Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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36 PRESEASON 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED the Nashville, Tenn., native didn't play with the same fire he did when he was at his best. The third season as a starter has been the breakout campaign for past Notre Dame blockers like Nel‑ son, McGlinchey, Ronnie Stanley (2012‑15), Zack Martin (2009‑13) and Nick Martin (2011‑15). Bars now enters his third season as a starter, and his game is expected to take off, which is why Sporting News named him a preseason first‑team All‑American. 5. LB DRUE TRANQUILL Notre Dame moved the former rover inside to Buck linebacker to replace Coney, and the two‑time cap‑ tain and fifth‑year senior has made a smooth and easy transition. Coney was asked to mostly focus on playing downhill as a run de‑ fender last season, but Tranquill will be used in a different fashion. He will still be used to attack the opposition run game, but Tranquill has ideal coverage skills for the position and has shown a knack for getting into the backfield as a blitzer throughout his career. Tranquill finished the 2017 season third on the defense in tackles (85) and second in tackles for loss (10.5) despite playing outside of the box. Now that he's closer to the football, Tranquill is poised for a major jump in production. The one question surrounding Tranquill was would he be able to keep his speed, quickness and range with the extra weight he added, and the Indianapolis native has answered that question positively this fall. Championship defense is built right up the middle, and with three of Notre Dame's top five players — Til‑ lery, Coney and Tranquill — aligned as interior defenders, the Irish have the makings of a stout unit. 6. C SAM MUSTIPHER Nelson and McGlinchey received all of the publicity last season, but Bars and the fifth‑year senior cen‑ ter had quality campaigns. Now it is Bars and Mustipher that are expected to be the top players up front for the Irish offense. Mustipher might not be Notre Dame's sixth most talented player, but he's one of the most significant ones on the roster. Not only is he a team captain and a tremendous student in the classroom, Mustipher is expected to be a steadying force on offense. Running the football effectively means being able to control the middle of the line of scrimmage. Mustipher was a consistently effec‑ tive blocker a season ago and crucial to the team's run game success. Now Mustipher is being asked to augment that reliability by becoming a bit more of a force at center. Lindy's has tabbed Mustipher as a preseason All‑American. 7. WR MILES BOYKIN It would be just as easy to put the senior wide receiver on the break‑ out list. After all, he caught only 12 passes for 253 yards and two scores last season. However, Boykin had a breakout game in Notre Dame's 21‑ 17 Citrus Bowl win over LSU, haul‑ ing in three passes for 102 yards and the game‑winning score. That performance gave him the confidence he needed to finally play like the top recruit he was in the 2015 class. Rivals ranked Boykin as a four‑star prospect and the nation's No. 156 overall player, but he caught just 18 passes for 334 yards in his first three seasons on campus. During the spring, Boykin was out‑ standing, and he usually dominated the daily matchup against standout corner Julian Love. With his size (6‑4, 228 pounds) and length, Boykin is the ideal target for Wimbush. He possesses the at‑ tributes to become a much‑needed playmaker on offense. 8. CB JULIAN LOVE If this list was simply about who is the most productive player, junior cornerback Julian Love would in the top three or four. He was marvel‑ ous last season, registering 68 tackles while also notching school records for passes defended (23) and passes broken up (20). Love played both cornerback spots in 2017, and he even made one start at safety against Navy's triple‑option attack, responding with a career‑high 14 tackles in that victory. Heading into his third season as a The interior of the Irish offensive line should be strong in 2018 thanks to the presence of fifth-year seniors Sam Mustipher (pictured) and Alex Bars. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL