Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2019 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1133608
104 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE BACKS length of the field for a two-point conversion in 2016 before getting injured early in game two. • Missed the entire 2015 campaign after suffering a torn ACL in August. • Was a multi-talented athlete at St. Edward, rack- ing up 91 tackles and seven interceptions on defense, and 824 yards and nine scores on of- fense as a senior, while also finishing third in the 100-meter dash at the Ohio Division I champion- ship. • Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 4 recruit in Ohio, and the No. 7 cornerback and No. 82 overall player nationally by Rivals. Year G-GS TT TFL Sacks Int. PBU 2016 2-2 6 0.0 0.0 1 0 2017 12-1 32 1.5 1.5 2 5 2018 DNP Totals 14-3 38 1.5 1.5 3 5 AVERY DAVIS • CB Jr. • Cedar Hill, Texas Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 200 • Arrived in South Bend as a quarterback before transition- ing to running back in 2018, and then made the switch to defen- sive back in the spring of 2019. • Played in nine contests in 2018, and carried the ball 22 times for 70 yards while also compiling 30 receiving yards. • Spent his freshman season in South Bend as a quarterback on the scout team. • Showed his multi-talented skill set off at the Ce- dar Hill High School, throwing for 2,876 yards and 37 touchdowns while rushing for 350-plus yards and six scores during his senior season. • Named the 2016 Texas District 7-6A Offensive Player of the Year and landed on The Dallas Morn- ing News SportsDayHS All-Area second team. • Regarded by Rivals as a three-star prospect, the No. 80 player in Texas and the No. 19 dual-threat quarterback in the country. JALEN ELLIOTT • S Sr. • Richmond, Va. Ht.: 6-0½ • Wt.: 210 • Started the last 26 games at safety and has played in every contest since 2016. • Recorded 67 tackles, four inter- ceptions, 11 passes defended and one forced fumble in 2018. • Had standout performances against Wake Forest (eight tackles) and Ball State (seven stops and two interceptions). • Notched 43 stops and two pass deflections in 2017, and tallied 14 tackles in 2016. • Played quarterback and defensive back at Lloyd C. Bird High School, intercepting five passes as a senior and tallying 38 offensive touchdowns dur- ing his last two seasons. • Chosen as a USA Today All-USA Virginia second- team member at defensive back. • Named to the Virginia High School League All- State first team as a defensive back and on of- fense as an all-purpose player as a senior. • Rated as four-star recruit, the No. 5 prospect in Virginia and the No. 15 safety in the country by Rivals. Year G-GS TT TFL Sacks Int. PBU 2016 12-0 14 0.0 0.0 0 0 2017 13-13 43 0.0 0.0 0 2 2018 13-13 67 1.0 0.5 4 11 Totals 38-26 124 1.0 0.5 4 13 ALOHI GILMAN • S Sr. • Laie, Hawai'i Ht.: 5-10½ • Wt.: 201 • Started all 13 games while re- cording 95 tackles (59 solo), two interceptions, seven passes defended and three forced fumbles last season. • Finished second on the team in total stops and third in solo tackles. • Named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week after his eight-tackle and two- interception performance against Syracuse. • Awarded Notre Dame's Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year in 2017, when he was forced to sit out the entire season after transferring from Navy. • Named All-American Athletic Conference honor- able mention during his freshman season at Navy. • Played in all 14 games and made 12 starts for the Midshipmen as a true freshman, and finished second on the team with 76 tackles. • Rated by Rivals as a two-star recruit coming out of Kahuku High School. Year G-GS TT TFL Sacks Int. PBU 2016* 14-12 76 5.0 0.0 0 5 2018 13-13 95 3.0 0.0 2 5 Totals 27-25 171 8.0 0.0 2 10 * At Navy HOUSTON GRIFFITH • CB So. • Chicago Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 205 • Saw action in 11 contests with one start in 2018, and tallied 14 tackles and two passes de- fended. • Posted a season-high four tack- les against Virginia Tech. • Recorded 35 tackles, three stops for a loss, one sack, one interception and four passes broken up as a senior, while helping Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy to a 9-0 record and the No. 2 ranking in the final USA Today Super 25. • Participated in the Under Armour All-American Game and made one tackle. • Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 11 talent in Florida, and the No. 4 safety and No. 43 overall player nationally by Rivals. TROY PRIDE JR. • CB Sr. • Greer, S.C. Ht.: 5-11½ • Wt.: 194 • Played in and started 12 games during the 2018 season, and recorded 47 stops (37 solo), two interceptions, 12 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. • Had standout performances against Vanderbilt (seven tackles and an interception) and USC (nine stops, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery). • Played in all 12 games and made four starts in 2017, and notched 22 tackles, one pick and two passes broken up. • Saw snaps in eight games and made three starts in 2016, and notched 12 tackles and a fumble recovery. 104 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW After transferring from the Naval Academy and sitting out the 2017 season, safety Alohi Gilman provided instant impact to the 2018 Notre Dame defense. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA