Notre Dame Football
Practice Report: 4/7
April 7, 2017
6,419
Notre Dame was in just shoulder pads and helmets for Friday’s practice. The Irish were inside the Loftus Sports Center as it was a crisp morning in South Bend.
Junior safety Nicco Fertitta was riding the bike with David Ballou closely monitoring him throughout the day. Fertitta also had a cast on his wrist and didn’t participate in any part of practice, however, Ballou was putting him through a pretty extensive workout that involved lunges and lots of cardio.
The practice got started off with special teams and specifically field goal work. Sam Kohler, a junior walk-on, was doing the kicking with Justin Yoon resting this spring. It was really our first look at new long snapper John Shannon, and he seemed to have an efficient day.
Head coach Brian Kelly was teaching walk-on, Devyn Spruell, the basics of long snapping. Kelly was going over the proper motions with Spruell and falls in like with what Brian Polian stated the other day regarding Notre Dame looking for a second and third string long snapper.
After the special teams period had ended, defensive coordinator Mike Elko did a PJ Fleckesque sprint to beat his defense to the other end of the field to start positional drills.
On defense, it was the same drills as we have previously seen the Irish start practice off with. All three levels started off with a pursuit drill before the defensive backs started working on tackling drills with the donuts. The defensive line got some work on shedding blocks, while the linebackers worked on footwork and sled drills.
The next period, the defensive line moved to sled work, defensive backs on drops, and the linebackers continued footwork and break down drills.
During some basic defensive front work, the defensive line rotation looked like this:
First Group
Drop: Daelin Hayes
DT: Jerry Tillery
DT: Jon Bonner
DE: Andrew Trumbetti
Second Group
Drop: Julian Okwara
DT: Daniel Cage
DT: Micah Dew-Treadway
DE: Jay Hayes
Third Group
Drop: Ade Ogundeji
DT: Pete Mokwuah
DT: Brandon Tiassum
DE: Khalid Kareem
Mike Elston was on his guys about shooting their hands while Kelly observed the sled work by the defensive line.
Notre Dame then broke into some basic 11-on-11 with light contact. I was able to track Wimbush’s first series.
- Complete to Boykin on a nice out route for a big gain.
- Beautiful read option keeper by Wimbush to get on the perimeter.
- Wimbush threw late and high to Boykin. Incomplete
- Josh Adams run
- Josh Adams run
- Josh Adams run, but Jalen Elliott came up with a nice run fit.
The defense on the first series looked like this
Drop: Daelin Hayes and Julian Okwara
DT: Jerry Tilley and Daniel Cage
DT: Jon Bonner and Micah Dew-Treadway
DT: Jay Hayes and Andrew Trumbetti
Buck: Greer Martini
Mike: Nyles Morgan
Rover: Drew Tranquill
CB: Julian Love
FS: Nick Coleman
SS: Jalen Elliott
CB: Nick Watkins
I missed some of Ian Book’s series, but he moved them down the field. Book struggled a little bit with his reads today, and that caused the ball to come out late. The Notre Dame defense was giving a few more exotic looks to the quarterbacks today with presnap movement than we had seen previously.
The defensive line was heavily rotated, so it was hard to track who was coming in and out. Asmar Bilal was at Rover, with Tevon Coney at Buck, and Jamir Jones and Jonathan Jones at Mike. Cornerbacks were Donte Vaughn, Troy Pride Jr., and walk-on Brian Ball, who we hadn’t seen previously take reps. The safeties on second team were Devin Studstill and early enrollee Isaiah Robertson.
Quick Note: The Notre Dame offense was moving fast today. It wasn’t Oregon fast, but it was a notch below. Everything looked crisp with the plays getting in and guys getting aligned.
After the 11-on-11 period, the defense started to work on run fits for about two periods. It was a teaching period as Elko would explain what guys were doing wrong. At one point in the drills, Elko was clearly frustrated with the lack of communication and screamed. “You gotta talk!”. The next play, all levels of the defense were screaming at each other.
Next, it was time for 1-on-1s between the receivers and defensive backs. Here’s how those went.
Wimbush
- Complete to CJ Sanders on Julian Love. Just a beautiful ball.
- Complete to Alizè Jones on Ashton White
- Complete to Miles Boykin on Nick Watkins
- Complete to Nic Weishar on Isaiah Robertson
- Complete to Javon McKinley on Ashton White
- Complete to CJ Sanders on Troy Pride Jr. Great coverage by Pride.
VanGorder
- Incomplete to Chase Claypool. Coleman on coverage. Overthrown
- Complete to Chris Finke, who beat Watkins. Incredible catch
- Incomplete. Pass breakup by Pride on Austin Webster
- Complete to Webster
- Incomplete to Finke. DJ Morgan on coverage
- Complete to Keenan Centlivre on Temitope Agoro
- Complete to Brock Wright
Book
- Complete to Boykin on Vaughn
- Incomplete to McKinley. Tranquill on coverage
- Complete to Durham Smythe. Morgan on coverage
- Complete to Claypool, who beat Coleman
- Complete to CJ Sanders. Love on coverage.
Redzone 1-on-1
Wimbush
- INT by Love.
VanGorder
- Incomplete to Boykin. Watkins on coverage
- Complete to McKinley
- Incomplete to Sanders. Pride on coverage
- Incomplete to Alizè.
- Incomplete to Claypool. Studstill on coverage
- Incomplete to Sanders
- Incomplete to Finke
- Incomplete to Boykin
- Incomplete to Alizè. Studstill on coverage
Book
- Complete to Claypool on Elliott
- Incomplete to Finke. PI on Vaughn for basically tackling Finke after a sick move off the line.
- Complete to Claypool on Elliott
- Complete to Webster
- Complete to Boykin on Vaughn
- Complete to McKinley on Elliott
- Complete to Claypool
- Incomplete. Studstill covering Webster
- Complete to Boykin.
After Wimbush’s interception, he was talking to Chip Long and Brian Kelly. Also, a lot of the incompletions were 50-50 jump balls to the corner.
Notre Dame then went back to special teams work, and it was punt protection. CJ Sanders, KJ Stepherson, Equanimeous St. Brown, Chris Finke and Josh Adams were working on catching punts.
The defensive line then proceeded to work on pass rush moves and a lot of them. The defensive backs went back to work on run fits, and the linebackers worked on pass drops.
The defense also did turnover circuit drills in four stations.
- Strip sack: Guys were coming off the edge to tackle a dummy with a ball.
- Scoop: Players worked on getting off a block and scooping the ball.
- Tip Drill: Players worked on getting their hands on passes.
- Another Tip Drill: Players would lie on the ground, jump up to try and tip the pass.
Notre Dame then went back to working on 7-on-7. Todd Lyght wasn’t happy with his defensive backs as he was yelling at them to get into the receivers and to get their hands up on jump balls.
Wimbush
- Complete to Boykin
- Complete to Sanders
- Complete to Finke
- Incomplete to Alizè Jones
- Complete to Josh Adams in the flat
- Complete to Claypool on a check down
- CJ Sanders drop
- Complete to Boykin on Watkins
- Incomplete
- Incomplete to Smythe. Elliott on coverage
- Complete to Adams
- Alizè Jones drop
- Incomplete to Sanders
- Complete to Claypool for a big gain
- Complete to Tony Jones Jr.
- Complete to Smythe on a crossing route
- Complete to Williams
- Complete to Tony Jones Jr., who was wide open the end zone. Busted coverage
- TD to Josh Adams
- Watkins dropped INT on miscommunication
- Dexter Williams TD
Book
- Tyler Luatua drop
- Complete to Claypool on a slant
- Incomplete
- Incomplete threw behind Brock Wright
- Complete to Deon McIntosh
- Incomplete. Isaiah Robertson tip
- Complete Adams
- Incomplete. Overthrew Webster on a deep ball
VanGorder
- Dexter Williams drop
- Julian Love INT
- Hit Smythe on a wheel route
- Complete
- Complete to Boykin on a check down
- Complete to Alizè Jones in traffic.
- Donte Vaughn pass breakup
- Complete to Finke on a crossing route
- Complete to McKinley on check down
- Overthrew WR
Notre Dame then broke into 11-on-11 work, but we were kicked out of practice at that point.
Troy Pride Jr. really stood out today. He seems to be very comfortable, and that is allowing him to use his make-up speed. There were several balls where he was able to use his closing speed to contest the catch or break the pass up.
Isaiah Robertson took advantage of the reps he got with Fertitta out. He doesn’t look overwhelmed, but not entirely comfortable in 11-on-11 situations.
The focus of this practice was working on the passing game, and the defense held their own for the most part. They didn’t give up many big plays and kept everything in front of them in the passing game.
Junior safety Nicco Fertitta was riding the bike with David Ballou closely monitoring him throughout the day. Fertitta also had a cast on his wrist and didn’t participate in any part of practice, however, Ballou was putting him through a pretty extensive workout that involved lunges and lots of cardio.
The practice got started off with special teams and specifically field goal work. Sam Kohler, a junior walk-on, was doing the kicking with Justin Yoon resting this spring. It was really our first look at new long snapper John Shannon, and he seemed to have an efficient day.
Head coach Brian Kelly was teaching walk-on, Devyn Spruell, the basics of long snapping. Kelly was going over the proper motions with Spruell and falls in like with what Brian Polian stated the other day regarding Notre Dame looking for a second and third string long snapper.
After the special teams period had ended, defensive coordinator Mike Elko did a PJ Fleckesque sprint to beat his defense to the other end of the field to start positional drills.
On defense, it was the same drills as we have previously seen the Irish start practice off with. All three levels started off with a pursuit drill before the defensive backs started working on tackling drills with the donuts. The defensive line got some work on shedding blocks, while the linebackers worked on footwork and sled drills.
The next period, the defensive line moved to sled work, defensive backs on drops, and the linebackers continued footwork and break down drills.
During some basic defensive front work, the defensive line rotation looked like this:
First Group
Drop: Daelin Hayes
DT: Jerry Tillery
DT: Jon Bonner
DE: Andrew Trumbetti
Second Group
Drop: Julian Okwara
DT: Daniel Cage
DT: Micah Dew-Treadway
DE: Jay Hayes
Third Group
Drop: Ade Ogundeji
DT: Pete Mokwuah
DT: Brandon Tiassum
DE: Khalid Kareem
Mike Elston was on his guys about shooting their hands while Kelly observed the sled work by the defensive line.
Notre Dame then broke into some basic 11-on-11 with light contact. I was able to track Wimbush’s first series.
- Complete to Boykin on a nice out route for a big gain.
- Beautiful read option keeper by Wimbush to get on the perimeter.
- Wimbush threw late and high to Boykin. Incomplete
- Josh Adams run
- Josh Adams run
- Josh Adams run, but Jalen Elliott came up with a nice run fit.
The defense on the first series looked like this
Drop: Daelin Hayes and Julian Okwara
DT: Jerry Tilley and Daniel Cage
DT: Jon Bonner and Micah Dew-Treadway
DT: Jay Hayes and Andrew Trumbetti
Buck: Greer Martini
Mike: Nyles Morgan
Rover: Drew Tranquill
CB: Julian Love
FS: Nick Coleman
SS: Jalen Elliott
CB: Nick Watkins
I missed some of Ian Book’s series, but he moved them down the field. Book struggled a little bit with his reads today, and that caused the ball to come out late. The Notre Dame defense was giving a few more exotic looks to the quarterbacks today with presnap movement than we had seen previously.
The defensive line was heavily rotated, so it was hard to track who was coming in and out. Asmar Bilal was at Rover, with Tevon Coney at Buck, and Jamir Jones and Jonathan Jones at Mike. Cornerbacks were Donte Vaughn, Troy Pride Jr., and walk-on Brian Ball, who we hadn’t seen previously take reps. The safeties on second team were Devin Studstill and early enrollee Isaiah Robertson.
Quick Note: The Notre Dame offense was moving fast today. It wasn’t Oregon fast, but it was a notch below. Everything looked crisp with the plays getting in and guys getting aligned.
After the 11-on-11 period, the defense started to work on run fits for about two periods. It was a teaching period as Elko would explain what guys were doing wrong. At one point in the drills, Elko was clearly frustrated with the lack of communication and screamed. “You gotta talk!”. The next play, all levels of the defense were screaming at each other.
Next, it was time for 1-on-1s between the receivers and defensive backs. Here’s how those went.
Wimbush
- Complete to CJ Sanders on Julian Love. Just a beautiful ball.
- Complete to Alizè Jones on Ashton White
- Complete to Miles Boykin on Nick Watkins
- Complete to Nic Weishar on Isaiah Robertson
- Complete to Javon McKinley on Ashton White
- Complete to CJ Sanders on Troy Pride Jr. Great coverage by Pride.
VanGorder
- Incomplete to Chase Claypool. Coleman on coverage. Overthrown
- Complete to Chris Finke, who beat Watkins. Incredible catch
- Incomplete. Pass breakup by Pride on Austin Webster
- Complete to Webster
- Incomplete to Finke. DJ Morgan on coverage
- Complete to Keenan Centlivre on Temitope Agoro
- Complete to Brock Wright
Book
- Complete to Boykin on Vaughn
- Incomplete to McKinley. Tranquill on coverage
- Complete to Durham Smythe. Morgan on coverage
- Complete to Claypool, who beat Coleman
- Complete to CJ Sanders. Love on coverage.
Redzone 1-on-1
Wimbush
- INT by Love.
VanGorder
- Incomplete to Boykin. Watkins on coverage
- Complete to McKinley
- Incomplete to Sanders. Pride on coverage
- Incomplete to Alizè.
- Incomplete to Claypool. Studstill on coverage
- Incomplete to Sanders
- Incomplete to Finke
- Incomplete to Boykin
- Incomplete to Alizè. Studstill on coverage
Book
- Complete to Claypool on Elliott
- Incomplete to Finke. PI on Vaughn for basically tackling Finke after a sick move off the line.
- Complete to Claypool on Elliott
- Complete to Webster
- Complete to Boykin on Vaughn
- Complete to McKinley on Elliott
- Complete to Claypool
- Incomplete. Studstill covering Webster
- Complete to Boykin.
After Wimbush’s interception, he was talking to Chip Long and Brian Kelly. Also, a lot of the incompletions were 50-50 jump balls to the corner.
Notre Dame then went back to special teams work, and it was punt protection. CJ Sanders, KJ Stepherson, Equanimeous St. Brown, Chris Finke and Josh Adams were working on catching punts.
The defensive line then proceeded to work on pass rush moves and a lot of them. The defensive backs went back to work on run fits, and the linebackers worked on pass drops.
The defense also did turnover circuit drills in four stations.
- Strip sack: Guys were coming off the edge to tackle a dummy with a ball.
- Scoop: Players worked on getting off a block and scooping the ball.
- Tip Drill: Players worked on getting their hands on passes.
- Another Tip Drill: Players would lie on the ground, jump up to try and tip the pass.
Notre Dame then went back to working on 7-on-7. Todd Lyght wasn’t happy with his defensive backs as he was yelling at them to get into the receivers and to get their hands up on jump balls.
Wimbush
- Complete to Boykin
- Complete to Sanders
- Complete to Finke
- Incomplete to Alizè Jones
- Complete to Josh Adams in the flat
- Complete to Claypool on a check down
- CJ Sanders drop
- Complete to Boykin on Watkins
- Incomplete
- Incomplete to Smythe. Elliott on coverage
- Complete to Adams
- Alizè Jones drop
- Incomplete to Sanders
- Complete to Claypool for a big gain
- Complete to Tony Jones Jr.
- Complete to Smythe on a crossing route
- Complete to Williams
- Complete to Tony Jones Jr., who was wide open the end zone. Busted coverage
- TD to Josh Adams
- Watkins dropped INT on miscommunication
- Dexter Williams TD
Book
- Tyler Luatua drop
- Complete to Claypool on a slant
- Incomplete
- Incomplete threw behind Brock Wright
- Complete to Deon McIntosh
- Incomplete. Isaiah Robertson tip
- Complete Adams
- Incomplete. Overthrew Webster on a deep ball
VanGorder
- Dexter Williams drop
- Julian Love INT
- Hit Smythe on a wheel route
- Complete
- Complete to Boykin on a check down
- Complete to Alizè Jones in traffic.
- Donte Vaughn pass breakup
- Complete to Finke on a crossing route
- Complete to McKinley on check down
- Overthrew WR
Notre Dame then broke into 11-on-11 work, but we were kicked out of practice at that point.
Troy Pride Jr. really stood out today. He seems to be very comfortable, and that is allowing him to use his make-up speed. There were several balls where he was able to use his closing speed to contest the catch or break the pass up.
Isaiah Robertson took advantage of the reps he got with Fertitta out. He doesn’t look overwhelmed, but not entirely comfortable in 11-on-11 situations.
The focus of this practice was working on the passing game, and the defense held their own for the most part. They didn’t give up many big plays and kept everything in front of them in the passing game.
Never miss the latest news from Irish Sports Daily!
Join our free email list