Who���s Got Next?
The majority of one of the nation���s
top defenses returns, but there is
still a lot to be replaced this spring
By Dan Murphy
N
otre
Dame
reached its pinnacle of defensive dominance
last fall in its home finale
against Wake Forest. The
lopsided, 38-0 shutout
gave its graduating seniors the opportunity
to bow ��� or salute, or
throw themselves into
a flying chest bump ���
gracefully while they
exited the South Bend
spotlight for a final time.
The men who provided
a voice and a face to the
Irish���s long-awaited return watched most of
the fourth quarter from
the sidelines. When attention shifted back to
Senior-to-be nose guard Louis
Nix III is among eight returning
starters from a unit that ranked
second nationally in scoring
defense (12.77 points allowed
per game) and seventh in total
defense (305.46 yards surrendered per game).
photo by bill panzica