Where Have You Gone, Jeff Samardzija?
October 28th, 2008 . by adamnI am Jeff Samardzija. And I am a forgotten man. Why? This is the question I ask myself everyday. Notre Dame Stadium used to be my playground. 2 years of countless burned defensive backs. 15 touchdowns in a single season. Back to back years with double digit touchdowns. All-America honors. All Brady had to do was keep the ball in the vicinity of the stadium and I would catch it. One time, he threw it right to the guy at USC, and even thought I was out of position, I ignored the laws of physics, and phased right through his body to catch the ball. Einstein would have been pissed if he saw it, because he wouldn’t have been able to figure out how I did it. Sometimes I got so mad that my competition couldn’t challenge me that I would wave them toward me and hope they might catch me. I was everybody’s favorite, whether it be my amazing catches, blood thirsty nickname, or hair so cool that even Bill Ray Cyrus would have traded his mullet for it during his Achy Breaky Heart Days. All of this, and I am still yesterdays news.
Why? Because the the new Notre Dame offense will shatter everything that Brady, Stovall, and I did. Clausen, Floyd, Tate, and Rudolph will make it look like we were playing in a sandbox instead of Notre Dame Stadium. Those kids can do it all, and have at least 2 more years together. They will be the most potent Notre Dame offense ever. Who needs to remebember me when Floyd and Tate become the best receivers Notre Dame has ever had? When I begin to think like that, there is only one thing that comforts me.
At least I still have my hair.
Um, whats the point to this article? Guess I really dont see the angle here. Samardzja was one of if not THE best WR Notre Dame has ever had. AND he did it in 2 seasons! Can you imagine if The Shark had Weis there for 4 years?! His number would have been insane.
Bottom line is that the kids have to do it in back to back seasons. Sure everyone can have a “hot” season and catch a bunch of balls when no one knows about you. But the key is to come back and do it in year 2 and 3. Guess we’ll have to wait and see how Floyd and Tate hold up. All in all Samardzija was one of the best, always will be, and hardly will ever be forgotten. Heck, you’re still talking about him now and its been 2 1/2 years since he’s stepped foot on a football field!
Evan T,
The point is that I thought that Samardzija was a bad dude, but these new guys will put on a show that no one has seen before.
Both Floyd and Tate have more natural talent than Samardzija. It took him until his 3rd year to step on the field (and ND did not have great receivers), and both of these guys stepped on the field in their true freshman years. Jeff could catch (maybe no college receiver was better at the jump ball) and was an underrated athlete, but I think Floyd and Tate can (and will) do things on the field that he couldn’t. They are going to be fun to watch, and may become true ND legends.
Hmm. Well sounds to me like your point is that since Samardzja never saw much of the field as a frosh of soph, that labled him as not to have that much natural talent. I think before you try to knock your point home you need to look at those 2003 and 2004 season….The years of Ty Willingham, OC Diedrick, and WR coach Trent Miles. Sorry Adamn but that comparison to Weis seems to be an unfair playing field. You stick Samardzija as a frosh on this current team and he’s putting up big numbers as well.
I agree with Evan T on all of this as you have to look at the big picture of all this. The teams Samardzija was playing against in 2005 and 2006 were WAY tougher than these opponents in 2008. Additionally like it was stated before, the Shark did it in 2 consecutive seasons when defenses were keying on him and constantly double teaming him.
To wrap this up, head over to Youtube.com, type in Samardzija, and then try to justify your point of “Floyd and Tate can (and will) do things on the field that he (Samardzija) couldn’t. Sorry but I havent seen any signs of those skills from Tate or Floyd at this point.
Samardzija was darn good, if not THE best ever at ND.
Brody-I am not knocking Samardzija–or saying he didn’t have talent. I am just saying he doesn’t have as much as Tate or Floyd. I will hold it against him that he did not step on the field his first 2 years. Stovall and McKnight did under the coaching staff you mentioned, so why not Samardzija? I’m not saying he would have put up great numbers, but he could have seen the field.
Samardzija is kinda like all-star outfielder Jim Edmonds. Both are great. Both made amazing catches. But the joke on Edmonds was that he always HAD to make great catches because his ass was so slow to get to the ball.
Samardzija made a lot of his plays the same way. Going up and getting the jump ball. He could not have blown by the Pac-10 sprint champ as Floyd did. He could not take a quick out 50 yards to the house as Floyd did. He was not as versatile as Tate or Floyd. Weis would not have him returning kicks and punts like Tate does. According to Weis’s press conference, Tate was lobbying to play tailback-and Weis would consider it if the backfield wasn’t so deep. Charlie would have laughed at Jeff S if he had asked to play tailback.
Oh, and against athletic defenses like Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Penn State, LSU, and USC-Jeff S had plenty of trouble getting separation.
Both Tate and Floyd can catch the jump ball nearly as good as Samardzija, and all 3 have excellent hands. But Tate and Floyd have more speed and athleticism, and can hurt a defense in more ways. Therefore I think they will be better.
Sorry dude, but youre wrong. Cant compare Tate to Samardzija as they are totally different WR’s. You honestly saying Tate could take the jump ball as good as Samardzija can?
Seperation questions? Please review all USC, Stanford, PSU, GT, and every other game Jeff S played in. Only real game he had a tough time in was 2005 against the Bucks. Even then he was bracketed every down with a CB man’d up, and a FS over the top. Tough to get seperation in double coverage.
For Pac-10 seperation go to Youtube, type Samardzija and look for 2006 Stanford highlight reel. I think Samardzija has plenty speed, especially when he ran his 4.51 in the senior combine to go to Mobile for the UA Senior All American game.
No, I said Tate in NEARLY as good at getting the jump ball-and he is. Great ball skills, timing, and jumping ability. That, coupled with his speed and running ability, make me like his potential better.
Of course I can compare them. They are a little different, but you can always compare types of skill sets and know what you would rather have on your team. If you were an NFL Gm, you would have to compare the talents of a (big receiver) T.O. versus a (small receiver) Steve Smith if you could only draft 1 receiver to be your big play guy.
I watched a lot of Jeff S, and he did have trouble getting separation. I’d look at the stats from those games, but I don’t need to.
Also, I was not talking about Stanford or Pac 10 defensive backs in general (I remember the touchdown you’re talking about). I meant that Floyd burnt a specific player this year on Stanford who is the Pac 10’s 100 meter champ. Ran right by him Jeff could not do that. I don’t care that he ran a 4.5, there are a lot of factors that go into 40 times. I mean that on the field he never blew straight by anybody. NEVER. His long runs were crossing routes where he picked up good blocks.
Again, Samardzija was a good athlete, with underrated speed. I just like the potential of the 2 ND has now to be better players.
Ok well if your speculation is on “pure talent” we’ll just have to see where they go in the NFL draft. Samardzija was slated to be the #12 pick by the N.E. Patriots. If he would have entered the NFL draft the Randy Moss trade would not have happened due to them trading up to get the Shark. Worst case he would have gone in the mid 20’s picks, and thats a fact.
You think Tate and Floyd will be first round WR’s in the NFL?
Brody-
I respect you defending your boy. Can’t argue with what you are saying about draft status, but I never heard of Jeff S as higher than a 2nd round pick.
Yes, I think they both could be 1st rounders, and barring injury-I guarantee Floyd will.
Well please leave your email, or if you post on NDNation let me know your username because I will gladly follow-up with you in a couple years regarding these two guys and the NFL draft. Id say even if we never agree with each other, the NFL draft is the perfect sticking point.
2nd round for Jeff S? Are you serious? It was a guarantee he would have gone before Brady, let alone a being a first rounder. You see Mel Kiper Jr and Todd McShays rating of Shark going into the draft? Both had him as the #2 WR behind Calvin Johnson. And to be honest, if Jeff would have come out his Junior season he would have been the #1 WR taken. Either year no way he gets past the #24 pick overall.
Brody:
I post on NDNation every now and again, I just use southbendblarney as my name. I comment on Blue-Gray Sky as well.
The NFL draft will put one of us in our place, won’t it! Anyway, take it easy and be sure to call me out anytime if I write some more things you disagree with!
Sure thing.
Just be careful when throwing a guy like Samardzija around especially when you call it:
“Where Have You Gone Jeff Samardzija”
He’s one of the best ever at ND, let alone 2-Sport All Americans. Gotta give some credit where credit is due, Samardzija did it for two years straight in the brightest spotlight against top tier teams. So far Tate and Floyd have done it for half a season against subpar teams. Give it some time before you start throwing Shark under the bus…
Aaagh!!!! I wasn’t throwing Shark under the bus. I liked him as a player, All I did was write a point of view piece showing how highly I think of the new guys. When I write I will always try to make it interesting and allow people to form their own opinions. Obviously you have, and it’s cool.