Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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his youth. If he had any case of jitters — like he admitted he did in his initial start, at Arizona State Nov. 8 — they were not evident. Head coach Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder noticed his composed de- meanor the moment he first stepped on the practice field. "The one thing that I love about Nyles is he is so thick-skinned," Kelly said. "He is a bull. He just keeps com- ing at you and wants to learn every day. It doesn't matter if he made 53 mistakes the week before. He comes back with such an incredible want and desire to learn more the next day. "I just love the way he comes to work every day, and Coach VanGorder feels the same way. He's going to be a special player." Morgan attributes his thick skin to his father, Thomas, who played line- backer at Western Illinois University. The Leathernecks nickname for WIU seems appropriate to Morgan, who says his father's teachings don't come with any sugarcoating, and he fore- warned how different the college foot- ball world would be. Part of the teachings included hu- mility. In recent years, Thomas took Nyles to area shelters to help folks in need in their Crete, Ill., area. It might be to help prepare food, mop floors or other tasks, but the purpose is to understand daily blessings and receive through giving. "I want him to get the idea that not everyone is as lucky or fortunate," Thomas Morgan told 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong last winter. "No matter how big you get, these are humble begin- Freshman Streak With the selection of linebacker Nyles Morgan to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America team, a Notre Dame rookie defender earned such notice from at least one national outlet for the fourth consecutive year. In 2011, defensive lineman Aaron Lynch started in six of the last 12 games he played for the Irish, finish- ing with 33 tackles (seven for loss). He led the team in sacks (5.5) and quarterback hurries (14) to earn first-team honors on the FWAA Freshman All-America Team — and then transferred to the University of South Florida the following spring. Lynch turned pro after his junior season and as a rookie had 23 tackles with six sacks for the 2014 San Francisco 49ers. Cornerback KeiVarae Russell, converted from offense, started all 13 games in 2012 for the 12-1 Irish that lost in the BCS National Championship Game. FWAA and CBSSports.com both placed him on their Freshman All-America first unit, while Sporting News and Scout.com put him on their second unit. Like Russell, outside linebacker Jaylon Smith started all 13 games during his 2013 freshman campaign, but because it was a top-heavy year for redshirt and true freshman linebackers in college football, Smith's recognition was reduced to 247Sports True Freshman All-American. Still, his 67 tackles were the third most at Notre Dame by a freshman since the NCAA allowed freshman eligibility in 1972. Only linebacker Bob Golic (82 stops in 1975) and end Ross Browner (68 in 1973, not including bowl games back then) had more. Since the start of the FWAA Freshman All-America team in 2001, Notre Dame has had five frosh make the first team: offensive tackle Sam Young (2006), nose guard Ian Williams (2007), and then Lynch, Rus- sell and Morgan. — Lou Somogyi