Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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64 PRESEASON 2016 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED per game). While that number was solid, Notre Dame ranked just 57th in pass efficiency defense due in part to intercepting just nine passes. Senior cornerback Cole Luke leads a secondary that has the athleticism to be a productive pass defense. Luke has tallied six interceptions and 16 passes defended the last two seasons, and could emerge as one of the nation's top corners. Notre Dame is set to start sophomore corner- back Shaun Crawford opposite Luke. Expect to see Texas use its size on the perimeter to attack Crawford, who checks in at just 5-8. Advantage: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME RUNNING GAME VS. TEXAS RUN DEFENSE Notre Dame dominated this matchup a season ago, and that should be the case again this fall. The Irish finished the 2015 season at 207.6 yards per game, including a 214-yard performance against the Longhorns. Notre Dame rushed for its most yards per game since the 2000 season, and its 5.6 yards per carry set a modern program record. The Irish enter the season with a talented stable of running backs, led by senior Tarean Folston (1,378 career yards) and sophomore Josh Adams, who a season ago set a Notre Dame freshman rushing record with 835 yards on the ground. Sophomore Dexter Williams is arguably the most explosive back on the roster and could be a factor this season. Notre Dame's quarterbacks combined to rush for 623 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, which makes it hard for defenses to key in on the backs. Opponents ran through the Texas defense with ease last season. The Longhorns ranked 111th in rushing defense in 2015, giving up 219.2 yards GAME PREVIEW: TEXAS Offense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. WR 16 Torii Hunter Jr. 6-0 195 Sr. 88 Javon McKinley 6-1½ 210 Fr. Slot 3 C.J. Sanders 5-8 185 So. 15 Corey Holmes 6-0½ 190 Jr. LT 68 Mike McGlinchey 6-7½ 310 Sr. 70 Hunter Bivin 6-5½ 308 Sr. LG 56 Quenton Nelson 6-5 325 Jr. 57 Trevor Ruhland 6-3½ 300 So. C 53 Sam Mustipher 6-2½ 310 Jr. 66 Tristen Hoge 6-4¼ 310 So. RG 62 Colin McGovern 6-4½ 310 Sr. or 66 Tristen Hoge 6-4¼ 310 So. RT 71 Alex Bars 6-6 320 Jr. 78 Tommy Kraemer 6-4½ 315 Fr. TE 80 Durham Smythe 6-4½ 245 Sr. or 82 Nic Weishar 6-4 240 Jr. WR 6 E. St. Brown 6-4 205 So. 81 Miles Boykin 6-3½ 222 So. QB 14 DeShone Kizer 6-4½ 230 Jr. or 9 Malik Zaire 6-0 222 Sr. RB 25 Tarean Folston 5-9½ 214 Sr. or 33 Josh Adams 6-1½ 220 So. Defense Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. DE 90 Isaac Rochell 6-3½ 290 Sr. 55 Jonathan Bonner 6-3 286 Jr. DT 99 Jerry Tillery 6-6½ 310 So. 58 Elijah Taylor 6-3 285 So. NG 94 Jarron Jones 6-5½ 315 5th-Sr. 75 Daniel Cage 6-1 315 Jr. DE 98 Andrew Trumbetti 6-3½ 255 Jr. or 93 Jay Hayes 6-3 285 Jr. MLB 5 Nyles Morgan 6-1 245 Jr. 30 Josh Barajas 6-1½ 240 So. WLB 48 Greer Martini 6-2½ 240 Jr. 22 Asmar Bilal 6-2 230 So. SLB 17 James Onwualu 6-1 232 Sr. 48 Greer Martini 6-2½ 240 Jr. CB 36 Cole Luke 5-11 195 Sr. 27 Julian Love 5-10½ 190 Fr. FS 14 Devin Studstill 6-0 198 Fr. 28 Nico Fertitta 5-8½ 185 So. SS 23 Drue Tranquill 6-1½ 225 Jr. 8 Avery Sebastian 5-10 200 6th-Sr. CB 20 Shaun Crawford 5-8½ 185 So. 24 Nick Coleman 5-11½ 195 So. NOTRE DAME DEPTH CHART Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PK 19 Justin Yoon 5-9½ 190 So. 43 John Chereson 5-9 178 Sr. P 85 Tyler Newsome 6-2½ 210 Jr. 42 Jeff Riney 5-10 165 So. KO 19 Justin Yoon 5-10 190 So. 85 Tyler Newsome 6-2½ 210 Jr. H 4 M. VanGorder 6-4½ 230 Jr. 85 Tyler Newsome 6-2½ 210 Jr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. LS 61 Scott Daly 6-1½ 250 5th-Sr. 54 John Shannon 6-2 220 Fr. PR 3 C.J. Sanders 5-8 185 So. 27 Chris Finke 5-9½ 180 So. KR 3 C.J. Sanders 5-8 185 So. 33 Josh Adams 6-1½ 220 So. Special Teams Notre Dame will need a plan for sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson, who racked up nine tackles against the Irish last season. PHOTO COURTESY TEXAS