Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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John Turner (6‑0½, 225) will also see time at the position after having moved from safety. "We've been methodical in our prep‑ aration with them in terms of we have a lot of different packages. We're trying to roll so many personnel in so we've got a different look every snap," Kelly said mid‑camp. "We're in three‑down a lot now. We're seeing a lot of three down. Early in camp we saw a lot of four‑down. … We do a lot defensively." Each of the defense's three levels (defensive line, linebacker and de‑ fensive back) will include a rotation of personnel, especially following the Aug. 15 removal of two starters — ju‑ nior cornerback KeiVarae Russell and senior strongside defensive end Ishaq Williams — due to the university's on‑ going investigation into possible aca‑ demic fraud. With Russell out, fifth‑year senior Cody Riggs' arrival as a transfer from Florida becomes that much more im‑ portant. Along with Riggs and his 26 starts and valuable SEC experience, the Irish will utilize sophomores Cole Luke and Devin Butler, freshman Nick Watkins and senior Josh Atkinson (in‑ jured in the second week), plus senior Matthis Farley, who is cross‑training at safety and nickel back. "This is a really physical group of cornerbacks," sophomore wide receiver Corey Robinson said. "We've got Cody Riggs, and he's a big [although only 5‑9], strong dude. Nick is a really fast freshman, and we already knew about Cole and Devin. "It's tough because the cornerbacks are so good, and this defense isn't a walk in the park." Fifth‑year senior Austin Collinsworth and sophomore Max Redfield will start at the safety positions, but Farley, ju‑ niors Elijah Shumate and Nicky Baratti and senior Eilar Hardy are waiting in the wings to contribute as well. According to Kelly, Collinsworth will do the "quarterbacking" in the second‑ ary, with Redfield still learning in his second year on campus. The line resembles its 2013 form the least of the defense's position groups. Junior Sheldon Day is the leader of the unit with his 24 games of collegiate ex‑ perience. He moves inside this season alongside junior defensive tackle/nose guard Jarron Jones. Williams will be replaced by sophomore Isaac Rochell at strongside defensive end, and fresh‑ man Andrew Trumbetti has the early advantage for the starting nod over junior Romeo Okwara on the weakside. With newcomer Grant Blankenship serving as the strongside backup in Williams' absence, he joins classmates Trumbetti, Jhonny Williams and maybe Jonathan Bonner as rookie regulars in the rotation. Couple that with inexperienced re‑ turners along the line (sophomore Ja‑ cob Matuska, senior Anthony Rabasa, senior Chase Hounshell and fifth‑year senior Justin Utupo) and Notre Dame is breaking in an inordinate number of new faces. "Brian is always going to be about getting the players in a position where they can help play great defense," Kelly said. Great defense is the goal, even if you have to glance frequently at the roster to match both names and num‑ bers. ✦