Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI year's bowl). Meanwhile, the 2012 defense had only a few calls (which Alabama would expose with its extra time to prepare) but allowed only 10.3 points per game during the regular season, the lowest since 1980. This year, the Irish might need to lean on the run more than ever since the turn of the century, while the de‑ fense has simplified some aspects of communication that became over‑ whelming last season under new co‑ ordinator Brian VanGorder. Finally, the 2012 team was relatively devoid of major injuries after the pre‑ season. The offensive line was the team's thinnest unit, but the five start‑ ers answered the bell all 13 games, as did prime figures Eifert, Riddick and wide receiver TJ Jones (plus Golson missed only one game). Defensively, nine of the 11 starters (or co‑starters) were there every single game. The two exceptions were strong safety, where Matthias Farley started 11 of 13 games after an injury to Jamo‑ ris Slaughter, and outside linebacker, where Danny Spond started the final 11 after overcoming severe migraine headaches. The quality depth across the board in 2015 is considered vastly superior to 2012. Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand has almost an entire sec‑ ond and third unit laden with top‑100 prospects. Wide receivers coach Mike Denbrock said Torii Hunter Jr., the No. 6 receiver returning from last year, had the best camp among the wideouts. Another "reserve," junior Corey Robinson, has been projected in mock drafts as a future first‑round pick. "Tight End U" is trying to find reps for five players with different skill sets. On defense, safeties Farley and Eli‑ jah Shumate have 23 and 14 starts, yet are fighting to see action. Mike line‑ backer includes the 2014 Team MVP in Joe Schmidt, the 2013 top tackler until he was injured in Jarrett Grace, and Nyles Morgan, who recorded 47 tackles last year as a freshman. Another issue is whether the 2015 can deal with expectations. • In the 18 seasons since Lou Holtz's departure, Notre Dame has been ranked 10 times in the Associ‑ ated Press preseason top 25 — and none of the 10 finished higher than the preseason rating. • This year 's No. 11 rating by the AP is tied for the second highest in those 18 years. The highest was No. 2 in 2006, and the Irish ended up No. 22. • Among the 10 Irish teams ranked at the start since 1997, the only other one to finish ranked besides 2006 was 2013, which began No. 14 and ended No. 20 at 9‑4. The preseason unranked 2012 came out of nowhere. The 2015 unit has to live up to expectations, and then some. The time is ripe as one can ask for Notre Dame to thrive while attempt‑ ing to achieve a second overall Gold Standard over the past two decades. If not now … when? ✦ Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com