Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI and this year he too was set back by the academic investigation. Farley, who worked at receiver as a freshman, emerged at safety in 2012, took a step back as a junior, but has found a niche as the starting nickel. Among those 12 "senior" defenders, only Farley is playing, or even available. That's Part I of the current youth move- ment. The astounding attrition on defense in the 2011 recruiting haul carried over to its offense, too, which saw tight end Troy Niklas (a linebacker as a freshman) and running back George Atkinson III turn pro early, top wide receiver DaVaris Dan- iels sidelined because of the academic investigation, and even quarterback Ev- erett Golson serving 2013 academic pur- gatory. Part II is a 2012 defensive recruiting haul bereft of numbers. The Irish signed only two linemen (Sheldon Day and Jar- ron Jones), one linebacker (Romeo Ok- wara, who was moved to end) and zero cornerbacks. When slot receiver/running back Kei- Varae Russell from that class was tried out at corner, the staff hit the mother lode with the Freshman All-American. Yet he too was removed this year because of the academic investigation, but plans to return in 2015. Of the four safeties signed in 2012, only Elijah Shumate remains. John Turner was shifted to linebacker, C.J. Prosise is at slot receiver, and safety Nicky Baratti's recur- ring shoulder problems shelved him the past two years. That's partly why freshman Drue Tranquill, built more to play outside line- backer, is starting at safety. Part III is that when Notre Dame badly needed to sign at least four defensive linemen in 2013 to compensate for the lack of numbers in 2012 and the attrition from 2011, it landed only two — Isaac Rochell and Jacob Matuska, whom some scouts projected as a better tight end. Five-star Eddie Vanderdoes would have provided an immense boost, but he re- neged on his signed letter of intent to play instead for in-state UCLA. Finally, Part IV is that those classes from 2011-13 were recruited to fit for- mer coordinator Bob Diaco's 3-4 based scheme, and Notre Dame did not sign a dynamic edge pass rusher in either 2012 or 2013. In summary, the combination of enor- mous attrition from 2011, alarmingly lim- ited numbers along the front seven in 2012 and 2013, a change in philosophy this season and some lack of player de- velopment created the storm that has this year's defense treading water. How a class is rated each February and what evolution takes place over four years can be dramatically different. ✦ Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com CORRECTION On page 37 of the Nov. 24 Louisville game pre- view, the "Beginner's Luck" section was written with the assumption that Notre Dame would defeat Northwestern Nov. 15, and it was not altered by me. I regret the error. And Dewey didn't defeat Truman in 1948 either.