Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JANUARY 2020 23 2. Ian Book — Critics will always harp on not winning against a top team yet, but the moxie was show- cased again during clutch fourth- quarter, game-on-the-line touchdown drives versus USC and Virginia in which Book ran for both scores. He joined Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts as the lone Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks this year to pass from more than 2,500 yards and surpass 500 yards on the ground, plus toss at least 30 touchdown passes (and the first to do so at Notre Dame). When the running game stagnated over the final month, the offense leaned on him and he led the team in rushing four straight games. 3. Khalid Kareem — Amid in- juries at his position, he remained the steady rock and consistent force throughout, playing nearly 100 snaps more than anyone else on the line while finishing fifth in tackles overall (45), and first in tackles for loss (10), quarterback hurries (nine), sacks (5.5) and forced fumbles (three). MOST IMPROVED 1. Cole Kmet — He went well be- yond the "P" word (potential), espe- cially after overcoming a preseason broken collarbone that sidelined him for the first two games. His 65 snaps per game were the most among any- one on offense, and it doubled his output from the previous season. Beyond his 41 catches that in- cluded a school-record-tying six touchdowns in a season by a tight end, his blocking began to upgrade while evolving into at least a second- or even first-round NFL talent if he opts to go that route. 2. Asmar Bilal — Making the tran- sition from rover to Buck linebacker to replace the graduated Drue Tran- quill (who made the same switch in 2018), the fifth-year senior had a slow start in the opener at Louisville, and his perceived lack of instincts on the field were expected to eventually sideline him. Instead, he became a force and finished behind only Kareem in Pro Football Focus' grade evaluations among starters on defense. 3. Jonathan Doerer — Benched each of his first two seasons because of inconsistency on kickoffs, the ju- nior this year was entrusted to re- place the most accurate kicker in school history (Justin Yoon). He responded superbly, making all 54 extra points and converting 13 of 16 field goals — most notably all three from at least 40 yards in the hard fought 30-27 win over USC. He joined Dave Reeve (1977 versus Michigan State) as the lone Irish kick- ers to convert three field goals from more than 40 yards in one game. BIGGEST SURPRISE 1. Drew White — Who would have ever bet that after taking 58 to- tal snaps his first two seasons (2017- 18) and missing 2019 spring drills because of a wrecked shoulder from a skiing accident that he would be Notre Dame's leading tackler with 75, including eight for lost yardage? White originally was a two-star re- cruit — and zero stars from ESPN — but his tenacity and playmaking skills made him the right fit at Mike linebacker in coordinator Clark Lea's system. 2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah — An injury sidelined him as a 2018 sophomore, but the junior rover exploded onto the scene this year against both the run and pass, finish- ing third in tackles (71) and second in stops for loss (9.5). His versatility and freakish athletic skills also enabled him to play a "big nickel," role, which is why his 635 snaps were the most among anyone along the front seven. 3t. Jamir Jones/TaRiq Bracy — Jones, a senior defensive end, was supposed to redshirt this season to return for a fifth year in 2020, but sea- son-ending injuries to Daelin Hayes and Julian Okwara thrust him into the forefront. Virtually zero drop-off was noticed, including 4.5 sacks and forcing the game-changing fumble in the 35-20 victory versus Virginia after Hayes was hurt. Bracy, a sophomore cornerback, logged 430 snaps — the fourth most among anyone in the secondary, which is especially notable because of his 5-10, 170-pound frame. He tied freshman safety Kyle Hamilton in passes broken up with six, in addi- tion to two fumble recoveries. MOST UNDERRATED 1. Troy Pride Jr. — There is a rea- son why the senior cornerback's 681 snaps were the most on defense. Although not the playmaker for- mer counterpart and consensus All- American Julian Love was, he qui- etly was an instrumental figure as to why Notre Dame finished the regular season third in fewest pass defense yards allowed and fifth in pass ef- ficiency defense. 2. Tony Jones Jr. — Flash and game-breaking runs are not who he is, but his blitz pickup in pass pro- tection provided Book many an op- portunity to find his receivers when most needed. Quietly, Jones also paced the team in rushing with 722 yards, high- lighted by his shining moment with 176 yards in the 30-27 win versus USC. 3. Ade Ogundeji — Only Kareem had more tackles than Ogundeji's 32 (six for loss with 3.5 sacks) among the linemen. Overshadowed throughout his career by the Kareem-Okwara- Hayes triumvirate at end in his class, look for the constantly improving Ogundeji to be a focal figure as a fifth-year senior in 2020. Drew White was tabbed as the "Biggest Surprise" for his standout performance at Mike linebacker. The junior led the team with 75 total stops (45 solo), eight tackles for loss and two sacks. PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER