Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/651219
BY BRYAN DRISKELL T he competition at quarterback will get the majority of the press coverage this spring, but there are numerous other posi- tion battles that will also take place at Notre Dame. Shoring up the offensive line will be the most important job for the Irish staff — outside of deciding on a quarterback, of course. RIGHT TACKLE Senior Mike McGlinchey started all 13 games at right tackle last season, but he will likely be tasked with replacing All- American and projected first-round pick Ronnie Stanley at left tackle. In all six of head coach Brian Kelly's seasons with the Fighting Irish, Notre Dame has had a first-round player at left tackle, starting with Zack Mar- tin (2010-13) and followed by Stanley (2014-15) — who like McGlinchey first started at right tackle before succeed- ing Martin. Based on where players are aligned at the moment, senior Hunter Bivin and fifth-year senior Mark Harrell will be the primary competitors at right tackle. Bivin was a consensus top-200 re- cruit and served as Stanley's primary backup the last two seasons. He has the length and size (6-5½, 302) desired for the position, and when healthy he has the foot quickness and athleticism that should allow him to thrive as a pass blocker. Harrell, a fundamentally sound player who was a high school tight end, began his career at center/guard and shifted to right tackle last season. Despite his listed size (6-4, 306), Har- rell faces concerns about his ability to hold up as an every-down player. If line coach Harry Hiestand believes he can get a consistent push in the run game, Harrell could challenge Bivin. If Bivin can stay healthy, play with focus and finally tap into his full po- tential this could end up as the least contested of all the position battles. The sooner a starter emerges the faster the line can become a cohesive unit. CENTER Replacing a two-time captain in Nick Martin at center might be an even bigger undertaking for Hiestand than right tackle. Junior Sam Mustipher was an Un- der Armour All-American and Ri- vals No. 203 player in the country as a high school senior. At 6-2½, 305 pounds, Mustipher is a squatty and well-built player who projects well to the interior. His game is all about power and force, which the interior needs. He is not a natural center, and his snapping is not always consistent and will need to improve this spring. Sophomore Tristen Hoge is a natu- ral center, which helped him transi- tion smoothly into the offense and make a strong impression as a fresh- man. He is longer than Mustipher (6-4½) but not as thick (300 pounds). Hoge is also not as powerful, but he is a premium athlete and a strong tech- nician. He plays with good leverage and fires off the ball and quickly gets into defenders. It would not be a surprise if both are considered for starting spots. If