Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/638727
2016 RECRUITING ISSUE to play. … Guys have been playing their freshmen year since they made freshmen available for the varsity [in 1972]." This year 's five-man group raises the all-time number at Notre Dame to 40. The quintet of linebacker Daelin Hayes, defensive end Khalid Kareem, safeties Spencer Perry and Devin Stud- still, and wide receiver Kevin Stepher- son is arriving in a year where those positions are vital needs to restock and/or upgrade. Here is a thumbnail sketch of the rookie years of the first 35: 2006 (3): RB James Aldridge, OG Chris Stewart and WR George West Knee problems limited Aldridge, who sat out five games and finished with 142 rushing yards. West was ac- tive in the return game with 271 yards, while also catching two passes for 14 yards and rushing for an 11-yard TD on his sole carry. Upon arrival, Stewart reportedly was "two Big Macs short of 400 pounds," so he redshirted and developed into a starter later in his career. 2007 (3): RB Armando Allen, QB Jimmy Clausen and CB Gary Gray Because of a depleted roster that included only 17 scholarship players remaining from the 2004-05 classes, Clausen and Allen were thrust into starting roles during a 3-9 campaign. Clausen passed for 1,254 yards in nine starts (10 games overall), but also had minus-187 rushing yards while taking the brunt of an NCAA-record 58 sacks. Allen's 348 rushing yards were second most on the team and he caught 24 passes for 124 yards. He also is the most recent running back recruit who enrolled early. Gray was medically redshirted be- cause of a broken arm suffered in the spring. 2008 (2): DL Sean Cwynar and OG Trevor Robinson One of the rare offensive linemen to play as a freshman, Robinson even had three starts as a rookie. Cwynar redshirted before later developing into a top substitute. 2009 (3): CB E.J. Banks, S Zeke Motta and DL Tyler Stockton Banks and Stockton both redshirted, Early Enrollee Data Beginning one's college career earlier is not necessarily a harbinger of instant football pros- perity: • Of the 21 early entrants from 2006-11 who have exhausted their eligibility, three eventu- ally were drafted by the NFL from Notre Dame: quarterback Jimmy Clausen in the second round after his junior year, safety Zeke Motta in the seventh and final round, and wide receiver TJ Jones in the sixth round. • In head coach Brian Kelly's first four seasons from 2010-13, eight of the 18 early enrollees ei- ther transferred or had to leave football because of injury or academic situations. • Under Kelly, three of the four quarterbacks who enrolled early were redshirted as fresh- men anyway, with Tommy Rees in 2010 the exception. Moral of the story: Get your degree. — Lou Somogyi