Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2018 41 RUNNING BACK Top Topic Through Aug. 20: It's been rumored throughout the sum‑ mer that senior Dexter Williams was going to miss game action the first month of the season, a la wideout Kevin Stepherson in 2017, and Wil‑ liams received minimal reps in the four practices that wee open to the media in August. The university is not commenting on Williams, citing privacy matters. Thus, junior Tony Jones Jr. (232 rushing yards in 2017) is the lone back with any playing experience. "We need a guy that we can really hang our hat on in tough times, and he's going to be that guy," Kelly said of Jones. Of Note: Per Kelly, sophomore Ja‑ far Armstrong is not only perhaps the best conditioned athlete he's been around, but the skill sets are promising as well. "Jafar is the closest thing I've had to Theo Riddick since I've been here," Kelly said of the running back that paced the 12‑1 team in 2012 in rushing with 917 yards while also averaging better than 10 yards per reception on his 36 catches and sup‑ plying effective, physical blocking. "Tenacious, can go all day, runs physical inside and has the skills to catch the ball coming out of the backfield. "I'm not ready to put him in that [Riddick] category, but I'm just com‑ paring him to the kind of player he is. We haven't had that guy that can bang it up inside with that physical‑ ity. C.J. [Prosise] was nice, but he wasn't Jafar. He had great speed. … This kid is going to be a really good player for us. "And Avery [Davis], once we put the ball in his hands, you think it's three yards — and it's eight, it's nine. That has a lot to do with his ability to run the football, too." Summary: Don't expect a "bell cow" figure like Adams last year, who had 206 carries while no other back had more than 65 (the dis‑ missed Deon McIntosh). The hope is that the durability, ball security and assignment con‑ sciousness, including as blockers, can make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. WIDE RECEIVER Top Topic Through Aug. 20: The veteran trio of seniors Miles Boykin (18 career catches) and Chris Finke (16 career catches) plus junior Chase Claypool (34 career catches) had clear demarcation from the rest of the field that had 11 scholarship members. That's one of the reasons why sophomore Isaiah Robertson, a safety last year who has worked at rover and Buck linebacker this sea‑ son, was shifted to wide receiver Aug. 14 to provide more competi‑ tion. Of Note: With each practice, fresh‑ man Kevin Austin was making a case to become the next wideout in the rotation. His conditioning, ma‑ turity and overall grasp are well ad‑ vanced for his age. "He doesn't know 50 percent of the playbook, but he's got that vol‑ ume and that skill set, as you can all see," Kelly told the media on Aug. 15. "He's a guy that can help us this year." Summary: Beyond the 11 scholar‑ ship players at the three receiver spots, running backs Armstrong and Davis also can be slotted out, plus the two tight end sets are promi‑ nent in the scheme. Numbers at re‑ ceiver aren't necessarily the same as "proven depth." Finding a reliable group after the first three wideouts will remain fluid, although Austin appears des‑ tined for such a role. TIGHT END Top Topic Through Aug. 20: Op‑ tions are abundant, led by senior Alizé Mack, whose 19 catches last year were the most among the crew, and junior Cole Kmet, who is vying for a starting role. Fifth‑year senior Nic Weishar and sophomore Brock Wright, Notre Dame's top‑rated re‑ cruit in 2017, also will see action. Of Note: Last year the Irish were in multiple tight end sets 37.2 per‑ cent of the time, and Long wouldn't be surprised if that number is simi‑ lar, if not more, in 2018. "We're in 12 personnel [two tight ends] just about most of the time," said Long, who doubles as the tight ends coach. "We go through them quite a bit." Summary: Tight End U. should continue to thrive, and a breakout year from either Mack or Kmet could go a long way toward upgrad‑ ing the offense's overall balance. OFFENSIVE LINE Top Topic Through Aug. 20: Teams not named Alabama don't graduate two top‑10 picks in the NFL Draft such as guard Quenton Nelson and tackle Mike McGlinchey without experiencing some drop‑off. A new starting unit was estab‑ lished in the spring, with fifth‑year senior Alex Bars moving from right guard to left guard, junior Liam Eichenberg from right tackle to left tackle, and junior Tommy Kraemer from right tackle to right guard. "We erase that and start all new," first‑year Irish offensive line coach Jeff Quinn said of winning the Joe Moore Award as the nation's top O‑line in 2017. "We need to strive for that same mindset and get that same production out of these five. What you did last year, whether you won it all or didn't, you still have to start again. "We know what our expectation is and we're going to hold ourselves accountable to be at that level." Of Note: Sophomore Robert Hain‑ sey, the co‑starter at right tackle in 2017, was shut down for a week in mid‑August while recovering from a calf strain. He was expected to return in time to prepare for the Michigan opener, but in the interim Kraemer moved back to right tackle while sopho‑ more Josh Lugg and senior Trevor Ruhland, the backup center, filled in for Kraemer at right guard. Sophomore nose tackle Darnell Ewell was shifted to guard the final weekend of practice before the fall semester began. Summary: In recruiting, Notre Dame consistently excels most at offensive line, tight end and quar‑ terback. While this year 's line might not have the overall star power of the 2017 crew, it could still rank among the nation's finest. ✦ "We're going to be a physical offense. We're going to run the ball, and we're going to run play action. Now, game to game it can differ what defenses play, but it's always going to start with the run. We might even be better this year at certain types of runs than we were last year." LONG