Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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speed and, of course, the length that defensive back coaches are looking for right now," Rivals recruiting analyst Woody Wommack said after watch- ing Pride at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. "He was great at predicting where the players are going to be and guessing routes, and more importantly making a play on the ball. "He's very fast. I really like his clos- ing speed. The only thing is that he trusts that closing speed a little too much by allowing guys to get by him and then tries to make up late, which is going to be tougher at the next level." But that's where Irish defensive backs coach Todd Lyght enters the pic- ture. Lyght, who played cornerback at Notre Dame, watched Pride play in person the night before the Irish played at Clemson Oct. 3. He told the corner- back that he could refine his skills and FILM ANALYSIS Strengths Troy Pride brings elite speed and athleticism to the cornerback position that Notre Dame cur- rently does not have on the roster … Even when he makes a technique error, he has the recovery speed to make up for the mistake and get back up with the receiver … Has good length for the cornerback position, along with impressive agil- ity and foot quickness … When his technique is right, his athleticism allows him to make fast transitions and along with his speed give him elite man coverage potential. Areas For Improvement Is inconsistent from a technique standpoint, which can be improved at the next level … Once he becomes more consistent, he should see his coverage skills should take off … Must also get stronger, which will help him improve his tack- ling and keep him from getting pushed around by bigger receivers. — Bryan Driskell