Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME Right guard — Sophomores Steve Elmer, Colin McGovern and John Montelus. Right tackle — Sophomore Mike McGlinchey became the starter after Lombard's setback, with Bars or Bivin the potential backup option. TACKLE OPTIONS A crucial X‑factor is whether Stan‑ ley, who has been projected in some circles as a potential first‑round pick in 2015, decides to turn pro by Jan. 15 after submitting his name to the NFL Draft advisory board for evaluation. In December, Stanley diplomatically stated his concentration was devoted exclusively to final exams and the bowl game. Stanley's departure would leave a huge void at tackle because of mini‑ mal experience. Whereas candidates at guard and center are abundant, the numbers are a little scarcer at tackle. Bivin — also considered a potential interior player after starring at center in the Under Armour All‑Star Game as a high school senior — has barely played behind Stanley. Bars was red‑ shirted this season, and the rangy 6‑7½ McGlinchey saw his first appreciable amount of action during the second half of the USC game in place of Lom‑ bard. McGlinchey had been pushing Lombard for the starting role all sea‑ son before being thrust fully into the starting role in December. "You look at McGlinchey and his de‑ velopment — I love what I see there," Kelly said. Other potential options at tackle could include: • Elmer started the year at right tackle (with Lombard at right guard), but never fit in comfortably there after a strong season as a freshman right guard in 2013. Guard likely is Elmer's future, unless an emergency situation arises. • The 325‑pound Nelson — the highest‑rated Irish recruit from last season with linebacker Nyles Morgan — redshirted this season with his three other freshman offensive line class‑ mates (Bars, Byrne and Mustipher). If Stanley were to turn pro early, then Nelson might be needed as a tackle option in 2014. "He's got some versatility," Kelly said of Nelson. "We like him at guard right now." • The top news coming out of De‑ cember practices was the emergence of the 6‑6, 305‑pound Bars, who was slowed in August while wearing a cast on his left hand because of an injury. "The freshman Alex Bars, he's one of the best I've seen in 25 years," Kelly praised. "He's that good. Those guys ought to be nervous about whose job he's going to take. He's that good of a player. If there's one offensive player I can point to [in December], Alex Bars is clearly the guy that stands out." If Bars is so good, then why didn't he play this season when the line needed all the help it could get? One answer is even Zack Martin — already in the Pro Bowl as a rookie — redshirted as a freshman in 2009. Part two is history shows that the preference by the Irish staff — and most everywhere — is to redshirt of‑ fensive linemen. Among the 28 schol‑