Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1081575
8 MARCH 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI M ore than ever, roster manage- ment each winter in college foot- ball has become similar to the hot stove league in Major League Base- ball because of so many offseason transactions. Early entry to the NFL, the early signing period in recruiting and players allowed to be eligible imme- diately elsewhere as graduate trans- fers have impacted college rosters. This winter, several such moves have resulted in Notre Dame whittling its scholarship number down to 89 — with at least four more to occur in order to get down to the NCAA maximum of 85 by the time the 2019 season commences. • First, senior tight end Alizé Mack — who had a fifth season of eligibil- ity in 2019 — declared his intent to turn pro by accepting an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl Jan. 26. However, because Mack had not yet received his degree in December, he was declared ineligible to play by the rules of the Senior Bowl. He will still be turning pro this spring. • Second, junior cornerback Julian Love and senior wide receiver Miles Boykin, who was eligible for a fifth season in 2019, announced via social media in January that they had made themselves eligible for the 2019 NFL Draft to be held April 25-27. • Finally, senior quarterback Bran- don Wimbush, senior defensive tackle Micah Dew-Treadway and junior rover D.J. Morgan indicated they will be graduate transfers in 2019. Because they have already re- ceived their degrees, or in the case of Morgan will later this year, they'll be eligible to play this fall at their new locations rather than sit out a season. Wimbush will play at the University of Central Florida, Dew-Treadway at Minnesota and Morgan — with two years of eligibility remaining — at a school to be determined later. HUGE LOSSES Since 1991, or one year after the NFL declared it would allow college juniors to turn pro, Love became the 17th Notre Dame player to head to the NFL following his junior season. From the NFL's viewpoint, the se- nior Boykin also is classified as an "early entrant," but our definition of it always has been a player who is in his junior year academically. Last year, it was running back Josh Ad- ams (Philadelphia Eagles) and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (Green Bay Packers). After setting the single-season school record for passes broken up with 20 in 2017, Love followed that with another outstanding campaign. He earned consensus All-America notice in 2018 for the 12-1 Fighting Irish. Love's value was further high- lighted in the College Football Play- off loss to Clemson when his absence in the lineup in the second quarter because of a reported head injury resulted in the Tigers scoring three touchdowns and quarterback Trevor Lawrence passing for 229 of his 327 yards. Love's 16 passes broken up this season (second best in a season to his performance in 2017) gave him a ca- reer school-record 39, and he became Notre Dame's first consensus All- American corner since Shane Walton in 2002. In his Jan. 4 statement, Love praised the university, his professors and coaches, and vowed to eventu- ally complete his degree in manage- ment consulting from the prestigious Mendoza College of Business. Above all, he thanked his teammates, whom he called his best friends. UNDER THE DOME ANNUAL LEAVE Julian Love and Miles Boykin opt to move on to the NFL, while Brandon Wimbush is among three graduate transfers Love was Notre Dame's first consensus All-American cornerback since 2002 and finished his career as its all-time leader with 39 career passes broken up despite playing just three seasons. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL