With the Blue and Gold game done and recruiting wrapping up the Notre Dame football coaching staff turns their focus to who will take the field in the fall.
Just a year after posting a 10-3 record that saw the Notre Dame Fighting Irish going all the way to the Fiesta Bowl, head coach Brian Kelly led his team to a miserable 4-8 finish. That came despite having one of the game’s most coveted quarterbacks. Injuries, a fan’s most satisfying excuse to explain a team’s mediocre play, somehow managed to avoid the Irish for the most part, making it extra curious as to why such a talented team finished so poorly.
Nevertheless, the Notre Dame coaching staff will have to put eleven players on the field come Fall. Kelly will no doubt do all he can to get the most out of whoever he puts in the game, but it will ultimately be up to the players to determine where the Irish end up this year.
Here is a two-deep depth chart projecting just who those players might be:
Defensive backs
Starting Safeties: JR Nick Coleman, SO Jalen Elliott
While Elliott has significantly more breathing room than his fellow safety in Coleman, neither of these positions are off-limits when it comes to roster adjustments. Coleman struggled greatly at cornerback last year. He is hoping a switch to safety will help get his feet off the ground. Elliott did well in his freshman year as a backup but it is yet to be seen if he can handle a starter’s workload.
Backups: SO Devin Studstill, JR Nicco Fertitta / FR Isaiah Robertson
Devin Studstill would be next in line should Elliott not progress as expected. Fertitta and Robertson fall behind the shaky Nick Coleman and could be in line for work unless Coleman flourishes in his new role. Fertitta would probably be the first in line for time due to experience, but there is always the possibility the freshman Robertson performs much higher than expectations.
Linebackers
Starting Linebackers: SR Greer Martini (Buck) / SR Nyles Morgan (Mike)
Martini has grown exponentially in his production for Notre Dame since recording 26 total tackles as a true freshman in 2014. Last year he managed 55 total tackles with three sacks and seven tackles for a loss.
Martini should be locked in as the team’s buck linebacker due to his effectiveness against the run. Morgan, Notre Dame’s best linebacker and potentially best overall defensive player, will go into the season with little competition for his job. This will allow him to get to work early and make sure he is in the right shape for the upcoming season. Morgan recorded 94 total tackles last year while also accruing four sacks.
Backups: JR Te’von Coney, SO Jonathan Jones
Te’von Coney is easily Notre Dame’s third best linebacker. If not for the incredible play of Martini last year, Coney would likely still have the starting job. He will back up both Martini and Morgan in two linebacker sets with sophomore Jonathan Jones mixing in as a Mike when needed.
Starting Rover: SR Drue Tranquill
Notre Dame has enjoyed recent success instituting the rover position into their lineup, likely due to the exceptional versatility of senior Drue Tranquill. Tranquill registered 33 total tackles in his freshman year, greatly impressing coaches and giving good reason to develop a role specifically for him. Tranquill has embraced the role and registered 79 total tackles with the team in 2016.
Backup Rover: JR Asmar Bilal
Bilal flourished after being groomed by veterans in his first year on the scout team for Notre Dame as he recorded 29 total tackles in his first year seeing the field. He will provide just enough of a presence to keep Tranquill working to keep his job but should not be considered a significant threat to the position.
Defensive tackles
Starting Tackles: SR Jonathan Bonner (DT), JR Jerry Tillery (NT)
Jonathan Bonner is expected to take the majority of snaps as a defensive tackle this season, but there are plenty of players beneath him ready to take his place should he fail to progress. Bonner received most of his playing time after the injury to junior Elijah Taylor. He did well with this increase in playing time, but was never able to completely separate himself from those under him. Jerry Tillery will take the majority of snaps at the nose tackle position but, much like Bonner, has had a difficult time proving himself as the number one option for the Irish on the defensive front.
Backups: JR Elijah Taylor / JR Micah Dew-Treadway (DT), SR Daniel Cage (NT)
Every defensive tackle on Notre Dame’s depth chart might as well be thrown into one collective group when it comes to organizing who’s going to be playing where. Injuries, personalities, and playing types all work together to blur the lines of Notre Dame’s defensive line.
Will Taylor be able to fully recover from the injury that handed Bonner his starting spot? What will the Irish get out of Dew-Treadway in light of an injury that removed him from the entirety of last season? Will Tillery maintain his hold on the starting nose tackle position despite landing in Kelly’s doghouse at the end of last season?
These are only a few of the many questions Kelly will have to answer this season. As for Cage, only time will tell if he is capable of making the Irish coaching staff think twice about starting Tillery instead of him.
Defensive ends
Starting ends: SR Jay Hayes (LE), SO Daelin Hayes (RE)
Thankfully, Notre Dame’s defensive end situation is more black and white. Hayes will man the ends of the defensive front. He should take significant steps forward.
Daelin is in less danger of being replaced. He is on track to have the better college career at the end of the day. Daelin recorded 11 total tackles in 2016 while Jay followed closely behind with 10. Neither have yet to record a sack at the position.
Backups: SR Andrew Trumbetti (LE), SO Julian Okwara (RE), SO Adetokunbo Ogundeji (LE/RE)
Andrew Trumbetti’s career got off to a hot start when he played in 12 games as a true freshman. One of those games being the Music City Bowl in which he registered his first career start. However, Trumbetti’s production fell off a bit in 2015 when he dropped from 21 total tackles down to 16.
While Jay Hayes is the better all-around player, Trumbetti has proved to be the superior pass-rusher. That could be used to his advantage when it comes to surpassing Hayes on the depth chart. Julian Okwara will serve as the backup to Daelin Hayes with Ogundeji appearing occasionally in relief.
Offensive Line
Starting Tackles: GS Mike McGlinchey (LT), SO Tommy Kraemer (RT)
Mike McGlinchey, in his fifth season with the Irish, is the greatest lock on this roster. It’s not far-fetched to assume he will likely be Notre Dame’s most valuable player on the offensive line this season. McGlinchey was placed on both the Outland and Lombardi Trophy lists last year. He figures to be watched even more closely over the course of this year.
Kraemer, perhaps Notre Dame’s best prospect on the offensive line, will battle classmate Liam Eichenberg for the starting spot. Early indicators would point to him coming out on top. He was given the nod in the Blue and Gold game.
Backups: GS Hunter Bivin (LT), SO Liam Eichenberg (RT)
Hunter Bivin is a veteran at the position and will likely be first in line to receive snaps should McGlinchey be sidelined. Eichenberg, as mentioned above, should backup Kraemer. That is, if he doesn’t take the starting spot for himself. Right tackle will be an interesting position to follow in South Bend as the season draws near.
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Starting Guards: SR Quenton Nelson (LG), SR Alex Bars (RG)
Much like McGlinchey, both Nelson and Bars are expected to start barring significant injury. Nelson and Bars acted as much needed anchors along the line, each starting in all 12 games last season. Nelson is the better of the two and figures to fall in the first couple of rounds of the NFL draft when he declares.
Bars is a little further behind in terms of development but will likely have similar expectations pushed on him by offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. Both of these players will be trusted to hold down the fort on the interior. They should have no problem doing so given what we have seen out of them up to this point.
Backups: GS Hunter Bivin (LG), JR Trevor Ruhland (RG)
With the majority of the line’s youth falling on the left side, Bivin will be called on to serve as the backup for both left guard and left tackle this upcoming year. Ruhland will provide solid depth behind Bars and should look to start next year should either Nelson or Bars depart.
Starting Center: SR Sam Mustipher
Sam Mustipher also started every single game last year. He should be given that same opportunity this year. Mustipher played on the scout team in his first season with the Irish and functioned as a backup center in 2015 before being thrust into the starting role last season. His time as a starter came with some bumps and bruises but the coaching staff claims he has ironed out most of the kinks.
Backup: JR Tristen Hoge
Hoge is a junior out of Highland high school who has played minimal time in a Notre Dame uniform. However, he has shown great versatility over that time as he backed up both center and guard last season. With another year under his belt and a more well-defined role being carved out for him this season, it’ll be interesting to see if he ends up giving Mustipher a run for his money.
Wide receivers
Starting Receivers: JR Equanimeous St. Brown, Kevin Stepherson, Chris Finke
Much like the defensive tackle position, the wide receiver corps is extremely fluid. St. Brown is the lone lock at the position. After him there will be a multitude of players gunning for starting roles. This position battle will no doubt be one of the more exciting ones as the summer comes to a close.
Kevin Stepherson impressed last year as he reeled in 25 passes for 462 yards. That should be enough to secure a starting spot if Miles Boykin can’t distance himself. Chris Finke should fit in nicely in the slot position. His size and speed allows for him to escape tacklers.
Backups: JR Miles Boykin, JR C.J. Sanders, SO Chase Claypool
The distance between Boykin and Stepherson is razor thin in my opinion. The battle could really go either way. Both have different skill sets, making it possible that the No. 2 wide receiver may be a position run by committee.
The do-it-all playmaker in Sanders will likely handle backup duties alongside sophomore Chase Claypool. However, Claypool may surpass Sanders on the depth chart as the latter will be busy handling kick and punt return duties.
Tight ends
Starting Tight Ends: JR Alize Mack, GS Durham Smythe
Alize Mack, perhaps Notre Dame’s most hyped prospect, will come into his junior year a whole year removed from live action. After being suspended for the 2016 season, Mack’s college career took a large step back.
Smythe was not quite able to take advantage of Mack’s absence, and neither were any other tight ends on the roster. Now, Mack will return to the field with the opportunity to be molded into the role created for him.
Mack has more upside than any other tight end on the team and hoped to make that clear come football season. Smythe, in his last year with the Irish, will continue to operate on the goal line and in two tight end sets.
Backups: SR Nic Weishar, FR Brock Wright
Similar to the dynamics of most other positions, the backups at the tight end position are balanced between youth and experience. Nic Weishar figures to get in the most time should an injury occur. However, highly rated freshman in Wright may also be in line for some time if the season gets out of hand like it did last year.
Running Backs
Starting Running Back: JR Josh Adams
Adams, the freshman sensation of 2015, is still running strong going into his junior year at Notre Dame. He has minimal competition for the position. It’s safe to say he has more than established himself as the lead back for last year’s powerhouse offense. Adams finished his 2016 campaign with 158 carries for 933 yards and five scores.
Backups: JR Dexter Williams, SO Tony Jones Jr.
Both Williams and Jones are high upside players with complementing skill sets. While either Williams or Jones could be considered the No. 2 behind Adams, their difference in styles should allow for both of them to get in decent playing time, especially if Adams goes down. Williams has the most experience out of the two but only time will tell who will be called should the time come.
Quarterbacks
Starting Quarterback: JR Brandon Wimbush
As it is most teams, quarterback will be the do-or-die position for Notre Dame this year. The team lost DeShone Kizer to the Cleveland Browns via the NFL draft this past April. That leaves Brian Kelly tasked with finding his replacement. But Notre Dame was by no means panicked by this situation, in fact, they had prepared for it.
Wimbush was never brought in to be a backup. While that was the position he played when he first reached South Bend, he was always destined for more. And now that that time has finally come, his coaches and teammates alike are ready to hand him the reigns.
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Backup: SO Ian Book
Book, who looked much better on paper than Wimbush over the course of the Blue and Gold game, is not here to fight Wimbush for his job. Just like Wimbush, that time will come later. If we learned anything from that spring game, it was that Notre Dame certainly will have a fighting chance even if their starter goes down.