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decisive 32-20 victory — the last time the Fighting Irish would lose at home until eight years later.

The following season Notre Dame traveled to Ann Arbor in college football’s first-ever No. 1 versus No. 2 contest (the Associated Press poll began in 1936), with the top-ranked Fighting Irish registering a 35-12 triumph on their way to the first of four national titles under head coach Frank Leahy (Michigan would finish No. 3).

Again, the series halted, even though the two superpowers were separated by about only 190 miles. Michigan head coach Fritz Crisler, who also would serve as the athletics director until 1968, had an antipathy toward Leahy and his intensity nearly rivaled Yost’s toward Rockne.

Notre Dame would win three of the four national titles from 1946-49 while producing a 36-0-2 record. Michigan won the other one (1948).

The Wolverines also point out that even though Notre Dame won the 1947 regular-season title as voted by the Associated Press, an informal AP poll after Michigan’s 49-0 victory versus USC in the Rose Bowl gave nearly a two-to-one voting advantage (226-119) to the Wolverines.

“I just wish we had an opportunity to beat Michigan,” Leahy said earlier that year when asked if the Wolverines could vanquish them.

“We’d be happy to play them anywhere, any Saturday, any fall.”

In what looked to be another tweak at the Maize and Blue, Notre Dame then began a long-standing series in 1948 with Michigan State, a burgeoning power that had been Michigan’s archenemy. The move helped the Spartans, the 1952 national champs, gain more credibility and admittance into the Big Ten in 1949 (with 1953 its first year of competition).

After the 33-year wait from 1909 until 1942, and then the 35-year hiatus from 1943 until 1978, the genesis of Chapter III began in the late 1960s when two more titans in collegiate athletics — athletic directors Don Canham at Michigan and Ed “Moose” Krause at Notre Dame — agreed upon a long-term series starting in 1978. Canham had expressed to good friend Krause his concern about filling Michigan’s 100,000-seat stadium, especially after attendance had dropped to an average of 67,000 in 1967.

Krause suggested that a series with Notre Dame would help fill it.

In the 30 games played between the two teams since 1978 — with

UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Each of Notre Dame’s 14 victories over Michigan since 1978 is cherished, from sophomore linebacker Bob Crable’s 1979 starting debut in Ann Arbor with 19 tackles and a blocked field goal in the closing seconds to preserve a 12-10 win, to the six turnovers forced by Notre Dame in the 13-6 slugfest in 2012 that helped propel a magical 12-0 regular season.

In between, in 1990 there was sophomore quarterback Rick Mirer rallying the No. 1 Irish to a 28-24 win in his first career start, the surprising 36-20 blowout in 1998 of co-defending champion Michigan, which had Tom Brady at the throttle, or freshman running back Darius Walker coming out of nowhere to rush for 115 yards to rally Notre Dame to a 28-20 conquest in 2004.

However, our top five would be: 1. 1988: Notre Dame 19, Michigan 17 — This opener saw Irish 5-5, 135-pound kicker Reggie Ho convert all four of his field goals, the last with 1:13 left. Notre Dame then survived when Michigan’s Mike Gillette missed from 49 yards out after nailing one from the same distance minutes earlier.

Notre Dame finished No. 1, and Rose Bowl winner Michigan lost only to the No. 1 Irish by two and No. 2 Miami by one (31-30) after leading 30-14. Next winter, ESPN will feature a “30 for 30” documentary on Dr. Ho REGGIE HO and this Michigan game.

2. Sept. 16, 1989: Notre Dame 24, Michigan 19 — In a showdown between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan a year later, a legend is born when Irish sophomore Raghib “Rocket” Ismail scores on 88- and 92-yard kickoff returns on a wet field.

The first is at the start of the second half to extend Notre Dame’s lead to 14-6. The second with 12:46 remaining provides a 24-12 cushion and puts him on the cover of Sports Illustrated. It had been 32 years since Michigan had yielded a kickoff return for a touchdown.

3. Sept. 20, 1980: Notre Dame 29, Michigan 27 — Junior kicker Harry Oliver, who had missed an extra point earlier in the second half, boots perhaps the most dramatic field goal in Irish annals when his 51-yard attempt just makes it over the crossbar as time expires.

The victory in head coach Dan Devine’s final season provides the impetus of a 9-0-1 start and temporary No. 1 ranking after a disappointing 7-4 season. Michigan also LINEBACKERS would bounce back from its first four-loss season under Bo Schembechler with its first Rose Bowl win under him and a top-five finish. role that he has always felt came naturally to him.

4. Sept, 11, 1993: Notre Dame 27, Michigan 23 “I’m takingthethat After an unimpressive showing in the opener against Northwestern, Irishchallenge on,” Smith said. “I don’t want to be lookedunderdog at as just a 3sophomore. I want to be a leader of the defense dropped from No. 7 to No. 11 and were installed as a nine-point at No. Michigan — especially after Under what I’m going to do. It’s going to be an honor.” and the the infamous team. That’s The Tarnished Dome: How Notre Dame Sold Itsexpects Soul Notre Dame Smith to be a leader, at least statistically, in For Football Glory book hit stands that month.in South Bend. No matter how many different histhesecond season Head coach Lou Holtz’s entire programpackages was ripe forthe Irish use — and it should be more than they personnel the picking.

Notre Dame and Michigan will line up for the last time in the near future this September when the teams face off at Notre Dame Stadium. Since the series resumed have in the recent past — head coach Brian Kelly said Smith will be Instead, senior quarterback Kevin McDougal in 1978, Michigan holds a 15-14-1 advantage. The Irish can even the score this fall. in the them all.

PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL scores on 43- and 11-yard runsmiddle and MikeofMiller moved their budding star from the Sam returns a punt for a 56-yardKelly score toand buildVanGorder a 24-10

BY LOU SOMOGYI side) halftime advantage. Holtzposition is given a (strong victory ride off to the Will position (weak side) in the new 4‑3 oodbyes are generally not considered easy. Then there is midway through spring practice. Their goal was to the field by his players in abase showalignment of solidarity during the Notre Dame-Michigan series, where farewells generkeep him around the ball more often. Kelly explained that offensive a 10-0 start. ally have been tinged with bitterness.

5. Sept. 18, 1982: Notrecoaches Dame 23, Michigan 17 more — could do with their play calling to isolate Smith and Chapter I was from 1887-1909, when the footballThe first night game in Notre takeDame himStadium away history from the ball if he played on the strong side. The new experienced Michigan students first introduced the rules sees second-year head coach Gerry Faust’s openSmith less to learn when Notre Dame shifts to a position alsoIrish gives to the Notre Dame contingent, won eight games in a row in the series the year with an electric victory over a Wolverines two‑linebacker look in — and then were finally stunned in 1909 when Notre Dame pulled its team that had whipped them 25-7 a year earlier to order to get another de‑ first-ever major upset, an 11-3 victory on the Wolverines’ home sod. begin a stunning 5-6 collapse in Faust’s debut. This fensive back on the field time Mike Johnston’s three field goals fullback Upon their trip to Ann Arbor the following year, the Notre Dame Theand average weight for Notre Dame’s in passing situations.

Larry Moriarty’s 116 yards rushing pave the win. starting linebackers heading into fall camp players were unceremoniously informed the game and series were “We’re not going It also would begin Notre Dame’s 4-0 record is 16 pounds lighterversus than the average weight of the cancelled. to take Jaylon off the Michigan in night games at four homestarters — a streak the2013 team. Jaylon Smith, fromonthe Feuding between two of the game’s titans, Michigan’s Fielding field under any circum‑ line this Sept. 6.

Joe Schmidt and John Turner average 227 pounds.

A. Yost and Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne, ensued into the 1920s, stances,” said assistant since new Sophomore James Onwualu was excited to make the move from wide receiver, especially after Notre Dame staked its claim as the national power Notre Dame’s 4-0 mark againstYears Michigan in linebackers coach Brian Bob Elliott, who moved VanGorder last worked for Brian Kelly. where he caught two passes for 34 yards and distinguished himself as a physiduring the Rockne years with consensus national titles in 1924, 1929 home games under the lights began with head from safeties to line‑ VanGorder theIrish defensive coordinator for Kelcal blocker as a rookie, to Sam linebacker. coach Gerry Faust in 1982 whenwasthe and 1930.

PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA backers this offseason.

Valley State team in 1991, Kelly’s first posted a 23-17 win over ly’s theGrand Wolverines.

Chapter II was a temporary truce in 1942-43, when Michigan PHOTO COURTESYseason NOTRE DAME RELATIONS “He wasn’t a nickel, as aMEDIA college head coach. played for the first time in Notre Dame Stadium in 1942 and posted a and we’re going to be in Total starts for graduated linebackers nickel some, so he had ★★★★ National Title Caliber; ★★★ Playoff Contention; ✦ 117Dan Fox and Carlo CalPrince Shembo, 116 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ★★ Top 25 Potential; ★ Too Unproven to learn how to play [the abrese during their college careers. Their exit gives Starters ★★½ the linebacker corps the biggest loss of experience Will position]. He kind Sophomore Jaylon Smith has the potential to grow into one of the country’s elite of any position group on the Irish roster. of learned that and he linebackers during his second season as a starter at Notre Dame. He’s the only player started showing some 116-119.Michigan Series.indd 116 6/11/14 8:07 AM 116-119.Michigan Series.indd 117 6/11/14 8:07 AM that won’t come off the field in different situations for the Irish. stuff, and now we’re thinking maybe he can do that all the time.”

For the rest of the linebacker corps, naming actual starters may be as futile as it Elliott praised Smith’s sponge‑like attitude toward learning the new Sophomore Jaylon Smith, who last year became the first Notre Dame freshman linebacker to start a season opener since Kory Minor in 1995, was in the opening is to name starters at the wide receiver position. Defensive coordinator Brian Vanlineup for all 13 contests and finished third on the team with 67 tackles. position this spring. The sophomore, who said he played one game as Gorder recently took courses in the Rex Ryan school of defense, where players are PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS a middle linebacker in high school, will be spending the majority of rotated through situational packages often. Ben Councell, John Turner, Joe Schmidt, his time inside the tackle box for the first time in his football career.

Nyles Morgan and Jarrett Grace are all in the running to at least start a few games Along with learning the new terminology of VanGorder’s NFL‑style depending on the package Notre Dame chooses to run on the first play of the game. defense, he has to get used to larger blockers coming at him from Experience ★ different angles this season.

Smith started 13 games last year as a rookie, but none on the inside like he will “Every play starts with sight,” Smith said. “All my life I’ve seen this year. He most likely would not have been on the field, at least at the start of the season, if senior Danny Spond had not ended his career a year early because of health the game from an outside perspective, so it’s really just getting used concerns. Beyond that, there was a mass exodus of experience this season when to reading offensive linemen from inside out.”

Carlo Calabrese, Dan Fox and Prince Shembo all ran out of eligibility.

Smith’s move to the inside allowed Notre Dame to continue work‑ Jarrett Grace can return some level of experience at the Mike position if he is

BY DAN MURPHY defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder said when asked to describe ing on upgrading its speed throughout the defense. The sophomore healthy enough to play. He started three games last season before a devastating leg ophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith took two steps forward what he wanted from his linebackers. “If they have explosion and is the fastest option at Will and leaves an opening for two smaller, injury ended his season (and perhaps the 2014 season, too). Joe Schmidt and Kendall before he realized he needed to be moving sideways. His classsuddenness and speed, they can play this game.” speedier newcomers to take control of his old spot at the Sam. Moore played only as reserves last season. Sam linebackers John Turner and James mate, running back Tarean Folston, shot to the outside seeking Smith showed his explosiveness last season as a freshman, startVanGorder moved junior John Turner and sophomore James On‑ Onwualu are learning a brand new position this year. Everyone — even Smith, who daylight on a second-down play in Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Game. ing all 13 games at outside linebacker. He grew steadily into a larger wualu to the Sam position this spring in a change that may embody moved from the strong side to the weak side — is new to his spot this year because By the time Folston got to the hash and larger blip on the radar of opposing the new defensive philosophy more than any other. Not only do of the flip from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base defense. marks, Smith was still a full stride offensive coordinators. He is the Irish Turner and Onwualu have zero combined starts to add to the line‑ “I don’t want to be looked at as just a Depth ★★½ inside of them. It appeared the fleetdefense’s top returning tackler, with 67 backer corps, but neither of them have played the position.

They hope It may not be experienced depth, but the Irish have options at all three positions. sophomore. I want to be a leader of the footed back would turn the corner and stops a year ago. As a sophomore, Smith to make up that dearth of know‑how with physical attributes that are The Sam position has three capable speed guys when you include freshman Drue defense and the team. That’s what I’m have room for a big play. But Smith, a Tranquill. Mike linebacker is a little more up in the air because of Grace’s injury and will be called on to be a leader for an a tailor‑made fit for the new position. the possibility of senior Ben Councell, recovering from an ACL tear, moving from the former high school running back himinexperienced group of linebackers, and going to do. It’s going to be an honor.”

Turner took over the starting spot in Smith’s absence after impress‑ Sam slot. Sophomore Doug Randolph is the next option at Will behind Smith. self, closed the gap and sent Folston to perhaps for the entire defense. ing the coaching staff during the early parts of spring practice. The SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER JAYLON SMITH Overall Grade ★★ the turf with a sledgehammer swing of All three other starters at the lineIndianapolis native played safety during his first two seasons at Notre The middle layer of Notre Dame’s defense improves athletically on paper this seaa tackle with his right arm. The force of the hit was enough to send backer position ran out of eligibility this spring, taking that unit from Dame, but was always a little too large and a step too slow to get on son.

They should be a faster group with much potential to grow. But experience can Smith’s helmet rolling toward the sideline. On an otherwise routine the team’s most veteran group to one of its least experienced. The the field. add speed, and losing two fifth-year seniors in the middle and another three-year play during a ho-hum spring game, this much was clear: Smith and only other linebacker on the roster with starting experience is senior “We love his skill set,” Kelly said. “He’s long. He’s athletic. starter in Shembo is a blow that won’t be easily absorbed. This year’s group could the new-look Irish linebackers won’t be left in the dust in 2014.

Jarrett Grace, who may or may not be healthy enough to play in 2014.

It wasn’t translating very well for whatever reason [at safety]. produce a lot of talent, but growing pains are likely early in the season.

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REQUIEM G for a RIVALRY

BY THE NUMBERS

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Notre Dame-Michigan, 1978-2014, comes to a halt in the near future

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REBUILT FOR SPEED

Notre Dame’s new linebacker corps hopes its focus on getting faster will replace a loss of experience and size

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The CENTERPIECE

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BY ANDREW OWENS very day, Everett Golson faces it. When he strolls into the quarterback meeting room inside the Guglielmino Athletics Complex, it stands as a piercing reminder of what has happened and what is expected to come.

Names and photos of past greats are plastered on the wall: Joe Montana. Tony Rice.

Brady Quinn. Jimmy Clausen.

All four are remembered as Notre Dame greats, but what separates the first two from the last two is a national championship.

Montana and Rice are the last two quarterbacks to win a title at Notre Dame.

Golson nearly became the third as a sophomore in 2012. Notre Dame’s magical 12-0 regular season earned the Irish their first national championship game appearance in 24 years, but it took just a little more than 24 seconds for Alabama to show what a mismatch it was.

Four months later, Golson exiled himself from the university due to poor academic judgment, with a penalty that cost him the 2013 fall semester — and one more precious opportunity to truly return Notre Dame to glory. He is back, and so too are the expectations and pressure.

“He’s working off rust. He’s not a finished product,” head coach Brian Kelly said when asked about Golson’s ability to handle the pressure. “He’s gained a lot in the sense that he probably played his two best games against USC and Alabama.

“There is a carryover effect when you play on the road against USC and have the pressure of going undefeated. Then playing in the national championship, he arguably played his best game — that’s a carryover.”

When Kelly named Golson the starter in August 2012, Irish followers were well aware of the signal-caller’s arm strength and ability to change games with his legs.

Golson’s poise, however, gradually became apparent as 2012 played out.

That 2012 squad — including Golson —

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played its best football away from Notre Dame Stadium. The first-year quarterback performed best in East Lansing, Mich., in Norman, Okla., in Los Angeles and in Miami.

One of his first tests of adversity came in week four under the lights at home against Michigan. Kelly pulled Golson in favor of Tommy Rees after the sophomore tossed a pair of first-half interceptions. When Rees helped the Irish hold on for a 13-6 win, many expected a full-blown quarterback competition to ensue, but Kelly showed trust in his starting quarterback. Golson answered the call. The following Saturday against Miami, he completed 17 of 22 passes for 186 yards and added another 51 on the ground in a 41-3 win. Notre Dame stood at 5-0, and Golson was its QB.

“You never can be big enough and fast enough. You start there,”

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Smith said he’s looking forward to filling that void of leadership — a

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More Needed From Quarterbacks Kelly placed additional expectations on the quarterback position this spring when he said the team will need to win games 38-31 instead of 17-13 this fall. With a new defensive installation and a revamped front seven, the defense can no longer be expected to carry the team as it did as the nation’s top-ranked scoring defense during the 2012 regular season.

“I think we all know, with college football and where it is, the quarterback is really going to be the centerpiece of this offense and the way we run it,” Kelly said. “It’s going to fall on him.

“We’re going to heap a lot on this kid’s shoulders, and he knows that. That’s why he came back to Notre Dame, because he wants that opportunity. Clearly, he’s going to be the guy that drives us.”

Golson isn’t overwhelmed with the responsibility of directing the offense at America’s most historic college football program.

Golson threw 12 touchdown passes and six interceptions in 2012, while leading the Irish to the BCS National Championship Game.

PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA

T

BY LOU SOMOGYI he 2014 campaign will be a year of many firsts at Notre Dame.

It will be the maiden voyage as a partial football member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the initial one with the new College Football Playoff format.

It will mark the debut of new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, as well as the initial year where Notre Dame home games will not be on natural grass.

It is the first time since 1946 a former starter at quarterback, Everett Golson, is back in the saddle after not being with the team the previous year (in ’46, future Heisman Trophy winner John Lujack returned from World War II after helping guide the 1943 national title), and the first time Notre Dame will have to recover from losing three juniors to the NFL Draft (defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, tight end Troy Niklas and running back George Atkinson III).

Here are some of the games, players and questions we’ll be keeping an eye on in the 2014 season:

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TOP FIVE GAMES

2014 SEASON

BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

1. Sept. 6 vs. Michigan — Yes, Florida State is the defending national champ and could be No. 1 again. And yes, Stanford 6/11/14 8:15 AM and42-45.Everett is 46-8 the past four seasons, the new Golson.indd 43 example of consistently demonstrating that academic excellence and football prowess don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

For more than three decades, though, this is the tone-setting game of virtually each season at Notre Dame (see pages 116-119).

Plus this is the final game of the series in the foreseeable future, the Irish have lost four of the last five, and the infamous salt-in-thewound “Chicken Dance” salute after falling to Michigan last year resonates.

An Irish win equates major bowl dreams.

A defeat forebodes another four-loss-type season.

2. Oct. 4 vs. Stanford — Like Michigan, the Cardinal has won four of the last five meetings. Notre Dame’s dream regular season of 2012 was the exception in both cases. Sweeping this duo again while holding serve at home would provide a lot of mojo, as it did in 2012. Notre Dame must regain the upper hand in this series in the years to come to have its status back as the top college football school that can balance such success with rigor in the classroom.

3. Oct. 18 at Florida State — If Notre Dame defeats Michigan and Stanford, then this could conceivably be a matchup of topKelly enters his fifth season at Notre Dame five teams. Then it becomes bigger than the with a 37‑15 record in South Bend and a first two. The Irish could be a double-digit new set of challenges to overcome in 2014. underdog, so the nothing-to-lose situation PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL might be beneficial.

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QB Everett Golson is back in charge of the Irish offense

2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ISSUE SENIOR EDITOR Lou Somogyi ASSISTANT EDITOR Dan Murphy STAFF WRITER Andrew Owens RECRUITING REPORTER Tom Loy MANAGING EDITOR Steve Downey CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Chris Riffer CONTRIBUTING WRITER Ryan Tice PHOTOGRAPHY Bill Panzica • Joe Raymond COVER PHOTO Lon Horwedel DESIGN Cory Lavalette • Jeanette Blankenship ✦ ✦ ✦ PUBLISHER Stu Coman BUSINESS MANAGER Linda Autry CIRCULATION MANAGER Gail Evans MARKETING/MERCHANDISE MANAGER Beverly Taylor CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Laura Kendall ADVERTISING SALES Michelle DeLee-Hamilton • Dave Searcy 800-421-7751 The BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FOOTBALL PREVIEW is published by Coman Publishing Company, 324 Blackwell St, Suite 1020, Durham, NC 27701.

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NOT AN AVERAGE JOE

Former walk-on Joe Schmidt has become a key component of the linebacking corps PAGE 88

FEATURES

SEASON PREVIEW............................................. 20 GOODBYE BCS, HELLO PLAYOFF.................................28 REVISITING FOOTBALL FINAL FOURS........................32 TRAINING TECHNOLOGY............................................34 OFFENSE Q&A..................................................... 40 RB CAM MCDANIEL................................................50 OL COACH HARRY HIESTAND.................................68 DEFENSE Q&A.........................................................80 DB KEIVARAE RUSSELL.........................................100 MICHIGAN RIVALRY ENDS AGAIN.......................116 OPPONENT SUPERLATIVES..................................120 2013 IN REVIEW....................................................138 RECRUITING CLASS OF 2009 REVIEW..................148

PHOTOS BY BILL PANZICA

PAGE 42

POSITION OVERVIEWS

2014 Notre Dame Football Schedule Date Aug. 30 Sept. 6 Sept. 13 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 22 Nov. 29

Opponent (TV) Rice (NBC) Michigan (NBC) vs. Purdue (NBC)^ vs. Syracuse (TBA)# Stanford (NBC) North Carolina (NBC) at Florida State (TBA) vs. Navy (TBA)$ at Arizona State (TBA) Northwestern (NBC) Louisville (NBC) at Southern California (TBA)

Time (ET) 3:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

TBA 3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

TBA TBA TBA 3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

TBA

^ Shamrock Series at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; # at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.; $ at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

QUARTERBACKS................................................ 46 RUNNING BACKS............................................... 54 WIDE RECEIVERS............................................... 58 TIGHT ENDS...................................................... 64 OFFENSIVE LINEMEN........................................ 72 DEFENSIVE LINEMEN........................................ 82 LINEBACKERS.................................................... 92 DEFENSIVE BACKS........................................... 104 SPECIALISTS.................................................... 112

DEPARTMENTS

THE FIFTH QUARTER........................................... 2 UNDER THE DOME.............................................. 4

RECRUITING

CLASS OF 2014 TOP STORYLINES.................... 154 TERRIFIC 20 FOR 2015..................................... 157

ALSO INSIDE

2014 ROSTER..................................................... 18 OPPONENT PREVIEWS.................................... 124 2014 PREDICTIONS...............................................136 2013 STATISTICS.............................................. 142 IRISH IN THE NFL............................................. 144 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 1

1.Contents.indd 1

6/10/14 3:54 PM

T

BY LOU SOMOGYI he 2014 campaign will be a year of many firsts at Notre Dame.

It will be the maiden voyage as a partial football member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the initial one with the new College Football Playoff format.

It will mark the debut of new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, as well as the initial year where Notre Dame home games will not be on natural grass.

It is the first time since 1946 a former starter at quarterback, Everett Golson, is back in the saddle after not being with the team the previous year (in ’46, future Heisman Trophy winner John Lujack returned from World War II after helping guide the 1943 national title), and the first time Notre Dame will have to recover from losing three juniors to the NFL Draft (defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, tight end Troy Niklas and running back George Atkinson III).

Here are some of the games, players and questions we’ll be keeping an eye on in the 2014 season:

TOP FIVE GAMES 1. Sept. 6 vs. Michigan — Yes, Florida State is the defending national champ and could be No. 1 again. And yes, Stanford is 46-8 the past four seasons, and the new example of consistently demonstrating that academic excellence and football prowess don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

For more than three decades, though, this is the tone-setting game of virtually each season at Notre Dame (see pages 116-119).

Plus this is the final game of the series in the foreseeable future, the Irish have lost four of the last five, and the infamous salt-in-thewound “Chicken Dance” salute after falling to Michigan last year resonates.

An Irish win equates major bowl dreams.

A defeat forebodes another four-loss-type season.

2. Oct. 4 vs. Stanford — Like Michigan, the Cardinal has won four of the last five meetings. Notre Dame’s dream regular season of 2012 was the exception in both cases. Sweeping this duo again while holding serve at home would provide a lot of mojo, as it did in 2012. Notre Dame must regain the upper hand in this series in the years to come to have its status back as the top college football school that can balance such success with rigor in the classroom.

3. Oct. 18 at Florida State — If Notre Dame defeats Michigan and Stanford, then this could conceivably be a matchup of topfive teams. Then it becomes bigger than the first two. The Irish could be a double-digit underdog, so the nothing-to-lose situation might be beneficial.

2014 SEASON

PREVIEW

A primer on Notre Dame’s outlook, entering the fifth season of the Brian Kelly regime

Kelly enters his fifth season at Notre Dame with a 37‑15 record in South Bend and a new set of challenges to overcome in 2014.

PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL

20 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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The CENTERPIECE Everett Golson has returned to serve as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback and welcomes the challenges that come with the job

E

BY ANDREW OWENS very day, Everett Golson faces it. When he strolls into the quarterback meeting room inside the Guglielmino Athletics Complex, it stands as a piercing reminder of what has happened and what is expected to come.

Names and photos of past greats are plastered on the wall: Joe Montana. Tony Rice.

Brady Quinn. Jimmy Clausen.

All four are remembered as Notre Dame greats, but what separates the first two from the last two is a national championship.

Montana and Rice are the last two quarterbacks to win a title at Notre Dame.

Golson nearly became the third as a sophomore in 2012. Notre Dame’s magical 12-0 regular season earned the Irish their first national championship game appearance in 24 years, but it took just a little more than 24 seconds for Alabama to show what a mismatch it was.

Four months later, Golson exiled himself from the university due to poor academic judgment, with a penalty that cost him the 2013 fall semester — and one more precious opportunity to truly return Notre Dame to glory. He is back, and so too are the expectations and pressure.

“He’s working off rust. He’s not a finished product,” head coach Brian Kelly said when asked about Golson’s ability to handle the pressure. “He’s gained a lot in the sense that he probably played his two best games against USC and Alabama.

“There is a carryover effect when you play on the road against USC and have the pressure of going undefeated. Then playing in the national championship, he arguably played his best game — that’s a carryover.”

When Kelly named Golson the starter in August 2012, Irish followers were well aware of the signal-caller’s arm strength and ability to change games with his legs.

Golson’s poise, however, gradually became apparent as 2012 played out.

That 2012 squad — including Golson —

played its best football away from Notre Dame Stadium. The first-year quarterback performed best in East Lansing, Mich., in Norman, Okla., in Los Angeles and in Miami.

One of his first tests of adversity came in week four under the lights at home against Michigan. Kelly pulled Golson in favor of Tommy Rees after the sophomore tossed a pair of first-half interceptions. When Rees helped the Irish hold on for a 13-6 win, many expected a full-blown quarterback competition to ensue, but Kelly showed trust in his starting quarterback. Golson answered the call. The following Saturday against Miami, he completed 17 of 22 passes for 186 yards and added another 51 on the ground in a 41-3 win. Notre Dame stood at 5-0, and Golson was its QB.

More Needed From Quarterbacks Kelly placed additional expectations on the quarterback position this spring when he said the team will need to win games 38-31 instead of 17-13 this fall. With a new defensive installation and a revamped front seven, the defense can no longer be expected to carry the team as it did as the nation’s top-ranked scoring defense during the 2012 regular season.

“I think we all know, with college football and where it is, the quarterback is really going to be the centerpiece of this offense and the way we run it,” Kelly said. “It’s going to fall on him.

“We’re going to heap a lot on this kid’s shoulders, and he knows that. That’s why he came back to Notre Dame, because he wants that opportunity. Clearly, he’s going to be the guy that drives us.”

Golson isn’t overwhelmed with the responsibility of directing the offense at America’s most historic college football program.

Golson threw 12 touchdown passes and six interceptions in 2012, while leading the Irish to the BCS National Championship Game.

PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA

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LINEBACKERS

Sophomore Jaylon Smith, who last year became the first Notre Dame freshman linebacker to start a season opener since Kory Minor in 1995, was in the opening lineup for all 13 contests and finished third on the team with 67 tackles.

PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS

REBUILT FOR SPEED

Notre Dame’s new linebacker corps hopes its focus on getting faster will replace a loss of experience and size

BY DAN MURPHY defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder said when asked to describe ophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith took two steps forward what he wanted from his linebackers. “If they have explosion and before he realized he needed to be moving sideways. His classsuddenness and speed, they can play this game.” mate, running back Tarean Folston, shot to the outside seeking Smith showed his explosiveness last season as a freshman, startdaylight on a second-down play in Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Game. ing all 13 games at outside linebacker. He grew steadily into a larger By the time Folston got to the hash and larger blip on the radar of opposing marks, Smith was still a full stride offensive coordinators. He is the Irish “I don’t want to be looked at as just a inside of them. It appeared the fleetdefense’s top returning tackler, with 67 sophomore. I want to be a leader of the footed back would turn the corner and stops a year ago. As a sophomore, Smith defense and the team. That’s what I’m have room for a big play. But Smith, a will be called on to be a leader for an former high school running back himinexperienced group of linebackers, and going to do. It’s going to be an honor.” self, closed the gap and sent Folston to perhaps for the entire defense.

SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER JAYLON SMITH the turf with a sledgehammer swing of All three other starters at the linea tackle with his right arm. The force of the hit was enough to send backer position ran out of eligibility this spring, taking that unit from Smith’s helmet rolling toward the sideline. On an otherwise routine the team’s most veteran group to one of its least experienced. The play during a ho-hum spring game, this much was clear: Smith and only other linebacker on the roster with starting experience is senior the new-look Irish linebackers won’t be left in the dust in 2014.

Jarrett Grace, who may or may not be healthy enough to play in 2014.

“You never can be big enough and fast enough. You start there,” Smith said he’s looking forward to filling that void of leadership — a

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LINEBACKERS role that he has always felt came naturally to him.

“I’m taking that challenge on,” Smith said. “I don’t want to be looked at as just a sophomore. I want to be a leader of the defense and the team. That’s what I’m going to do. It’s going to be an honor.”

Notre Dame expects Smith to be a leader, at least statistically, in his second season in South Bend. No matter how many different personnel packages the Irish use — and it should be more than they have in the recent past — head coach Brian Kelly said Smith will be in the middle of them all.

Kelly and VanGorder moved their budding star from the Sam position (strong side) to the Will position (weak side) in the new 4‑3 base alignment midway through spring practice. Their goal was to keep him around the ball more often. Kelly explained that offensive coaches could do more with their play calling to isolate Smith and take him away from the ball if he played on the strong side. The new position also gives Smith less to learn when Notre Dame shifts to a two-linebacker look in order to get another de‑ fensive back on the field The average weight for Notre Dame’s in passing situations. starting linebackers heading into fall camp “We’re not going is 16 pounds lighter than the average weight of the to take Jaylon off the four starters from the 2013 team. Jaylon Smith, field under any circum‑ Joe Schmidt and John Turner average 227 pounds. stances,” said assistant Years since new linebackers coach Brian Bob Elliott, who moved VanGorder last worked for Brian Kelly. from safeties to line‑ VanGorder was the defensive coordinator for Kelbackers this offseason. ly’s Grand Valley State team in 1991, Kelly’s first “He wasn’t a nickel, season as a college head coach. and we’re going to be in Total starts for graduated linebackers nickel some, so he had Prince Shembo, Dan Fox and Carlo Calto learn how to play [the abrese during their college careers. Their exit gives the linebacker corps the biggest loss of experience Will position]. He kind of any position group on the Irish roster. of learned that and he started showing some stuff, and now we’re thinking maybe he can do that all the time.”

Elliott praised Smith’s sponge-like attitude toward learning the new position this spring. The sophomore, who said he played one game as a middle linebacker in high school, will be spending the majority of his time inside the tackle box for the first time in his football career.

Along with learning the new terminology of VanGorder’s NFL-style defense, he has to get used to larger blockers coming at him from different angles this season.

“Every play starts with sight,” Smith said. “All my life I’ve seen the game from an outside perspective, so it’s really just getting used to reading offensive linemen from inside out.”

Smith’s move to the inside allowed Notre Dame to continue work‑ ing on upgrading its speed throughout the defense. The sophomore is the fastest option at Will and leaves an opening for two smaller, speedier newcomers to take control of his old spot at the Sam. VanGorder moved junior John Turner and sophomore James On‑ wualu to the Sam position this spring in a change that may embody the new defensive philosophy more than any other. Not only do Turner and Onwualu have zero combined starts to add to the line‑ backer corps, but neither of them have played the position. They hope to make up that dearth of know-how with physical attributes that are a tailor-made fit for the new position.

Turner took over the starting spot in Smith’s absence after impress‑ ing the coaching staff during the early parts of spring practice. The Indianapolis native played safety during his first two seasons at Notre Dame, but was always a little too large and a step too slow to get on the field.

“We love his skill set,” Kelly said. “He’s long. He’s athletic.

It wasn’t translating very well for whatever reason [at safety].

We think with the position that we’re looking at him right now it

BY THE NUMBERS

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Sophomore James Onwualu was excited to make the move from wide receiver, where he caught two passes for 34 yards and distinguished himself as a physical blocker as a rookie, to Sam linebacker.

PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA

PRESEASON ANALYSIS

★★★★ National Title Caliber; ★★★ Playoff Contention; ★★ Top 25 Potential; ★ Too Unproven Starters ★★½ Sophomore Jaylon Smith has the potential to grow into one of the country’s elite linebackers during his second season as a starter at Notre Dame. He’s the only player that won’t come off the field in different situations for the Irish.

For the rest of the linebacker corps, naming actual starters may be as futile as it is to name starters at the wide receiver position. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder recently took courses in the Rex Ryan school of defense, where players are rotated through situational packages often. Ben Councell, John Turner, Joe Schmidt, Nyles Morgan and Jarrett Grace are all in the running to at least start a few games depending on the package Notre Dame chooses to run on the first play of the game.

Experience ★ Smith started 13 games last year as a rookie, but none on the inside like he will this year. He most likely would not have been on the field, at least at the start of the season, if senior Danny Spond had not ended his career a year early because of health concerns. Beyond that, there was a mass exodus of experience this season when Carlo Calabrese, Dan Fox and Prince Shembo all ran out of eligibility.

Jarrett Grace can return some level of experience at the Mike position if he is healthy enough to play. He started three games last season before a devastating leg injury ended his season (and perhaps the 2014 season, too). Joe Schmidt and Kendall Moore played only as reserves last season. Sam linebackers John Turner and James Onwualu are learning a brand new position this year. Everyone — even Smith, who moved from the strong side to the weak side — is new to his spot this year because of the flip from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base defense.

Depth ★★½ It may not be experienced depth, but the Irish have options at all three positions.

The Sam position has three capable speed guys when you include freshman Drue Tranquill. Mike linebacker is a little more up in the air because of Grace’s injury and the possibility of senior Ben Councell, recovering from an ACL tear, moving from the Sam slot. Sophomore Doug Randolph is the next option at Will behind Smith.

Overall Grade ★★ The middle layer of Notre Dame’s defense improves athletically on paper this season. They should be a faster group with much potential to grow. But experience can add speed, and losing two fifth-year seniors in the middle and another three-year starter in Shembo is a blow that won’t be easily absorbed. This year’s group could produce a lot of talent, but growing pains are likely early in the season.

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Notre Dame and Michigan will line up for the last time in the near future this September when the teams face off at Notre Dame Stadium. Since the series resumed in 1978, Michigan holds a 15-14-1 advantage. The Irish can even the score this fall.

REQUIEM G for a RIVALRY Notre Dame-Michigan, 1978-2014, comes to a halt in the near future

PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL

BY LOU SOMOGYI oodbyes are generally not considered easy. Then there is the Notre Dame-Michigan series, where farewells generally have been tinged with bitterness.

Chapter I was from 1887-1909, when the footballexperienced Michigan students first introduced the rules to the Notre Dame contingent, won eight games in a row in the series — and then were finally stunned in 1909 when Notre Dame pulled its first-ever major upset, an 11-3 victory on the Wolverines’ home sod.

Upon their trip to Ann Arbor the following year, the Notre Dame players were unceremoniously informed the game and series were cancelled.

Feuding between two of the game’s titans, Michigan’s Fielding A. Yost and Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne, ensued into the 1920s, especially after Notre Dame staked its claim as the national power during the Rockne years with consensus national titles in 1924, 1929 and 1930.

Chapter II was a temporary truce in 1942-43, when Michigan played for the first time in Notre Dame Stadium in 1942 and posted a

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decisive 32-20 victory — the last time the Fighting Irish would lose at home until eight years later.

The following season Notre Dame traveled to Ann Arbor in college football’s first-ever No. 1 versus No. 2 contest (the Associated Press poll began in 1936), with the top-ranked Fighting Irish registering a 35-12 triumph on their way to the first of four national titles under head coach Frank Leahy (Michigan would finish No. 3).

Again, the series halted, even though the two superpowers were separated by about only 190 miles. Michigan head coach Fritz Crisler, who also would serve as the athletics director until 1968, had an antipathy toward Leahy and his intensity nearly rivaled Yost’s toward Rockne.

Notre Dame would win three of the four national titles from 1946‑49 while producing a 36-0-2 record. Michigan won the other one (1948).

The Wolverines also point out that even though Notre Dame won the 1947 regular-season title as voted by the Associated Press, an informal AP poll after Michigan’s 49-0 victory versus USC in the Rose Bowl gave nearly a two-to-one voting advantage (226-119) to the Wolverines.

“I just wish we had an opportunity to beat Michigan,” Leahy said earlier that year when asked if the Wolverines could vanquish them.

“We’d be happy to play them anywhere, any Saturday, any fall.”

In what looked to be another tweak at the Maize and Blue, Notre Dame then began a long-standing series in 1948 with Michigan State, a burgeoning power that had been Michigan’s archenemy. The move helped the Spartans, the 1952 national champs, gain more credibility and admittance into the Big Ten in 1949 (with 1953 its first year of competition).

After the 33-year wait from 1909 until 1942, and then the 35-year hiatus from 1943 until 1978, the genesis of Chapter III began in the late 1960s when two more titans in collegiate athletics — athletic directors Don Canham at Michigan and Ed “Moose” Krause at Notre Dame — agreed upon a long-term series starting in 1978. Canham had expressed to good friend Krause his concern about filling Michigan’s 100,000-seat stadium, especially after attendance had dropped to an average of 67,000 in 1967.

Krause suggested that a series with Notre Dame would help fill it.

In the 30 games played between the two teams since 1978 — with

UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Each of Notre Dame’s 14 victories over Michigan since 1978 is cherished, from sophomore linebacker Bob Crable’s 1979 starting debut in Ann Arbor with 19 tackles and a blocked field goal in the closing seconds to preserve a 12-10 win, to the six turnovers forced by Notre Dame in the 13-6 slugfest in 2012 that helped propel a magical 12-0 regular season.

In between, in 1990 there was sophomore quarterback Rick Mirer rallying the No. 1 Irish to a 28-24 win in his first career start, the surprising 36-20 blowout in 1998 of co-defending champion Michigan, which had Tom Brady at the throttle, or freshman running back Darius Walker coming out of nowhere to rush for 115 yards to rally Notre Dame to a 28-20 conquest in 2004.

However, our top five would be: 1. 1988: Notre Dame 19, Michigan 17 — This opener saw Irish 5-5, 135-pound kicker Reggie Ho convert all four of his field goals, the last with 1:13 left. Notre Dame then survived when Michigan’s Mike Gillette missed from 49 yards out after nailing one from the same distance minutes earlier.

Notre Dame finished No. 1, and Rose Bowl winner Michigan lost only to the No. 1 Irish by two and No. 2 Miami by one (31-30) after leading 30-14. Next winter, ESPN will feature a “30 for 30” documentary on Dr. Ho REGGIE HO and this Michigan game.

2. Sept. 16, 1989: Notre Dame 24, Michigan 19 — In a showdown between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan a year later, a legend is born when Irish sophomore Raghib “Rocket” Ismail scores on 88- and 92-yard kickoff returns on a wet field.

The first is at the start of the second half to extend Notre Dame’s lead to 14-6. The second with 12:46 remaining provides a 24-12 cushion and puts him on the cover of Sports Illustrated. It had been 32 years since Michigan had yielded a kickoff return for a touchdown.

3. Sept. 20, 1980: Notre Dame 29, Michigan 27 — Junior kicker Harry Oliver, who had missed an extra point earlier in the second half, boots perhaps the most dramatic field goal in Irish annals when his 51-yard attempt just makes it over the crossbar as time expires.

The victory in head coach Dan Devine’s final season provides the impetus of a 9-0-1 start and temporary No. 1 ranking after a disappointing 7-4 season. Michigan also would bounce back from its first four-loss season under Bo Schembechler with its first Rose Bowl win under him and a top-five finish.

4. Sept, 11, 1993: Notre Dame 27, Michigan 23 After an unimpressive showing in the opener against Northwestern, the Irish dropped from No. 7 to No. 11 and were installed as a nine-point underdog at No. 3 Michigan — especially after the infamous Under The Tarnished Dome: How Notre Dame Sold Its Soul For Football Glory book hit the stands that month.

Head coach Lou Holtz’s entire program was ripe for the picking.

Instead, senior quarterback Kevin McDougal scores on 43- and 11-yard runs and Mike Miller returns a punt for a 56-yard score to build a 24-10 halftime advantage. Holtz is given a victory ride off the field by his players in a show of solidarity during a 10-0 start.

5. Sept. 18, 1982: Notre Dame 23, Michigan 17 — The first night game in Notre Dame Stadium history sees second-year head coach Gerry Faust’s Irish open the year with an electric victory over a Wolverines team that had whipped them 25-7 a year earlier to begin a stunning 5-6 collapse in Faust’s debut. This time Mike Johnston’s three field goals and fullback Larry Moriarty’s 116 yards rushing pave the win.

It also would begin Notre Dame’s 4-0 record versus Michigan in night games at home — a streak on the line this Sept. 6.

Notre Dame’s 4-0 mark against Michigan in home games under the lights began with head coach Gerry Faust in 1982 when the Irish posted a 23-17 win over the Wolverines.

PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS

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LOUISVILLE CARDINALS

NOV. 22 • NOTRE DAME STADIUM • SOUTH BEND

STRENGTH: Running Backs

Leading rusher Dominique Brown returns from a year ago. He ran for 825 yards and eight touchdowns, but will likely have to share more carries this season.

Early enrollee L.J. Scott and transfer student Michael Dyer both impressed the new coaching staff during spring practice. Dyer started his career in 2010 as Cam Newton’s backfield partner on Auburn’s national championship team. He ran for more than 1,000 yards that season and was the BCS title game’s offensive MVP. Head coach Bobby Petrino had success juggling talented running backs at Arkansas. With a good stable of backs and plenty of experience at wide receiver, quarterback Will Gardner should have a lot of weapons around him when he makes his first start in September.

WEAKNESS: Safeties X-FACTOR: Redshirt sophomore Will Gardner has the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of firstround draft pick Teddy Bridgewater. In Louisville’s spring game, Gardner provided reason for optimism by completing 32 of 37 throws for 542 yards.

PHOTO COURTESY LOUISVILLE

BY DAN MURPHY Redshirt sophomore Will Gardner has the t didn’t take long for head coach Bobby unenviable task of trying to live up to those Petrino to return from his fall from grace. standards. The 6-5, 230-pounder got off to Two years and one day after Petrino was fired a promising start by completing 32 of 37 from Arkansas following an infamous motorpasses for 542 yards against the second-string cycle accident, his potent offense took center defense in the spring game. stage at Louisville’s spring game.

Three of the team’s top four receivers The Cardinals have return in 2014, which adopted the offense should help ease GardQUICK FACTS that helped Arkansas ner’s transition even All-Time Series: First meeting to a Cotton Bowl vicmore. Tight end Gerald Head Coach: Bobby Petrino, 0-0 tory three seasons ago.

Christian is expected to (1st year) and 83-30 overall (10th season) Despite needing to rebecome a bigger part of 2013 Results: 12-1 overall, 7-1 AAC (2nd); deplace first-round draft the offense in his final feated Miami 36-9 in the Russell Athletic Bowl Returning Starters: 13 (8 offense, 5 defense) pick Teddy Bridgewater season, and deep-ball 2014 Preseason Rankings: No. 22 by Nationalat quarterback, Petrino threat Kai De La Cruz Champs.net, No. 26 by Phil Steele’s, No. 28 by starts his Louisville ca(18.1 yards per catch last Athlon and No. 31 by Lindy’s reer with a loaded roster year) also returns.

Did You Know?: Wide receiver DeVante Parker that should make it posFor all the attention is ranked No. 7 and running back Michael Dyer sible for him to replicate Bridgewater and the ofNo. 10 among draft eligible players at their his past success while fense received last year, position by Phil Steele’s 2014 College Football getting a program settled no defense in the counPreview … The game against the Cardinals will in its first year in the Attry gave up fewer yards mark the ninth time since 2008 that Notre lantic Coast Conference. per game than LouisDame plays a team it has never faced in program history; the Irish are 5-3 in those games, “The players like it,” ville’s 2013 group. The with losses to Connecticut, Tulsa and South said Jeff Greer, who Charlie Strong-coached Florida … No team produced more first-round covers the team for The Cardinals finished a hair picks in the 2014 NFL Draft than the Cardinals, Courier-Journal in Loubehind Florida State for who had three. isville. “It’s a very high the best scoring defense, PREDICTION: Notre Dame 40, Louisville 33 tempo, intense practice. giving up 12.2 points per The offensive system is game. They produced two obviously going to be a lot different. I think first-round picks (safety Calvin Pryor and linethat’s going to make it pretty fun for those backer Marcus Smith) in this year’s NFL Draft guys to play in. The transition from inside the and will need some rebuilding this offseason. program has been pretty easy.”

Coming off of a 12-1 season, the Cardinals Life without Bridgewater will inevitably are in for a year of change: new quarterback, come with some growing pains. The one-time new coach and new conference. Still, the Heisman frontrunner completed 71 percent of pieces are in place for Petrino’s new team to his passes while throwing only four intercepprove itself against some increased competitions as a senior. tion in 2014.

I

The Louisville offense’s success throwing the ball in spring practice exposed the team’s biggest soft spot heading into the fall — a lack of speed and experience in the middle of its secondary. Both safeties from a season ago are headed to the NFL. Petrino intentionally saved some scholarships this season so he could add some junior college players in strategic spots after assessing his roster during spring ball. He wasted little time in using those open spots to try to find some answers at safety. If a solution is not found, that position could slow down an otherwise well-equipped defense.

2013 YARDS PER GAME (NCAA RANK) 460.8 YARDS FOR (28TH) 251.5 YARDS AGAINST (1ST)

2013 POINTS PER GAME (NCAA RANK) 35.2 POINTS FOR (25TH) 12.2 POINTS AGAINST (2ND)

RETURNING LEADERS

Rushing: Dominique Brown (825 yards, 8 TD) Passing: Will Gardner (112 yards, 2 TD) Receiving: DeVante Parker (1,128 yards, 9 TD) Tackles: Keith Brown (57) Sacks: Lorenzo Mauldin (4.5) Interceptions: Terell Floyd (3)

2014 SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Sept.1 Miami Sept. 6 Murray State Sept. 13 at Virginia Sept. 20 at Florida International Sept. 27 Wake Forest Oct. 3 at Syracuse Oct. 11 at Clemson Oct. 18 NC State Oct. 30 Florida State Nov. 8 at Boston College Nov. 22 at Notre Dame Nov. 29 Kentucky

2013 Result W, 36-9 — — W, 72-0 — — — — — — — W, 27-13

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS

BY DAN MURPHY teve Sarkisian had a busy offseason upon returning to USC as its new head coach.

Sarkisian, who worked as an assistant with the Trojans in 2001-03 and 2005-08 before his time as head coach at Washington, had to win the trust of players who publicly hoped interim head coach Ed Orgeron would keep his job last fall. The BYU graduate had to install new schemes on both sides of the ball, and he had to choose a starting quarterback.

The new coach ran through his checklist by the end of USC’s spring practice, leaving the Trojan faithful with high hopes for success in the near future. The team’s scholarship sanctions expire at the end of the 2014 season, but Sarkisian said he doesn’t plan on waiting that long to turn things around.

“This was a really good spring for him,” said Garry Paskweitz, who writes for ESPN’s WeAreSC.com website. “When you really look at where things were when he got hired and Orgeron got let go, that was a very raw locker room.”

The new coaching staff brings with it the up-tempo single back offense that turned an 0-12 Washington team into a consistent winner during their five years with the Huskies (2009-13). Sarkisian said he plans to integrate parts of USC’s pro-style look into the offense he helped develop while he was away.

The defense, which played in a 3-4 alignment, surrendered fewer yards than all other Pac-12 teams last season. They will flip to a 4-3 under new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.

That group will be led by four-year starter Hayes Pullard at middle linebacker. Pullard led the team with 94 tackles during his junior season.

The Trojans lost defensive lineman George Uko a year early to the NFL Draft, but will replace him with a few large additions to the roster. Junior college transfer Claude Pelon (6-5, 285 pounds) and Texas Tech transfer Delvon Simmons (6-6, 300 pounds) impressed in the spring. The shift to a 4-3 also

NOV. 29 • L.A. MEMORIAL COLISEUM • LOS ANGELES

STRENGTH: Running Backs

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QUICK FACTS

This will remain one of the deepest and most talented parts of the USC roster in 2014. Buck Allen, last year’s offensive team MVP, was listed as a co-starter with converted linebacker Tre Madden after spring practice.

Allen ran for 785 yards and 14 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore. Madden ran for more than 100 yards in four of the first five games of the year before injuries slowed him down. He finished the season with 703 rushing yards and could usurp Allen as the leading rusher if he remains healthy for an entire season. Head coach Steve Sarkisian also has promised to find ways to use experienced fullbacks Jahleel Pinner and Soma Vainuku in the running game.

WEAKNESS: Interior OL

X-FACTOR: The path is cleared for junior wide receiver Nelson Agholor to become the next in a long line of prolific pass catchers for the Trojans offense. He posted 918 receiving yards and six touchdowns last year.

PHOTO COURTESY USC

helped rush end Scott Starr, a redshirt sophomore who found a home as a rush end after being stuck as a “tweener” in the 3-4 look.

Redshirt junior Cody Kessler hung on to his starting job at quarterback despite some pressure from underclassman Max Browne during spring practice. Kessler threw for 2,968 yards and 20 touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year. Sarkisian recruited Kessler to run his offense in Washington before the Golden State native decided to stay close to home. He should be a capable fit to run the more shotgun-oriented spread playbook Sarkisian brings with him.

When junior center Marcus Martin opted to leave school a year early, he opened up a bit of uncertainty in the middle of the Trojans offensive line. He would have been the veteran leader of an inexperienced group in 2014. Instead, starting left guard Max Tuerk slid into the vacancy at center during spring practice.

Senior Aundrey Walker and redshirt sophomore Jordan Simmons, the presumed starters at the two guard spots, both missed the majority of spring practice with injuries. Walker has 18 career starts under his belt, but the setback in the offseason will make it hard for him to get back into game shape for the high-tempo offense while learning a new scheme.

2013 YARDS PER GAME (NCAA RANK) 399.9 YARDS FOR (72ND) 335.2 YARDS AGAINST (13TH)

2013 POINTS PER GAME (NCAA RANK) 29.7 POINTS FOR (60TH) 21.2 POINTS AGAINST (16TH)

RETURNING LEADERS

Rushing: Buck Allen (785 yards, 14 TD) Passing: Cody Kessler (2,968 yards, 20 TD) Receiving: Rashad Greene (918 yards, 6 TD) Tackles: Hayes Pullard (94) Sacks: Leonard Williams (6) Interceptions: Dion Bailey (5)

2014 SCHEDULE

All-Time Series: Notre Dame leads 45-35-5 Last Meeting: Notre Dame 14, USC 10 (Oct. 19, 2013; South Bend) Head Coach: Steve Sarkisian, 0-0 (1st year), 34-29 (6th year) 2013 Results: 10-4 overall, 6-3 Pac-12 (5th); defeated Fresno State 45-20 in the Las Vegas Bowl Returning Starters: 14 (7 offense, 7 defense) 2014 Preseason Rankings: No. 11 by CBSSports.com, No. 12 by Phil Steele’s, No. 14 by Athlon and ESPN.com, No. 15

by NationalChamps.net and Lindy’s, No. 16 by Sports Illustrated and Sporting News, and No. 18 by FOX Sports Did You Know?: Defensive end Leonard Williams is ranked No. 1 and wide receiver Nelson Agholor No. 2 among draft eligible players at their respective positions by Phil Steele’s 2014 College Football Preview … In 2010 and 2012, Notre Dame won back-to-back games at the L.A. Coliseum for the first time since 1990-92 … Sarkisian played two years of baseball in college before switching sports and going on to spend three years in the Canadian Football League.

PREDICTION: USC 34, Notre Dame 31

Date Opponent Aug. 30 Fresno State Sept. 6 at Stanford Sept. 13 at Boston College Sept. 27 Oregon State Oct. 4 Arizona State Oct. 11 at Arizona Oct. 18 Colorado Oct. 5 at Utah Nov. 1 at Washington State Nov. 13 California Nov. 22 at UCLA Nov. 29 Notre Dame

2013 Result — W, 20-17 W, 35-7 W, 31-14 L, 62-41 W, 38-31 W, 47-29 W, 19-3 L, 10-7 W, 62-28 L, 35-14 L, 14-10

BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 135

124-135.Opponent Previews.indd 135

6/11/14 12:37 PM