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have to step up for their teammates. "That accelerates the process, too. They know they have to pick it up. They know they're being counted on to go in there and they have to get the job done for us." Trumbetti nearly became the first freshman to start along the Irish de- fensive line in the season opener since Anthony Weaver in 1998, but junior Romeo Okwara ultimately started game one at weakside defensive end. In terms of snaps, however, the two are virtually even. It took until week two for Trumbetti to experience the moment that ush- ered in his college football career. While pursuing Michigan running back Dennis Norfleet near the sideline, Trumbetti endured a neck-jerking hit from Wolverines sophomore tight end Khalil Hill. It took the Irish freshman a few seconds to get up — which he admits he doesn't remember — before a teammate had to tell him where the sideline was. "It was when I got laid out. I stood up and was like, 'Wow. This is the real thing,' " Trumbetti said. "I was mostly in shock because I didn't know what happened. So for a couple minutes I was out of it." Notre Dame's medical staff cleared Trumbetti to re-enter the game, though once he did he struggled. As a precau- tion, he was held out of the Purdue game the following week. As an early enrollee last winter, Trumbetti benefited from a semester on campus and 15 spring practices before the rest of his fellow defensive freshmen arrived. He attributes his rapid rise to that experience. "It was the best thing that I could've done," he said. "It would've been very difficult if I would've come in during the summer like everyone else did. I just feel like it was the best decision for me." At 252 pounds — he said he wants to reach 260 eventually — he could easily pass as a college linebacker. The switch to VanGorder 's 4-3 look ben- efited Trumbetti, with smaller ends typically utilized in that scheme. "I really don't know what I would've played if we stuck with [former de- fensive coordinator Bob] Diaco's de- fense," he said. While adjusting to a new campus, a new program and a new defense, spring came with the expected road bumps experienced by freshmen. "I feel like midway through spring ball you hit a wall because of the workload and all that stuff and going against guys that are 22 years old," he said. "It starts to hit you a bit. Then the mental part kicks in and you start to go downhill." Trumbetti, Tranquill and, for that matter, the other six freshman contrib- utors on defense have already shown a knack for dealing with every hit that comes their way. FRESHMEN ENHANCE THIRD-DOWN PACKAGE Partially due to VanGorder 's new defensive system and partially due to Notre Dame's personnel, Irish play- ers are constantly coming on and off the field for sub packages, specifically on third downs when Tranquill, Hill, Cage and Blankenship typically see the field.