Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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"I would say the most influential point was probably watching the na- tional championship game and really being jealous of not being able to be at that top stage, where I want to be," Stanley said of the ultimate factor in his decision to return to school. "We've got a chance to have a special season." National expectations for Stanley are high. Lindy's, Phil Steele's and Sporting News chose him as a preseason first- team All-American. Few players match his combination of size, strength and athleticism. He finished the 2014 season with arguably the best game of his career, dominating the left edge for an Irish line that helped fuel a 263-yard rush- ing performance against LSU in Notre Dame's 31-28 victory in the Music City Bowl. Carrying that performance into the 2015 season is a must for Stanley, a player that has the talent to dominate the left side of the line in similar fash- ion to former Notre Dame great Zack Martin (2009-13). Much like Martin fu- eled a line that carried the Irish to a title game in 2012, Stanley is poised to lead a group of blockers that many believe is one of the nation's best. Day also made the decision to turn down the NFL in order to return for his senior season. While Stanley leads a unit that is expected to dominate, Day is the top man of a group of players with as many question marks as an- swers heading into the season. The loss of Day's classmate Jones cre- ates even more doubts or skepticism up front. Notre Dame's defensive line did not produce enough in 2014, recording just 39 tackles for loss and 15 sacks as a group. Compare that to the 39.5 tackles for loss and 27.5 sacks that were gener- ated by just the three starting defensive linemen and Cat linebacker Prince Sh- embo during the 2012 season. A productive campaign is needed from Day, who had just 7.5 tackles for loss and one sack as a junior. He is the one player along the line with the abil- ity to put together an All-America sea- son. He has always had the quickness to excel, and his hand technique has been stellar throughout his career. He is also a year stronger and healthier. For Day, the goal now is turning his talent and athleticism into consistent production. "I feel like I have the physical traits to become one of the best defensive tack- les in the country," Day said. "When people bring up my name, I want them to respond, 'Oh, that guy' — kind of have a little spunk when they say my name and remember who I am as a player and as a person." Russell's career took a major turn early in the 2014 fall camp. He entered that season poised for a breakout. The new aggressive schemes being installed by defensive coordinator Brian Van- Gorder were a perfect fit for him, and he was outstanding during the early portion of fall camp, but then came his season-long suspension due to an aca- demic investigation. Despite the missed year, Russell still carries high expectations — he was rated as the No. 9 cornerback in the country by Lindy's. Russell has always been known for his athleticism, pos- sessing high-level quickness and agility. During his time away from the team, he has added more strength, speed and