Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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to a lesser extent, cornerback. "Most of the time when I was out there I was playing man, and I had to learn some zone coverage," Shumate said of his role at nickel. "It was a lot easier. [The coaches] didn't want to make it so hard for me coming in my first year. They wanted me to get some game-time experience. "Zone was definitely a lot tougher. They just wanted me to be down there to play man and play press [coverage] and kind of beat the slot receivers up. That was kind of easier for me." That is why defensive coordinator Bob Diaco was reluctant to start out Shumate at safety. "In our defense, corner — not physically, but mentally — is an easier position to play," Diaco said. "Safety is a much harder position to play. It's hard for a young safety to come into our defense and function. "...The fact of the matter is the intangible traits of the safety are as important as the tangible traits." Shumate's skills to stay with and wrap up receivers or running backs in the open field, or deliver a wallop when playing closer to the line, make him the model safety. "He is what we thought he was in terms of a tackler," head coach Brian Kelly said of Shumate during the spring. "He's a very good tackler, a sure tackler. He's physical." Similar to Everett Golson at quarterback when he entered the 2012 season, Shumate has the art of playing safety down, but there is much work ahead in the science aspects. Both Diaco and safeties coach Bob Elliott will continue to gradually expand Shumate's knowl- edge base so that he can confidently relay any calls on the field that have to be made to the defense. "He's a long ways away from functioning and driving our defense," Diaco said. "Light years away." Shumate offers no disagreement. "My major adjustment has been just calls and formation and trying to adjust everybody and adjust myself to each formation," Shumate said. That has not been a simple proposition because he is on a large learning curve. However, he uses Farley's progress last season as inspiration. "Matthias was doing what I was doing, and he's helped me a lot with communication," Shumate said. "He has been showing a lot. Last year he didn't want to say anything, he didn't really know anything. He's confident now, knows all his stuff and has been a great leader … so has Austin. "Coming in, I wasn't very confident and I was making a lot of mistakes. I'm getting a lot more confident now. KeiVarae [Russell] will sometimes tell me, 'No, that's not the right call to make. Call another call.' Outside linebackers will look at me like, 'No, no, wrong call.' They've helped me out and are making my job a lot easier." "Coach Elliott has done a nice job [with Shumate's] learning curve," Kelly said. "That's what this is all going to be about, picking up the nuances. Matthias has done a very good job in helping him, but I think the entire defense is helping as well. "He's our guy back there. He's got to continue to learn." And maybe add another amazing winning streak to his dossier. ✦