Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM APRIL 2024 31 2024 S P R I N G F O O T B A L L O V E R V I E W BY JACK SOBLE S even months ago, Pat Coogan was the new guy. The junior left guard was one of two first-time starters on the Irish offensive line. Of those two — fellow junior right guard Rocco Spindler was the other — he was by far the lower-rated recruit. But entering spring ball this season, after being Notre Dame's only offensive player to start all 13 games in 2023, Coogan is the most experienced O-lineman on the roster. He and Spindler, now seniors, will try to lead a group in transition after the departures of Joe Alt and Blake Fisher. The stalwart tackles are headed to the NFL, and the for- mer has a good chance to be the top offensive line- man drafted in April. With their exit — along with longtime starting center Zeke Correll, who transferred to North Carolina State — offensive line coach Joe Rudolph has work to do if the Irish hope to field a dominant front five. In Correll's place slides junior Ashton Craig, who played well in three starts late last season and solidified himself as the starter. When Alt and Fisher opted out of the Sun Bowl, then-senior Tosh Baker and then- sophomore Aamil Wagner competed to replace the lat- ter. Baker won, but on the left side, Notre Dame was much more enthusiastic about the next in line. Notre Dame tabbed Charles Jagusah, then a freshman with only one game of experience, the first-team left tackle almost instantly after bowl practice be- gan. He looked like he belonged in El Paso, Texas, and the Irish would feel much better about their offensive line if he takes a big step in spring ball. OFFENSIVE LINEMEN POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH RIGHT TACKLE The interior line isn't set in stone either, with junior Billy Schrauth in a position to push senior Pat Coogan or (more likely, given his injury sta- tus) senior Rocco Spindler. But whatever happens with those three, right tackle should be the more heated battle. Graduate student TOSH BAKER has more experience, but he's struggled when given extended playing time. Junior Aamil Wagner has the traits, but is he big enough? This competition could stretch into fall camp. PERSONNEL UPDATE Position Coach: Joe Rudolph (second season) Returning Starters: Sr. LG Pat Coogan (13 career starts), Sr. RG Rocco Spindler (10) Departing Starters: LT Joe Alt (33), C Zeke Correll (31) RT Blake Fisher (27) Projected New Starters: So. LT Charles Jagusah (1), Jr. C Ashton Craig (2), Gr. RT Tosh Baker (4) Top Reserves: Jr. G Billy Schrauth, Jr. OT Aamil Wagner, So. G Sam Pendleton, So. C Joe Otting, So. OT Sullivan Absher, Jr. OT Ty Chan, So. G Chris Terek Newcomers: Fr. OT Guerby Lambert, Fr. OT Styles Prescod, Fr. IOL Anthonie Knapp, Fr. IOL Peter Jones NUMBERS TO KNOW 1 Sack credited against left tackle Joe Alt the past two seasons. Irish fans can't judge sophomore Charles Jagusah's 2024 season in comparison to Alt, because Alt is one of one. Very few quarterbacks in college football had that kind of security on the left side, and No. 76 was an equally dominant run blocker, too. He was one of the best in a long line of great Notre Dame offensive linemen. 67.7 Average Pro Football Focus offense grades for Notre Dame's primary interior offensive linemen, Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler, Ashton Craig and Billy Schrauth. All four were around that range, with Schrauth highest at 71.8 and Spindler lowest at 64.6. That's not bad — PFF considers 60 average — but the Irish have room to grow at guard and center. 281 Pounds is junior tackle Aamil Wagner's weight, as listed on Notre Dame's official roster. He's one of two non-freshman offensive linemen that checks in at less than 300 pounds, and the other is sophomore Joe Otting at 297. The former top recruit has the tools to be a successful tackle, but he needs to add the requisite weight to handle top college defensive ends. Sophomore Charles Jagusah, who made his first career start in the Sun Bowl win over Oregon State this past December, is expected to take over for NFL-bound Joe Alt at left tackle in 2024. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER ALL EYES ON … SOPHOMORE CHARLES JAGUSAH Barring something unexpected, Jagusah should take over for Alt at left tackle. Blue & Gold Illustrated was told Jagusah looked "swole" as winter workouts came to an end, which means he's getting stron- ger. Alt and Fisher raved about him at the NFL Scouting Combine, and Notre Dame seems ecstatic about what he could become. His progress will be fun to watch.