Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2019 9 UNDER THE DOME "This season was such a fun ride," Love wrote. "The relationships gained have made me so happy and I'm grateful to have been a part of it all." Fellow Chicagoland native Boykin announced two days later on Jan. 6 his own departure. "Notre Dame will always hold a special place in my heart because of the memories, both good and bad, that I've experienced," Boykin wrote. "I'm forever changed for the better." The MVP in Notre Dame's 21-17 victory over LSU in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 2018, Boykin carried that performance over to his senior year by leading the team in catches (59), receiving yards (872) and touch- down grabs (eight) as the bound- ary receiver. The marketing major is enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. THE GRADUATES/ FIFTH-YEAR SENIORS Wimbush received his accounting degree in December and will be the fifth quarterback under Brian Kelly to use his fifth season at another school: Dayne Crist (2012 at Kan- sas), Andrew Hendrix (2013 at Mi- ami [Ohio]), Everett Golson (2015 at Florida State) and Malik Zaire (2017 at Florida). The decision was not a surprise after losing his starting job to junior Ian Book in the fourth game this past season. Quarterbacks do not return for a fifth year to be backups. Wim- bush made 16 career starts for the Irish, passing for 2,606 yards and 20 touchdowns while also running for 1,155 yards and 16 scores. That leaves Book and current freshman Phil Jurk- ovec as the two scholarship players on the roster this spring, with fresh- man Brendon Clark enrolling in the summer. At Central Florida Wimbush will enter a powerhouse Group of Five program that finished 13-0 in 2017 under Scott Frost (now at his alma mater, Nebraska) and 12-1 in 2018 under Josh Heupel, the starting quarterback for 2000 national champ Oklahoma. UCF starting quarterback McKenzie Milton suffered a major leg injury in last year's regular-sea- son finale that leaves his status in 2019 uncertain. Wimbush will com- pete with Daniel Mack Jr. for the starting role. "A sincere thank you to Notre Dame for giving me endless oppor- tunities on and off the football field," Wimbush wrote on his Instagram. "Words truly cannot describe what this incredible University and the PEOPLE mean to me and always will mean to me. I'm truly thankful. Can- not say it enough." Dew-Treadway made brief appear- ances in 11 of Notre Dame's 13 games this past season, recording his two career tackles in back-to-back Sep- tember home wins versus Ball State and Vanderbilt. Morgan, who enrolled as a safety in 2016 before shifting to rover, red- shirted as a freshman, appeared in two games in 2017 and did not play this past season. Four fifth-year seniors are slated to return in 2019: • Chris Finke was third in recep- tions last season with 49 for 571 yards and two touchdowns, and placed 23rd nationally in punt returns with a 9.8-yard average on 20 attempts. • Trevor Ruhland is the projected front-runner to succeed three-year starter Sam Mustipher at center. Ruh- land started five games at guard this past season. • Asmar Bilal started at rover all of 2018 and his 50 tackles ranked sixth on the team. He could move to an in- side linebacker spot this spring with the graduation of Drue Tranquill and Te'von Coney. • Shaun Crawford will try again to vie for a role at nickel or corner- back after an ACL tear sidelined him in 2018. He also missed all of 2015 (ACL) and played barely five quar- ters in 2016 (Achilles), making him eligible for a sixth year in 2020 as well. For a full breakdown of the roster by class and position, see pages 70-71. ✦ Boykin led the Fighting Irish in receptions (59), receiving yards (872) and touchdown grabs (eight) in 2018. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA Virginia Tech Receiver Considering Notre Dame As Graduate Transfer Despite being over the NCAA limit with 89 players on scholarship as of mid-February, Notre Dame is still seeking to make its roster stronger and more experienced by evaluating the graduate transfer market. Most notable is Virginia Tech wide receiver Eric Kumah, who told Blue & Gold Illustrated he planned to take an official visit to Notre Dame Feb. 23, the same day the Fighting Irish coaching staff will also host a Junior Day for high school prospects. The 6-2, 225-pound former three-star recruit was the Hokies' second-leading receiver in 2018 with 42 catches for 559 yards (13.3 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns. In the 45-23 loss to Notre Dame Oct. 6, Kumah snatched four passes for 48 yards, highlighted by a 15-yard touchdown with 5:40 left in the game to reduce the deficit to 38-23. With the decision of Miles Boykin not to return for his fifth year in 2019, the Irish are seeking more experience to complement Chase Claypool (50 catches for 639 yards and four touchdowns in 2018) and Chris Finke (49 catches for 571 yards and two scores). Sophomore Michael Young caught seven passes for 138 yards and a score last year, while freshman Kevin Austin had five catches for 90 yards. Another area of need is the defensive interior. A potential option there could be Rice's 6-2, 286-pound Zach Abercrumbia, who recorded 117 stops, 11.5 tackles for loss and three sacks during his career with the Owls. There reportedly has been contact made from the Notre Dame coaching staff. He had been slated for official visits to Mississippi State (Jan. 25) and Iowa (Feb. 1), and was planning an unofficial one to SMU. — Lou Somogyi