Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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"He's the best nose guard in the country," Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston said. "He changed a lot of games, just was very disruptive, and I'm very proud of that progress for him." The progress will continue for Nix into his senior season next fall. Head coach Brian Kelly announced in December that the Jacksonville, Fla., native decided not to wait for his NFL evaluation to say he'd be back in 2013. He won't miss the "players to watch" list next time around. 3. RB Theo Riddick Senior running back Theo Riddick is another player who exceeded expectations. He ended the regular season on a high note with a career-high 146 yards in a memorable performance against the Trojans. "If you want to know about the Fighting Irish, you just take a look at Theo Riddick," Kelly said after the game. "He broke countless tackles and got us the tough yards we needed. Just look at his jersey after the game. There's no wonder why this team has the toughness that it does." Riddick stepped in for a suspended Cierre Wood and set the tone in the season opener in Dublin for a running game that carried Notre Dame's offense throughout the season. He ended up leading the Irish ground attack in attempts (180), yards (880) and touchdowns (five). On top of that, Riddick used his experience as a receiver to embody the hybrid position that Kelly and offensive coordinator Chuck Martin touted during the offseason. He finished third on the team with 35 catches for 364 yards. His ability to serve as both a power back and a capable wide receiver kept defenses guessing about which personnel to send into the huddle. 4. TE Tyler Eifert Speaking of keeping defenses guessing, senior tight end Tyler Eifert lined up all over the field for Notre Dame in 2012. And he was effective no matter where he landed. The Mackey Award winner for the country's best tight end had an equally impressive season at wide receiver and fullback. Notre Dame's coaches said they expected Eifert to replace prolific wide receiver Michael Floyd this season. After a slow start, he led the team in catches (44), receiving yards (624) and touchdown grabs (four, tied with junior wideout TJ Jones). The numbers fell short of his junior season and even further from the heightened expectations with Floyd out of the picture. Dealing with a rookie quarterback and a lot of extra attention from opponents hampered Eifert's statistics and allowed Riddick to slide ahead of him on our list, but the Fort Wayne, Ind., native made up for it in other departments. His blocking along the line of scrimmage answered questions and will likely elevate him into the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was also named a captain in August and became an unexpected, silent and steady leader for the Irish offense. 5. S Zeke Motta Graduation and injuries sapped the Irish secondary of its top four play-