ers returning on offense, the bread-
and-butter is going to be the rotating
three-man running back attack with
233-pound L.J. Scott (699 yards and
11 touchdowns in 2015), 216-pound
Gerald Holmes (540 yards and eight
scores) and fellow 216-pounder
Madre London (500 yards and three
touchdowns).
Stout defense has been the hall-
mark of head coach Mark Dantonio's
program and should continue to be
with six starters back, including All-
Big Ten linebacker Riley Bullough,
second-team All-Big Ten tackle Ma-
lik McDowell, and veteran corners
Demetrious Cox and Darian Hicks.
Summary: Among Notre Dame's 12
opponents, Michigan State trails only
Navy in the fewest starters returning
on offense and defense from 2015 (10).
However, since 2010, MSU's 65
wins are tied for fifth most in the
Football Bowl Subdivision. Further-
more, the Spartans are 7-2 in their
last nine games against Associated
Press top-10 foes. The Spartans also
have a bye week Sept. 10 before trav-
eling to Notre Dame Sept. 17.
DUKE • SEPT. 24
QB Situation: During a winter work-
out, Thomas Sirk — who passed for
2,625 yards and rushed for a team-
high 803 yards last season — rup-
tured his left Achilles and had to un-
dergo surgery. He ruptured his right
Achilles in April 2013 and medically
redshirted. Backup Parker Boehme
passed for 579 yards and rushed for
181 yards in 2015. Head coach David
Cutcliffe said he is "hopeful" Sirk can
