Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/123805
helping out at both guard and tackle. His advanced line IQ, even-keeled demeanor and daily practice grind against 347-pound nose guard Louis Nix III have made him a probable firsttime starter at center as a junior and a pivotal figure to the offense's 2013 success. A pre-spring illness dropped Martin's weight to 284 pounds, but second-year offensive line coach Harry Hiestand doesn't have an issue with girth at center. As the Chicago Bears' offensive line coach from 2005-10, he coached five-time All-Pro center Olin Kreutz, who was listed at 292 pounds but, according to Hiestand, often was down to 275 during the season. "You can play center and not be massive," said Hiestand, who said Martin will play somewhere between 290 and 300 this fall. "That's not as important as your quickness off the ball, your ability to deliver the ball, your understanding of leverage and using that to your advantage. "Nick's maybe not as heavy, but he's taller and longer and he's really actually got a bigger body. He doesn't have the strength Braxston had, but he's got a little more range and he's got longer arms, so that helps him, too." 2. WR C.J. Prosise He has the makings to be this year's Farley — in reverse. Whereas Farley was mired way down the depth chart as a 2011 freshman at receiver before starting at safety, Prosise wallowed in anonymity as a 2012 freshman safety — and briefly at Dog linebacker — before exploding on to the scene at slot receiver this spring with his combination of size (6-1, 220), deceptive speed, leaping ability and ball skills. In the April 13 practice, he snagged an 80-yard touchdown from a scrambling Everett Golson and out-raced everybody the last 60 yards. He then capped the spring with the lone touchdown in the Blue-Gold Game, a 35yard grab from freshman Malik Zaire. Head coach Brian Kelly said "surprise" is the incorrect word to describe the fledgling Prosise. "He's been what we thought he could be; he's just done it a lot quicker than we thought," Kelly said. Senior Cat linebacker/defensive end Prince Shembo isn't surprised either after Prosise made cameos at receiver last fall for the offensive scout team. "He'd catch the ball, reverse field and shoot by three people and make us all look silly … he's got some strong, powerful legs," Shembo said. At worst, expect Prosise to split reps with senior Daniel Smith or maybe even running back Amir Carlisle at the slot. 3. LB Jarrett Grace The first step for the junior Mike linebacker is not trying to be someone he's not. No one will "replace" 2012 unanimous All-American Manti Te'o. Grace first needs to prove he can produce at the level fifth-year senior linebackers Dan Fox and Carlo Calabrese have. Still, the show will go on at inside linebacker with a three-for-two rotation at the two inside linebacker spots. Grace will be at the Mike spot vacated by Te'o, Calabrese has worked primarily at Will while Fox — Calabrese's