Why is everyone sleeping on Corey Holmes ( confirmed!!! 4.48 electronic 4.39 hand time in the 40 at 16 years old)? He was injured last summer and early in the season on a team that was run first oriented and loaded with talent (Mini-College Program/St. Thomas Aquinas-Florida) which explains why he didn’t have the numbers of other players from around the country. Guarantee that he will shock everyone at ND and finnish the season as a starter next year. Brian Kelly believes in playing the best regardless of your age and this kid can do everything extremely well with no hype at all. The spread offense will benefit from having a do-it-all type of kid like Corey, plus he’s gained 15 lbs since the end of his H.S. season. ND Nation is getting a rare Athlete! GO IRISH!!!

Harping on a first season of 17-1 that wasn’t repeated is the definition of cherry picking. The outcomes were, en total, mediocre regardless of the reasons.

57.8% 7.5 YPC 76/26 135.5

You can argue the reasons why those are mediocre, but they’re mediocre.

His game/stats went to a higher level (with better talent around him) than he had at NCS. NCS won 17 games in his last 2 seasons. They have won 10 games in the 2 years since he left. The QB’s who followed him were mediocre.

Breakout was evident and correct, mediocre is not. His OVERALL stats got better in large part because he had a better cast of talent around him. 17 to 1 and 75 to 26 are not mediocre stats- but it seems apparent you are clearly ignoring them and cherry picking others.

Marshall Faulk put up A LOT better rushing stats in all 3 of his first 3 seasons at Saint Louis than he had in any of his first 5 seasons in Indy. Why did his yards per carry increase by over 25%- mainly because he had better overall talent around him. So by your logic he broke out in SL after being mediocre in Indy. I guarantee if your comments about Wilson were posted on a WI or NCS message board, 100% of their posters would scoff at your mediocre comment.

In year 1 he completed 54% of his passes.
In year 3 he had a 28-14 TD/Int ratio and completed 58% of his passes.
They weren’t bad years, neither were they great years.
His overall efficiency rating at NC was 135. That’s pedestrian and very much in the ballpark with Rees.

Contrast those years with his 72% completion percentage, 33-4 TD/Int, 191 PE year at Wisconsin and “breakout” becomes evident… as does mediocre.

My bad, whenever I see a TD/Int ratio of 17 to 1 for one season or 76 to 25 for 3 seasons the word mediocre should come to mind and of course at NCS he had the same type of talent around him he had at WI and EG had at ND in 2012 with his 12 TD’s and 6 INT’s. First team all ACC as a frosh screams mediocrity, as does all this in 3 seasons:

Ranks third in NC State history with 8,545 career passing yards, that mark ranks 12th in ACC history … Has thrown 76 touchdown passes for his career, the second-best mark in school history and the third-highest in the league record books … Has also run for 17 career scores, making him responsible for 93 TDs in his career, the second-best mark in school and ACC history … His 682 career completions trails only Philip Rivers in the Wolfpack record book, while his 1,180 attempts rank third … … Also ranks third in career total offense with 9,628 yards – the eighth-best mark in ACC history ..

Not sure what a falling with O’Brien has to do with your mediocre comments. I do appreciate the information on Geer Martini and Blake BarnettE.

And Redfield has good height but I still think he needs to gain more weight. I love him though (was my fav recruit along w/Fuller of that class) and see him getting a “pick 6” this season.

BVG has really piqued my interest. I think he is a heavy tactics guy. Will be fascinated to see how this plays out…

Added.

Look a bit more closely:

133 rating
147 rating
127 rating

That’s mediocre. You could argue his second season stands out, but it was followed by the 127. Golson’s rating was 131 as a true sophomore. Wilson’s falling out with O’Brien led to his transfer. For perspective, Wilson’s rating was 191 at Wisconsin. I’m not sure the Brey analogy is what you’re looking for.