Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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room … but once you're on the field, you gotta be right now." The initial move upon the snap is where Elmer has centered his attention on achieving the delicate balance of body control with aggression. "Whether it's firing out too fast, be- ing out of control or being out of bal- ance, if I would have just taken the right set or a better first step, it would have been a much easier block for me to make," Elmer said. As for the rangy 6-7½, 310-pound McGlinchey, finding his home at right tackle was more about first filling out better physically. Also an exceptional basketball player who comes from a family of quarterbacks — cousin Matt Ryan is the signal-caller for the Atlanta Falcons — McGlinchey's background at William Penn Charter in Philadel- phia included lining up at fullback, tight end and linebacker. "I had really no experience in pass blocking, and that's been the biggest adjustment since I've gotten into col- lege," McGlinchey said. "It was fun playing so many positions, but it's nice to have one set position every single day. "I was never a huge weight-lifter because I played three or four sports [in high school]. Once I got here … it's been a huge benefit just to grow in the weight room and mature into a physi- cal football player." After two years of apprenticeship, he replaced an injured Christian Lom- bard during the game at USC last year and acquitted himself relatively well against first-round NFL draft pick Leonard Williams. "He made me look stupid some- times … [but] this is what you're go- ing to get every day when you play at Notre Dame," McGlinchey said. In McGlinchey's starting debut, the 31-28 Music City Bowl victory versus LSU, he teamed with Elmer on the right side in a stellar effort that pro- duced 263 yards rushing. "It was huge because you always have that little bit of doubt about whether you're ready to compete or not," McGlinchey said. "Once you get into live action, you finally get your feet wet and you know what you're capable of doing and what you have to work on." It would be premature to classify an Elmer-McGlinchey tandem in 2015-16 on par with Martin-Watt of 2011-13, but the bond is progressing well. "We definitely have a feel for what each other is doing," McGlinchey said. "We communicate well. He's really talented, so it makes some of the com- bination drive blocks easier. We've de- veloped a rapport that is going to be good for the season." After many position moves in ei- ther high school or college, Elmer con- curred that both McGlinchey and he have settled into their current homes and surroundings. "We have a lot of stuff to work on still, but having the bowl season to work with Mike and now being able to go through spring with him, you just get a better feel of where he's going to be on blocks," Elmer said. "He knows where I'm going to be on each block. That really helps us put it together." Both project to be huge building blocks, literally and figuratively, in 2015-16. ✦