Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY ANDREW OWENS A s Notre Dame walked off the floor for the final time of its memorable 2014-15 campaign having fallen just short of the program's second Final Four berth, head coach Mike Brey noticed sopho- more point guard Demetrius Jackson sauntering toward the locker room with his head down. "You know what? I am so excited about next year when it's your team," the coach told the player. "We're going to start looking ahead, and he will be at the controls of this thing," said Brey later. "I'm excited to see how he and I can work together to run a group." Point guards are the lifeblood of a Brey-coached team and have been for most of his 15 years at the helm. Last offseason, the challenge was building Jackson's confidence after a frustrating freshman season. Now, it's time to let Jackson loose as the leader of the 2015- 16 squad. Brey has on several occasions pointed toward the 90-60 shellacking at Duke in early February as a turning point in Jackson's display of leader- ship. "He was the one guy that was the voice, and he was challenging guys. I told him after the game, 'I think you've grown as a voice and a leader for us,'" Brey said. After a 32-win season, ACC cham- pionship and Elite Eight berth, Notre Dame must now face reality of life without seniors Pat Connaughton and Jerian Grant. "It's very hard. It was so energiz- ing being around this team," Brey said after the loss to Kentucky. "It was an honor to coach them. They chased it as a group. The guys that didn't play got it, understood it, were part of it. "We really had a mature vibe about us the whole time, and there was a fearlessness about us. I love the fact that a lot of those tough guys are com- ing back." Three starters — Jackson, junior for- ward Zach Auguste and sophomore guard Steve Vasturia — return to form the nucleus of the 2015-16 group. The other two members of the seven-man rotation will also be back in freshman forward Bonzie Colson and sopho- more wing V.J. Beachem. "There's some really good stuff go- ing on in there with that group," Brey said. "Pat and Jerian were the ultimate role models to lead, to be fearless, to be unselfish, to set the tone, to chase a team goal. It was so pure. I was spoiled. Keeping it going After a record-setting season, Notre Dame has a bright future