The transfer portal takes, and the transfer portal gives – rather – brings Houston Griffith back to Notre Dame. Increasingly, the increasing senior security removed his name from the database less than three weeks after entering it and strengthened the Irish second-deep to a position of doubt and potential in 2021.
Yahoo’s Pete Thamel reports Griffith’s new intentions for the first time, who attributed the newly appointed defense coordinator, Marcus Freeman, and Brian Kelly, head coach of Notre Dame, for persuading Griffith to take a turn at the starting position, along with junior Kyle Hamilton.
We look at what this space said when Griffith entered the transfer portal to launch in 2021.
‘Griffith’s Irish career has included bouncing between nickelback, corner kick and safety, but it looks like he’s finally safe in 2020, the position that earned him four – star status in his recruitment. He has made 14 tackles this season, in two games and in all 12 games. His starting lineup (South Florida, Florida) took place when Notre Dame was working through a coronavirus outbreak, although his most notable work was in the second half in North. Carolina, after Kyle Hamilton, the second security guard, was evicted.
“Griffith’s inconsistent development in safety led to Shaun Crawford moving off the corner in pre – season practice, and as the season progressed, DJ Brown saw more playing time than Griffith, including in that Tobacco Road moment, the two on his way to a spring competition to start with Hamilton. .
“Instead, it looks like Brown should lose the role if four-star recruiter Khari Gee suddenly looks at a good chance to make a contribution.”
While the total selling price to bring Griffith back into the herd will color the storylines in the spring and preseason, it would seem Brown still has the position in this race to start with an inevitable preseason All-American. He took 243 defensive tackles in 2020, compared to Griffith’s 215, including Brown taking 23 shots in the North Carolina game in place of Hamilton. On the other hand, Griffith made 14 attacks in 2020, compared to Brown’s eight.
The statistical comparisons may go back and forth longer than a January summary deserves. Griffith made more tackles in part because he conceded seven catches on eight targets, while Brown broke two passes (Griffith: 0).
In other words, the competition to be Hamilton’s running mate will be watched this spring, especially with no one else’s attention. Upcoming second baseman Ramon Henderson could move to safety, up-and-coming junior Litchfield Ajavon has yet to make a defensive turn, KJ Wallace, classmate, has made even less of an impact and incoming freshmen Gee and Justin Walters will need Freeman impressed to be part of the conversation.
Maybe that was the selling point to Griffith: he starts or he’s the primary backup for both Brown and Hamilton.
Another of 2020’s running notes – My depth chart spreadsheet contains years of running notes on each player. No player in the 2020 depth map has dedicated more cells to him than Houston Griffith.
Just a nut #Notre Dame could not crack so to speak.– Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) 14 January 2021
Even that complementary role would be a step forward for Griffith. An example of the notes:
– A variety of concerns about him as a cornerback leading in 2019.
He noted that former Irish defense coordinator Clark Lea had publicly pointed out that it was not productive for him to touch Griffith because he was deeply beaten, suggesting that enough had happened to qualify as a training ground. .
– Included in the trend, beat different moments from Chase Claypool, Kevin Austin, Joe Wilkins, Isaiah Robertson and Chris Finke Griffith.
– Repeated thoughts that Griffith’s may be struggling due to the wrong position on the corner. He must be a safety.
– Re: the truncated spring of 2020, “His performance in the one spring exercise was impressive, a lost opportunity to build on.”
And this is only a sample; the sheer number of these notes makes it clear that Griffith was on the verge of the talks regarding Notre Dame’s potential. Now another defense coordinator will have the chance to change that into reality.