LINK CLICK HERE
1. What is the offensive identity?
The pieces are in place for a ground game to be the focal point of Notre Dame’s offense. On paper there is a strong offensive line, a quarterback who thrives running the read-option and three running backs more than capable of sharing snaps.
If Irish head coach Brian Kelly plans to shift the offense’s identity, hiring budding offensive coordinator Mike Sanford was the first step. Traditionally, Kelly surrounds himself with assistants he’s familiar with, such as Jeff Quinn and Mike Denbrock. Hiring Sanford signals the potential for change in how Kelly runs his offense.
The sixth-year Irish head coach wants to establish an identity by the start of fall camp. A heavy dose of rushing the football paid dividends against LSU in the Music City Bowl, when Notre Dame tallied 263 yards on the ground and dominated time of possession (36:39 to 22:41). Kelly indicated after the spring game Notre Dame will ride behind its strength, which is up front.
“I think for me it was pretty clear that we've got a very good offensive line,” Kelly said. “They're going to be able to control the line of scrimmage in most instances and we'll continue to go to our strength, which we believe is up front.”
2. Will the defense improve in Year Two under VanGorder?
The first year of working with a new defensive coordinator is always challenging. There’s a new defense to learn, unfamiliar terminology and adjusting takes time. Notre Dame’s defense was deceptively good early last season against underachieving offenses like Rice (No. 63 in scoring offense), Michigan (No. 109), Purdue (No. 95) and Syracuse (No. 118). The weaknesses—and lack of depth—became glaringly obvious in the latter half of the year as the season unraveled.
Is Year Two in VanGorder’s defense going to be different? The players have worked in the same defense for more than a year now – it will be the longest junior linebacker Jaylon Smith has spent with one defensive coordinator.
The defense is clicking on all cylinders for safeties Max Redfield andElijah Shumate and the return of Jarrett Grace and Joe Schmidt add reinforcements to a linebacker core that includes a more experienced Nyles Morgan. Barring another series of injury after injury
Notre Dame ranked 82nd nationally in scoring defense last fall, conceding an average of about 29 points per game. A poor first season can be excused, but the 2015 defense needs to show improvement.
3. What affect do the former Irish stars have as position coaches?
Two former Notre Dame standouts returned in March in a different role than the last one they held with the team. The program’s all-time leading rusher,Autry Denson (1995-99), and All-American cornerback Todd Lyght(1987-1990) joined Brian Kelly’s staff to coach their respective positions. Both have impressive resumes from their playing days, but neither has a particularly experienced background in coaching compared to rest of Notre Dame’s staff.
Denson’s most important task centers around redshirt sophomore Greg Bryant. The second-string back missed most of his freshman season with an injury and saw limited carries in 2014 after Tarean Folston seized the No. 1 role. The four-star recruit will go through his first entirely healthy offseason and has the potential to be part of a talented backfield tandem.
The imminent return of senior KeiVarae Russell gives the secondary a much-needed boost. Lyght oversees the talented cornerback pairing of Cole Luke and Russell. Lyght’s primary focus will be making sure safeties Elijah Shumate and Max Redfield can perform at the high-level Kelly indicated they’re capable of during the spring.
The pieces are in place at running back and in the secondary. Can the two newest build careers as top-tier coaches in the same program where their playing careers blossomed?
1. What is the offensive identity?
The pieces are in place for a ground game to be the focal point of Notre Dame’s offense. On paper there is a strong offensive line, a quarterback who thrives running the read-option and three running backs more than capable of sharing snaps.
If Irish head coach Brian Kelly plans to shift the offense’s identity, hiring budding offensive coordinator Mike Sanford was the first step. Traditionally, Kelly surrounds himself with assistants he’s familiar with, such as Jeff Quinn and Mike Denbrock. Hiring Sanford signals the potential for change in how Kelly runs his offense.
The sixth-year Irish head coach wants to establish an identity by the start of fall camp. A heavy dose of rushing the football paid dividends against LSU in the Music City Bowl, when Notre Dame tallied 263 yards on the ground and dominated time of possession (36:39 to 22:41). Kelly indicated after the spring game Notre Dame will ride behind its strength, which is up front.
“I think for me it was pretty clear that we've got a very good offensive line,” Kelly said. “They're going to be able to control the line of scrimmage in most instances and we'll continue to go to our strength, which we believe is up front.”
2. Will the defense improve in Year Two under VanGorder?
The first year of working with a new defensive coordinator is always challenging. There’s a new defense to learn, unfamiliar terminology and adjusting takes time. Notre Dame’s defense was deceptively good early last season against underachieving offenses like Rice (No. 63 in scoring offense), Michigan (No. 109), Purdue (No. 95) and Syracuse (No. 118). The weaknesses—and lack of depth—became glaringly obvious in the latter half of the year as the season unraveled.
Is Year Two in VanGorder’s defense going to be different? The players have worked in the same defense for more than a year now – it will be the longest junior linebacker Jaylon Smith has spent with one defensive coordinator.
The defense is clicking on all cylinders for safeties Max Redfield andElijah Shumate and the return of Jarrett Grace and Joe Schmidt add reinforcements to a linebacker core that includes a more experienced Nyles Morgan. Barring another series of injury after injury
Notre Dame ranked 82nd nationally in scoring defense last fall, conceding an average of about 29 points per game. A poor first season can be excused, but the 2015 defense needs to show improvement.
3. What affect do the former Irish stars have as position coaches?
Two former Notre Dame standouts returned in March in a different role than the last one they held with the team. The program’s all-time leading rusher,Autry Denson (1995-99), and All-American cornerback Todd Lyght(1987-1990) joined Brian Kelly’s staff to coach their respective positions. Both have impressive resumes from their playing days, but neither has a particularly experienced background in coaching compared to rest of Notre Dame’s staff.
Denson’s most important task centers around redshirt sophomore Greg Bryant. The second-string back missed most of his freshman season with an injury and saw limited carries in 2014 after Tarean Folston seized the No. 1 role. The four-star recruit will go through his first entirely healthy offseason and has the potential to be part of a talented backfield tandem.
The imminent return of senior KeiVarae Russell gives the secondary a much-needed boost. Lyght oversees the talented cornerback pairing of Cole Luke and Russell. Lyght’s primary focus will be making sure safeties Elijah Shumate and Max Redfield can perform at the high-level Kelly indicated they’re capable of during the spring.
The pieces are in place at running back and in the secondary. Can the two newest build careers as top-tier coaches in the same program where their playing careers blossomed?
