Te'o is coming back
Big news from South Bend as Manti Te'o is coming back for his seinor season. It would have been nice to have him hit the draft where he was projected to be picked mid first round.
Guess we will just have to beat him for a fourth time!
December 12th, 2011 at 8:38 AM ^
If I were Te'o, I would be gone. That would get me away from Brian Kelly. One of these days Kelly's head is going to explode, and brain matter is going to be splattered on anyone near him.
December 12th, 2011 at 8:55 AM ^
but maybe he enjoys the comradare of his teammates and college life etc, etc. Don't think it matters much, I think we've shown that if you can get a blocker on him, you limit his effectiveness. It's when he's playing in space or doing delayed blitzes that he kills you with his speed.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:01 AM ^
of a dick Kelly is in real life. His public persona is terrible, but maybe he's a decent dude?
December 12th, 2011 at 9:23 AM ^
who are jerks in public when they know people are watching them are even bigger jerks in private when the public can't see what they do.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:33 AM ^
Kelly was considered as a replacement for Carr, but dropped because he was "unpleasant". I think that is diplomatic speak for "pretty much everyone thinks he is a dick".
December 12th, 2011 at 10:22 AM ^
December 12th, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^
They are everywhere...including your house.
December 13th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
December 12th, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^
while I don't agree with you, I'll +1 you for speaking what you believe is the true.
December 12th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
what has brandon done to be characterized as such? he seems as pleasant and good hangin an AD as you'd want.
December 13th, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
December 12th, 2011 at 6:55 PM ^
GVSU is the worst school that I have ever visited. I felt bad for my friend, we all can't be winners though.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:33 AM ^
I know first hand and from people working with him at GVSU and Cincinnati.
I wanted him to be the next coach at Michigan when Carr retired so I decided to ask some fellow athletic administrators about him. And it's clear that what you see is what you get with Kelly. I've heard a bunch about him...not much good another than he's a "smart football coach, but..."
Didn't shock me why he never got a sniff by Michigan either time around.
I'd NEVER send anyone I knew to play or work for him, he just has no control emotionally and from what I understand he thinks he's bigger than the team.
Brady Hoke doesn't give himself enough credit, he calls himself a "DLine coach" and always says it's the "senior's team" or it's about Michigan. He never takes credit.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:57 AM ^
My fiancee's cousin played for him at GVSU and I've heard only two wrods to describe him: "an asshole" and "a dick."
Also, according to him, Kelly seemed to have a similar philosophy to RR where he was pretty much hands-off on defense unless the defense did something wrong. Then they had hell to pay.
December 12th, 2011 at 10:24 AM ^
December 12th, 2011 at 12:48 PM ^
Do you have a date with Bolivia?
December 12th, 2011 at 8:38 AM ^
He was one of the players who was really pissed off at Brian Kelly after Kelly blamed the players. Te'o was the one who tweeted something along the lines of "I'm playing for my teammates only now, no one else."
But if he stays, who cares? Couldn't beat us before, won't beat us in the future.
December 12th, 2011 at 8:41 AM ^
I figured he was gone for sure after the whole Kelly "my recruits" dust up. Very surprised with the news to say the least.
December 12th, 2011 at 10:20 AM ^
why does anybody believe that when a coach talks to the media that they're being truthful? good coaches, i think, know that their main audience when they're talking to the media is their team. for example, they give credit to the guys who need self-confidence and they call out the guys that need a kick in the butt.
that exchange happend at a point where nd needed a kick in the butt. isn't the hypothesis that kelly was trying to motivate his team by getting them pissed at him as likely as the hypothesis that he's such an egomaniac that he was throwing half his team under the bus? if he had really alienated his team, wouldn't they have quit on him? would te'o be coming back?
even if kelly is a gigantic jerk with no self control, it still seems more likely that was an attempt to get his team fired up rather than a slip. the interpretation that he accidentally threw half his team under the bus implies that kelly is not only an egomanical jerk, but that he's a moronic egomaniacal jerk. no matter what you think about the guy, it seems a little far-fetched to account for his record prior to nd if he's a moronic egomaniac.
December 12th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
Occam's Razor would dictate that you provide evidence for the assumptions that "isn't the hypothesis that kelly was trying to motivate his team by getting them pissed at him as likely as the hypothesis that he's such an egomaniac that he was throwing half his team under the bus" and "it still seems more likely that was an attempt to get his team fired up rather than a slip."
As Napoleon noted, "never atribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity."
You could be right, but your assumptions are more complex and thus less likely (according to the Razor) to be true than hypotheses with equal evidence but less complexity.
I blieve that Kelly slipped up and said what he thought. It happens.
December 12th, 2011 at 2:23 PM ^
double post deleted.
December 12th, 2011 at 2:22 PM ^
occam's razor is a useful device when thinking about the natural world, but i'm not sure its so helpful with human behavior - where complexity is an expectation. its not obvious that the simplest possible explanation of why people do something is the best one. if that were the case, you could argue that unemployment is best explained by people choosing not to work. on top of that, its not at all obvious to determine which type of behavior is "simpler".
rather, i think its more useful to think about what is implied by competing hypotheses:
1. kelly just slipped - an experienced coach who has been trying to motivate college kids for 20 years and is noted for being slick with the media, slipped up and happened to throw half his team under the bus.
2. kelly did it on purpose - an experienced coach whose team was underachieving, opted for a commonly used motivational tactic (eg: the drill seargent) - getting his team to play more emotionally because they're pissed and using himself as the target of their ire.
neither is obviously impossible. but, hypothesis #2 seems more likely to me. #1 would be quite the slip for a college football coach: "oops, i didn't realize that saying that half the team isn't trying hard would go over badly..."
this hypothesis is also supported by additional evidence: nd's upperclassmen who grumbled about the statement, didn't quit. t'eo, a leading grumbler, decided to teturn for his senior season. kelly has demonstrated surprising variation in how he motivates kids in other contexts- the same guy famed for red-facedly losing his mind was surprisingly gentle when true freshman tommy rees messed up or when andrew hendrix blew reads against stanford.
December 12th, 2011 at 8:43 AM ^
I am sure Omameh will be happy to put him on skates down the field again!
December 12th, 2011 at 9:13 AM ^
My first thought reading the OP title was "Unfortunately for Te'o, so is Omameh"
December 12th, 2011 at 8:44 AM ^
It will be fine as long as ND doesn't figure out a way to defend the zone read.
December 12th, 2011 at 8:55 AM ^
Or if they don't teach Gary Gray to defend the Denard arm punt.
December 12th, 2011 at 8:44 AM ^
ND will have a good front 7 next year. Howeva, their secondary will continue to be suspect with most if not all their starting DBs graduating.
ND should be more worried about losing 60% of their O-line, in addition to Floyd. They are going to have a pretty anemic offense.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:39 AM ^
because you are mostly accurate - Cave is highly likely to return for a 5th year at Center, so ND is projected to lose 2 starters off the OL.
But yes the concerns are pretty much as you described:
1) No Floyd
2) Young Secondary
3) Schedule
The hope for the offense likely rests on Kelly finding a QB not named Tommy Rees that is ready to play. Both of the backups bring stronger arms and the ability to run the ball, which could help mitigate some of the damage of not having Floyd and Jonas Gray back.
December 12th, 2011 at 2:36 PM ^
the only hope for next year is a substantial upgrade at qb. kelly's system, much like rich rod's, is highly dependent on the qb. rees has major limitations - arm strength, inability to move in the pocket, no read option, etc. if hendrix or golson can improve qb play by a substantial margin, i bet it'll offset the loss of floyd and the o-line turnover (where there are relatively experienced and talented backup options at least).
of course, that was also pretty much the story this year - if crist stepped it up, nd would have been in good shape. we all know how that turned out.
December 12th, 2011 at 12:30 PM ^
December 12th, 2011 at 8:46 AM ^
Staying one more year makes no sense if the NFL is his goal. He is projected as a first round pick - after what happened to Sam Bradford, it seems crazy to hang around.
Even Andrew Luck will have gained nothing by staying at Stanford (except a degree which he could have completed in the off-season) and will have lost tens of millions of dollars by shortening his NFL career by a year.
December 12th, 2011 at 8:59 AM ^
Kids get criticized if they leave early; they get criticized if they stay 4 years. How about we allow them to make their own decisions based upon whatever internal motivations they have for themselves. Perhaps loyalty supercedes money. Perhaps a promise to a mother that they would earn a degree means more than money. I don't know what the answer is, but I know I am never criticizing a kid for staying in school. I think it serves as an excellent example to kids and I hope it is one that pays off for Te'o in the end....(much success after a miserable senior season). BTW...he could be the #1 pick in the draft and blow a knee the first day of rookie camp, there are no guarantees in life (look at the o-lineman who fell to his death during springbreak of his senior year after committing to ND) so the best decision is to make the one that makes you happiest, and that you will never regret regardless of the outcome.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:06 AM ^
because a player can always go back to school when their career is over (if they want) and take their remaining credits to earn a degree.
Players should think about maximizing their salary while in the NFL, because they average length of stay in the NFL is low, and there is the chance of injury, before going to the NFL.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:17 AM ^
they'll have the money to pay for it? Why turn down a free education at a good university?
December 12th, 2011 at 9:22 AM ^
Te'o will be drafted. Probably in the 1st three rounds, and he's projected to be a mid to late 1st rounder. A mid-late (19-21) 1st rounder in 2010 recieved anywhere from $9.6 to $13 million in guaranteed money.
He would be able to afford the $40K for an additional year at ND. He would be hard pressed to find a job that would realistically be able to earn $10-13 million COMBINED over the next 30 years.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:18 AM ^
(I've heard) It's pretty hard to go back to school after being out of it for a number of years. Te'o is the type of guy that will probably make it with whatever he decides to do, and if getting a degree now makes him happy, then who are you to suggest he should do otherwise?
December 12th, 2011 at 9:58 AM ^
It is hard to go back to school once you leave and start working. I have started and stopped a masters degree on several occasions, I just can't find the time and I would say now I have lost the will to do it. It wouldn't make much difference to me at this point in life other than a personal accomplishment.
December 12th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
Greg Jennings just completed his WMU degree recently.
December 12th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
finished his degree after going into the NBA as well. It can be done if it's a priority.
December 12th, 2011 at 3:29 PM ^
I was mostly talking to regular "people" not dudes that have huge bank accounts that can afford to not have a full time job. I do think the education is important, just for some of the superstars, it isn't a priority.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:31 AM ^
The average stay in the NFL is like 4 years? What difference does it make if he starts at 21 years of age versus 22? Not everyone has the greenback as their primary objective in life. I am sure he thought about his decision, and he obviously made a decision that he is comfortable with. Why criticize him simply because its not the decision you would have made?
Is there really a negative? He stays, he gets a senior year, perhaps he and his teammates set some goals they have yet to accomplish and he is staying to fight with his brothers to accomplish that. If he goes, he gets a signing bonus, but nothing else beyond that is guaranteed.
Drew Henson went for the cash. He got $10M as a signing bonus. That should have set him up for life, but does he have regrets? Had he stayed in college, could he have gotten that and more in the NFL? Could he have had a successful NFL career without the hiatus from football? Were there experiences that he missed out on, that even coming back and earning a degree you are never going to get back.
There is too much to look back on and wonder what if?, so you make the decision you are most comfortable and work your hardest to make it work.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:25 AM ^
Receiving as much education as possible should be a priority for most people. There are exceptions. and in my book it is first round draft picks. It is a rare opportunity to have instant financial success. If education matters, it can always be acquired later. You cannot, however, get back the year you lost by playing one more year of college football or basketball.
A point you miss is that if a player were the #1 pick and blows his knee out the first day of practice, he still has a large contract in place with substantial guarantees.
If you lose the opportunity for a big pay day by playing one more year of college sports, I would suggest you will regret your decision for the rest of your life. You can always go back to school if you have the finances.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:30 AM ^
He could make $55M instead of $50M over the course of his career. At that point, it really doesn't make much of a difference, imo. Besides, there are other motivations besides money.
According to his father:
"One of inspiring things he shared with us was, what can he live with if decided to go pro?" Brian Te'o said. "Can he live with not having the memory of his senior season? Could I be satisfied with millions and live without the memory? Or can I live without the millions and have the memories?He goes, 'I can do that. I can live with my career possible ending at Notre Dame.' If he leaves this life in general, he'll know he gave Notre Dame everything he had. He felt he didn't do that yet. He really hasn't given Notre Dame everything he's got."
"He wanted to be a senior," Brian Te'o said. "More than anything he wanted to walk around that stadium one last time, whether it was in pads or in crutches. He said he will walk and give his final goodbyes. He couldn’t see himself declaring for NFL and not having that opportunity to say goodbye to Notre Dame."
December 12th, 2011 at 9:37 AM ^
Is very cool. You have to respect a guy who thinks that. This clearly is not about his draft stock.
December 12th, 2011 at 10:34 AM ^
I can't fathom why people think that Te'O is making the wrong decision here. Aren't we, as U of M people, supposed to appreciate the value of a great education? And what about Those Who Stay Will Be Champions? And what about the opportunity to play for a team, for your teammates and for your school and not for a contract or just for yourself? I think Bo would think quite highly of Te'O's decision.
December 12th, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^
It's simple. He's a good player and down deep we'd prefer to not see him play against Michigan next year. Since we are not the RCMB, we don't root for injuries, so going pro is the only option. All that said, let's just beat them again next year.
December 12th, 2011 at 8:52 AM ^
So what your saying is that ND is going to a BCS bowl next year? Sounds like a great beginning to another year of pre season ND hype. Bring out Dr. Lou!