The next two chambers are opened…
Golden Tate #23
Wide Receiver
5’11” 188 lbs.
Sophomore
Hendersonville, Tennessee
Wu-Name: Crazy-Haired Slacker
It just doesn’t look right to me. It’s about as opposite as the Wu-Name given to Golden. He doesn’t look like a dangerous wide receiver. He’s short, wears a number that was previously held by another wide receiver (Chase Anastasio) that was known for, well, nothing really, and was more heralded coming out of high school as a running back and a defensive back. Yet he managed to make Irish eyes smile wide as he torched Purdue for his coming out party.
Look for Tate to try and improve his biggest weakness this year. He HAS to run better routes. He can’t just run fly patterns every down. Can he? Irish fans have salivated at the potential that Tate has as a Domer since his recruitment. Golden Tate, from Pope John Paul II High School? How would he NOT be a Domer? I expect big things from Tate this year, especially on the returns. We should see him taking kickoffs, but I would really like to see him back as a punt returner as well.
Armando Allen #5
Running Back
5’10” 190 lbs.
Sophomore
Opa Locka, Florida
Wu-Name: Violent Toilet Thing
Armando Allen was supposed to be The Rocket reborn. That’s a lot of pressure for a player coming off of a season ending leg injury from his senior year in high school. Never the less, Armando set Notre Dame season records for kickoff returns (33) and yards (704). Although that sounds pretty impressive considering the return men the Irish have had in the past such as Ismail, Tim Brown, and Allen Rossum, but those totals are in large part due to the new kickoff spot (5 yards back), and the fact that ND let opposing teams into the endzone like they were Ed McMahon with a large cardboard check.
Armando will be in a heated battle for playing time with James Aldridge, and Robert Hughes for carries this year and he should see competition from incoming freshman Jonas Gray as a receiving back as Armando was the teams go to receiving threat out of the backfield. Couple him with Golden Tate returning kicks, and the Irish should be in better field position with good returns. Allen is finally 100% healed from his high school injury and will look to cement himself as a true threat whenever he touches the ball.
