Post-Spring Projection: Carlo Calabrese

After redshirting all of last season, sophomore linebacker Carlo Calabrese entered the spring season with one goal and one goal only – to become a starter at one of the two middle linebacker spots. 

At 245 pounds, Calabrese has a frame capable of filling in at inside linebacker this fall.

The New Jersey native didn’t sit around wait for good things to happen during the offseason, he went out and made some things happen, working back home at a facility that included many of the trainers that work with the New York Giants.

“He has gotten bigger, faster, stronger as a division one player over the past season,” Carlo Calabrese Sr. told BlueandGold.com this spring about his son’s work ethic since last season. “I believe he will be hard to stop from achieving his goal.”

Calabrese never quite reached his goal of becoming a starter during spring ball. Junior Anthony McDonald nailed down the other inside linebacker spot next to Manti Te’o in becoming the top defensive surprise of the spring season.

But the starter situation is only temporarily settled. The true test will come this fall when the position battle resumes. At 245 pounds, Calabrese has about 15 pounds on McDonald, a size advantage that could become important on the interior. This position battle will be one of the more interesting to watch this fall.

But starter or not, Calabrese will certainly get plenty of reps this fall, both at linebacker, and probably on special teams as well.

Calabrese didn’t see any playing time as a freshman in 2009, absorbing as much as he could as a reserve middle linebacker in the 4-3 defensive alignment. Though he would have liked being on the field, Calabrese understood his role and got the most out of it.

“Last year was a good year to sit out and learn, learn the college speed and the plays and how much bigger the guys are,” he said. “I’m really excited now,” said Calabrese. “I’m just excited to play football and hit somebody.”

Like so many of the Irish players, Calabrese is embracing a switch back to a 3-4 defensive alignment. It fits his aggressive style.

“This system’s great,” he said. “The middle linebackers just run downhill, banging into people, and that’s what I like to do.”

And performed those duties very well in the Blue-Gold Game this spring with five tackles – one for loss – and an interception of a Dayne Crist pass. All of his success this spring was a function of hard work since last season, and that unmistakable feeling of a clean slate, which helps elevate the play of so many players.

“Last year is in the past,” said Calabrese, a terrific athlete who also played some wide receiver and quarterback at Verona High School. “This year is this year, and we’re concentrating on this year. When I’m looking at practice, the defense is making plays...knocking the ball down, making good plays.”

What’s A Good Season?

Calabrese won’t lead the Irish team in tackles this season, but if he can earn a starting spot – or at least secure a spot in the linebacker rotation – that would be the roots of a good season, considering he didn’t play last year.

And if Calabrese can put himself in position to record about 20-30 total tackles, those numbers would indicate a player on the rise, a good season, and the start of a solid career.