Blue and Gold Illustrated

Oct. 22, 2022

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1481872

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 17 of 63

WELCOME OPPORTUNITY Chris Smith jumped at the chance to play at Notre Dame and has provided much-needed depth on the defensive line BY TODD D. BURLAGE W hen backup junior lineman Aidan Keanaaina tore an ACL in the first practice of fall camp, Irish head coach Marcus Freeman knew he had both a numbers and a depth problem on his defensive interior. What Freeman and Co. didn't realize was just how bad the numbers crunch would become, and what a brilliant move luring Harvard graduate transfer Chris Smith to campus would turn out to be. Smith was considered more of an in- surance policy than a production pro- vider when the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Detroit native arrived on campus in the summer. That's before Smith's snaps and value grew seemingly overnight when a high ankle sprain sidelined senior starting tackle Howard Cross III for the BYU game Oct. 8, and valuable reserve Jacob Lacey unexpectedly entered the transfer portal. Smith played a season-high 28 snaps in the Irish's 28-20 victory over the Cougars. NEW SURROUNDINGS "Smooth transition" became the op- erative phrase once Smith, a 2021 first- team All-Ivy League honoree, arrived on campus in June for summer school. "What I've seen from him is just what we hoped: consistent, dependable, a good run stopper and a power rusher," Irish defensive line coach Al Washing- ton said. In three seasons at Harvard, which plays a 10-game schedule, Smith re- corded 72 tackles and 5.5 sacks — not n e ce ssa r i ly eye - p o p p i n g n u m b e rs — but good enough to draw plenty of portal attention. Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Minnesota were among a handful of Power Five schools interested in the big and strong middleman's services. Smith wasted no time and committed to Minnesota last January. Seemingly content and ready for a Minneapolis re- location, Smith heard from Notre Dame early this spring, made a campus visit and flipped his commitment in April. Smith shared how he was on a spring 18 OCT. 22, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED Smith, who notched 7 tackles in Notre Dame's first five contests, played a season- high 28 snaps in the Irish's 28-20 win over BYU Oct. 8. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Blue and Gold Illustrated - Oct. 22, 2022