Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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I've seen him trend upward." 2. NG JERRY TILLERY The freshman's role became a criti- cal one for Notre Dame Aug. 14, when senior nose guard Jarron Jones was lost for the season with an MCL injury. Til- lery, a 6-6½, 305-pounder, will share the nose guard duties with sophomore Daniel Cage, although the former looked primed to start late in fall camp. The Shreveport, La., native seemed headed to the offensive line for the first 18 months of his commitment, before he and the coaching staff agreed on placing the two-way player on de- fense to begin his collegiate career. That move has especially paid off with Jones' injury. Tillery will be called upon to take up space and assert his presence at the line of scrimmage. "He's learning every day our de- fense," Kelly said. "We're a three- down, four-down [linemen] team. We like to bring pressures. There is a lot there that he's learning every single day. So Jerry's just learning how to play defense full-time. He was a part-time defensive player. He was a pretty good offensive lineman. "So I don't know if there's any one specific thing that he's learning other than he's just learning how to be a de- fensive player in college football." 3. LB JAYLON SMITH It's a pretty sure bet that Smith will enjoy a standout junior season in 2015, one that could very well push him into the 2016 NFL Draft pool as a first-round talent. It's how much the linebacker dominates that could change the com- plexion of the 2015 defense. Smith will benefit from being in year two of defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder's system and the increased comfort that comes with it. Because Smith had mastered the Will position by last spring, Notre Dame felt comfort- able in cross-training the Fort Wayne, Ind., native at the Sam linebacker posi- tion as well. One effect — of several — could be an increased influence on Preseason All-American Jaylon Smith, a junior line- backer, possesses the skills and versatility to be a dominant force for the Irish in 2015. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA