Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/373357
IRISH IN THE PROS munication is the area in which he needs the most improvement. "It's loud," he said. "I've got to make sure everyone understands what I'm saying, everybody gets what I'm saying. Sometimes it moves quick, so I've got to really direct everybody and then get myself set. So I've got to do all those things faster." Shembo's first-career sack, albeit in a preseason game, came in the Falcons' opener. The former Irish player took a moment to enjoy the achievement. "That was good," Shembo said. "Just blitzed through the A-gap, got a rip on the guard and, boom, sack. I was hyped. It felt like it was a dream. It feels good." Shembo is one of several Irish rook- ies excelling in year one as a profes- sional. First-round pick Zack Martin is slated to start at right guard for the Dallas Cowboys, with their offensive line considered one of the league's best. Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt has split time between the first- and second-team units in his first year with the team. Each of those players, however, was chosen in the first two rounds in May. Shembo, a fourth-round selection, is proving to be one of the steals of the NFL Draft. NFL NOTES Through Aug. 27 • Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn's (2003-06) time with the Miami Dolphins lasted a little more than two weeks before the organization decided to release him prior to the fourth preseason game. "It was short lived, but I enjoyed every second. Thank you @MiamiDolphins for the opportunity to play the game I love again. Best of luck to all the players and coaches this season!" Quinn announced on his Twitter account. Prior to joining the Dolphins, Quinn had signed on with FOX Sports as a college football analyst. Now that his latest NFL stint is over, he will rejoin the network. • Jimmy Clausen (2007-09), Quinn's successor at Notre Dame, received better news during the last week of August when the Chicago Bears named him the team's No. 2 quarterback. Clausen beat out Jor- dan Palmer and will back up signal-caller Jay Cutler, who has missed at least one game due to injury in each of the past four seasons. • San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Ian Williams (2007-10) missed all of last season after breaking his ankle, but he has impressed the staff during his return to action this camp. With last year's starter Glenn Dorsey out, San Francisco will rely on Williams in the interior of its defensive line. Williams returned to practice for the first time since sustaining the injury Aug. 13. • Former Irish linebacker Manti Te'o (2009-12) led the San Diego Chargers in tackles (11) through two preseason games before suffering a sprained foot that held him out of the team's final two exhibition contests. "He's been doing really well," defensive coordina- tor John Pagano said of Te'o. "You see the instincts. You see him a lot more comfortable just being able to go out, down in and down out just playing the game, reading things and seeing things. Everything slowed down for him." • The Detroit Lions signed wide receiver Golden Tate (2007-09) to complement All-Pro Calvin Johnson in the pass-happy offense. After leading the NFL in drops last season, Detroit hopes Tate's hands — he dropped only two passes in 2013 — upgrade the unit. With the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks last season, Tate caught 64 passes for 898 yards and five touchdowns. ✦