Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2020 59 FOOTBALL RECRUITING Defensive Ends (10) Fifth-Year Seniors — Daelin Hayes (1) and Ade Ogundeji (1) Senior — Kofi Wardlow (2) Juniors — Justin Ademilola (3) and Ovie Oghoufo (3) Sophomores — Isaiah Foskey (4) and NaNa Osafo Mensah (4) Freshmen — Jordan Botelho (4), Alexander Ehrensberger (4) and Rylie Mills (4) Notes: Hayes incurred a season-ending injury in game four last year that led to a medical redshirt. Ogundeji compiled the most tackles (34), stops for loss (seven) and sacks (4.5) among returning Irish linemen. Defensive Tackles (8) Seniors — Kurt Hinish (1) and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (2) Juniors — Jayson Ademilola (2) and Ja'Mion Franklin (3) Sophomores — Howard Cross (4), Jacob Lacey (3) and Hunter Spears (4) Freshman — Aidan Keanaaina (4) Notes: Hinish started every game in 2019, and Tagovailoa-Amosa missed only the regular-season finale at Stanford before returning for the bowl game. In backup roles last season, Lacey contributed 247 snaps in 12 game ap- pearances (about 20 per contest) while Ademilola had 228 in 11 — which also averages out to 20. Rovers (3) Senior — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2) Junior — Paul Moala (2) Sophomore — Jack Kiser (4) Freshman — None Notes: Head coach Brian Kelly hinted last November that a position change might be forthcoming here to inside linebacker. That would follow the pattern Drue Tranquill (2018) and Asmar Bilal (2019) had each of the last two years shifting from rover to Buck for their fifth season of eligibility. Owusu-Koramoah, who made the ESPN All-Bowl Team, paced the Irish in stops for loss (13.5), tied for the team lead in tackles (80) and sacks (5.5), and was fourth in passes defended (four). Inside Linebackers (8) Seniors — Jordan Genmark Heath (1) and Drew White (2) Juniors — Bo Bauer (2), Shayne Simon (2) and Jack Lamb (3) Sophomores — JD Bertrand (4), Osita Ekwonu (4) and Marist Liufau (4) Freshman — None Notes: White manned the Mike spot and shared the team lead in tackles last season with Koramoah, with eight of them coming behind the line of scrimmage. Who will replace third-leading tackler Bilal (79 total and 10 for loss) at Buck will be the primary question mark because both Simon (dislocated patella) and Lamb (torn hip muscle) — used in the dime package for his coverage skills — were sidelined in November and their availability this spring could be in doubt. Cornerbacks (8) Sixth-Year Senior — Shaun Crawford (1) Senior — None Junior — TaRiq Bracy (2) Sophomores — Cam Hart (4), Isaiah Rutherford (4) and KJ Wallace (4) Freshmen — Ramon Henderson (4), Clarence Lewis (4) and Caleb Offord (4) Notes: Other than quarterback, no position group features more gaps between classes than cornerback, where six of the eight scholarship players have four years of eligibility remaining. The return of Crawford is significant, but tempered by the knowledge that he missed all of 2015 and 2018 with torn ACLs and all but the first five quar- ters of 2016 with a torn Achilles. Even last year, torn ligaments in his elbow sidelined him for three games. Bracy's 467 snaps last season while appearing in 11 games and starting two are the most among the returning corners. In order to provide more range and size to the position, the 6-2½, 208-pound Hart was shifted from wide receiver to cornerback. Safeties (5) Senior — Isaiah Pryor (2) Juniors — Houston Griffith (2) and DJ Brown (3) Sophomores — Litchfield Ajavon (4) and Kyle Hamilton (3) Freshman — None Notes: The graduation of 2019 captains Alohi Gilman and Jalen Elliott would have left an immense void were it not for the presence of Ohio State graduate transfer Isaiah Pryor and Freshman All-American Kyle Hamilton. Pryor started seven games for the 13-1 Buckeyes in 2018 before opting to transfer last fall because of a more limited role in the scheme. Hamilton paced the 2019 Irish in passes defended (10) and interceptions (four), and was second in passes broken up (six) despite more of a part-time role. Specialists (3) Senior — Jonathan Doerer (1) Junior — None Sophomore — Jay Bramblett (3) Freshman — Alex Peitsch (4) Notes: Doerer had an exceptional debut season as the starter while con- verting 17 of 20 field goal attempts (2 of 2 beyond 50 yards) and also excelling on kickoffs. Preferred walk-on Harrison Leonard, who will be a sophomore this season, provided quality competition to Doerer in the preseason, and converted all four of his extra point opportunities. Bramblett averaged a relatively modest 39.4 yards per punt, but his hang time on 64 punts allowed only 18 returns for a mere 70 yards, and 18 others were downed inside the 20-yard line. Rover Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah made the ESPN All-Bowl Team for his dominant performance against Iowa State. He finished his junior season tops on the team in tackles for loss (13.5), tied for the lead in total stops (80) and sacks (5.5), and fourth in passes defended (four). PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER