Lorenzo's Blog

During Mike Brey’s media session last week, one of the most prominent topics of discussion centered on Scott Martin, a Purdue transfer who is set to begin his Notre Dame career this year. After sitting out the 2008-09 campaign because of the transfer, Martin was working his way into the rotation before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last season. After months of rehabilitation, Martin seems to be back on track.

Brey on Martin’s health:

“I think he’s close to being 100 percent. I think the biggest thing now, is you talk to guys going through that and it’s mental hurdle of lateral movement, planting. He’s playing. He plays with a brace on. He’s going through everything. Every now and then, he has a little bit of soreness, so we’re trying to pace him and be smart about it and not overdo it.

“He needs to put a jersey on. It’s been two years. The talk I had with him the other day was, ‘You and I both need to be patient with this. Look, I want it more than anybody, because we need it.’ We need what he brings to the table. But he hasn’t played in two years. He wants it. I said, ‘Let’s just methodically get into this thing and work our way into it.’ And there is plenty of time to do it because he’s really hungry.”

Martin is traveling to Europe with other college players next month to compete in summer tournaments. Brey on Martin’s travels:

“I’d just like for him to play. He needs to have a jersey on, get a foul called on him, shoot a free throw, run up and down the floor. He just hasn’t been in there. You think back to his freshman year at Purdue and he was hurt a little bit too. It’s not like he was playing 30 minutes a game as a freshman. It’s been a while. We need a lot from him. We’re going to have to kind of methodically get there. I just think he needs to play.

“I haven’t looked at the roster lately, but a month ago when I glanced at it, there’s some good players from our league, the ACC and the [Atlantic 10]. The practices will be great. He needs to hear a whistle, man. He hasn’t fouled anybody. He hasn’t been fouled. He hasn’t sat on the bench in a timeout. He needs to do all that.

“Actually, the DeMatha head coach is the assistant, Mike Jones. I talked to him the other day when we were looking at a couple of the young kids. I said, ‘Hey, keep an eye on Scott so we can get a good report on him.’”

Brey on his comments last season that Martin is the most offensively gifted player he has ever coached:

“It’s funny, another guy just called me and I said, I think I was trying to phrase it like, ‘We’ve had nobody as naturally gifted as Scott Martin, offensively.’ Now that’s saying a lot with the last 10 years and the guys we’ve had. I would not put anyone ahead of him in just natural gifts offensively. He’s all of 6-8.

“Before the knee injury, and I think he’s getting back to it, he had the highest vertical leap on the team. And he’s got the long range, he’s got the mid-range, post, he’s crafty around the basket. Guys that shoot fadeaways that go in, they’re really good offensive players. They’re just beautiful basketball players. If a guy can fade a little bit and still find the basket, there is something unique about finding the net, [Luke Harangody] Gody-like, [Troy] Murphy-like. He’s got that whole package. He can shoot it, mid-range, he can post, he can do some interesting stuff for us. He rebounds the ball. He moves his feet defensively.

“He’s a really good athlete and I think he’ll get all of that back. I don’t think he has it all back yet, but he’s a very good athlete. And he certainly comes at a good time when we’re going to need some punch offensively. But just watching him in practice, the game comes easy to him on the offensive end. There are not a lot of guys like that. We loved him in high school, didn’t get him. Thank God we got him back. I thought we had him for three, we got him for two and we’ll take it. At this point, we’ll take two seasons.”

Brey on Martin’s vertical being higher than Carleton Scott’s:

“Yeah, his vertical is higher than Carleton’s. It’s a little bit deceptive because of Carleton’s reach kind of probably handicaps him. The year he transferred in, it’s about this time, I was going on the road and [strength and conditioning director for men’s basketball] Tony [Rolinski] tested the vertical jump. He had been with us on campus for three weeks.

“I would say about 36 [inches]. I go on the road and I met the guys and I said, ‘Okay, I’ll give you three guesses for who has the highest vertical.’ None of my assistants had him in the top three. I didn’t have him either. And I said, ‘Scott Martin.’ He’s got some bounce to him and some footwork. Thankfully, you can come back from all that stuff, but it takes a while with that injury.”

Brey on Martin possibly staying on for a sixth year:

“No. He’d be retired to me by then anyways (laughs). Basically the precedence that has been set when you use a year on a transfer and that was your decision to leave, you can’t get that year back. We checked on that obviously quickly after he injured himself and you just don’t have really any argument, so we’ll take two and we’re thrilled.

“There’s kids that get a sixth year, but I don’t know if any of them have had a transfer in that year. You made that decision and it’s kind of hard to argue that back. Unless there’s a family illness—and obviously that’s not the case, so I don’t see that happening. I spoke to his family about that this winter. He’s a two-year man with us and that’s what there is.”

Tim Brown was enshrined Saturday at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. While he met with the media, he had a chance to talk about other issues surrounding the Irish program including the recent arrests of a number of athletes at a party on Washington Street and conference expansion.

Brown on recent athlete arrests at Notre Dame:

“I hadn’t heard about it,” Brown said. “That’s a shame. We need to know all the details but it’s a tough situation. When we were at Notre Dame, we always had fun. But you have to be smart about what you do because you’re a representative of yourself and the University when you put that jersey on. You have to project that image of a Notre Dame man on and off the field.

“We all did stupid things. But none of things should involve the police. From that standpoint, I would say that some things are a little out of whack. With all these NCAA rules, it’s hard to get in touch with these guys without people thinking that you’re slipping money in their pocket and all that kind of stuff. I think it’s something that when you’re in a controlled environment, the older guys need to be able to talk to these younger guys and let them know what this thing is really all about.”

Brown on conference expansion:

“Well, I think that it’s tough for Notre Dame to put its football program in a conference,” he said. “Win, lose or draw, you’re still drawing a lot of attention, not only from fans, but the media. As long as NBC is willing to do what they’re doing, if not NBC, I’m pretty sure somebody else would have taken that deal. As long as you have that happen, I think it’s going to be pretty tough for somebody to draw Notre Dame to another conference.

“Now if the other sports came in and said, ‘Hey look, we need you guys to join the Big Ten. We need you guys to join the Big East,’ then that’s something totally different. The football program is the one wagging the tail here and I just can’t see it happening.”

Marvin Austin has become one of the focuses of an NCAA investigation regarding possible extra benefits at UNC.

North Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour said Thursday that the NCAA is investigating the program regarding possible rules violations. Baddour refused to disclose which sport was being probed.

A source told ESPN’s Joe Schad that an undisclosed amount of football players were interviewed by the NCAA this week and were asked questions concerning agents and possible extra benefits.

Former Notre Dame recruit Marvin Austin was reportedly one of the several Tar Heels questioned. Austin was rumored to be a candidate for early entry into the NFL Draft, but chose to return to the Tar Heels for his senior seasons.

“I was told that I could limit my comments to the fact that they had been here and they wanted me to say that we had indeed been cooperative,” said Baddour. He also added that the inquiry “has our full attention.”

The investigation began with a phone call placed by the NCAA. However, in an interview with the Associated Press, Baddour declined to comment on the timeline of the call and the interviews.

According to another source, the NCAA reportedly asked all of UNC’s projected NFL Draft picks to provide phone records, allowing investigators to see which agents had been contacted.

According to the report, both sources used the word “hectic” to describe agent activity while a number of Tar Heels considered their draft options.

Austin is receiving the brunt of the investigation, as he was reportedly asked about driving a car belonging to Kentwan Balmer, a former Tar Heel defensive end now with the San Francisco 49ers, and staying at Balmer’s apartment.

Butch Davis is set to begin his fourth season as North Carolina’s head coach after leading the program to consecutive eight-win seasons, including the first back-to-back bowl appearances since the late 1990s.

Davis is 20-18 with the Tar Heels, including an 11-13 mark in the ACC.

North Carolina is one of the stronger contenders in its conference, thanks in part to a stout defense that returns nine starters and was ranked among the nation’s best last season.

The Tar Heels open the season against LSU in Atlanta in the first weekend of September.

A report surfaced yesterday citing several sources who claim that Boston College head coach Mikio Aoki will replace former Notre Dame coach Dave Schrage after he was not retained earlier this month.

Notre Dame officials refused to comment on the situation.

Schrage’s disappointing tenure with the Irish baseball program was cut short June 14^th after four seasons and a 119-104-1 record with Notre Dame, including a 22-32 mark in 2010.

Irish associate head coach Scott Lawler had been named Notre Dame's interim head coach following Schrage's removal.

If Aoki does take over the Irish job, Boston College is expected to name Mike Gambino as the Eagles manager.

Aoki’s 114-104-1 record with Boston College is very similar to Schrage’s mark with Notre Dame, but Aoki’s career record stands at 201-248-1. Aoki received his head coaching start with Columbia, taking the Lions to an 87-140 mark during his five seasons with the program. However, his teams won 20 or more games in each of his last three seasons. Before the Aoki era, the Lions had not posted a 20-win season since 1987.

Aoki left Columbia to join Boston College as its pitching coach for the next three seasons. In 2004, Aoki’s staff saw five pitchers sign professional contracts at season’s end.

Aoki played one summer of professional baseball in the Netherlands for the HCAW Tigers of the Butch Major League.

Check back to Irish Sports Daily for more updates on this situation.

ESPN’s Marc Stein is reporting that former Notre Dame basketball standout Monty Williams has become the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets.

After talks with Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau broke down, the Hornets turned to the Portland Trailblazers assistant coach. Thibodeau was thought to be New Orleans’ top target, but he reportedly accepted an agreement to coach the Chicago Bulls Saturday afternoon.

At 38, Williams becomes the youngest head coach in the NBA, beating out Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, who is 39.

After playing nine years in the NBA, Williams received his first coaching opportunity under Gregg Popovich during San Antonio’s 2004-05 championship season. Then in 2005, he joined Nate McMillan’s Trailblazers staff. Due to an Achilles injury McMillan suffered this past season, Williams took on added responsibility in his coaching duties with Portland.

Williams ranks 20^th all-time in Notre Dame history with 1,371 points.

Lane Kiffin will reportedly hear the findings of the NCAA Committee of Infractions Friday, June 4th.

The February hearings included appearances from former Trojan basketball coach Tim Floyd and current football head coach Lane Kiffin. A number of documents were presented, as seven boxes and two bound folders of paperwork were examined.

The NCAA will present USC with recommendations for sanctions in the committee’s final report. The Trojans will have an opportunity to appeal the decision.

USC has already sanctioned itself for improper benefits given to former basketball player O.J. Mayo, including the vacation of all wins from 2007-08, a post-season ban and a reduction in scholarships.

The Trojans are attempting to avoid being labeled as administering with a lack of institutional control, which could bring major penalties. Additionally, the NCAA can determine if USC can be considered repeat violators. According to NCAA rules, if an the Committee of Infractions “finds that a major violation occurred within five years of the starting date of a major penalty,” then the program can be labeled as a repeat offender.

Since USC was sanctioned in 2001, if the football allegations surrounding Reggie Bush are found to be major transgressions, the Trojans would qualify within the time frame of repeat violators.

After spending the entire spring observing Notre Dame’s new defense under Bob Diaco, I have not had a chance to detail some thoughts on the unit. Christian’s ‘What We Learned’ series was worth a read and should also be checked out:

Defense

Defensive Backs

Linebackers

Defensive Line

First of all, I believe that the switch back to the 3-4 was a sound decision. Most of the players Notre Dame possesses were recruited to fill certain spots in a 3-4 and seem to be more natural in the system. From the feedback extracted during interviews, most athletes readily welcomed the change.

Ethan Johnson went as far to say that he was imploring for the overhaul.

“I prayed,” Johnson said after an April practice. “I prayed that I’d be able to play the 3-4.”

With the one-year 4-3 experiment abandoned, Notre Dame returns to its previously used scheme under former Irish assistant Corwin Brown.

One of the things that Diaco did stress throughout the first couple of spring practices was that the players were having difficulty shedding the tendency to play vertically in their scheme. Diaco said he was looking to install a no-crease defense, more geared towards filling gaps near the line of scrimmage.

With the success that defensive line coach Mike Elston has had in generating tackles for loss and sacks (Cincinnati ranked third in TFLs and 10^th in sacks in 2009) it should be interesting to see what Diaco and Elston can do with the talent that Notre Dame has within its front seven.

I do think that Ethan Johnson, Ian Williams and Kapron Lewis-Moore will benefit from the defensive switch and from Elston’s experience. The unit that boasts the most experience in its starting core, I think the defensive line could be the key to Notre Dame’s defensive success next fall. I believe Johnson makes the biggest stride and posts an incredible season next fall if healthy.

One name to watch for is Emeka Nwankwo, who Elston continuously praised throughout the spring.

In my opinion, linebacker is the defensive position with the most uncertainty. Brian Smith, Darius Fleming and Manti Te’o headline the group and bring in valuable experience. However, the Will spot will be handed to a first-time starter, as Anthony McDonald is the most likely candidate to earn the job.

Smith moves back to his natural position, Fleming will excel as a rush outside linebacker and Te’o will need to take a big step forward in his leadership.

Diaco has given the freshman the responsibility of making the defensive calls and will act as the unit’s quarterback. If there is any player on Notre Dame suited to take the role of the unit’s leader, it’s Te’o.

From the coaches’ feedback this spring, McDonald fits the profile that the assistants are looking for in an inside linebacker. With size and strength, the sophomore fits the bill. Now he needs to demonstrate that he can carry over his progress from practices to fall Saturdays.

After the first four, Kerry Neal is an experienced player that can step in and help with the rotation on the outside. Look for Steve Filer to make steps forward after a nice spring, concluding with his productive performance in the Blue-Gold Game. The sophomore notched game highs in tackles (12) and tackles for loss (2.0).

A dark horse to look out for is Dan Fox, who also had a solid spring and could see some playing time next fall.

Along the interior, there are more question marks. Carlo Calabrese had a nice spring and earned some praise from Diaco, but is very inexperienced. Steve Paskorz is another option, but is fresh off of a switch from fullback.

The starters are going to have to perform and produce, or else Notre Dame could find itself going to more inexperienced players.

Along the secondary, Harrison Smith looked to be the most comfortable and fluid of the bunch. Coming off of his struggles at safety last season, this bodes well for a potential bounce-back season. Smith and Darrin Walls are the most experienced players in the backfield.

Gary Gray is looking to build on his playing time from last year and will likely earn a starting spot. After Gray, Robert Blanton is ready to fill in as the third corner and could ultimately compete for a starting spot.

Jamoris Slaughter is the biggest uncertainty in the group and is also looking to build on his experience at safety last year. Slaughter said he was more comfortable this spring, partially because of last fall’s playing time, and the sophomore’s development would be a welcome addition to the unit.

Dan McCarthy and Zeke Motta are also candidates to earn playing time next fall and are the next players off the bench at safety. Motta was also used as a nickelback and outside linebacker sparingly in certain packages.

E.J. Banks, and early enrollees Spencer Boyd and Lo Wood are the cornerbacks after the first three and of the younger players, Banks is the most likely to contribute.

One thing that I do think will be different next fall is that this staff will not be afraid to go to a deeper rotation, subbing players in and out. Following Brian Kelly’s next man in philosophy, if an injury or lack of performance occurs, the new Irish coach expects the reserves to step in and not skip a beat.

When Dayne Crist was asked Monday afternoon if he would play in Saturday’s Blue-Gold Game, the sophomore quarterback wasn’t certain.

“I’m not sure yet,” he said. “I don’t know, we’ll see. I really don’t know.”

Notre Dame sports information director Brian Hardin did not know the answer either following Monday’s practice.

Tuesday afternoon, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly told WNDU’s Jeff Jeffers that Crist will play in Saturday’s intrasquad spring game. The sophomore will continue to be classified as protected and will not receive any contact from defensive players.

When Crist underwent his surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last November, it wasn’t certain if he would be able to participate in the Blue-Gold Game. However, the quarterback has progressed enough where the Irish coaching staff feels comfortable with him being on the field.

In fact, Kelly told Jeffers that all of Notre Dame’s players will be available for Saturday’s scrimmage.