Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1282481
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2020 29 Football Focus pass-blocking grade (85.6) and run-blocking grade (78.8). He did not allow a sack and gave up just three quarterback hits. PFF gave Notre Dame its second- highest pass-blocking grade among all Football Bowl Subdivision offen- sive lines. A left tackle who contrib- utes to that makes a quarterback's life much easier. The graduate student be- coming Notre Dame's fourth straight first-round left tackle portends great things for team and player. 2. S KYLE HAMILTON Star power and need make Ham- ilton so vital on the back end of the defense. Two Notre Dame players made The Athletic's Bruce Feldman's an- nual "Freak List." Hamilton was No. 9 on the group of 50, while Owusu- Koramoah was No. 37. Minus graduated starters Alohi Gilman and Jalen Elliott, Notre Dame has merely five scholarship safeties. This year, Hamilton, a sophomore cannot be the complementary figure who defers to the team leaders. Much greater onus will be placed on him on a rebuilding secondary. ✦ THE POLL These rankings were determined in the same manner as the Associated Press top 25. Five BlueandGold.com writers submitted their ballots, and each position on the ballot was given a point value. The top ranking was worth 25 points, No. 2 was worth 24, No. 3 worth 23 and so on down until No. 25, which was worth one point. The players with the 25 highest point totals made the list. Rk. Name, Position Points 1. Ian Book, QB 125 2. Kyle Hamilton, S 117 3. Liam Eichenberg, OT 107 4. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB 106 5. TaRiq Bracy, CB 100 6. Tommy Tremble, TE 89 7. Ade Ogundeji, DE 85 8. Daelin Hayes, DE 84 9. Braden Lenzy, WR 75 10. Drew White, LB 71 11. Robert Hainsey, OT 69 12. Kevin Austin, WR 61 13. Jarrett Patterson, C 59 14. Jafar Armstrong, RB 58 15. Nick McCloud, CB 51 16. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, DT 49 17. Shaun Crawford, CB 42 18. Houston Griffith, S 34 19. Lawrence Keys III, WR 30 Chris Tyree, RB 30 21. Aaron Banks, G 29 22. Bennett Skowronek, WR 28 23. Tommy Kraemer, G 20 Isaiah Pryor, S 20 25. Kurt Hinish, DT 16 Others receiving points: P Jay Bramblett (14), K Jonathan Doerer (13), RB Jahmir Smith (12), LB Jack Lamb (10), LB Bo Bauer (7), OL Josh Lugg (5), QB Brendon Clark (4) and LB Shayne Simon (2) 1. QB IAN BOOK Book controls the ceiling of Notre Dame's offense. That's due in part to his position, but also because of his play last year. Book's first two months were up and down with skittish pocket presence. The post-Michigan loss version, meanwhile, was a confident passer who threw with anticipation and let plays develop. If the grad student's 2020 season is more like the former, Notre Dame is good team, but not a College Football Playoff contender. If his final six games are an indication of what is to come, the Irish are in business. Fifth-year senior quarterback Ian Book controls the ceiling of Notre Dame's offense more than anyone else. PHOTO BY ANDRIS VISOCKIS