Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com APRIL 2019 25 OFFENSIVE LINEMEN 2019 SPRING FOOTBALL OVERVIEW D espite the loss of two captains and 70 career starts, Notre Dame returns four linemen from 2018 that started the team's final six games. Junior Robert Hainsey has started 17 straight at right tackle. After battling through an early sea- son knee injury in 2018, he quickly became Notre Dame's steadiest blocker while demonstrating poise and technical advancement rare for a sophomore. There were moments last fall when then-junior left tackle Liam Eichenberg looked like a future first-round pick. There were also too many mo- ments when he looked like an inexperienced first- year starter. This year, he must become more de- pendable and aggressive. The heartbreaking loss of fifth-year senior Alex Bars to injury in game five last year opened the door for Aaron Banks to make six starts as a soph- omore. Banks, senior Tommy Kraemer and junior Joshua Lugg give Notre Dame a talented and now seasoned group of interior players. Former left tackle and sophomore Jarrett Pat- terson moved to center this spring. He will battle fifth-year senior Trevor Ruhland for the starting nod, and should he win it the interior of the line would receive a boost in athleticism. BY THE NUMBERS 6.00 Yards per play averaged by Notre Dame during the 2018 season, according to Phil- Steele.com, which ranked it No. 47 among 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Inter- estingly, the other three College Football Playoff teams held the top three spots, with Oklahoma No. 1 (8.60), followed by Alabama (7.76) and national champion Clemson (7.35). 15 Scholarship players on the offensive line this spring with the addition of all four freshmen as early enrollees. Three full offensive line units in the spring comprised of scholarship players is something that has likely not been seen at Notre Dame since the 1980s. There had been many a spring since then where it was difficult to assemble just two units, which then necessitated offensive linemen playing for both teams in the Blue-Gold Game. 39 Offensive line prospects signed by Notre Dame in the 11 years from 2008-18, and 36 were redshirted as freshmen (92.3 per- cent). The three exceptions were Trevor Robinson (2008), Steve Elmer (2013) and Robert Hainsey (2017) — all of whom were early enrollees. WHO'S GONE Alex Bars A strong start to 2018 ended when he missed the final eight games with a torn ACL. Sam Mustipher The team captain with Bars was named a second-team All-American by both ESPN and the Football Writers As- sociation of America. WHO'S BACK Senior Liam Eichenberg Had some outstanding moments in his first season as a starter at left tackle, but now must become more assertive. Senior Tommy Kraemer Took a step back as a junior, and must get his game back on track if he's going to remain in the starting lineup. Junior Aaron Banks Physical force took over at left guard in the eighth game of the 2018 campaign and had dominant moments mixed in with youthful mistakes. Junior Robert Hainsey Despite being the youngest player in the lineup, he was Notre Dame's most consistent blocker last fall. TOP NEWCOMERS Freshman Quinn Carroll Getting on campus early with his other three freshman classmates along the of- fensive line puts him in position to push for a spot in the two-deep. Freshman Zeke Correll The lack of experience at center and his toughness could give him a chance to climb up the depth chart. Returning Year Starts 2018 65 2019 60 Brian Kelly's Take "Those three guys [junior Robert Hainsey, and se- niors Liam Eichenberg and Tommy Krae- mer] in particular have worked as one and have pro- vided the same kind of leadership that that group has had every single year that I've been here, more so in the last four or five years. "They've seen that tradition passed on." POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH Senior right guard Tommy Kraemer is Notre Dame's most experienced player, returning with 19 career starts between right tackle and right guard, and ju- nior Aaron Banks started the final six games in 2018 left guard — but neither has his spot locked down. The reason is the presence of junior Joshua Lugg, a massive (6-7, 310) and skilled blocker who is a year younger than most players in his class. Even if Kraemer and Banks, slowed by a foot injury early this spring, play well, Lugg has the talent to force a rotation situation like Notre Dame had at right tackle in 2017 with Kraemer and Robert Hainsey. ROBERT HAINSEY PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL