Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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MAIN MEN THE A review of the season's projected 2011 mainstays BY LOU SOMOGYI ach August, Blue & Gold Illus- trated lists a top 10 to a dozen Irish football players who we believe will be the most instru- mental in success that season. The value we attach is predicated on four main guidelines: 1. Where would the team be with- out him in the lineup? 2. How much production is/was expected of him in 2011? 3. What has he produced in mean- ingful situations in the past? 4. How valuable is his position, including the depth factor there? The order in which they appear is E not just about who the best players are — although you wouldn't get an argument about the top two — but how their skills, leadership and value at the position will help dictate the results. Here was our August list, and the summary of their 2011 campaign. 1. WR MICHAEL FLOYD To no one's surprise, Floyd was named the Team MVP for the second straight year. His value went far beyond the stats, even though he caught a single- season school-record 95 passes, while totaling 1,106 receiving yards and eight scores. Floyd was the offense's aircraft carrier in that opposing de- fenses had to game plan around him, thereby potentially opening up other avenues for the Irish attack. Without his presence, the 2011 Notre Dame offense might have been in jail because it was not a threat in 18 FEBRUARY 2012 the spread to stretch a defense hori- zontally with the read option, and there was no true downfield threat vertically. Even more important, after coming off a spring and summer suspension for a third alcohol-related offense, Floyd did not engage in any public mishaps that would have prompted an "I told you so" reaction to what ostensibly appears to be a kinder, gentler and more flexible Office of Residence Life on the campus. 2. LB MANTI TE'O Similar to Floyd on offense, Te'o was the centerpiece on defense. His 115 tackles were 31 more than anyone else, and he paced the team in tackles for loss (13) and sacks (4.5). A midsea- son ankle injury hampered his prog- ress and there is room for improve- ment against the pass and run. The fact that Notre Dame forced a school- record-low 13 turnovers during the 8-4 regular season reflects a lack of high-impact plays collectively. Yet the drop-off on defense without the Wal- ter Camp second-team All-American could have been precipitous. Like Floyd last winter, the an- nouncement by Te'o that he will re- turn for his senior year rather than enter his name into the NFL Draft provided instant elation in the Notre Dame camp (see page 21). 3. RB CIERRE WOOD We ranked the junior running back this high prior to the season because of the uncertainty of the depth at run- ning back. Senior Jonas Gray proved to be an excellent complement prior to tearing his ACL in the 11th game, versus Boston College. Still, for the second year in a row, Wood was one of the team's most improved players, especially with his inside running and pass protec- tion. He became the program's first 1,000-yard rusher (1,042) since Dar- ius Walker in 2006, and his yards per carry (5.2) improved a little from last year (5.1) even though he was more of a prime target for defenses. The minus was that he had rough outings in two-touchdown losses to heavyweights USC (five carries for five yards) and Stanford (12 car- ries for 41 yards). However, he an- swered the bell each week with his durability and toughness, and he will be extremely valuable again in 2012. 4. OLB/DE DARIUS FLEMING High expectations were placed on having the senior be a force off the edge. Solid is the adjective that best describes his four-year career — nothing flashy, but generally reliable and steady. His career-high 54 tackles as the Cat linebacker in the 3-4 and a de- fensive end in the 4-3 were fifth most on the team, and included seven for loss (with 3.5 sacks). The seven quar- terback hurries were second on the team, behind freshman man-child Aaron Lynch's 13. At 6-2, Fleming didn't fit the classic "profile" for the position that head coach Brian Kelly seeks. Freshmen Ishaq Williams (6-5, 255) and Troy Niklas (6-6½, 250) are more in line with the prototype. However, with 157 career tackles (32.5 for loss and 15 sacks), Fleming's college career appeared to fulfill its potential. 5. WR THEO RIDDICK Kelly had projected superstar sta- tus for the junior slot receiver the past two years as a potential triple threat. But Riddick lost his punt return job after two fumbles in the season-opening loss to South Florida, had only six rushing attempts (for 27 yards) all season, and his relatively modest 36 catches totaled 429 yards (11.6 yards per reception) and three scores. There have been "flashes" by Rid- dick each of the past two seasons, but the wide receiver slot never quite seemed like a natural fit to him and he returned to running back during bowl preparations for Florida State. Riddick needs a Jonas Gray-like breakout season in 2012 — be it in the backfield or in the slot — if the Irish are to continue improving. Similar to Gray, there is too much ability there to remain latent. 6. S HARRISON SMITH The senior captain didn't record any interceptions after picking off seven last season, but he remained one of the team's consistent hubs from his safety position, leading the team in passes defended (10) and passes broken up (10) while placing Junior Cierre Wood made big jumps in all aspects of the game and became the first Notre Dame running back to top 1,000 yards in a seaosn since Darius Walker did it in 2006. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED