Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/499410
them out and we're getting quick 'tem- poed' on that conversion on first down. "We've learned a lot in our defen- sive substitutions and I think we've cleaned up terminology. In some in- stances, we made it easier for our guys and they've adapted quite well. I've challenged them. We've run really fast out of this spring. I think our defense has done a nice job." Another missing component from the defense once Schmidt went down with the ankle injury Nov. 1 was lead- ership. While Grace has returned and Schmidt will be back this summer, Smith has also taken a giant step for- ward. During practice it is evident that he is directing many of the players around, and in interviews he takes ownership for the success of the unit. That, coupled with his unique talent, could foreshadow a dominant 2015. "He'll be in a position where we can choose to put him in a number of situations and you'll have to game plan against him," Kelly said. "Last year, at times, you could take him out of the game. If you wanted to spread him out and get him out of the box and throw the ball to the other side or quick gain or run the ball away, you could take him out of the game. "Now, because we've cross-trained him, you can't. I think that's going to make a huge difference. He was always part of what was going on be- cause he's such an athlete. Now he's going to be central to everything that happens during the game." FRESHMAN PHENOM Jerry Tillery committed to Notre Dame in June 2013, 19 months before he enrolled at the university this past January. For most of that time, he was expected to be an offensive lineman, but late in 2014 the Irish decided to move him to the other side of the ball. It's a decision that will allow him to play immediately this fall. "Far and away the story is Jerry Tillery. He's just a unique player. One that I can't remember that I've coached," head coach Brian Kelly said. "He's running with the first group and he's impressed. During three-on-three drills, they had a tough time block- ing him. He just has a unique ability at such a young age to use his hands. He has had incredible teaching from one of the all-time great defensive line coaches, Pete Jenkins. He's one of the great ones. "You can see it in his ability to use his hands and where we spend the first year and a half trying to get these kids to not drop their head and be overextended, he immediately can use his hands and size to his advantage. I don't want to put him in the Hall of Fame. I'm still leery to talk about a freshman, but he's a unique talent." Tillery is not expected to remain with the first-team unit once senior Jarron Jones returns from Lisfranc surgery. But it was clear watching the Irish defense practice that Tillery will play an immediate role, beginning against Texas Sept. 5. What stood out for VanGorder was Tillery's quickness to learn when in- structed by the coaches. Tell him something once, and he learned it, VanGorder said. "That doesn't happen a lot. He's pretty unique in that respect," he said.