Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2021 59 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE terson shifting back to his original left tackle spot to replace three-year starter Liam Eichenberg. Offensive Guards/Centers (7) Fifth-Year Senior — Dillan Gib- bons Seniors — Jarrett Patterson and John Dirksen Juniors — Zeke Carroll and Hunter Spears Sophomores — None Freshmen — Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler* Notes: Patterson is the lone re- turning starter, but with four start- ers needing to be replaced, this is a Rubik's Cube of possibilities to find the five best starters for where the collective group is best suited. Defensive Ends (8) Seniors — Justin Ademilola Juniors — Isaiah Foskey and NaNa Osafo-Mensah Sophomores — Jordan Botelho and Alexander Ehrensberger Freshmen — Devin Aupiu*, Jason Onye and Will Schweitzer* Notes: Foskey becomes the linch- pin with starters Ade Ogundeji and Daelin Hayes off to the NFL and Ovie Oghoufo opting to be a gradu- ate transfer at Texas. Foskey could play vyper or the strong side (where Ademilola had 17 stops last year), and he actually was second on the team in sacks last year with 4.5, and second among the linemen in tack- les (20). Osafo-Mensah was sidelined last year because of knee surgery. Defensive Tackles (8) Fifth-Year Seniors — Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa Seniors — Jayson Ademilola Juniors — Howard Cross and Ja- cob Lacey Sophomores — Aidan Keanaaina and Rylie Mills Freshmen — Gabriel Rubio* Notes: Hinish and Tagovailoa- Amosa will be third-year starters in the middle, with plenty of rotation. Mills is a wild card because he could also help at strong-side end after playing 141 snaps as a freshman and developing well. Rover (3) Fifth-Year Senior: Isaiah Pryor Senior — Paul Moala Juniors — None Sophomores — None Freshman — Prince Kollie Notes: Pryor, a graduate transfer from Ohio State, and Moala were both safety recruits, but then again so was 2020 Butkus Award winner Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who fit perfectly at this hybrid position. New coordinator Marcus Freeman has in- dicated he plans to continue to have this role on the defense. Inside Linebackers (8) Fifth-Year Senior — Drew White Seniors — Bo Bauer and Shayne Simon Juniors — JD Bertrand, Osita Ekwonu, Jack Kiser and Marist Liu- fau Sophomore — None Freshmen — Kahanu Kia Notes: White returns with easily the most career tackles among any Irish player (144, 17 for loss). As an All-ACC Academic selection, he is a prime candidate to be a 2021 captain, although Bauer (26 tackles) excelled as well in his place in sub packages. Finding consistency at Will (formerly Buck) will be crucial among Liu- fau (22 tackles), Kiser (20) and Simon (14). Liufau and Kiser also have had training at rover. Cornerbacks (9) Senior — TaRiq Bracy Junior — Cam Hart Sophomores — Ramon Hen- derson, Clarence Lewis and Caleb Offord Freshmen — Ryan Barnes*, JoJo Johnson, Philip Riley* and Chance Tucker Notes: Bracy led the team in passes broken up with seven as a 2019 sophomore, but last year in the second half of the 2020 sea- son he was supplanted at field corner by Lewis, who recorded seven passes defensed as a fresh- man. Finding a boundary corner to replace North Carolina State graduate transfer Nick McCloud will be a priority. Safeties (7) Seniors — Houston Griffith and DJ Brown Juniors — Litchfield Ajavon, Kyle Hamilton and KJ Wallace Sophomores — None Freshmen — Khari Gee and Justin Walters* Notes: Hamilton, an All-American, will be the centerpiece of the 2021 defense with his range and supreme skills as a center fielder in the align- ment. Former top-50 recruit Griffith was in the transfer portal for a few weeks before getting re-recruited to return. Brown had more snaps (242) in a reserve role than Griffith (212), but both will be expected to make significant strides in 2021. Kicking Game (4) Fifth-Year Senior — Jonathan Do- erer (kicker) Seniors — None Junior — Jay Bramblett (punter) Sophomore — Alex Peitsch (long snapper) Freshman — Josh Bryan (kicker) Notes: After an exceptional junior year in 2019, Doerer tailed off in the final five games last season, convert- ing just 4 of 9 field goal attempts. Still, he and Bramblett provide a veteran duo as third-year starters. Meanwhile, walk-on Michael Vinson started all 13 games as the long snap- per last season as a junior. ✦ All-American safety Kyle Hamilton enters his junior season as the centerpiece of the 2021 Irish defense with his range and supreme skills as a center fielder in the alignment. PHOTO BY ANDRIS VISOCKIS