BY LOU SOMOGYI
I
magine the 2012 Notre
Dame team without
H e i s m a n r u n n e r - u p
Manti Te'o at Mike line-
backer and John Mackey
Award recipient Tyler
Eifert as its flex tight
end.
The 12-0 regular sea-
son might have been an-
other status quo 8-4 year.
Instead, both Te'o and
Eifert returned for their
senior years rather than
embark on the riches in
the NFL.
H o w m u c h b e t t e r
could 8-5 Notre Dame
have been in 2014 had
defensive lineman Ste-
phon Tuitt and tight end
Troy Niklas returned for
their senior seasons?
We'll never know, but
at least to start 2015 the
early entry phase of the
season has fallen right
again for Notre Dame
on offense and defense.
First defensive line-
UNDER THE DOME
IN LINE TO SUCCEED
Ronnie Stanley and Sheldon Day
bypass the NFL to return for senior years
Stanley, who has started all 26 games the past two years, bypassed
potential first-round status to return for his senior year in 2015.
PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA
