Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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to play until another nine months, Notre Dame could tailor a specific game plan to LSU, not implement a system for a whole season. Denbrock disagrees. "I hope it wasn't game specific," he said. "It's the way Notre Dame should play football every Saturday: Line up, physicality, leaning on the big boys up front to create space for the run‑ ning backs and getting the ball in space to some skilled receivers. … Playing sound, fundamental football. When I think of Notre Dame football, that's what I think of, and that's really what we're trying to get to. "I wouldn't pigeonhole it by saying every game's going to look like the LSU game, but I would say we defi‑ nitely want to enter every week and every game with the mentality that we're going to physically take the fight to our opponent. We're going to match ourselves up and see what good can come of it." When asked if he handled play‑call‑ ing duties against LSU, Denbrock re‑ sponded: "I was involved, as I always am, in some of the play calling." Denbrock said even though his new job title is different, his role from last season hasn't changed ap‑ preciably. "It's almost exactly the same as it was a year ago," he said. "It's my re‑ sponsibility to oversee the offensive staff, to construct a game plan with all the other offensive coaches." ✦ TIGHT END No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 80 Durham Smythe 6-4½ 245 Jr./3 13 Tyler Luatua 6-2½ 250 So./3 18 Chase Hounshell 6-4½ 255 5th/2 82 Nic Weishar 6-4 241 So./4 9 Mike Heuerman 6-3½ 225 Jr./3 Walk-on: Ben Suttman (84). Note: Former defensive lineman Hounshell made the switch and lost 20 pounds to give himself a chance to return for a fifth year as primarily a blocker. How he will fit with the scholarship crunch is uncertain. LEFT TACKLE No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 78 Ronnie Stanley 6-5½ 315 Sr./2 70 Hunter Bivin 6-5½ 302 Jr./3 LEFT GUARD No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 56 Quenton Nelson 6-4½ 325 So./4 OR 71 Alex Bars 6-6 316 So./4 67 Jimmy Byrne 6-4 295 So./4 CENTER No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 72 Nick Martin 6-4½ 301 5th/1 53 Sam Mustipher 6-2 305 So./4 66 Tristen Hoge 6-4 ¼ 281 Fr./4 RIGHT GUARD No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 79 Steve Elmer 6-5½ 315 Jr./2 60 John Montelus 6-4 310 Jr./3 62 Colin McGovern 6-4½ 315 Jr./3 RIGHT TACKLE No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 68 Mike McGlinchey 6-7½ 310 Jr./3 75 Mark Harrell 6-4 306 Sr./2 Walk-on: Sam Bush (63). Notes: Bars was recruited as a tackle, but was moved to left guard to challenge Nelson for the starting role because he is considered at least the sixth best offen- sive lineman on the team. If needed he could move to tackle … To compensate for the dearth of tackles, Harrell was moved from guard/center to right tackle … If needed, McGovern could help at tackle as well.