Okay....this is a hard topic to except...but brothers and sisters!...Let's face it!....We have done an absolutely HORRIBLE job finding a "HEAD" coach for 2 decades!.... Not since Lou have we hired a "HEAD" coach...We've hired OC....DC....STC....etc... but not until Kelly arrived have we had a real head coach!...What a difference a leader can make!....
I had the pleasure of talking with several former players last night and seeing who got picked up by who!...etc...Ian went to the 49ers....Armando to Tampa....Stewart to NY Jets!....Walls to Atlanta....Hughes to DABears!....etc....
But all this conversations got me thinking!....and I asked some REAL questions....Now that those questions can be asked without worrying!....
This is a recap of the answers by one of the seniors....WHO WILL NOT BE NAMED!....
1. What would you give for just 1 more year at Notre Dame?
-Everything....I'd give anything and everything I got!.... I have great memories of my time at ND but still left without living up to what ND deserved...I didn't realize how special the place was until I was gone and not part of it on a day to day basis... I wish I could get 1 more year!....
2. From an insiders perspective what is the main difference between Wies and Kelly run programs?
-Same answer as before...EVERYTHING!...(laughing)
First and formost Personality... Kelly is a players coach....he's there for you...Like a father figure...He wants you to succeed but at the same time he places responsibility on your head and you don't want to disappoint him...Weis was like going to work everyday....He was your boss...and your boss don't really give a shit if you got any problems or issues going on in your life...
3. The offensive scheme...who's scheme do you feel fit the college system better?
-That's hard to say....Cause Coach Weis could put up points...over 30 a game...but at the same time the better teams could easily figure out how to make us one demential fast...Kelly spreads them out...he tosses in a bunch of miss direction...passing...screen...runs...Much harder to figure out!...
4. As far as player development who do you feel worked harder on building the team!...
-No question Kelly....Coach Weis was a pro coach...and ran everything like a pro coach!... You come in and you can play...YOU PLAY....Your not ready to play yet?...get back to me when you are!... Sorry! Coach Kelly would let you know what he expected and how...and then show you what you did that worked and how to fix what didn't work....I saw drastic improvement across the board in just one spring and fall!... That's part of the reason I'd give anything for another year!...It's not that Coach Wies couldn't develop talent...it was almost like he didn't think that was his job!....
5. What player do you think will break out this season!.....
****this is not the first time I've heard this!....Toma has impressed EVERYONE!...He is gonna be a force this season!....
6. Longo vs Mendoza (strength and conditioning coaches...) what difference did you see?
-Day one difference....we were no longer losing all sorts of weight during the season.... Longo allows no room for error!... Coach Mendoza used to give us a list of what to do and just be like...GO!... Longo is way more hands on and motivating....he lets you know what each lift... each movement... each rep...what it's for and why!.... And then you see the results on the field!...and not just first game...the ENTIRE SESON!.... He makes you buy in..then you see the benefits!...
7. You have been staying in South bend since graduation...what do you see as the overall team attitude and how does it differ from say...the 09 season?
-In 09 we were getting a lot of hype...and we saw that we could do it....but we just never put it together one game after another.... Coach Kelly is a true motivator...when he arrived he addressed the team and said "If you do what I ask of you...and you learn what I have to teach...You will win!" Coach Weis used to say simular things...but they never really seemed to happen...with Coach Kelly we all bought in because we were seeing results....What he said was working....They see what is possible of themselves and they have tasted some success....now they are hungry for more!....
8. 4th quarter....3 min left...Your down by 6...your on the 20...you need to drive 80 yards for the win..Who do you want in the huddle and why?
-(laughing) You wanna put me on the spot!... Thats a fair question because I've been around and played with both QB's....Dayne has a stronger arm....makes all the throws...but Tommy....Tommy just has poise....In the huddle he never seemed to get rattled....Dayne needs to work on his poise or Tommy will take over were he left off....winning!....But Dayne knows what he needs to do!...
9.What do you see with the running game this season?
-Cierre is gonna be a force....he's shifty and much stronger than last season...He just needs to accept the role of starting running back and act like it...(this is something I've never thought Cierre lacked!...talking to him is like watching a movie trailer!) Jonas has the strength...talent...speed...size...you name it...he just needs that one run in the first game to show him...HEY!...I can do this!... The new kid Cam...that boy is gonna push for time!...he don't talk shit...but he seems to have the "it" factor of a running back... Wies seemed to break peoples confidence too much...he did more damage than good trying to motivate in his own way...
10. Last Question: Looking back at ND now that it's over...what regrets do you have....?
-Regrets?....I got a couple but mostly being throw in to action before I was ready....Ty didn't really recruit so when my class got here we were freshman playing seniors....I would have love to have a season to lift and learn... But mostly I'd say... Team...real team is not based upon what YOU do....but what you can push OTHERS to do...I should have pushed more people to be better....lead more by example...Kelly develops leaders!.... He won't let players get content...He doesn't want you to hold your tongue to your team mates....He says if someone is not pulling their weight...he shouldn't be the only one that let's them know!....This is a real TEAM now!...and I'm proud to have been part of it!
***this was one of the first times that this player and I have spoken so frankly since before he committed... He's grown up and become a great man....Notre Dame has made him a great man....
Remember IRISH brothers and sisters.... Notre Dame can never truly be down as long as the spirt of the IRISH lives on within the greatest fan base in the world!...
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