Next Years First Timers

The Irish had a lot of great plays made by a lot of good freshman football players this year.  Notre Dame also had some good (or at least we’ve been told they’re good) freshman football players who never even played a down.  The good news is we have the potential for having them make plays for the next four years by retaining a year of eligibility, and they also the way picked up a year of practice and tutelage from a coaching staff who gave them a year of weight training and workouts that should payoff big time.

The 2011 season saw a number of players take the field and contribute who were redshirted last season. Louis Nix was not only worth the wait, but the wait was probably necessary.  Nix came to South Bend overweight and under-conditioned; then he took a year, hit the field and produced.  We now have three more years of a developed football player.   Not every redshirt needed to develop, but they all got a year’s work and maybe more importantly get another year of game playing for the Golden Domers.  Andrew Hendrix did not see the field as much as Nix did this season nor did he need the time to work on his weight or conditioning, but I am sure that the time served him well.  He should fit well into Brian Kelly’s plans for a faster spread offense. 

The offensive line has stockpiled some big guys that will ensure quarterbacks have time to pass and running backs have big holes to run through.  6’5” 280 lb. Bruce Heggie, 6’5” 301 lb. Christian Lombard, and 6’8” 320 lb. mountain Nicolas Tate (who due to injury this year could , down the road petition the NCAA for a 6^th year) will all be on board for the future thanks to being redshirted last season.

Even though on the defensive side of the ball youth seems to be on Notre Dame’s side, there were a number of sophomores this year who still have three years of eligibility that could really be beneficial to success the team.   Linebackers Kendall Moore and Justin Utipo will provide stability for the next three years, although next year it will be most likely be in a back up roll for the defense.