Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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ture is too premature a discussion and not in the cards right now. "There are so many different packages that we can discuss in terms of where we can move him," Kelly said. "One of the things we won't do is we will not change his eyes in terms of where he's going to play. He's going to play on the perimeter of our defense, so how he looks at the football game will be outside in, not inside out." Plenty Of Options As Kelly indicated, Notre Dame currently has perhaps the NFL's No. 1-rated nose guard prospect — an extremely vital component to run a 3-4 — with senior Louis Nix III. In 2014 there will be no more 357-pound Nix clogging up the inside and taking on multiple blockers to help free up the inside linebackers. No Kona Schwenke, either, as Nix's top backup. Whether that changes the base alignment of Notre Dame's defense, or keeps it with both 3-4 and 4-3 looks, is another element to be determined. It all comes back to finding a way to get your best 11 defenders on the field at once. At 6-5, 254 pounds, junior Ben Councell, who has two more seasons of eligibility after 2013, might have more of a prototype frame for inside linebacker or even end in the 4-3 — but then who complements Smith? Possibly a safety such as sophomore John Turner (about 6-1, 212) can be downshifted to the position. And what of the Cat position minus Shembo next year? Williams is the heir with Okwara backing him up, but Okwara's current 6-4, 258-pound Freshman Michael Deeb is one of just two inside linebackers signed by the Irish in the past three years. photo by joe raymond frame might be needed more along the line, especially if Cat linebacker recruit Richard Yeargin III (6-4, 225) can aid the outside. "Both of those guys are going to play a lot of football for us," Kelly said of Councell and Okwara. "Where, I really couldn't tell you at this point." Kelly joked that Okwara could even line up at tight end if needed. "He's athletic, he's long, he could be a pass rusher … he just hasn't had the chance, really," Kelly said. Options seem aplenty at linebacker. Finding each piece to fit correctly — inside and out — will be the primary test. ✦