Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2019 51 Mike linebacker JD Bertrand has received some meaningful snaps on defense, and any injuries or poor per- formances at the position would give him the room he needs to make a push up the depth chart. Even if that doesn't happen, he will vie for a role on Notre Dame's coverage teams, which struggled last season. Linebacker Marist Liufau is thin for the linebacker position, and he will need time to develop the strength and size needed to compete at that spot. Special teams could be another story, though. He plays with a reckless abandon and is more than willing to throw himself into a pile. Combined with his speed and length, Liufau has the traits a special teams coach loves, and that might make it impossible to not give him a chance to earn a coverage spot. The same is true for Osita Ekwonu, another player whose game at line- backer needs a lot of time. He is not in the mix for time at linebacker, but he is a physical and athletic defender who could eventually find a home on the coverage teams. Wide receiver Cam Hart was good enough on defense in high school to receive Power Five offers to play on that side of the ball in college. In fact, he originally planned on playing defense in college before of- fensive coordinator Chip Long and wide receivers coach DelVaughn Al- exander convinced him to focus on offense. His size (6-2½, 208), speed and prowess as a defender could make Hart an attractive option on the Irish special teams. Walk-on placekicker Harrison Leonard has had some positive mo- ments in fall camp, showing consis- tency inside 40 yards. Should junior Jonathan Doerer falter, Leonard will be in position to take his place. DESTINED TO REDSHIRT Rivals ranked Notre Dame's of- fensive line class as the third-best in all of college football. All four of the signees were ranked as four-star recruits, and three of them ranked among the top 130 players in the country. It marked the first time of the Ri- vals era — which began in 2002 — that Notre Dame signed three block- ers who ranked within the top 130. Fortunately for the Irish, and for the freshmen, the current depth chart is deep and none of them will need to play. Offensive line is still one of the few positions in college football where it remains advanta- geous to redshirt players in year one. Offensive tackle Quinn Carroll was the 2019 blocker in best position to earn playing time this season, but a knee injury in the first week of fall camp ended his season prematurely. Offensive tackle Andrew Kristofic was overwhelmed in the spring, but he came into fall camp bigger and stronger and has flashed big-time potential. He is a long and athletic blocker, but barring injuries he will get to sit a year. Center Zeke Correll could be forced into action should injuries oc- cur, but at just 270 pounds he needs time to develop. The same is true for guard John Olmstead, who has spent all of fall camp running with the third team. A pair of skill players are set to red- shirt unless they can start impress- ing on special teams. Wide receiver Kendall Abdur-Rahman and corner- back Isaiah Rutherford are fast and athletic, but both need time to en- hance their skills at their respective positions. Abdur-Rahman was a prep quar- terback and is new to the wide re- ceiver position. He has shown play- making ability, and if the light goes on he could force himself into action, but right now he is on pace to pre- serve a season of eligibility. The same is true for Rutherford, who has the size and speed Notre Dame covets at the position, but not the feel or technique. Notre Dame has an overall lack of depth at cor- nerback, so any injuries could force the Sacramento, Calif., native into action before he is ready. Safety Litchfield Ajavon has con- sistently been with the third team defense, so unless he can climb up the depth chart on special teams he too is poised for a redshirt season. Defensive tackle Hunter Spears missed all of spring with a knee in- jury that he sustained late in his se- nior season at Sasche (Texas) High School. Ideally, he will get a year to heal and recover while still practic- ing but also preserving a season of eligibility. The interior of the defensive line is an injury or two away from Spears having to play, and of course, he has the talent to eventually perform in a way that makes it impossible to keep him on the sidelines. Notre Dame's outstanding depth at defensive end will give NaNa Osafo- Mensah the opportunity to save a season of eligibility. He started to come along as the team got deeper into fall camp, but he is still under- sized for the position. He will need a year to add more girth and strength, and then spend next spring and fall pushing for time. Quarterback Brendon Clark has put his powerful right arm on dis- play throughout fall camp. When his release and footwork are on point, he can throw as fine a ball as anyone on the roster, but right now he is way behind in the other areas. Clark has to clean up his mechan- ics, which cause him to be a bit er- ratic, and like most freshman quar- terbacks he needs time to learn the system and enhance his ability to read defenses. The presence of veteran Ian Book and the fall camp emergence of soph- omore Phil Jurkovec gives Clark a chance to sit a year and continue learning and developing. ✦ FRESHMAN PROJECTIONS MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS P Jay Bramblett S Kyle Hamilton DT Jacob Lacey CB KJ Wallace POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTORS DT Howard Cross III DE Isaiah Foskey LB Jack Kiser DT Hunter Spears RB Kyren Williams POSSIBLE SPECIAL TEAMS CONTRIBUTORS WR Kendall Abdur-Rahman LB JD Bertrand LB Osita Ekwonu WR Cam Hart K Harrison Leonard LB Marist Liufau REDSHIRT CANDIDATES S Litchfield Ajavon OL Quinn Carroll QB Brendon Clark OL Zeke Correll OL Andrew Kristofic OL John Olmstead DE NaNa Osafo-Mensah CB Isaiah Rutherford