Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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ones at both left guard and right tackle when needed. "You should keep an eye on both of those guys playing some right tackle for us," Kelly said of Stanley and El‑ mer. Year Kory Minor in 1995. "He doesn't make the same mis‑ take twice," Kelly said of what dis‑ tinguishes Smith as a freshman. "… That's a hallmark of a guy that's going to play a lot of football for us." 7. Most Improved Players Recognition Goes To … 9. Watched Pot Should Be Done Cooking Kelly singled out junior center Nick Martin and senior backup defensive lineman Kona Schwenke as the play‑ ers on offense and defense who made the most progress since the spring. Martin had never played center, yet adjusted well, including shotgun and conventional snaps, while hold‑ ing his own against senior nose guard Louis Nix. Schwenke did not have a good spring, but this August he trans‑ formed to where "he could play for a lot teams and make an impact," ac‑ cording to Kelly. Among the freshmen he cited were early enrolee receiver James Onwualu and cornerback/nickel back Cole Luke. 8. Jaylon Smith Cracks Starting Lineup Freshman Jaylon Smith was listed as the starting Dog linebacker the week of the Temple game, ahead of junior Ben Councell, who is bigger (6-4½, 254) and also expected to play. They both will be needed to replace 2012 starter Danny Spond, whose football career was ended this August because of a health ailment. The coveted five-star recruit Smith was the first Notre Dame outside line‑ backer to start an opener since former USA Today Defensive Player of the Has there been a more watched po‑ tential breakout player the past couple of years than junior Cat linebacker/ defensive end Ishaq Williams, a 2011 five-star prospect? Williams won't start ahead of senior Prince Shembo, but he will play regu‑ larly on the defense in pass-rush or nickel situations, when not lining up as the "third defensive end" in other packages. "Everything that I've seen, he's done cooking," Kelly said. "It just took a lit‑ tle big longer … he's done everything we've asked him to do." 10. Getting Their Kicks Junior Kyle Brindza set a Notre Dame single-season record in 2012 with 23 field goals — several with the game hanging in balance — but fifthyear senior Nick Tausch won the start‑ ing position in the preseason. Tausch actually began 2012 as the starter, too, before getting injured in the opener. This spring and August, Brindza was told to concentrate more on punt‑ ing in an effort to replace four-year starter Ben Turk. However, even there, Brindza is in serious competition with Wake Forest transfer Alex Wulfeck. Kelly indicated the punting game will need to be better defined heading into the Sept. 7 showdown at Michigan. ✦