Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/413403
BY ANDREW OWENS W eeks before the Irish linebacking corps had to adjust to life without se- nior leader Joe Schmidt, an injury to fifth-year senior captain Austin Collinsworth seemed to leave Notre Dame's safeties in a bind. Collinsworth, the unquestioned leader of the position group, played in parts of only two of the first eight games of the season. All of a sudden, sophomore and first-year starter Max Redfield lost his safety valve. For an Irish defense that has pleas- antly surprised many in 2014, Red- field and junior Eiljah Shumate have thrived in the back end. Redfield arrived on campus as a five-star recruit in 2013, but played sparingly as a freshman to the dismay of fans. He did not record his first start until the 29-16 victory over Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl before moving to the first-team unit in spring practice. This season, Redfield's talent has been more evident but still far from his ceiling. Through eight games, he col- lected 38 tackles and an interception. Head coach Brian Kelly noted that the game has slowed down for the Mission Viejo, Calif., native as the sea- son has progressed. "He's definitely coming along," Kelly said. "He's got really high-end athletic ability. The game is what he's catching up to — recognition of sets and formations, and just understand- ing the game and what it looks like back there, and that's where he's gain- ing. "How much did he play last year? We didn't play him. He played in the Pinstripe Bowl, right? He's a fresh- man [in terms of his on-field experi- ence]." Redfield now seems like a seasoned ANSWERING THE CALL Sophomore safety Max Redfield has made a relatively seamless transition into the starting lineup