Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/542018
group back on track falls on the shoul- ders of another member of the 2013 class – Durham Smythe. After battling through an injury plagued sophomore season, Smythe was healthy and pro- ductive during the spring. Despite solid depth at the position, he quickly took hold of the starting spot. From the moment he arrived at Notre Dame, Smythe has drawn com- parisons to former All-American Tyler Eifert due to his combination of size, exceptional ball skills and athleticism. BREAKING OUT Expectations were high in 2014 for former five-star safety Max Redfield and rangy wide receiver Corey Rob- inson. There were stretches when both players showed off their immense gifts, but injuries and inconsistency kept both from reaching their poten- tial. Getting more production from Red- field is a must. Although he finished second on the squad with 68 tackles as a sophomore, he was wildly incon- sistent. This was especially true in the pass game, where he had just three passes defensed. Redfield has the speed, range and toughness to become a dominant player on the back end of the defense. Now he must start showing the in- stincts and intelligence of a veteran. If the 6-1, 198-pounder can live up to his five-star billing, the Irish secondary will become one of the nation's pre- mier position groups. Last fall, Robinson was second on the team with 40 receptions and five touchdowns, and third with 538 yards. Durham Smythe caught only one pass for seven yards last year while backing up the graduated Ben Koyack, but he was one of the most improved players this spring. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA