Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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With Morgan in the locker room, classmate Greer Martini took over at Mike linebacker. Aside from kneel- ing out the clock, the drive would be Louisville's last, and in only six plays, Martini racked up two tackles, includ- ing a 14-yard sack that forced a field goal attempt. "I'm extremely proud of him," soph- omore linebacker Jaylon Smith said. "I told him that he was going to play today. He just needed to be ready. He has a great role, especially on special teams. "Coming in there, he was pretty much flawless." Smith compared Martini to former Irish linebacker Dan Fox, already us- ing the word "savvy" to describe the freshman when it usually applies only to veterans. Kelly echoed such senti- ments. "Greer made a great play tracking down the quarterback with the sack," he said. "Smart player, did a nice job. He played both Mike and Will for us today." With Schmidt injured and Morgan suspended, Martini is expected to start against the Trojans. JAY HAYES DEBUTS Rarely does a freshman make his season debut in the 11th game, losing his redshirt with only three contests left when counting a bowl game, yet that is what defensive lineman Jay Hayes did versus Louisville Nov. 22. With junior Sheldon Day and fresh- man Daniel Cage sidelined because of knee injuries, Notre Dame called upon Hayes early in the week, giving him a few practices to prepare with the first string. "He did a really good job in re- sponding to that," sophomore linemen Isaac Rochell said. "He pretty much has been playing scout team all year and then had to learn a whole defense in a week, basically. We told him, 'Just come off the ball, go hard and give ef- fort. Then you'll do fine. You're a good football player.' " Hayes made only one tackle, but routinely held the point of attack, thus allowing linebackers such as sopho- more Jaylon Smith (11 tackles), fresh- man Nyles Morgan (10) and freshman Greer Martini (two) to swarm to the ball. "Jay Hayes played well," head coach Brian Kelly said. "He gave us what we thought we'd get, about 30- 35 snaps. He plays hard, plays physi- cal." At one point, Hayes joined class- mates Andrew Trumbetti and Grant Blankenship on the defensive line with Morgan at linebacker and freshman safety Drue Tranquill (five tackles) in the secondary. Freshman defensive lineman Kolin Hill also appeared. "We're all learning. I'm young my- self," Smith said. "We're all just con- tinuing to learn." In addition, freshman tight end Tyler Luatua appeared as an extra blocker in an offensive jumbo set and continued his special teams work, while fresh- man wide receiver Justin Brent also partook on special teams. Fifth-year senior cornerback Cody Riggs left the game in the first half, af- ter aggravating a stress reaction in his foot, only furthering the Irish youth movement. ✦