Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/109499
Cole Luke Helps Irish Corner A New Market By Lou Somogyi Just six months ago, Notre Dame's cornerback situation had reached a red alert level. Starters Robert Blanton and Gary Gray had graduated from the previous year, and the two prime defensive back recruits who had committed to the Irish in the summer of 2011 eventually ended elsewhere: Ronald Darby (Florida State) and Tee Shepard (now at Holmes Community College in Mississippi). Finally, the individual who played the most in reserve in 2011, junior Lo Wood, was sidelined for the 2012 season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon injury in August. Lo and behold … six months later Notre Dame's corner position might be emerging as a strength in years to come. Junior Bennett Jackson is developing into a bona fide NFL prospect for 2014, KeiVarae Russell earned Freshman Luke joins freshman slot/running back Davonte' Neal as the second straight prime prospect from Arizona to matriculate to Notre Dame. photo courtesy 247sports All-America honors after switching from running back, Wood is projected to return healthy and in time to vie for playing time with sophomores Josh Atkinson and Jalen Brown … and more reinforcements are arriving in 2013 with Devin Butler, Rashad Kinlaw and Cole Luke. Among the incoming trio, Luke might have the best opportunity to contend for action, at least on special teams, perhaps even as a return man. Last year Russell arrived as the lightest member of the team, and this year the 6-0, 180-pound Luke, who was listed at 162 pounds as a junior, might hold that distinction. That might portend well for Luke, who arrives much more advanced than Russell in the intricacies of cornerback play. Among Luke's mentors are his uncle Darren Woodson, a five-time Pro-Bowl performer at safety for the Dallas Cowboys from 19922004. Like Russell, Luke's skills could have made him a major college prospect on offense. But while playing for former Notre Dame quarterback/running back/receiver Steve Belles (1985-89) at superpower Hamilton High, Luke was used primarily as a corner. "Running backs are