Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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MURPHY'S LAW DAN MURPHY this fall will be along the defensive line. Jarron Jones and Romeo Okwara have shown flashes of what it will take to maintain a quality defensive front without their NFL-bound predeces- sors, Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix III. Okwara is new to the defensive end spot and struggled early in spring practice. Jones had his own trouble playing on the inside early in his ca- reer. Both have shown improvement, but have yet to display the confidence of an experienced upperclassman. Defen- sive line coach Mike Elston said trying to establish that attitude in players other than junior Sheldon Day was his top priority this spring. "We're trying to get like Louis Nix. When he took the field, he was going to try to dominate you," Elston said. "We need to get that consistently from the guys." Behind them, more juniors are jock- eying for position at the crowded safety spot. Elijah Shumate and Nicky Baratti have different styles, but are in the same position. Shumate needs his mind to catch up to the rest of his body on the field. Baratti needs his body to stay healthy enough to take advantage of his football IQ. At what is expected to be the team's strongest point, led by junior cornerback KeiVarae Russell, that duo can be a big part of the Irish secondary in 2014. The two players making the biggest transitions as they cross over from un- derclassmen to veterans are outside linebacker John Turner and wide re- ceiver C.J. Prosise. The former safeties aren't expected to be stars this sea- son, but they both play critical parts in Notre Dame's goal to speed up on both sides of the ball this season. Pro- sise could give the Irish their most versatile weapon in the slot since Theo Riddick graduated in 2012. His size produces matchup problems almost like another flex tight end on the field. Turner, meanwhile, might be the biggest puzzle piece to Notre Dame's new 4-3 defense. He needs to get big- ger and stronger as well, if he hopes to be a long-term solution at the new outside linebacker spot. Finally, tackle Ronnie Stanley and wide receiver Chris Brown can build on the experience they already have. Stanley could be the best pro pros- pect on the offense by the end of the season if he takes over as a leader on the offensive line. And Brown has the chance to grow from an ancillary deep threat to a regular part of the game plan. To say this group is defining a leg- acy in 2014 is a bit heavy. The coming months, though, will be a make-or- break period for the dozen scholarship juniors on the roster. In a year that can sway the perception of Brian Kelly's Notre Dame between a program on the rise and a good team with one great year, the Irish will have a hard time if the junior class struggles to suc- cessfully clear the hurdle in front of them. ✦ Dan Murphy has been a writer for Blue & Gold Illustrated since August 2011. He can be reached at dmurphy@blueandgold.com