Notre Dame Football: All-time Brian Kelly era team

Linebackers

Prince Shembo, although more of a defensive end at times, served four years as a linebacker for Notre Dame. A three-star product out of North Carolina, Shembo was an effective pass-rusher and a decent all-around athlete who also took part in basketball and track throughout high school. Despite limited initial hype, Shembo paid immediate dividends for the Irish coaching staff.

Such contributions included 15 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks as a freshman. Shembo would remain somewhat stagnant in his sophomore year, but exploded for 10.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in his junior year. While not as impressive, Shembo’s 2013 season was still a success as he recorded 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

In the midst of defensive changes across the board, Shembo’s versatility and athleticism proved to be a valuable asset for Kelly and his coaching staff. Shembo’s talent was recognized on a national level as he was placed on the Bednarik Award watch list. Shembo’s talent and efficiency were also appreciated by the Atlanta Falcons, the NFL squad that selected him with their 2014 fourth round pick.

Darius Fleming, a four-star product out of Chicago, functioned as a predecessor of sorts for the previously mentioned Prince Shembo. While the latter may have had the more successful college career, Fleming was a serviceable outside linebacker/defensive end during his time with the Irish. Given his versatility along the defensive front, Fleming earns a spot in Kelly’s all-time linebacker corps.

Fleming began his career as a defensive end, compiling 44 tackles, 14.5 for loss, and 5.5 sacks from 2008 to 2009. While Fleming played fine in his defensive end role, his switch to outside linebacker under Kelly led to an uptick in all-around performance as the edge rusher combined for 103 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks in his junior and senior seasons.

Fleming also contributed in other aspects of the game, logging seven passes defensed while contributing to three turnovers as a linebacker. While Fleming wasn’t put up for any awards, his solid play and athleticism help earn him a spot on this particular all-time team.

With Shembo and Fleming on the outside, here’s a look at a couple of Kelly’s more traditional linebackers. First up is Hawaii native and Notre Dame legend Manti Te’o. Te’o, who played inside for the Irish, made his mark as a freshman, starting in 10 of the team’s 12 games under head coach Charlie Weis.

While his 2009 season was impressive, Te’o’s college career would take another step forward under Kelly in his first year as a Notre Dame head coach. Te’o would go on to record 133 tackles in 13 games, a crazy feat for a linebacker with little experience. After two years of consistency, the Irish knew they had something great in their former five-star product.

Despite nearly unrepeatable numbers in his sophomore year, Te’o found new ways to improve as a junior. While his final tackle count would drop slightly, Te’o was able to boost his sack total from one in 2010 to five in 2011. Notre Dame would go 8-5 in each of these two seasons, but it was clear to the coaching staff that greatness was on the horizon.

And right they were, as Notre Dame would ride an undefeated season all the way to a national championship loss against Alabama. One of the key players in that 2012 championship run was, of course, Manti Te’o. Te’o would finish his career as one of the most decorated players in Notre Dame history, all while falling just short of the Heisman trophy, an incredible achievement for a defensive player.

After witnessing Te’o’s impact on the Irish firsthand, it was clear to Kelly’s staff that a strong linebacker presence was critical to a team’s success. In turn, the Irish sought to find a replacement for Te’o. After receiving the commitment of five-star product Jaylon Smith, it was apparent that the Irish had found their guy.

And find their guy they did as Smith went on to start in all 13 games as a freshman in 2013. Smith was a part of a Notre Dame team that went 9-4 following their 2012 National Championship loss, contributing 58 tackles, 5.5 for loss, and one interception. Smith would take a jump in 2014, recording 111 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble as a sophomore.

Notre Dame had hopes for yet another championship run in 2015, but a 10-3 record would only take the Irish as far as a Fiesta Bowl matchup against Ohio State. Smith, once again a huge contributor for the Irish, sustained a knee injury severe enough to remove him from the bowl game and affect his draft stock.

Smith would end up going to the Dallas Cowboys with the 34th pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, but not before being named to numerous award watch lists while earning a variety of second and third team All-American honors.