**From Tyler Horka:
A familiar face in the middle
Nothing says welcome to fall camp like immediately answering one of the most important Notre Dame offseason questions of the year when walking into the Irish’s indoor practice facility. The question: Who’s going to play center? The answer based on the first thing I saw when entering the building? Senior Jarrett Patterson, not junior Zeke Correll.
Patterson worked at center during the entirety of the media’s 30-minute viewing period. Correll worked exclusively at left guard. Correll played center during the spring as Patterson worked his way back from injury, but it appears Patterson has regained control of the position he held a tight grip on last season until he was injured.
Patterson looked calm and confident back in the middle of the Notre Dame offensive line. He spoke often with teammates between reps. He was seldom left alone; somebody always seemed eager to pick his brain or chat him up. It was easy for anyone to spot No. 55 and come to the conclusion that he’s the guy running the show on the offensive line.
Where’s Cain Madden?
Graduate transfers don’t pick a program to ride the bench, but Cain Madden might have some work to do to avoid that. Madden, a 31-game starter at Marshall, worked primarily as the second-team right guard. He did get some reps with the ones, but he was with the twos for most of the day.
It was only the first day of camp. Maybe Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly was trying to send a message that nothing is given. Or maybe Madden truly is lagging behind senior John Dirksen, who took most of the reps as the starting right guard. Either way, Madden has plenty of time to win the position battle and start against Florida State on Sept. 5.
Offensive two-deep depth chart
Toward the end of the media’s allotted viewing period, the first-, second- and third-team quarterbacks led drives on air down the indoor practice field. From those, it was relatively easy to glean where the first- and second-team offensive depth chart stands on the first day of camp.
First Team
QB: Jack Coan
RB Kyren Williams
WR(W): Joe Wilkins Jr.
WR(Z): Avery Davis
WR(X): Braden Lenzy
TE: Michael Mayer
LT: Tosh Baker
LG: Zeke Correll
C: Jarrett Patterson
RG: John Dirksen
RT: Josh Lugg
Second Team:
QB: Drew Pyne
RB: Chris Tyree
WR(W) Kevin Austin Jr.
WR(Z): Lawrence Keys III
WR(X): Lorenzo Styles
TE: George Takacs
LT: Blake Fisher
LG: Rocco Spindler
C: Andrew Kristofic
RG: Cain Madden
RT: Michael Carmody
Quarterback observations
Coan and Pyne seemed to separate themselves from the rest of the quarterback competition. Junior Brendon Clark ran with the third team, and true freshman Tyler Buchner was the fourth-stringer. He appears to have a long way to go if he’s to see the field in his first year with the program.
Coan had an energy about him that screamed starting quarterback. Everyone in a red quarterback jersey seemed to follow his lead. Even defensive coaches and players tapped him on the helmet and gave him his due more than they would with most other players on the offense.
The media did not get to see Coan throw too many passes, but the ones he did fire were crisp and on the money. Pyne looked sharp too. If there was one thing to take away from Notre Dame’s first practice session of training camp, it was that it’s Coan and Pyne head and shoulders above everyone else in the quarterback conversation.
** Todd Burlage:
Freeman A Hit
Much has been made since Marcus Freeman was hired in January as the new Notre Dame defensive coordinator of how engaging and approachable he is as both a person and a coach.
Those traits were evident today when Notre Dame opened training camp and allowed media members into the first 30 minutes of the first practice. Freeman was all over the practice field during warm-ups, giving his players high-fives and putting smiles on their faces during brief engagements with the guys.
And from a tactical standpoint, it was pretty obvious that Freeman is going to put a heavy emphasis on turning over opponents. Even before the Irish practice officially started, Freeman was already running a ball-strip drill with a group of linebackers and defensive backs.
Hierarchy Matters
With only 30 minutes to observe practice — most of it spent watching warm-ups and stretching — reading too much into what went on could be misleading endeavor. But judging by the front line of 12 Irish players picked to lead the calisthenics and how the other players lined up behind them provided some early indications of what the hierarchy looks like, at least to start camp.
The 12 Irish who led the group during stretching drills were seniors Avery Davis, Drew White, Kurt Hinish, Jonathan Doerer, Shayne Simon, Josh Lugg, Jay Bramblett, Jarrett Patterson, Bo Bauer and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, along with juniors Kyle Hamilton and Kyren Williams.
Expect the Irish season captains to be selected from this group.
Getting Defensive
Unfortunately, the Irish defensive players moved to the outdoor field of the Irish Athletic Center while the media members were still inside, so observation time was limited and the defensive drills were mainly compiled of individual work, not much in the way of full unit drills.
The defensive line performed some unit work, providing a look into the starting lineup within that group, with no surprises.
From left to right: junior Isaiah Foskey, senior Jayson Ademilola, grad senior Kurt Hinish and grad senior Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa all worked together as the first unit defensive line.
Looking The Part
Physically, there is little doubt that grad senior quarterback Jack Coan looks the part more than the other Irish quarterbacks in the group.
At a sturdy 6-3 and 223 pounds Coan is at least two inches taller and eight pounds heavier than any of the next three quarterbacks on the depth chart: sophomore Drew Pyne, junior Brendon Clark, and freshman Tyler Buchner.
The last open Irish practice before today came on March 5, 2020, before coronavirus shut down the Notre Dame football program for all of the spring and much of the summer and eventually closed all practices during the 2020 season. Wide receiver Kevin Austin stood out during that practice 17 months ago, and he did again on Saturday, catching all eight of the balls thrown his way.
A familiar face in the middle
Nothing says welcome to fall camp like immediately answering one of the most important Notre Dame offseason questions of the year when walking into the Irish’s indoor practice facility. The question: Who’s going to play center? The answer based on the first thing I saw when entering the building? Senior Jarrett Patterson, not junior Zeke Correll.
Patterson worked at center during the entirety of the media’s 30-minute viewing period. Correll worked exclusively at left guard. Correll played center during the spring as Patterson worked his way back from injury, but it appears Patterson has regained control of the position he held a tight grip on last season until he was injured.
Patterson looked calm and confident back in the middle of the Notre Dame offensive line. He spoke often with teammates between reps. He was seldom left alone; somebody always seemed eager to pick his brain or chat him up. It was easy for anyone to spot No. 55 and come to the conclusion that he’s the guy running the show on the offensive line.
Where’s Cain Madden?
Graduate transfers don’t pick a program to ride the bench, but Cain Madden might have some work to do to avoid that. Madden, a 31-game starter at Marshall, worked primarily as the second-team right guard. He did get some reps with the ones, but he was with the twos for most of the day.
It was only the first day of camp. Maybe Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly was trying to send a message that nothing is given. Or maybe Madden truly is lagging behind senior John Dirksen, who took most of the reps as the starting right guard. Either way, Madden has plenty of time to win the position battle and start against Florida State on Sept. 5.
Offensive two-deep depth chart
Toward the end of the media’s allotted viewing period, the first-, second- and third-team quarterbacks led drives on air down the indoor practice field. From those, it was relatively easy to glean where the first- and second-team offensive depth chart stands on the first day of camp.
First Team
QB: Jack Coan
RB Kyren Williams
WR(W): Joe Wilkins Jr.
WR(Z): Avery Davis
WR(X): Braden Lenzy
TE: Michael Mayer
LT: Tosh Baker
LG: Zeke Correll
C: Jarrett Patterson
RG: John Dirksen
RT: Josh Lugg
Second Team:
QB: Drew Pyne
RB: Chris Tyree
WR(W) Kevin Austin Jr.
WR(Z): Lawrence Keys III
WR(X): Lorenzo Styles
TE: George Takacs
LT: Blake Fisher
LG: Rocco Spindler
C: Andrew Kristofic
RG: Cain Madden
RT: Michael Carmody
Quarterback observations
Coan and Pyne seemed to separate themselves from the rest of the quarterback competition. Junior Brendon Clark ran with the third team, and true freshman Tyler Buchner was the fourth-stringer. He appears to have a long way to go if he’s to see the field in his first year with the program.
Coan had an energy about him that screamed starting quarterback. Everyone in a red quarterback jersey seemed to follow his lead. Even defensive coaches and players tapped him on the helmet and gave him his due more than they would with most other players on the offense.
The media did not get to see Coan throw too many passes, but the ones he did fire were crisp and on the money. Pyne looked sharp too. If there was one thing to take away from Notre Dame’s first practice session of training camp, it was that it’s Coan and Pyne head and shoulders above everyone else in the quarterback conversation.
** Todd Burlage:
Freeman A Hit
Much has been made since Marcus Freeman was hired in January as the new Notre Dame defensive coordinator of how engaging and approachable he is as both a person and a coach.
Those traits were evident today when Notre Dame opened training camp and allowed media members into the first 30 minutes of the first practice. Freeman was all over the practice field during warm-ups, giving his players high-fives and putting smiles on their faces during brief engagements with the guys.
And from a tactical standpoint, it was pretty obvious that Freeman is going to put a heavy emphasis on turning over opponents. Even before the Irish practice officially started, Freeman was already running a ball-strip drill with a group of linebackers and defensive backs.
Hierarchy Matters
With only 30 minutes to observe practice — most of it spent watching warm-ups and stretching — reading too much into what went on could be misleading endeavor. But judging by the front line of 12 Irish players picked to lead the calisthenics and how the other players lined up behind them provided some early indications of what the hierarchy looks like, at least to start camp.
The 12 Irish who led the group during stretching drills were seniors Avery Davis, Drew White, Kurt Hinish, Jonathan Doerer, Shayne Simon, Josh Lugg, Jay Bramblett, Jarrett Patterson, Bo Bauer and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, along with juniors Kyle Hamilton and Kyren Williams.
Expect the Irish season captains to be selected from this group.
Getting Defensive
Unfortunately, the Irish defensive players moved to the outdoor field of the Irish Athletic Center while the media members were still inside, so observation time was limited and the defensive drills were mainly compiled of individual work, not much in the way of full unit drills.
The defensive line performed some unit work, providing a look into the starting lineup within that group, with no surprises.
From left to right: junior Isaiah Foskey, senior Jayson Ademilola, grad senior Kurt Hinish and grad senior Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa all worked together as the first unit defensive line.
Looking The Part
Physically, there is little doubt that grad senior quarterback Jack Coan looks the part more than the other Irish quarterbacks in the group.
At a sturdy 6-3 and 223 pounds Coan is at least two inches taller and eight pounds heavier than any of the next three quarterbacks on the depth chart: sophomore Drew Pyne, junior Brendon Clark, and freshman Tyler Buchner.
The last open Irish practice before today came on March 5, 2020, before coronavirus shut down the Notre Dame football program for all of the spring and much of the summer and eventually closed all practices during the 2020 season. Wide receiver Kevin Austin stood out during that practice 17 months ago, and he did again on Saturday, catching all eight of the balls thrown his way.
