's all healed up for this season.

Like Hornung, he has uncanny peripheral vision, timing, strength, acceleration, and outright determination.
Judge60 | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 10:16 pm | #

About Harrison Smith's times: He could very well run a sub 4.4 40, but not have a 10.8 100 (or what have you). His first 40 yards could be very quick, but then he could stop accelerating as rapidly. Lots of quickness (in the 40), doesnt always translate to top end speed (in the 100 and 400). Just like a car can beat another car off the line, only to get passed in the 1/4 mile. Hopefully Smith won't be running lots of 100 meter dashes at ND!

Judge60 - I think that's the first time I've ever heard Zibby and Hornung compared. Interesting comparison!
Greg | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 11:01 pm | #

In case you guys didn't notice, ND has a stock of badasses on the roster for the TE position.

Seriously Coach, can we get a 4-5 TE set on the field?
atepesm | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 11:15 pm | #

Fraizer is in USA Todays top 20 out of high school... and he's the bottom of the depth chart? The No. 1 recruit in the nation is fighting for a position?

Hey, it can't be all that bad at QB.

Remember how we used to jump up and down on the wooden planks?

I still recall in my memory's eye Izo tossing the ball from so far down the south end of the field he was out of sight and the ball sailed up past the student section to a speedy Aubrey Louis for a touchdown. It may still be the record for a ball traveling that far through the air.

I notice that the student body now wraps around the corner of the stadium.

Anyway, I had a dream last night about watching the same thing happen in the GT opener. Goofy as dreams are, our QBs wore red jerseys.

The cheer leaders dashed up through the stands and a skinny blond female plunked beside me, giggled and called me by name.

I awoke in the early morning light and my wife had one eye open starring at me.
Judge60 | Email | Homepage | 06.14.07 - 11:36 pm | #

Brady figured out where Shark was in the UCLA game. I think they really missed Stovall. Teams could focus on the Shark in 2006, I don't think McKnight scared the better defenses.
Bill | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 1:11 am | #

If you guys still have reservations about Harrison Smith's speed, watch the of him on rivals again. Quit worrying about what a stopwatch tells you (particularly one at a decathlon, which has factors of fatigue and strategy that regular sprinters wouldn't need to worry near as much about to begin with), and start paying attention to what your eyes do when you watch the kid actually put on some pads and a helmet. He can play, for certain, and he certainly ain't no slowpoke doin' it either.

Just in case you wanted some reassurance, and forgot:

http://footballrecruiting.rivals...sp? pr_key=45926
Carl | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 1:31 am | #

One thing to note about Harrison Smith's 100m time is that he ran it as part of the decathlon, which means it was one of 10 events he ran over the course of 2 days. A lot of decathletes will only run as fast as they have to in particular events to save themselves for later events.
clovejoy | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 3:10 am | #

Atepesm,

I love it! Spread the field with a 4-5 TE set. Why not? With as big as our guys our, the QB could just throw the ball as high as possible (backyard 500 style) and let em go for it.

Carlson, Reuland, Yeatman, Ragone...

Seriously, I love it.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 8:20 am | #

Brad, just wait 'til Rudolph and Fauria are here. Two guys each over 6'7" is just not fair.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 9:24 am | #

With the current TE's, and the ones that have already committed, there is going to be some serious competition for the TE spots over the next few years. It would seem entirely reasonable that CW run a plethora of 3 TE sets against GT and maybe PSU in an attempt to get whoever the QB is comfortable with the offense, and to see what he can do in a "game situation".

Short crossing patterns, and the quick 8 yard out patterns that BQ ran with Fasano and Carlson with great sucess have the potential to define this offense over the next few years. I am sure that CW knows this, and will take advantage of the depth in the TE position.

Plus, those guys are HUGE. I imagine that they are most excellent blockers! We may yet have a reasonable running game once again. I would take TT and Aldridge and Prince running some smash-mouth football behind the likes of Sam Young and John Carlson any day!
chrisnd | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 10:30 am | #

Any chance, Frazer sticks around and trys a position change?
wha' happened? | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 11:25 am | #

Re: TEs

I noticed during the Spring Game that Clausen really focused in on the TE and threw the ball there a lot. What's going to be interesting is the weapons Charlie is going to have in a 3 TE set. With three big boys in, we'll be able to block well and physically overpower our opponents at the POA due to sheer size. I mean, five ~6'5 300 lineman plus 3 6'5 ~250 lb. TE is a lot of meat. This will force defenses to pack 8 or 9 in the box to stop the run, which can open up deep PAs to some of our shorter, faster WRs on the perimeter, not to mention the fact that guys like Reuland, Carlson, Ragone, and possibly Yeatman can probably run step for step with a lot of safeties that we'll play. It's gonna be really exciting to watch.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 11:28 am | #

wha' happened, very doubtful that Frazer would switch positions. He could easily start at QB in a good D1 program. I'd love to see him stick it out with the Irish, because you really never can have too many good QBs. But at the same time, I understand his desire to compete on the field.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 11:46 am | #

CW A Yankees fan? Say it ain't so! :(
Barry | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 1:39 pm | #

From everything I have read, Frazer is a class act and ND is lucky to have him.

However, I don't know that I would assume he can play at any good D1 school. Maybe he can, but the fact that he is in the fourth spot at ND suggests maybe he is not as good as the recruiting rankings might suggest.

Weis had all of last year to watch Sharpley, DD, and Frazer practice, so with the exception of Claussen, I would be pretty surprised if he didn't know exactly who was starting against GT.

I think it is also of note that with the exception of Miami I don't really see any powerhouse teams in the mix for his services.
Michael | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 1:43 pm | #

Louisville's getting there, kinda...

I would consider them a top D-1 program at the current moment, at least.
Jon | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 2:31 pm | #

i agree with michael, i see zach goign to a lower order big east team like cinncy or uconn. he'd have a real chance to play there.

a lot of people on other boards are thinking miami but call me crazy, but i don't see miami being thrilled to get the 4th string ND qb! shannon is there to return the 'canes to "glory" and i don't see him going after frazer.
kj | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 3:05 pm | #

I didn't say Frazer could start at ANY D-1 school, but I do think he could start for a good team, i.e. L'ville or Rutgers.
But it's very possible he could go to Cincy, UConn or another mid-level team to improve his chances of winning a starting role.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 3:58 pm | #

Brad, your quote "not to mention the fact that guys like Reuland, Carlson, Ragone, and possibly Yeatman can probably run step for step with a lot of safeties that we'll play" made me think . . . If Yeatman is an "ATTACKMAN" in lacrosse, to me that means he's got to be pretty quick. And we know Carlson and Ragone are.

In essence, if you consider ND's TEs and WRs, I think ND has a great mix of big and strong and small and quick receiving capability.

When's kickoff?
atepesm | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 4:24 pm | #

I don't think I would consider Louisville or Rutgers a powerhouse by any means. Have they had a couple of successful years? Yes. But Louisville has a new coach and both still play in the Big East. I don't think that really qualifies as powerhouse.
Michael | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 4:50 pm | #

I still think that East Carolina would be a great fit for Zach. Skip Holtz would love to have him and he would be a great help there. I do not agree however about the 4th string deal. Let's look at the news of the last few days. I think that Charlie is keeping Sharpley because of the elbow possibilities with JC. I think if his elbow was 100% sound it would be JC and DJ. Sharpley is insurance and he didnt want to keep Jones, Clausen and Frazer and not have the experience of Sharpley. I know that makes no sense, but I think Charlie liked JC and DJ to be his qbs, when this happened he threw Sharpley into the mix to have some experience in case JC doesnt come back. I dont think it was so much that Zach was 4th team as it was if we need to carry three because of this "procedure" on JC's elbow, I need to keep experience.
Doug | Email | Homepage | 06.15.07 - 7:21 pm | #

"the fact that he is in the fourth spot at ND suggests maybe he is not as good as the recruiting rankings might suggest."

Or, he could have been just as good as his ranking suggested, which would have put him at fourth on the depth chart to begin with (if you put any value in Sharpley's extra year of experience).

Rivals QB rankings:
Sharpley: #12 "pro-style QB"

Jones: #2 "Dual threat QB," #54 for all positions, which puts him at the #4 QB overall.

Clausen: #1 QB, #1 overall

Frazer: #9 pro-style QB, only the #3 QB in Pennsylvania.
Steve R | Email | Homepage | 06.16.07 - 9:06 am | #

I would hate to see Zack go. All I can say is that he needs to maybe look very hard at the spot he is in and look back at past seasons. I remember a few "Great NEW QBs" comming into the program that produced nothing. Everyone is building Clausen as the second comming and no one has really seen him play under fire. Also remember that he has had troubles with his throwing arm that is fixed now(or so they say) but what if the problem comes back.
Also, with DJ off field questionable decision making could put Zack right in the mix of things again.
There are may ???s to look at when looking at the QB spot at ND right now. None of these guys have played under a true test and had been let loose (comming into a game and handing off three times dont count for much in my boat).
To many of us seem to have short memories but lets not forget, and had out starting spots on glitz and glamor. ND has been burned this way before.
Great QBs are molded they are not born.
irishmike | Email | Homepage | 06.16.07 - 9:41 am | #

Bill,

I agree re: No Mo-Sto.

If we only had a DC in 2005. SIGH.
ThE LoSt BoY | Email | Homepage | 06.16.07 - 10:45 am | #

If we put in 3TEs or even 4TEs, will defenses have to go to a "penny" defense and put in an extra linebacker to try and stop the possible run threat too? A DB would probably get blocked off the ball easier than a LB would? Do many teams employ a 3 DB set?
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 06.16.07 - 12:09 pm | #

Irishmike has a point.

Another thing...an ND degree is infinitely more marketable than the schools so far mentioned.


In the dollars and cents world of college football if Zach thinks another program will give him a serious pro shot, then it might be worth it.

Otherwise staying at ND might be mutually beneficial.

Good luck to all concerned!
Dana Payne | Email | Homepage | 06.16.07 - 2:06 pm | #

I've been crying for another ND game in Tokyo for 4 years now, and as soon as I move to another part of Japan, someone mentions it? Heck, I'd take the vacation...

PLEASE COME PLAY NAVY IN JAPAN!!!!!
Nate | Email | Homepage | 06.18.07 - 10:12 pm | #