Returning Irish Lettermen on Defense

Defensively, the Irish are returning 11 players with starting experience, but only 10 of them will be taking defensive snaps.  Troy Niklas played in 12 games on defense in 2011 starting one of them against Michigan State before moving to the offensive side of the ball in 2012 for his sophomore year.  Looking at the list of players with starting experience, there is a mix of upperclassman with a ton of experience that will bring leadership in 2013 along with young talent to help fortify the future.

Fifth year graduate student Dan Fox has appeared in 39 games over three seasons and has started in 22 of them.  Fox came to the Irish as an outside linebacker and thought he may be moved to safety, but has played the majority of his games, beginning with 13 starts in 2011, at inside linebacker.  In 2012, Fox platooned the inside linebacker position next to all-world Irish linebacker Manti Te’o with Carlo Calabrese.  Fox’s experience, coupled with his talent, should help ease the absence of Te’o in 2013.

Number one in your heart and in 2013 #1 in your program, Louis Nix has started 22 of the 26 games he has appeared in for the Fighting Irish.  After redshirting his freshman season, Nix exploded onto the scene, starting 11 games during his sophomore campaign.  Having Nix eat up blockers up front, Te’o was able to have a season at linebacker that got him second place in the Heisman Trophy voting.  Without a doubt, Nix is a leader on and off the field for this team.  And by the way, he still has a year of eligibility after this season.

When you have an outside linebacker comparable to Lawrence Taylor, you have something special, and the Irish have something special in Prince Shembo.  He broke onto the scene in his freshman year, playing in all 13 games and capping his first season with three tackles and a sack in the Sun Bowl against Miami.  Shembo kept motoring through his sophomore year appearing in 12 games while starting in eight of them.  Last season he started all 13 games, racking up 51 tackles (22 solos and 10.5 of them for a loss) and 7.5 sacks.  I love his focus and attack mode mentality.  It will be great to have Shembo’s experience at the outside linebacker position, and keep in mind he can put his hand on the ground and shift to a defensive end quickly if needed.

Stephon Tuitt has started 16 games while appearing in 21 for the Irish over two years.  It’s pretty simple with Tuitt - he’s good (REAL good), he’s big and he’s quick. Tuitt saw action in nine games during his freshman year including three starts, putting together a respectable freshman season.  In 2012, Tuitt played a good portion of the season with a sports hernia and still managed to tally 47 tackles, including 13 for loss, a team-high 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass breakup and one blocked kick.  Confidence should not be an issue for Tuitt in 2013.

Carlo Calabrese redshirted his freshman season, and from there has gone on to play in 36 games, starting in 13 of them.  Calabrese split time with Dan Fox at the inside linebacker position next to Manti Te’o.  He is a run stop first inside linebacker who works out in the off season at a place called House of Iron, making him a perfect complement to Dan Fox’s pass coverage skill set.  Calabrese is physical (ask George Atkinson III from the Blue & Gold scrimmage) and serves as the prototypical run stopping middle linebacker.

KeiVarae Russell was recruited and came to South Bend to play running back but was moved to Cornerback at the beginning of camp.  Going into his sophomore year, Russell has gained a lot of experience and fast.  Starting all 13 games last season, Russell brings a growing experience and confidence to the Irish defensive secondary.  In the process of being named to Freshman All-America Team by both Football Writers Association of America and CBS Sports.com, and selected a second-team Freshman All-American by Sporting News and Scout.com in 2012, he tallied 58 tackles (37 unassisted), two tackles for a loss and a shared sack with Louis Nix.

All of Bennett Jackson’s starts came in 2012 (total of 13), but he has plenty of field experience from appearing in all 26 games of his freshman and sophomore years.  As a freshman, Jackson was named Special Teams Player of the Year, returning 29 kickoffs for 645 yards while collecting 10 tackles on kickoff and punt teams (good for second best on special teams).  His junior season he started all 13 games at cornerback recording 65 tackles (45 unassisted), one fumble recovery and four pass breakups.

Danny Spond’s junior season started off with a big question mark with headaches causing him to miss Notre Dame’s first two games.  Danny responded by starting the next 11 games at outside linebacker for the Irish, collecting 52 tackles (25 unassisted).  Spond saw action in 18 games in his first two season’s primarily on special teams and as a reserve linebacker.

Matthias Farley is another player who came to South Bend expecting to play on offense and ended up in the defensive backfield.  After redshirting his freshman season playing wide receiver on the scout team, Farley helped fill in the vacancy at safety left by the injury of Jamoris Slaughter by starting in 11 games last season while seeing action in all 13 in 2012.  During his first season as safety, Farley had 49 tackles (23 unassisted), two tackles for a loss and a pass break up.  By the way, Matthias did not start playing organized football until his junior year in high school.

 

Senior Kona Schwenke has seen game action in each of his first three seasons (5,3,11)with the Irish, including two starts in 2012.  He has been seen as a backup to Louis Nix so it may not be surprising that he has seen limited action recently.  Schwenke is, however, a solid player and would have a lot more starts playing for another program.

Returning Offensive Experience

The overriding theme I hear over and over again (and often from myself) is that the Irish are lacking game experience.  The offense has seen more than its fair share of unexpected player departures since the end of last season - Kiel, Neal, and Furguson.

As I review the roster for the fall, there seems to be more than sufficient experience, at least statistically speaking.  Chuck Martin’s offense returns 11 players with at least one start under their belt.  Three of the 12 started all 13 games last season and all three were offensive linemen - Martin, Watt and Lombard.

Leading the way with 39 consecutive starts at tackle is fifth year Offensive Lineman, Zack Martin.  Martin could have left to play on Sundays after last season but chose to return to anchor Notre Dame’s offensive line.  Zack has been and will continue to be on any and all lineman award watch lists including the Lombardi and Outland Trophy lists.  Adding in the fact that he is a two-time team captain, his experience is priceless in the locker room, huddle, and on the field.  I love this guy’s attitude, "I wanted to play with my little brother (Nick), I wanted to finish it out with (guard Chris) Watt, and ultimately I want to play another year with coach (Harry) Hiestand." – Zack Martin.  With the loss of mobile Golson, less active Rees should be well taken care of on the left side.

T.J. Jones (godson of Raghib “The Rocket” Ismail) has appeared in 38 games, starting in 30 of them in three years, making him the only other player besides Zack Martin to start in 30 or more games.  Jones has shown growth and progress over his three years (the biggest jump last season) but he has not become the number one receiver the Irish are looking for.  At 5’11”, 190 lbs., Jones may not be Michael Floyd (and I don’t think anyone expected him to be), but he has shown some glimpses of greatness starting from day one.  He was the first freshman wide out in school history to catch TD passes in each of his first two career games and became the second freshman wide out in Notre Dame history to register a touchdown in the Irish season opener.  Kelly needs Jones to put his experience to work this season and step up to become the “go to” guy in the receiver corps for this offense to be successful.

Fifth year senior Chris Watt started in all 13 games in each of the last two seasons for a total of 26 starts, while appearing in 39 games over three seasons after redshirting his freshman year.  Watt is a kid that could have left after last season and worked his way onto a NFL squad through free agency.  Chris Watt has been a fixture at the guard position alongside Zack Martin on the O-line and that chemistry should pay dividends this fall.

The naming of Tommy Rees as the starting quarterback for the Irish in 2013 in the wake of Golson’s absence has many people less than thrilled.  Most teams in this situation would be happy to have their “backup” quarterback have as much game experience has Rees has.  Statistically speaking, Rees is the most accurate passer in Notre Dame history and can recite the playbook from memory cover to cover. In three seasons, Tommy Rees has appeared in 33 games with 18 starts. Say what you will, but having meaningful snaps under his belt is not an issue at the starting quarterback position.

After redshirting his freshman year, offensive lineman Christian Lombard appeared in all 13 games during his sophomore year as a backup role at tackle and on special teams.  Watt went on to start all 13 games of his junior season.  26 games played with 13 starts at right tackle is a solid resume and a welcomed asset for a lineman with two years of eligibility left.  Lombard is also the last player with double digit starts on offense.

Troy Niklas had seven starts at tight end in 2012 and played in all 13 games.  In terms of game playing experience, Niklas has appeared in in 25 games.  As a freshman, Troy played on the defensive side of the ball including one start.  His receiving numbers are modest at best with five catches for 75 yards.  Overall confidence (his nick name is Hercules and he is known for flipping over blocking sleds in practice) and game readiness is not an issue here, but Niklas is still learning the position of tight end at the college level.

Senior wide receiver Daniel Smith may have started in four of the 22 games he has appeared in during the three years he has been at Notre Dame, but in most people’s eyes he has not played at a “starting” level.  His offensive totals are statistically mediocre at best with an average of 6.7 (long of 11 yards) yards a catch on seven catches for a total of 47 yards and no touchdowns.

Wide Receiver Chris Brown saw action in all 13 games with four starts during his freshman year in 2013.  Although he had only two receptions last year, one was for 50 yards on a huge stage on the road in Norman against Oklahoma on the go ahead drive.

Junior Running Back George Atkinson III has appeared in 25 games (only missed the Oklahoma game in 2013) in his first two years with three starts (all three starts in his sophomore year).  GAIII was the third smaller appendage of the last season’s three headed monster at running back.  Atkinson works on his speed as a sprinter on Notre Dame’s track team.  Although his 51 carries for 361 yards last season may have been a bit disappointing, it did give him an understanding of running back by committee at some level, which it should defiantly be the case to some extent in 2013.

Sophomore DeVaris Daniels redshirted his freshman year before seeing action in 11 (missed last two games of the regular season with a broken collarbone) games, starting in three of them.  Daniels positioned himself to step up and be a leader in the receiving corps leading the team in yards per catch average last season with 15.8 yards per catch (of receivers with at least eight catches) for a total of 490 yards on 31 receptions.  DaVaris finished strong as one of the few highlights for the Irish in the BCS National Championship Game posting a career-high 115 receiving on six receptions, including a 31-yard reception.

Ben Koyack has two starts (one in 2011 and one in 2012) in 24 game appearances in his two years with Notre Dame.  Koyack’s role has been primarily in multiple tight end formations and as a reserve.  Ben has a total of four receptions for 44 yards in two seasons for the Irish.  Koyack is another player waiting to live up to the expectations coaches had for him when he arrived in South Bend.