Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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and skills. The younger brother of captain Zack Martin will have a chance to move in at the center slot vacated by three-year starter Braxston Cave. Making line calls and shotgun snaps are just part of the responsibilities on his plate. 3. Troy Niklas ��� The heir to a tradition that has seen four straight Irish tight ends ���Anthony Fasano, John Carlson, Kyle Rudolph and likely Eifert ��� become at least NFL second-round picks (and possibly first round for Eifert). The two-tight end look was a regular staple in 2012 because of Eifert���s versatility flanked out. Niklas, a rising junior, can���t be an Eifert right away in 2013, but equally relevant is whether backups Ben Koyack, a rising junior, and Alex Welch, a rising senior, can provide the second option the way Niklas did to Eifert in 2012. 4. Davonte��� Neal ��� Arizona���s two-time Gatorade Player of the Year arrived with immense expectations as a triple-threat ��� receiver, running back and return man ��� but he had only one catch and one run, and his main role was to catch punts, with his 21 returns totaling 46 yards amid little blocking support. He might not yet be ready for prime-time action in 2013, but emerging as more of a complementary figure in his second campaign would be a start. 5. Fifth Lineman ��� While Martin is projected to help somewhere along the front, who is going to take the fifth spot vacated by right guard Mike Golic Jr.? Does rising junior Conor Hanratty seize the position, or do rising sophomore Ronnie Stanley or early enrollee Steve Elmer ��� both with four years of eligibility ��� impress enough at tackle to move Lombard inside? Defense: The Next Wave There was one individual surprise after another on the 2012 Fighting Irish defense, which finished No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense (12.8 points allowed per game). Where the heck did corner KeiVarae Russell and safety Matthias Farley come from? What a comeback by outside linebacker Danny Spond! We knew Stephon Tuitt could be a first-team All-American ��� but not necessarily as a sophomore. Who can become sudden standouts in 2013? 1. Jarrett Grace ��� The junior-to-be has the thankless task of maybe hav- ing to succeed All-American Manti Te���o. Irish defensive coordinator Bob Diaco noted at the end of last spring that Grace is ���going to be a hard guy to keep off the field,��� but it would have been even more difficult to pull Te���o from the gridiron. The door is wide open now. 2. Sheldon Day ��� Went well beyond our expectations as a freshman last season along the defensive line with 23 tackles, including 3.5 for loss ��� not far off from Tuitt���s 30 tackles (three for loss) as a 2011 frosh. He���s in line to replace the graduated Kapron