Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/163197
With no star to serve as the linchpin, this year's Irish defense — which has demonstrated a hardhat, lunch-pail attitude — will have a collective leadership effort. photo by Joe Raymond needs time to develop and grow its own identity. With Te'o and other dominant voices like graduated defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore, few of the current Irish players had the space to prepare for those roles. Instead of trying to force any of them into a disingenuous position as the front-and-center voice of the team, Notre Dame's staff decided to let this year's veterans continue as a pack of experienced players on equal footing, with no one man standing above the rest. The result, Kelly said, has been more of a hardhat and lunch-pail kind of attitude than previous groups. "That's just naturally who we are, and personally that's how I am," said Dan Fox, a fifth-year senior who takes over Te'o's middle linebacker spot. "I'm not going to be that loud, boisterous guy. … I'm not that guy who's going to jump around and be all wild like that, but during the play I'm becoming more vocal. I think it's a workmanlike attitude as a defense." Fox is the senior statesman of the group when it comes to in-game experience. The season opener marked his 40th consecutive appearance for Notre Dame. Fellow fifth-year senior inside linebacker Carlo Calabrese (36 games in three years) and senior outside linebacker Prince Shembo (38 games) aren't far behind. Calabrese and Fox are both quiet and steady in their roles. Shembo has been described as the "heart and soul" of the defensive front seven. While he's not afraid to let loose with a primal scream from time to time, he also falls more under the lead-by-example category. The voice of the defense, if one is to emerge slightly above the rest, belongs to senior captain Bennett Jackson. He is one of three team captains this season, along with left tackle Zack Martin and wide receiver TJ Jones. As the oldest member of a very inexperienced group of cornerbacks, Jackson had more of a chance to develop that leadership mentality than any of his counterparts in the front half of the defense. "I'm more of a vocal guy," he said. "But there are plenty more defensive and offensive leaders. I think we have the potential to be great motivators for our team."