Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2019 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 79 OFFENSIVE LINEMEN POSITION COACH Jeff Quinn is in his fifth season at Notre Dame and his second as the offensive line coach. He served in a variety of roles, most recently as senior of- fensive analyst, before taking over the offensive line. Quinn has been part of head coach Brian Kelly 's coaching staffs for more than two decades. The duo worked together at Grand Valley State (1989-2003), Central Michigan (2004-06), Cincinnati (2007-09) and Notre Dame (2015-present). In his first season as the offensive line coach, Quinn re-tooled a unit that lost top-10 draft picks Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey to the NFL. The 2018 offensive line came together and helped pave the way for a balanced Irish offense that aver- aged 31.4 points, 182.6 rushing yards and 257.5 passing yards per game. The biggest strength for the unit was its success in the power run scheme, which ranked 23rd in the nation according to Foot- ball Outsiders. Prior to reuniting with Kelly in South Bend, Quinn served as the head coach at the University at Buffalo from 2010-14. During the 2013 campaign, he led the Bulls to an 8-5 record — which equaled the most wins for the program in the regular season since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1999. Buffalo also won a school-record six Mid-American Conference games and took part in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, just the school's second post- season appearance. During his time at Cincinnati, Quinn served as Kel- ly's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He was a finalist for the 2009 Broyles Award, which is presented to the nation's top assistant coach. At Central Michigan, Quinn was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator. He helped the Chippewas to the 2006 MAC title. Prior to that, he was part of Kelly's back-to-back national champion- ship squads at Grand Valley State in 2002 and 2003. Among his most notable line pupils are current Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce and San Fran- cisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley. Kelce was a walk-on linebacker at Cincinnati, but Quinn developed him into a two-time All-Big East performer at guard and center. He has since gone on to be a two-time first-team All-Pro (2017 and 2018) and earned the honor the same year the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. Staley arrived at Central Michigan in 2003 as a 225-pound tight end, but was converted into an of- fensive tackle. He went on to become the first player in school history to be an NFL Draft first round pick. The 12-year starting left tackle for the 49ers has been selected to six NFL Pro Bowls (2011-15, 2017) and three times been named a second-team All-Pro (2011-13). Quinn is a 1984 graduate of Elmhurst College, where he was a two-sport standout in football and wrestling. He was twice named Student-Athlete of the Year at Elmhurst and was inducted into Elm- hurst's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. He went on to earn a master of arts degree from DePauw in 1986 and an educational leadership master's degree en- dorsement from Grand Valley State in 2000. RETURNING PLAYERS AARON BANKS • OG Jr. • Alameda, Calif. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 325 • Played in every game during the 2018 season and started the last six contests. • Spent his first season in South Bend on the scout team and did not see the field. • Was an early enrollee in January 2017 and partici- pated in spring drills. • Named to the 2016 All-USA California first team by USA Today and earned a spot on the MaxPreps 2016 All-NorCal offensive first team. • Rated by Rivals as a four-star talent, the No. 16 prospect in California, and the No. 13 offensive tackle and No. 121 overall player in the country. JOHN DIRKSEN • OG So. • Maria Stein, Ohio Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 310 • Did not see game action during his first year in South Bend and contributed on the scout team. • Finished his high school career with a 58-3 record, including 27 straight wins to end his prep days. • Tabbed as a 2017 All-USA Ohio first-team selec- tion by USA Today and named Division VI first- team All-State by the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association. • Rated by Rivals as a three-star recruit, the No. 28 prospect in Ohio and the No. 54 offensive tackle in the country. LIAM EICHENBERG • OT Sr. • Cleveland Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 305 • Started all 13 games at left tackle in 2018. • Appeared in five games along the offensive line during the 2017 season. • Spent his first season in South Bend on the scout team and did not see game action. • Named to the MaxPreps All-America first team and the USA Today All-Ohio first team. • Played in the Under Armour All-American Game. • Rated as a four-star recruit, the No. 4 player in Ohio, and the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 60 overall prospect in the country by 247Sports. DILLAN GIBBONS • OG Jr. • Clearwater, Fla. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 308 • Played in five contests during the 2018 campaign. • Redshirted during his first sea- son in South Bend and was awarded the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year. • Earned first-team MaxPreps Football Small Schools All-America honors as a senior and was a second-team pick as a junior. • Named to the Associated Press 2016 Florida Class 3A All-State first team. • Rivals ranked him as a three-star recruit, the No. 74 player in Florida and the No. 56 offensive tackle in the country. ROBERT HAINSEY • OT Jr. • Pittsburgh Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 298 • Started every game at right tackle in 2018. • Contributed during his first season at Notre Dame in all 13 games, including four starts, making him just the third Fighting Irish offensive lineman in the last 10 years to see starting action as a freshman. • Was a part of the 2017 offensive line that helped create space for the seventh-best rushing offense in the FBS (269.3 yards per game) and set the school record for yards per carry (6.3) en route to earning the Joe Moore Award for best offensive line unit in the nation. • The IMG Academy product was named to the 2016 All-USA Florida first team by USA Today. • Participated in the Under Armour All-America Game. • Tabbed by Rivals as a four-star prospect, the No. 21 recruit in Pennsylvania, and the No. 11 offensive tackle and No. 108 overall player in the land. TOMMY KRAEMER • OG Sr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-5½ • Wt.: 319 • Played in 25 games and started 19 the past two seasons, both at right guard (2018) and right tackle (2017). • Was a member of the prolific offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award and paved the way for the explosive Notre Dame backfield. • Redshirted during his freshman season and helped the Irish on the scout team. • Named the Gatorade Ohio Football Player of the Year as a senior at Elder High School. • Selected to USA Today's 2015 All-USA first-team All-America squad and picked to the Associated Press Division I (large schools) All-State first team as a senior. • Listed as a five-star recruit, the top player in Ohio, and the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 8 overall prospect in the nation by 247Sports. JOSH LUGG • OT Jr. • Pittsburgh Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 310 • Appeared in every game for Notre Dame in 2018, primarily on special teams. • Redshirted during his first sea- son in South Bend and served on the scout team. • Named to the 2016 All-USA Pennsylvania first team by USA Today and selected to the Pennsyl- vania Football Writers' Class 6A All-State team. • Participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. • Regarded by Rivals as a four-star recruit, the No. 6 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 79