Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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strongside end behind Rochell (who would play other positions as well while posting a unit- high 783 snaps). On that side, opponents often outweighed Trumbetti by 60 or more pounds. While taking 368 snaps (about 30 per game), his stats dropped to 16 tackles (2.5 for loss). His six QB hurries in 2015 are still the second most among returning players, behind Rochell's seven. "I was not discouraged, but uncomfortable," Trumbetti said of playing strongside end last season. "It was really hard for me, going in there and just sticking my head in there … 300 pounds goes around 235 pounds a lot easier. That's just the way it goes." Now that he is at weakside end, the position he was recruited to play, he said it's a matter of proving himself and adding a crucial intangible. "You just have to have the mentality that you have to get to the quarterback," Trumbetti said. "A lot of guys who have a lot of sacks in the NFL or in college aren't that fast, aren't speed rushers — they're just relentless. It's their mentality. That's the most important thing." The fuel for motivation is abundant when the defense, especially the pass rush, is considered Notre Dame's prime albatross. "No one ever wants to hear that," Trumbetti said regarding the skepticism about the pass rush. "We all know that needs to improve. We're not taking it personally, but we just know we need to go out there and fix it." For Notre Dame to return to a consistent championship-caliber level, it's a mandate. — Lou Somogyi Junior defensive end Andrew Trumbetti's quickness is expected to aid Notre Dame's pass rush in 2016. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS