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The observer | FRIDAY, september 2, 2016 | ndsmcobserver.com
Commentary
Kelly’s two-quarterback decision introduces risk Alex Carson Assistant Managing Editor
They said it was a good problem to have. Irish head coach Brian Kelly had the choice of two quarterbacks: the guy who led his team to within a 2-point conversion drop of the playoff and the guy who beat him out for the job last summer. Choose junior DeShone Kizer, and you’ve got tons of great reasons to do so. He excelled in the role last year, became the leader of the offense and helped the Irish turn what looked like a season-ending day at Virginia into a 10-2 record and a Fiesta Bowl berth. Choose senior Malik Zaire, and you’ve got tons of great reasons to do so. There’s a reason everyone was gutted when he went down with his seasonending injury at Virginia, and where Kizer has flaws — the red zone being the most obvious — the jury’s still out about Zaire. But Kelly chose both. Who knows where that’s going to go. To be fair to Kelly, there are plenty of reasons to go with a two-quarterback system. Let’s start with Kizer’s red-zone woes; perhaps having Zaire to call on inside the 20-yard line is a good thing. Or if the Irish are looking to establish the ground game, Kelly can go to Zaire within a well-defined role. Where a deep ball is required, Kizer’s strong play with those in 2015 could help him see the field a little better. There exist reasons why we all called this a “good problem”
in the first place. There are very few places in the country where Kizer or Zaire wouldn’t be the undisputed starting quarterback. Notre Dame just happens to be one of those. As a quick aside, before we dive deeper: Let’s keep the 2006 Florida team, the one that blasted Ohio State in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, in our minds. While it’s hard to know exactly what Kelly has in mind for his quarterback rotation Sunday, we should remember that Urban Meyer used both Chris Leak and Tim Tebow to win a national title that year. But while Kizer and Zaire are both top-end college quarterbacks, Kelly’s certainly taking a risk when it comes to the stability of the offense. If one quarterback throws an early interception, will Kelly quickly abandon the two-quarterback system and play the hotter hand? Or will he stick to his guns in a move that could see more unnecessary mistakes made? Either decision would run a strong risk of harming the team. If the Irish need a late-game touchdown to win at Texas, who’ll it be? Kizer was great on the road against Virginia and Temple to bring home wins, and equally fantastic in the final minutes at Clemson and Stanford. But wouldn’t Zaire be the better call from inside the 20? Could things look like they did in the 2014 Music City Bowl, perhaps? When the dust settles on the Notre Dame season, I ultimately think it’s the play of the defense that will make the
difference between 12-0 or 11-1 and 9-3 or 8-4. A month ago, I’d have said no matter who plays at quarterback, the Irish offense will be a playoff-caliber unit. Either Kizer or Zaire, surrounded by the talent the offense has, would put up the points he needed to. But what if the instability of a two-quarterback system costs the Irish in Texas? The Longhorns probably still won’t be that good this year, but they’re at least talented. Notre Dame fans shouldn’t expect this to be another 38-3 rout; there’s a reason the betting line for this game is well within a touchdwon. Kelly may well have made the right call here. After all, he’s the one paid the big bucks to lead this football team, not me. I just can’t keep the thought out of my mind, though, that Kelly just didn’t need to do this. Pick one, whichever’s ahead, and I’d feel confident about Notre Dame cruising to another quick start. In making the call he has, Kelly’s opened a can of worms. If this goes horribly wrong at Texas, you’ll be reading me second-guess him in a column Monday morning asking a slew of, “what ifs?” Though maybe you’ll be reading a column of praise instead. Kelly’s made his call. All that’s left is to see if it works. Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Irish head coach Brian Kelly addresses the media following Notre Dame’s 2015 season-opening win over Texas on Sept. 5. The Irish downed the Longhorns 38-3 last year, kickstarting a 10-3 season.
Texas signal caller still unknown
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Longhorns senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes evades Irish junior safety Drue Tranquill during last year’s 38-3 Irish home win Sept. 5. By RENEE GRIFFIN Sports Writer
Question after question at a Monday press conference was about the lack of certainty at the quarterback position in the season-opening matchup between Texas and No. 10 Notre Dame. It wasn’t Irish head coach Brian Kelly answering those questions, though. It was Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong, who is similarly faced with a choice between two quarterbacks he calls “good players.” And, like Kelly, Strong refused to announce just one as starter, with senior Tyrone Swoopes or true freshman Shane Buechele as his two options. Two former contenders, sophomore Jerrod Heard and freshman Kai Locksley, recently switched to receiver. However, while Strong won’t make his decision public until the two teams run out of the tunnel Sunday, he said he has a good idea of who he wants to start. Strong, who is entering his third year at Texas after two losing seasons, also said that both Swoopes and Buechele will see the field, but went on to emphasize that the starter would be getting the majority of the work. “When we name the quarterback, he is our starter and he will be the starter unless he gets beat out or something happens to him,” Strong said. Leadership is among the most important factors in making the decision, Strong said. “You’ve got to have someone who can win the team over and the players feel comfortable with that player, and then it’s got to be someone who can just manage your offense and execute the offense,” Strong said. “We’ve been practicing, we’ve been seeing who can do that, so that’s what the decision is going to come down to.” Texas senior receiver Jacorey Warrick said both players seemed to fit that description. “Both guys are well respected on this team, and both guys are more than capable of running this offense,” Warrick said. “They’re both leaders. They both have skill sets that can contribute
to this offense and running this offense.” Swoopes was the starting quarterback for Texas in last year’s opener, when Notre Dame defeated the Longhorns 38-3. He went 7-of-22 for 93 yards and was benched in week 2. He didn’t start again until the final game of the season. In 2014, he started every game but the opener and won five of them, as he threw 13 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions. However, Strong said the new offensive system being instituted by first-year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert offers Swoopes — and the rest of the offense that struggled en route to a 5-7 record in 2015 — a chance to improve. Buechele obviously has no track record at the collegiate level, and there is no bigger stage than a revenge matchup with the Irish for him to step into the college game for the first time. However, the 6-foot-1 native of Arlington, Texas, was ranked highly coming out of high school, and Strong described him as a “gym rat.” “Buechele’s done well and he’s competed well,” Strong said via teleconference. “You have a good QB battle going. “ … The thing about Buechele is he’s always willing to learn, always around the ball, always in the classroom doing what he needs to do.” Strong said the quarterback competition has not affected the team’s performance and minset in practice. He also differentiated between the choice he’s faced with and the one Brian Kelly is making — or, rather, declining to make — between incumbent junior DeShone Kizer and nowhealthy senior Malik Zaire. “Our problem is a little different,” Strong said when comparing Notre Dame’s situation with his own. “You’re looking at [Swoopes], a guy who’s going coming into his senior year, then you have a freshman who’s sitting there and they’re battling it out. We haven’t made such a big deal about it.” Contact Renee Griffin at rgriffi6@nd.edu
Insider
By MAREK MAZUREK Sports Editor
They say that time heals all wounds, but two weeks on from Brian Kelly announcing both Malik Zaire and DeShone Kizer would play against Texas, that hasn’t yet happened. “I’m not that worried about it,” the Irish head coach said of the decision. “They’re two veteran players. They know how to play. They don’t like it. They would like to be the guy, but they want to win, and they’ll do whatever is necessary to win and find a way to win the game. … Leading up to it, they won’t be fine. “ … It’s not an ideal situation for either one of them.” But while much of the attention has been focused on who will or should play, not much has been said about how the two quarterbacks found themselves in this position. For Zaire, the journey into the 2016 season has been a roller coaster. The Kettering, Ohio, native came into Notre Dame as a highly-touted recruit and redshirted his freshman season behind Everett Golson and Tommy Rees. At the end of his sophomore season, Zaire won the Music Ciy Bowl’s MVP award while sharing time with Golson. When Golson transferred before the 2015 season, it left Zaire with the job. But that was just the beginning, as the now-senior quarterback broke his ankle and only started two games in 2015. But as he recovered, Zaire said the injury gave him a better perspective on becoming a leader
ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, september 2, 2016 | The Observer
— a perspective he plans to take into Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium on Sunday. “It gave me a different perspective I wasn’t able to have when I was on the field,” Zaire said. “Being able to talk to guys on a mental level, just being able to relate information and share my story, just talk to them through their tough times as well was a real benefit to me in terms of my deeper connection to my teammates. I can only hope I can provide some positive energy and positive effects who are out there. “Now being on the field, I get to see the things I talked about it action. I even get to help so that’s even better, it’s a good opportunity for me and those guys.” Though Zaire is just days away from seeing his first game action in almost a year, he said he’s more focused on winning than simply being on the field. “I think winning the game would be a milestone,” Zaire said. “Winning is a milestone. Injuries happen in the game of football, [defensive backs coach Todd Lyght] always told me you know what kind of player you are when you come back from a major injury. I know what I can do on the field and I’m excited to be able to take the opportunity and run with it.” Kizer also knows about waiting his turn. The Toledo, Ohio, native redshirted his freshman season, but was called into action in his second year with the team when Zaire went down with his injury against Virginia. Kizer, now a junior, stepped in and salvaged a victory,
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CAITLYN JORDAN | The Observer
Irish junior quarterback DeShone Kizer scrambles during Notre Dame’s 34-27 win at Virginia on Sept. 12. After entering for the injured Malik Zaire, Kizer beat Virginia, then went 8-3 as a starter the rest of the way.
complete with a game-winning deep ball to Will Fuller that will forever be remembered by Irish fans. Kizer threw for 2,884 yards in the 12 games he played, with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. But Kizer said his biggest takeaway from the 2015 campaign wasn’t the number of touchdowns he threw, but the information he learned about becoming a leader. “Last year, I had the opportunity to take over that quarterback position and with that comes a lot of leadership,” Kizer said. “I learned quite a bit last year, so to take the experience I learned last year about how to lead a great team and apply them to this year has worked
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Irish senior quarterback Malik Zaire stiff arms a defender during Notre Dame’s 38-3 win over Texas on Sept. 5 at Notre Dame Stadium. Zaire threw for 313 yards in the Irish rout.
really well for me this offseason. [I have] the opportunity to fulfill that spot as a leader and an upperclassman now to take us to a successful season.” This year, Kizer will find himself thrust into that leadership role on a younger team. Yet as he grows as a leader, Kizer admitted that part of the leadership process involves trusting other people to get the job done. “The cool thing about our leadership style is that each unity has a leader in itself,” Kizer said. “So [senior receiver Torii Hunter Jr. is] going to handle his guys. There’s four coaches that go with the receivers and multiple coaches that go with the running backs. As long as you focus on what you’re doing … those guys are going to get the job done.” Getting the job done is also something Kizer said he himself plans to key in on this season and he feels focusing on the details will bring the team to new heights. “In close games, it’s all about the small things,” Kizer said. “If you go back to Stanford, [I] pop off a big run right before half, I step up to pass, I don’t have two hands on the ball, I fumble the ball, we don’t get that touchdown or that field goal going into the half. That touchdown or that field goal wins the game. There’s so many of those small situations in every game we played last year. What I’ve learned most is if I can focus on the details and shy away from some of those small mistakes that most people probably forget at the end of the season, that’s what’s going to separate
us and turn those small margins of losses into small margins of wins.” If you only look at production and yards, the two quarterbacks may seem interchangeable. But the paths they have taken to reach this point are not and neither are their mannerisms or attitudes. Just take how both players answered the question, “How do you feel feeling about having to share playing time?” “I just want to win games,” Kizer said. “I’d obviously love to be the guy to lead Notre Dame out there and play every snap just like any other competitor out there. If we go out there and play five overtimes, I want every last snap of those overtimes. But in this situation, you just have to trust the big man up top and that’s Coach Kelly. Whatever he has going in his little mind is probably going to be the right one … I should probably say big mind after 26 years of football.” Zaire responded with a simple, “We’re just ready to play.” Each answer rings true, because it fits each player. And while it’s important to remember Kizer and Zaire are approaching the same problem from different angles, it’s just as important to remember they share the same goal. “A successful game for me personally would probably look like a win first and foremost,” Zaire said. “We want to win games, that’s one thing we can agree on,” Kizer said. Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu
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The observer | FRIDAY, september 2, 2016 | ndsmcobserver.com
HEAD T
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
LONGHORNS PASSING For those who worry about Notre Dame’s quarterback situation, one look at the Longhorns’ will provide a boost of confidence going into Sunday’s match-up. Tyrone Swoopes is the more experienced of the two players Texas head coach Charlie Strong has to decide on for the role of starting quarterback. Swoopes started last year’s game agaisnt the Irish and put together a 9-for-22 outing totalling 93 yards through the air, 48 of which came on one play. Strong’s other option is true freshman Shane Buechele, a 6-foot-1, dual-threat quarterback who was rated the fifth-best prospect at his position in last season’s recruiting class. There are concerns with Notre Dame’s pass rush being able to mount pressure on whoever is in the pocket for Texas, as well as the dismissal of Max Redfield in the secondary. However, the Irish have both experience in sixth-year Avery Sebastian and athleticism in freshman Devin Studstill to fill Redfield’s place, although Studstill is still dealing with a slight hamstring tweak. At least on paper, this match-up goes to the visitors.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME LONGHORNS RUSHING The Longhorns used a committee in the backfield last season, most of which returns for 2016. D’Onta Foreman led the way in 2015 with 681 yards on the ground and five scores. Swoopes powered in for 12 touchdowns and 451 yards in his appearances around the goal line, while Jerrod Heard added another 556 yards and three scores for Texas. Notre Dame lost experience up front with the graduation of players like Sheldon Day and Joe Schmidt as well as Jaylon Smith leaving early for the NFL. That group held Texas to just 60 yards on the ground total last season. Still, the Irish might be deeper this year than last and just as athletic. If Texas is unable to establish anything through the air, that will enable Irish defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder and his defense to pin its ears back and go after the run. If the Irish can prevent the big play — and that’s a big “if” after last year — they should have no trouble containing the Texas
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
7:30 p.m. ET Darrell K. Royal–TExas Memorial Stadium
Texas
offense once again.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME LONGHORNS OFFENSIVE COACHING On the one hand, Charlie Strong is still in the middle of a complete rebuild of the Texas program. On the other, he’s proved at Louisville he’s more than capable of competing on the national stage, as Irish fans learned two years ago. Still, after a what can be described, at best, as a mediocre year for a program used to competing on a stage as large as its state, Strong is under pressure to produce in year two. Similarly, VanGorder has been under fire for a defense that gave up far too many big plays and didn’t force enough takeaways last season. His high-pressure, complex schemes have resulted in more blown coverages than opportunities created. Both coaches have proven they belong in the upper tier of coaches around the country, but the temperature at home is rising.
(Sr.) Jacorey Warrick 11
(So.) John Burt 1
(Fr.) Davion Curtis 84
Michael Dickson returns as the Longhorn punter in 2016. The Aussie averaged a respectable 41.3 yards per punt last season, but kicker Mitchell Becker has yet to attempt a collegiate field goal. Meanwhile, Notre Dame welcomes back a healthy C.J. Sanders as its return threat. Sanders broke both a kickoff and punt return for a score last season while averaging more than 22 yards per kickoff return. Dexter Williams, if he plays, and Chris Finke have also shown bursts in the return game in practice.
WR
LT LG C RG RT TE
(So.) Connor Williams 55 (R-Fr.) Garrett Thomas 79
(Jr.) D’Onta
Foreman
33
(So.) Chris Warren III 25
(Sr.) Tyrone Swoopes 18 (Fr.) Shane Buechele 16
RB QB
(R-Jr.) Brandon Hodges
58
(R-So.) Jake McMillon 64
(Fr.) Zach Shackelford 56 (R-So.) Elijah Rodriguez 72
(So.) Patrick Vahe 77 (R-So.) Terrell Cuney 51
(Sr.) Kent Perkins 76 (Jr.) Tristian Nickelson 75
(Sr.) Caleb Bluiett 42 (Jr.) Andrew Beck 47
WR
(Jr.) Armanti Foreman 3 6
(So.) DeAndre McNeal
CB NB
(So.) Holton Hill 5 (So.) Kris Boyd 2
EDGE: EVEN LONGHORNS SPECIAL TEAMS
WR
(Fr.) Collin Johnson 85
(So.) P.J. Locke III 11 (R-So.) John Bonny 24
(So.) DeShon Elliott 4
(Jr.) Jason Hall 31
S
(So.) Breckyn Hager 44 (R-Jr.) Naashon Hughes 40
(So.) Anthony Wheeler
45
(Sr.) Timothy Cole 30
(So.) Malik Jefferson 46 (R-Fr.) Cameron Townsend 43
MLB OLB
(Jr.) Poona Ford
95
(Fr.) Gerald Wilbon 94
(Sr.) Paul Boyette Jr. 93 (R-So.) Chris Nelson 97
(So.) Charles Omenihu 90 (Sr.) Bryce Cottrell 91
(Sr.) Dylan Haines 14 (Sr.) Kevin Vaccaro 18
DE NT DT DE
S (So.) Davante Davis 9
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
(Jr.) Antwuan Davis 25
CB
LONGHORNS SCHEDULE Sept. 4 Sept. 10 Sept. 17 Oct. 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Nov. 5 Nov. 12 Nov. 19 Nov. 25
Notre Dame UTEP @ California @ Oklahoma State Oklahoma Iowa State @ Kansas State Baylor @ Texas Tech West Virginia @Kansas TCU
(R-Jr.) Mitchell Becker 38 (So.) Michael Dickson
13
(So.) Kris Boyd 2
PK P PR
(Sr.) Trey Holtz 15 (R-Jr.) Mitchell Becker 38
(So.) Kris Boyd
(R-So.) Jak Holbrook 53
Alex Carson
Zach Klonsinski
Marek Mazurek
Assistant Managing Editor
Assistant Managing Editor
Sports Editor
Is Notre Dame’s defense good enough to keep the Irish comfortably ahead, or will Texas put up enough points to keep chase with the Irish offense? For me, that’s the question that determines this game. Like last year, when the Irish defensive line racked up four sacks against the Longhorns, I think they’ll do this job. At the core of it, though, Texas still isn’t a particularly great football team, and the Irish will have more talent than the Longhorns at most positions. College football, and especially season-opening college football, can always produce weird results. Remember South Carolina beating North Carolina last year? But Sunday won’t be one of those results. It won’t be 38-3 again, but the Irish really won’t struggle in their first true road-game opener in 10 years. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 34, Texas 13
A lot of points surrounding this game seem to favor Texas: It’s a Sunday night season-opener in Austin with the Longhorns out for revenge after the embarrassment in South Bend to start last season, and the Irish are distracted. Once the teams are actually on the field, though, Sunday night belongs to the Irish. Notre Dame fans may gripe about Brian Kelly’s decision with the quarterback situation, but any combination of DeShone Kizer-Malik Zaire handily trumps Texas’ Tyrone Swoopes-Shane Buechele duo. While Texas has young talent and is on its way back to prominence, Notre Dame is a more complete team at this point, and it’ll show. The score will be closer than the game will feel, but the Irish will be 1-0 charging onto the Notre Dame Stadium turf next weekend against Nevada. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 38, Texas 27
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H KR LS
With the recent slew of off-the-field issues, the Irish are itching to get back on the field. And when they do, they’ll be ready. The arrests turned focus away from the odd quarterback situation, and now the team isn’t thinking about who’s under center: They’re thinking about how to show the world they can move on from the events of the last two weeks. Texas will be better than last year — there’s no denying that — but Charlie Strong’s team has quarterback uncertainties of its own, and both Kizer and Zaire can put on a show offensively. With Tarean Folston back, Texas is in for a rough night defensively. Look for the young Irish secondary to give up some big plays, but Notre Dame will return from Austin with a win. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 27, Texas 20
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O HEAD on ABC
No. 10 Notre Dame
CAITLYN JORDAN | The Observer
IRISH PASSING
CB
Shaun Crawford (So.) 24
20
Nick Coleman (So.)
WILL DE DT DT DE
WR WR RT RG C LG LT TE WR
KO KR LS
Asmar Bilal (So.)
S
Andrew Trumbetti (Jr.)
98
8
Avery Sebastian (6th)
14 Devin Studstill (Fr.)
9 Daelin Hayes (Fr.)
Daniel Cage (Jr.)
75
94 Jarron Jones (Gr.)
Jerry Tillery (So.)
99
MLB
55 Jonathan Bonner (Jr.)
36
17
4 Te’von Coney (So.)
S
Isaac Rochell (Sr.)
90
Nyles Morgan (Jr.)
5
58 Kendall Moore (Sr.)
SAM CB
Greer Martini (Jr.) 22
48
23
Drue Tranquill (Jr.)
21 Jalen Elliott (Fr.)
James Onwualu (Sr.)
44 Jamir Jones (Fr.)
Cole Luke (Sr.)
27 Julian Love (Fr.)
Equanimeous St. Brown (So.)
6
81 Miles Boykin (So.)
C.J. Sanders (So.)
3
15 Corey Holmes (Fr.)
Alex Bars (Jr.)
71
78 Tommy Kraemer (Fr.)
Colin McGovern (Sr.)
62
66 Tristen Hoge (So.)
53
Sam Mustipher (Jr.)
75 Mark Harrell (Gr.)
RB QB
25
Tarean Folston (Sr.)
33 Josh Adams (So.)
14
DeShone Kizer (Jr.)
IRISH RUSHING
57 Trevor Ruhland (So.)
Mike McGlinchey (Sr.)
68
70 Hunter Bivin (Sr.)
80
Durham Smythe (Sr.)
82 Nic Weishar (Jr.)
16
Torii Hunter Jr. (Sr.)
29 Kevin Stepherson (Fr.)
Tyler Newsome (Jr.) 19
85
Justin Yoon (So.)
3
C.J. Sanders (So.)
2 Dexter Williams (So.)
Scott Daly (Gr.) 54
61
John Shannon (Fr.)
PK H P PR
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
8 Malik Zaire (Sr.)
Quenton Nelson (Jr.)
56
To call Notre Dame’s quarterback situation confusing right now is fair. However, when Brian Kelly has to decide between DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire, the change in the level of talent at the helm of the Irish offense is negligible at most. Last year Zaire torched Texas for 313 yards and as many touchdowns as incomplete passes — three. After Zaire went down with an injury the next game against Virigina, Kizer stepped in to throw for 2,884 yards and 21 touchdowns the rest of the season. Compare that with Texas’ situation at the same position. It’s hard to ever give an edge to a quarterback battle so full of indecision, especially when the team’s leading returning receiver — Torii Hunter Jr. — has just 35 receptions and three touchdowns for his career. However, Texas ranked 106th out of 127 teams in college football last season in total defense, allowing more than 5.5 yards per play. The pass defense was a bit better — 73rd nationally — but still gave up over seven yards per pass attempt. Though Kelly’s indecision leaves a question mark at the helm of the offense, Kizer and Zaire are both more than capable of lighting up the Longhorn defense Sunday night
19
Justin Yoon (So.)
85 Tyler Newsome (Jr.)
4
Montgomery VanGorder (Jr.)
14 DeShone Kizer (Jr.)
85
Tyler Newsome (Jr.)
42 Jeff Riney (So.)
3
C.J. Sanders (So.)
27 Chris Finke (So.)
Notre Dame vs. Temple
Ben Padanilam
Renee Griffin
Associate Sports Editor
Sports Writer
Notre Dame went into the offseason with a lot of question marks on both sides of the field. Yet, as Sunday night in Austin approaches, it seems as though this talent-laden Irish squad has created more questions than answers the last few weeks. There’s no clear answer at quarterback, and now there are leadership concerns following the six recent arrests. That’s not to say Texas doesn’t have questions of its own. But don’t let last year’s score fool you; the Longhorns are a much better team this time around. There are a lot of reasons to pick the home team in this one. Yet, I still think the more talented Irish squeak this one out. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 35, Texas 31
While the Texas pass defense had its struggles last season, the Longhorn rush defense was gouged for more than 219 yards per game and more than 4.5 yards per carry in 2015. These stats left Texas 111th in the country defending against the run. Couple that with an Irish rushing attack that returns Tarean Folston as well as an experienced and explosive option in Josh Adams, and Texas could be in for a long day in the trenches. The only question marks for the Irish will be along the relatively inexperienced offensive line and running back Dexter Williams’ status following his arrest two weekends ago. So far Williams has yet to be punished by the University, and Kelly has made it clear the players involved who are still on the team will be available to play unless otherwise punished by University administration.
A loss at Texas would be a catastrophic start to the season. The Longhorns do have the talent and the coaching to engineer an upset over the Irish, who despite high expectations are as unstable as ever with no clear leader under center and a shallow secondary further depleted by the arrest of its top safety. Yet Texas has its issues as well. The first game of the year is too soon to expect the Longhorns to master a new offensive system, especially considering their own lack of certainty at quarterback. Ultimately, Notre Dame’s offense, however headless it may be, will score enough to overcome the deficiencies of its defense and carry the team to 1-0. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 31, Texas 24
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Neither question mark is too worrisome though, so expect Notre Dame to pound Texas on the ground and find more than its fair share of success along the way.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME IRISH OFFENSIVE COACHING Brian Kelly, Mike Sanford and the Irish coaching staff had no trouble picking apart the Texas defense last season en route to the lopsided victory. However, that was with a clear guy to build a game plan around in Zaire. This time around, Charlie Strong and his staff, who beat the Irish two years ago at Notre Dame Stadium when he was still the head coach at Louisville, have another look at Kelly’s offense that still doesn’t have a clear leader to game plan for. That gives Texas a boost in stopping the Irish offense. Whether or not that’s enough to overcome Notre Dame’s advantages in other areas is harder to read.
EDGE: TEXAS IRISH SPECIAL TEAMS Notre Dame returns both its place kicker in Justin Yoon and punter/kick-off man Tyler Newsome to a special teams unit that was solid during the 2016 season. Yoon connected on 15-of-17 field goal attempts and 50-of-52 extra points while Newsome averaged just under 45 yards per punt and recorded 21 touchbacks on kickoffs. Texas’ main return man, Daje Johnson, graduated, but the Longhorns’ Kris Boyd, who averaged more than 20 yards per kickoff return last season, returns to provide a threat on both return teams.
EDGE: EVEN IRISH SCHEDULE Sept. 4 @ Texas Sept. 10 Nevada Sept. 17 Michigan State Sept. 24 Duke Oct. 1 vs. Syracuse Oct. 8 @ NC State Oct. 15 Stanford Oct. 29 Miami Nov. 5 vs. Navy Nov. 12 vs. Army Nov. 19 Virginia Tech Nov. 26 @ USC
Follow Observer Sports on Twitter for live updates and analysis during the game this weekend and all season long. @ObserverSports
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The observer | FRIDAY, september 2, 2016 | ndsmcobserver.com
Recruiting
Irish to keep strengthening deep 2017 class By ZACH KLONSINSKI Assistant Managing Editor
Notre Dame enters the 2016 season with a staggering 17 commitments — the most in Irish head coach Brian Kelly’s tenure by the beginning of September — already verbally agreeing to play football for the Irish in 2017. W hile the overall number isn’t a drastic increase from the last few classes at this point in the season, the class is much more talented already than in previous years, according to Blue and Gold Illustrated’s football analyst Bryan Driskell. “The fact that [the Irish] have added so much skill to the class is really what is different,” Driskell said. “They’ve started off with linebackers, tight ends, offensive linemen, but they were really able to add a lot more impact type athleticism in the class.” What is unusual about this class so far, Driskell added, is that Notre Dame has already landed prospects from the South, like Rivals.com fourstar offensive lineman Robert Hainsey from Bradenton, Florida, and four-star defensive tackle Darnell Ewell out of Norfolk, Virginia. “They’ve kind of hit in some areas that usually take them a little longer for them to hit, like landing Darnell Ewell from Norfolk, Virginia,” Driskell said. “They usually don’t get an impact, top-150 type defensive tackle this early. … The fact that [the Irish] have been able to add some impact players at defensive tackle, the fact that they’ve already landed two Southern wide receivers, normally those guys jump on board later in the process.” At the same time, Driskell noted the classes for both 2017 and 2018 are heav y on northern talent, which the Irish have historically been able to recruit very well. He pointed to four-star running back C.J. Holmes from Hamden, Connecticut. “Connecticut doesn’t produce a lot of top-250 running backs,” Driskell said. “A private school in Connecticut is a place where Notre Dame’s going to do well. Well usually they’re getting offensive linemen from Connecticut, but the fact that they could get a Rivals 250 running back from Connecticut really helped a lot.” Driskell also pointed to Notre Dame commits like four-star linebacker David Adams and three-star defensive tackle Kurt Hinish, who both hail from Pittsburgh — as well as four-star offensive lineman Joshua Lugg out of
Wexburg, Pennsylvania, a suburb of the Steel City — as products of this talent surge. “I think No. 1 is winning. Winning helps,” Driskell said when asked about what has drawn the talent to Notre Dame this class. “ … When [Notre Dame played Alabama in 2012], a lot of these kids were eighth graders or freshmen. Since then Notre Dame went 9-4 the next year and then 8-5, and it just kind of fell apart at the end of the 2014 season, and that’s kind of what kids saw. So that shine from the 2012 season had faded a little bit. “ … I think kids are looking for a reason to go to Notre Dame. They are. … But at the end of the day, elite football players want to go somewhere and win. And so I think that’s the biggest thing that’s helped [the Irish].” With the large commitment numbers, Notre Dame is now freer to target high-caliber prospects, who Driskell described as the type of recruits who will take Notre Dame’s current recruiting class to the top three or five in college football as opposed to the top 10 or 15 classes they’ve been for the last few years. Here are some of the top prospects on Notre Dame’s big board Driskell said Irish fans should keep their eye on moving forward. Rankings are from Rivals.com.
tackle, that’s going to give them the two book-end tackles they need.”
Hezekiah Jones Stafford, Texas No. 17 receiver Tarik Black Cheshire, Conn. No. 14 receiver While the 5-foot-11 Jones has already given a verbal commitment to Texas A&M, Driskell said he thinks both four-star receivers are still very much open for the Irish to land on signing day. “If they could land or even both of those guys, I think that would have a big impact and I think they have a legitimate opportunity with both of those guys,” Driskell said. Driskell also pointed out the Irish also have an inside track with Black, whose teammate, running back C.J. Holmes, is already committed to Notre Dame.
Donovan Jeter Beaver Falls, Penn. No. 14 defensive tackle Driskell said the 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive lineman out of Pennsylvania looks like a guy Notre Dame fans have grown to love over the last few years: Isaac Rochell. “[Jeter]’s a little better athlete, maybe not quite as
strong,” Driskell said. “Guy that can play strongside end, can play three-technique, can do a lot of different things for you. I think that’s why he reminds me of Rochell.” Jeter, a four-star prospect, has scheduled a visit to Notre Dame on Michigan State weekend, which Driskell said just shows how seriously he’s considering a school that didn’t even originally appear in his top five. “He was at some sort of preseason event with Kurt Hinish, who’s committed to Notre Dame, and the whole time Kurt Hinish was in his ear, ‘Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame’ and the kid was like, ‘Why isn’t Notre Dame in my top group?’ So he added them and made it a top six.”
Jacob Phillips Nashville, Tenn. No. 2 inside linebacker “Very physical player. Can play inside linebacker, can play outside linebacker,” Driskell said of the four-star recruit. “I actually think his best position down the road might be as an edge rusher. And so he could be that guy that gives [Notre Dame] that edge rusher from linebacker or be a hybrid defensive end guy.” Paid Advertisement
Foster Sarell Graham, Wash. No. 1 offensive tackle Driskell said while many analysts predict the five-star Sarell will stay out west, he thinks the Irish have a very strong chance at landing the 6-foot-6, 315 pounder. “He’s a big time player,” Driskell said. “He’s a guy that’s going to visit for the Stanford game. It’s basically Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington for him.” Driskell added that while adding a top-five national prospect would certainly boost where the class is ranked nationally, offensive line is also a position of need for Notre Dame moving forward.
Trey Smith Jackson, Tenn. No. 4 offensive tackle “I actually have [fivestar] Trey Smith ranked higher than Foster Sarell on my particular big board at Blue and Gold Illustrated,” Driskell said of the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Volunteer State product. “Moral of the story, they’re both outstanding players. If [Notre Dame] can add one of those two guys to go along with [four-star commit] Joshua Lugg at offensive
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Notre Dame has already made Phillips’ final five, along with Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma and Oregon. The Tennessee product is also scheduled to visit for the Michigan State game.
Thomas Graham Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. No. 7 cornerback “He visited in March with his dad,” Driskell said. “His parents are big time into academics. That’s going to be a big part of his decision. He was previously committed to USC because his sister goes there, but his family really wanted him to blaze his own trail.” Driskell said the Irish are in a recruiting battle with UCLA and Arizona, but he added that Notre Dame has what Graham and his family are looking for. “He’s going to come back for another visit, and I think Notre Dame’s got a really good shot with him, especially because his parents really like Notre Dame,” Driskell said. “I wouldn’t say they’re pushing Notre Dame, but they really like Notre Dame and that’s always going to give you a chance.” Contact Zach Klonsinski at zklonsin@nd.edu
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ND secondary confident heading to Texas By BEN PADANILAM Associate Sports Editor
When No. 10 Notre Dame entered camp this fall, it already knew it had questions in the secondary after graduating three of the seven players to start for last year’s group. What the unit didn’t expect was to lose a fourth member of that group just two weeks before Sunday’s season opener at Texas. But that’s exactly what happened when Brian Kelly dismissed senior Max Redfield from the team two days after his arrest on August 19. Suddenly, there seemed to be even more questions about the back end of defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s defense. Or at least that was the case outside the locker room. For the unit, however, it only sharpened their focus. “We were so close as a unit already,” senior cornerback Cole Luke said. “ … We kind of came together, but it’s like I said, we were so close already. Me and [junior safety Drue Tranquill] and some of the other older guys just tried to emphasize that this opportunity can be taken from you at any time in your life, so we try to attack the day like it’s our last, and we say that at the beginning of every single practice.” Now, as the Irish prepare for the Longhorns and beyond, the starting secondary will feature Luke, Tranquill, sophomore Shaun Crawford and graduate student Avery Sebastian. And it is a unit that feels very confident in itself. “There should be no dropoff from ones to twos to threes — doesn’t matter,” Luke said. “ …Whoever’s in, I
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Irish senior cornerback Cole Luke defends a receiver during Notre Dame’s 42-30 win over Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on Nov. 5. Luke enters the 2016 season as one of Notre Dame’s most experienced defenders, with six career interceptions in 30 games played.
have confidence in.” While Luke and Tranquill both started games for the Irish last season, Crawford will be seeing his first game action Sunday. But that isn’t something that he’s worried about, he said. “For me, it’s just I feel like I’ve been here before,” Crawford said. “[I’m] going into my sophomore year, so I don’t have that, like, freshman jitters, really, but it will be my first game. I am nervous, but I think it’s just a great opportunity, and the coaches have prepared me well for it, so I think it’s just doing my job and playing with a lot of effort and enthusiasm. I think I’ll be fine.” A year ago, Sebastian broke his foot against Texas in his first game in the blue and gold. But, as a sixth-year graduate student, he’s far from inexperienced. Although he
missed the rest of last season due to the injury, Sebastian played in a total of 31 games between special teams and safety over his four seasons at California. Now, after being named one of Notre Dame’s starter at safety Tuesday, his experience and effort has earned him the respect and trust of his teammates heading into Sunday. “We call him the Grandpa — Grandpa Ave — but he’s been around,” Luke said. “I mean, he’s played in multiple systems. He’s seen multiple looks. I mean, he’s got that knowledge and that wisdom that you expect him to have. … It’s good, obviously, just because he might know what to expect at different times. We have trust in him, and he’ll know when something’s going to work and something’s not going to work and that’s what he’s here for.”
“He’s a guy with a high motor,” Crawford said. “He’ll give 100 percent every single play, and we’re glad to have him back there. He communicates very well, and he gets everyone where they need to be. We’re excited to have him back there, and we’ll be amazing with him.” And now, after putting aside the distractions of the last few weeks, the secondary has focused on preparing for the trip to Austin, Texas. All week, the unit has heard about the speed Texas has on offense and the tempo it plays with. “They’re a quick offense,” Luke said. “They have wide splits to up their [run-pass option plays]. … They have quick, agile receivers just like everybody else we play.” But the secondary — and the defense as a whole for that matter — have made
tempo and conditioning a focus throughout the last few weeks in preparation for the Longhorn attack. “We’ve been going through a lot of scenarios in practice — lining up quick, getting set, field calls and also conditioning,” Crawford said. “Just conditioning after practice, doing a couple more ‘gasers’ just to be ready for the tempo.” Now, as they look ahead to Sunday and beyond, the group believes it has found the answer to all those questions it faced early on. “We’re all playing fast, we have a lot of talent in the back end, and we’ve got competitive guys,” Crawford said. “I think we can just put anybody anywhere, and I think we’ll be successful.” Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
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Irish junior safety Drue Tranquill contests a pass during Notre Dame’s 38-3 win last season over Texas. Tranquill tore his ACL two weeks later against Georgia Tech, but enters 2016 as the starter at strong safety.
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The observer | FRIDAY, September 2, 2016 | ndsmcobserver.com
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Irish sophomore running back Josh Adams crosses the goal line for a touchdown during Notre Dame’s 38-3 win last season over Texas on Sept. 5. Adams rushed for two touchdowns in the game — his collegiate debut — as the Irish routed the Longhorns. Adams enters his sophomore year alongside senior Tarean Folston as a starter on the depth chart.
TO THE LONE STAR STATE
A year ago, Notre Dame opened its season with a 38-3 throttling of Texas at Notre Dame Stadium. Malik Zaire threw for 313 yards and the Irish ground game ran for 214 yards in a game that was never in doubt. On Sunday, for the first time in 10 years, Notre Dame will start its season with a true road game, traveling to Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium for the return contest.
CAITLYN JORDAN | The Observer
Longhorns senior quarterback Tyrone Swoops is hauled down by Irish defenders in the 2015 opener.
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Irish players, including junior safety Drue Tranquill, 23, celebrate bringing down Jerrod Heard during last year’s contest.
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Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong meets the media after Texas’ 38-3 loss to the Irish last year.
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish sophomore running back Josh Adams stretches across the goal line to score a touchdown on his first career carry Sept. 5 during Notre Dame’s 38-3 win over Texas last season at Notre Dame Stadium.