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Notre Dame Football

Practice Observations: 3/24

March 24, 2018
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Notre Dame opened Saturday’s practice with a variety of music, including some Future. 

The Irish then took the field in the regular tempo drill led by quarterback Brandon Wimbush on first team. 

QB: Brandon Wimbush
RB: Dexter Williams 
WR: Miles Boykin
WR: Chris Finke 
WR: Michael Young 
TE: Alizè Mack and Cole Kmet 
OL: Robert Hainsey 
OL: Trevor Ruhland 
OL: Sam Mustipher 
OL: Alex Bars 
OL: Tommy Kraemer 

The second team didn’t have any surprises from what we’ve seen to this point. 

QB: Ian Book
RB: Tony Jones Jr. 
WR: Javon McKinley
WR: Jafar Armstrong
WR: Brian Ball
WR: Freddy Canteen
OL: Aaron Banks
OL: Josh Lugg
OL: Colin Grunhard
OL: Dillan Gibbons
OL: Liam Eichenberg

After positional drills, Notre Dame got into some competitive situations. The offensive line and defensive line did a 3-on-3 drill, while I watched the receivers and defensive backs go at it in a 1-on-1 tackling drills. Here are the results: 

WR Chris Finke beat S Nick Coleman
WR Javon McKinley beat S Nicco Fertitta 
CB Nick Watkins tackled WR Micah Jones 
S Alohi Gilman tackled WR Michael Young 
RB Jahmir Smith beat CB Nick Watkins 
WR Brian Ball beat CB Houston Griffith 
CB Donte Vaughn made the tackle 
WR Mile Boykin beat CB Nick Watkins 
WR Chris Finke beat CB Shaun Crawford 
CB Troy Pride Jr. tackled WR Javon McKinley 
CB Houston Griffith tackled WR Micah Jones 
S Nicco Fertitta tackled RB Jahmir Smith 
WR Brian Ball beat S Jordan Genmark Heath 
WR Michael Young beat the DB
WR Jafar Armstrong beat Alohi Gilman 
WR Miles Boykin beat S Nick Coleman
CB Donte Vaughn tackled WR Jafar Armstrong 
RB Jahmir Smith beat S Devin Studstill
S Nicco Fertitta tackled WR Brian Ball
S Jordan Genmark Heath tackled WR Jafar Armstrong 
WR Chris Finke beat CB Shaun Crawford 
WR Javon McKinley beat CB Troy Pride Jr. 
WR Michael juked the heck out of CB Nick Watkins. Spun Watkins completely around.
S Alohi Gilman beat WR Micah Jones 
CB Houston Griffith tackled RB Jahmir Smith 
S Devin Studstill tackled WR Brian Ball

1-on-1 WR/DB

Wimbush
Complete to Boykin against Watkins 
Complete to Armstrong against Coleman 
Complete to Kmet against Genmark Heath
Complete to Claypool against Vaughn
Complete to McKinley against Love
Incomplete to Armstrong with Crawford covering
Incomplete to Young with Pride covering. PI on Pride 
Complete to Mack against Elliott 

Book
Complete to Canteen against Gilman
Complete to Mack against Genmark Heath
Incomplete to McKinley
Incomplete to Finke against Studstill
Incomplete to Claypool against Watkins 
Incomplete to Canteen against Fertitta 

Davis 
Complete to Wright against Fertitta 

1-on-1 WR/DB Redzone 

Wimbush
Incomplete to Boykin against Love
Complete to Finke against Gilman
Complete to Kmet against Genmark Heath
Complete to Armstrong against Vaughn
Complete to Young against Crawford
Complete to McKinley against Love 
Complete to Boykin against Watkins 
Incomplete to Canteen against Watkins 
Incomplete to Kmet against Elliott
Complete to Mack against Genmark Heath
Complete to Finke against Coleman
Complete to Boykin against Love 

Book
Complete to Claypool against Watkins 
Complete to Canteen against Studstill 
Complete to Mack against Fertitta 
Complete to Claypool against Pride 
Complete to Armstrong against Vaughn 

Davis 
Incomplete to McKinley against love 
Incomplete to WR against Coleman 
Complete to Wright against DB
Incomplete to Jones against Griffith 
Complete to Claypool against Studstill 

After a few periods on special teams, Notre Dame then went to 11-on-11. The session was full of contact, but they didn’t take the ball carrier to the ground. Liam Eichenberg was with the first team and second team offense at right tackle. 

Wimbush 
- Dexter Williams short run 
- Williams long run 
- Incomplete to Michael Young
- Williams run for no gain
- Chase Claypool drop
- Chase Claypool touchdown 
- Wimbush run 

Book 
- Complete to Canteen on a bubble screen
- Book run
- Book run but would have been a sack 
- McKinley drop 
- Book run
- Complete to McKinley for a short gain
- Book coverage sack 

Following the 11-on-11 period, Notre Dame then went into some half-side route drills. The offense had the quarterback and a combination of three receivers against the defense. 

Wimbush
- Complete to Kmet
- Complete to Finke for a short gain
- Complete to Miles Boykin for a huge gain down the middle 
- Complete to Canteen 
- Incomplete to Boykin
- Incomplete but PI called on the defense. 

Book
- Jalen Elliott interception 
- Complete to Canteen 
- Complete to Jahmir Smith on a check down
- Complete to Michael Young 
- Complete to Claypool 

Davis 
- Incomplete 
- Complete to Canteen 
- Genmark Heath pass breakup against Micah Jones 
- Complete to Mack 

Notre Dame then went into a quick 7-on-7 session. 

Wimbush 
- Complete to Kmet
- Complete to Young
- Complete to Finke
- Complete 
- Complete to Finke 
- Incomplete to Boykin

Book
- Complete to McKinley
- Complete to Armstrong
- Complete to McKinley
- Complete to Dexter Williams 
- Sack 

Davis 
- Complete to walk-on
- Complete to Brock Wright 
- Complete to Micah Jones

7-on-7 Red Zone

Wimbush 
- Touchdown to Chase Claypool
- Touchdown to Dexter Williams 
- Touchdown to Michael Young
- Incomplete to Claypool
- Incomplete
- McKinley drop 

Book
- Touchdown to Boykin 
- Touchdown to Mack 
- Boykin drop
- Sack 
- Kmet touchdown 
- Young touchdown 

Davis 
- Wright touchdown 
- Incomplete to Canteen
- Touchdown to Micah Jones 
- Touchdown to Canteen 

Notre Dame ended the day with a couple 11-on-11 periods and everyone, but the quarterback was live. 

11-on-11 Red Zone 

Wimbush 

- Complete to Boykin for a touchdown 
- Dexter Williams short run 
- Cole Kmet drop 
- Boykin drop 
- Incomplete to Claypool 
- Dexter Williams touchdown run

Book
- Complete to McKinley
- Touchdown to McKinley
- McKinley drop 
- Incomplete to Canteen 
 

11-on-11 

Wimbush
- Wimbush run
- Boykin complete 
- Williams no gain 
- Incomplete to Mack
- Complete to Boykin
- Dexter Williams short run
- Wimbush run
- Asmar Bilal sack off the edge 
- Complete to Kmet 
- Tipped ball by Coney 

Book 
- Incomplete
- Tony Jones Jr. run for no gain. Ewell with a big play
- Complete to McKinley
- Troy Pride Jr. with a pass breakup 40 yards downfield 
- Jahmir Smith run for no gain
- Complete to Jafar Armstrong 
- DJ Morgan tackle for loss
- Incomplete 
- Complete to McKinley for a gain of 20
- Sack 
- Houston Griffith deflection on a screen pass
- Complete to Kmet 

Davis 
- Mick Assaf run for no gain
- Complete to Patrick Pelini. Facemask on defense 
- Micah Dew-Treadway tipped the ball on a rollout
- Houston Griffith pass break up. 

NOTES
- Sophomore linebacker Drew White on was crutches and with a brace on his foot. 
- Linebacker Jonathan Jones went well out of his way to help explain the linebacker responsibilities to early enrollee Bo Bauer during some positional drills. 
- Darnell Ewell did some good things in 11-on-11, but he has a long way to go to get into consistent playing shape. It’s a process and today was a step forward. 
- Brandon Wimbush and Ian Book had up and down days. Consistency isn’t quite there, but both made plays. 
- Receivers made big plays but also dropped a few more than you would have liked to have seen. 
- Miles Boykin is really coming into his own. 
- Michael Young had a solid day. 
- Troy Pride Jr.’s makeup speed was on full display a number of times. He needs to get better in the red zone. 
- Houston Griffith continues to impress. Made some plays today and made some freshman mistakes. 

 
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