Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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have the hot hand. If both of them have it, we're going to have to make it work. We're going to play them both and see how it goes." By year three, the Irish offense will need to evolve beyond "seeing how it goes." The assertion this preseason was it's not about who starts the year at quarterback, but who finishes it. Will that theme continue into 2012? DON'T PAINT ME INTO A CORNER Notre Dame's top strength en- tering 2012 is its front seven, high- Quarterbacks No. Player lighted by the return of second-team Walter Camp All-American Manti Te'o at inside linebacker. However, this could be the first time since 1978 Notre Dame has zero start- ing experience returning at corner. Replacing three starters in the sec- ondary — captain Harrison Smith at safety and cornerbacks Robert Blan- ton and Gary Gray — will be perhaps the team's top challenge. Four candi- dates will vie for starting honors this spring, led by current sophomore Lo Wood. Classmate Bennett Jackson Tight Ends No. Player had to make the adjustment from receiver last spring. "From an athletic standpoint — size, speed, the ability to play the ball, physicality — he's got all those tools," Irish cornerbacks coach Kerry Cooks said of Jackson. "He needs more reps, not just in practice, but in games." Current freshman Josh Atkinson, who played special teams, is deemed one of the team's most aggressive players, similar to Blanton and Gray. "Football is very important to him The following does not yet include incoming recruits, who will sign Feb. 1, 2012. We also believe center Braxston Cave is a definite return as a fifth-year senior. Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 2012 OFFENSE: PROJECTED SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS 11 Tommy Rees Running Backs No. Player 20 Cierre Wood 6 Theo Riddick 12 Andrew Hendrix 6-2 220 Jr./3 5 Everett Golson 6-2 215 Jr./2 6-0 185 So./4 Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-0 215 Sr./2 5-11 198 Sr./1 34 George Atkinson III 6-1 200 So./3 33 Cam McDaniel 5-10 192 So./3 31 Cameron Roberson 6-0 218 Jr./3 Note: Depending on where he is most needed, Rid- dick can line up at slot receiver or in the backfield. Wide Receivers No. Player 7 TJ Jones 9 Robby Toma 87 Daniel Smith 14 Luke Massa 16 DaVaris Daniels Walker The following does not yet include incoming recruits, who will sign Feb. 1, 2012. We also believe end Kapron Lewis-Moore and safety Jamoris Slaughter will definitely return as a fifth-year senior starters. 2012 DEFENSE: PROJECTED SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS Defensive Ends No. Player 89 Kapron Lewis-Moore 6-4 300 5th/1 19 Aaron Lynch 7 Stephon Tuitt 6-6 295 So./3 50 Chase Hounshell 6-4 265 So./3 96 Kona Schwenke 6-4 285 Jr./2 Fifth-year possibility: Hafis Williams. Nose Guards No. Player 9 Louis Nix III Newman. Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-3 326 Jr./3 69 Tony Springmann 6-5 280 So./4 92 Tyler Stockton 6-0 302 Sr./2 Fifth-year possibilities: Sean Cwynar and Brandon Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-6 265 So./3 Outside Linebackers No. Player 1 Ishaq Williams 13 Danny Spond 30 Ben Councell Inside Linebacker No. Player 5 Manti Te'o 48 Dan Fox 44 Carlo Calabrese 8 Kendall Moore 53 Justin Utupo 59 Jarrett Grace Posluszny. www.BLUEANDGOLD.com FEBRUARY 2012 23 55 Prince Shembo 6-2 250 Jr./2 58 Troy Niklas Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-6 250 So./3 6-5 255 So./3 6-2 242 Jr./2 6-4 230 So./4 56 Anthony Rabasa 6-3 240 So./4 Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-2 255 Sr./1 6-3 240 Sr./2 6-1 245 Sr./2 6-1 242 Jr./3 6-1 251 Jr./3 6-2 240 So./4 Fifth-year possibilities: Anthony McDonald and David Cornerbacks No. Player 23 Lo Wood Safeties No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 5-10 195 Jr./2 2 Bennett Jackson 6-0 185 Jr./2 43 Josh Atkinson 21 Jalen Brown 5-11 185 So./3 6-0 198 So./4 26 Jamoris Slaughter 6-0 198 5th/1 17 Zeke Motta 28 Austin Collinsworth 6-1 200 Jr./2 34 Eilar Hardy 24 Chris Badger 6-0 195 So./4 Fifth-year possibility: Dan McCarthy. Note: Badger is expected to rejoin the Notre Dame football program in the summer of 2012 after serving a two-year Mormon mission in Ecuador. Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-2 215 Sr./1 5-11 177 So./4 Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 5-11 187 Jr./2 5-9 185 Sr./1 6-4 215 Jr./2 6-4 220 Jr./3 6-1 185 So./4 41 Matthias Farley 5-10 194 So./4 Fifth-year possibilities: John Goodman and Deion 80 Tyler Eifert 18 Ben Koyack 82 Alex Welch 88 Jake Golic Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-6 249 Sr./2 6-5 253 So./3 6-4 245 Jr./3 6-4 245 Sr./2 Sixth-year possibility: Mike Ragone. Note: Days before the New Year, a decision was still pending on whether Eifert would return for his senior year or turn pro. Guards/Centers No. Player 52 Braxston Cave 66 Chris Watt 51 Bruce Heggie 72 Nick Martin 65 Conor Hanratty 77 Matt Hegarty Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-3 303 5th/1 6-3 310 Sr./2 6-5 280 Jr./3 6-4 280 So./4 6-4 315 So./4 6-4 291 So./4 Fifth-year possibility: Mike Golic. Offensive Tackles No. Player 70 Zack Martin Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-4 303 Sr./2 74 Christian Lombard 6-5 301 Jr./3 64 Tate Nichols 56 Brad Carrico Kickers/Punters No. Player 40 Nick Tausch 27 Kyle Brindza 35 Ben Turk 6-8 320 Jr./3 6-5 290 So./4 79 Jordan Prestwood 6-5 287 So./4 Fifth-year possibility: Lane Clelland. Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-0 190 Sr./2 6-1 219 So./3 5-11 196 Sr./1