Practice Observations, 11/6/07

With a dusting of sleety snow in the area, Notre Dame chose to go inside the Loftus Center to prepare for Air Force.

• With the quarterback undecided, we can tell you freshman Jimmy Clausen looked slower than Evan Sharpley when they ran through pre-stretching running. Also, when they were doing the high-step rotation, Sharpley and Darrin Bragg had much better extension than the freshman.
• Pat Kuntz was at practice.
• Ron Powlus spent extensive time talking with Sharpley and Clausen in stretching.
• When the players did their pre-stretching screaming we detected one player who has a REALLY high voice. Think "High Pitched Eric" from the Howard Stern Show.
• Brandon Walker did his field goal thing: Extra point good; 32 yards -- wide right; 32 yards -- good; 35 yards -- good; 38 yards -- good; 41 yards -- good; 45 yards -- good. We know the situations are different and there was no wind, but seeing this it makes you wonder more about Weis' decision Saturday.
• Kick return unit: Golden Tate; Armando Allen; Dan Wenger; Eric Olsen; Luke Schmidt; Asaph Schwapp; Paddy Mullen; Kyle McCarthy; Mike Ragone; Travis Thomas and Kevin Washington, although Washington may have been on the scout team.
• The second group of kick returners were Junior Jabbie and Robert Hughes.
• Linebackers coach Brian Polian wants more movement with the wedge.
• While the team worked on special teams, Sharpley and Clausen threw off to the side.

Don't forget about the weekly mailbag and predictions contest. Send your questions to mrothstein@jg.net and the same with your final score predictions.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Kyle]

Any idea who our "High Pitch Eric Is?"