Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2020 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 25 ford punt in the final regular-season contest that helped turn a 17-7 Irish deficit into a 45-24 rout. Expect his 54 defensive snaps from last year to maybe quadruple. 2t. Cornerbacks Cam Hart, Isaiah Rutherford and KJ Wallace Had spring drills not been truncated, someone might have stood out more clearly at a position in need of development. The return of Shaun Crawford for a sixth season despite past injury issues and the enrollment of North Carolina State gradu- ate transfer Nick McCloud to complement returning regular and junior TaRiq Bracy are stop-gap measures in 2020. At least one member from this trio still needs to come to the forefront the way Bracy did in 2019. Wallace displayed the most promise last August, while former wide receiver recruit Hart provides unique length at 6-2½ and Rutherford made huge inroads toward action during the winter. 5. Linebacker Marist Liufau The Hawaiian Islands have become a fer- tile area the last decade among Notre Dame prospects, most recently with 2017-19 safety Alohi Gilman and current starting defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. Liufau is on a path toward future promi- nence as well, distinguishing himself with the staff that used him on special teams last year only against the top foes — Georgia, Virginia, USC and Michigan — without burning a year of eligibility (four games allowed). He should be a mainstay on special teams this year the way Gilman had been, but also could become a dark horse for more regular action at rover or Buck, where he likely will cross-train. FRESHMAN IMPACT Our top three last year were relatively easy — punter Jay Bramblett because of need, defensive lineman Jacob Lacey after an excellent spring as an early enrollee, and safety Kyle Hamilton with his sheer star power. This year, it's similar: 1. Long Snapper Alex Peitsch Ranked the nation's No. 1 long snapper by Kohl's Professional Camp in 2020, he could be this year's version of Bramblett as a specialist to succeed graduated three-year starter John Shannon, although sophomore walk-on Michael Vinson could challenge. 2. Running Back Chris Tyree Someway, somehow, the staff likely will seek to incorporate one of the nation's fastest players and the former top-100 prospect into a backfield-by-committee rotation that needs more oomph. Durability could be the X-factor for the 5-9½, 179-pound prospect. 3. Wide Receiver Jordan Johnson Notre Dame's first five-star wideout re- cruit (by Rivals) since Michael Floyd in 2008, Johnson enters a situation where a consistently reliable figure at receiver has not yet been established. Still, it has been challenging during head coach Brian Kelly's tenure for a freshman wideout to prosper, with TJ Jones in 2010 (23 catches for 306 yards and three touch- downs) the most prominent. Will Fuller (2013) caught only six passes his first year, Equanimeous St. Brown (2015) one, Miles Boykin (2015) none and Chase Claypool (2016) five. 4. Tight End Michael Mayer Tight End U. literally remains in excellent hands with the 247Sports five-star prospect. However, despite second-round pick Cole Kmet turning pro after his junior year, the position remains well fortified with junior Tommy Tremble — whose 16 catches for 183 yards and four scores last year eclipsed Kmet's sophomore numbers of 15 for 162 yards and zero scores in 2018 — classmate George Takacs, a four-star recruit who could start at a lot of Power Five schools, and se- nior Brock Wright, Notre Dame's top-ranked recruit in 2017 (No. 44 nationally by Rivals). 5. Wide Receiver Xavier Watts Also a promising defensive back candi- date if needed, Watts possesses the demeanor to at least see action in a special teams ca- pacity this season for the four-game maxi- mum without forfeiting eligibility. Freshman running back Chris Tyree is expected to add significant speed to a Notre Dame backfield that is seeking an alpha figure. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM One of the top momentum-changing plays in 2019 was freshman defensive end Isaiah Fo- skey's blocked punt against Stanford (above) that helped propel a 45-24 Irish win. PHOTO BY SPENCER ALLEN