Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 12, 2016 11 UNDER THE DOME Patience paid off during the final two weeks of practice prior for two Notre Dame veterans who were scheduled to make their first career starts with the Fighting Irish in the Sept. 4 opener at Texas. Sixth-year senior safety Avery Sebastian and se- nior right guard Colin McGovern were listed as the starters over rising youngsters when the depth chart was released by Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly five days prior to the showdown with the Longhorns. Sebastian, who transferred to Notre Dame from Cal in 2015 as a fifth-year graduate student, re- ceived the starting nod at free safety over freshman Devin Studstill, an early enrollee in January. The position was opened up after the dismissal from the team of senior and two-year starter Max Redfield because of an Aug. 19 arrest. Studstill had seriously challenged Redfield for the starting spot during the spring, but a hamstring injury this August sidelined him just enough to have the staff build more trust in the 5-10, 200-pound Sebastian, who had been working behind junior Drue Tranquill at strong safety. "He's assignment correct," Kelly said of why Sebas- tian received the starting nod. "He makes very few errors, and that's what we like. … Play the kind of defense that we need to be successful." Count on Studstill to be a factor during the season, too, and take his share of snaps. Sebastian has been able to play in only nine games (two starts) the past three years. During the second quarter of the 2013 opener versus Northwestern, the Cal junior tore his Achilles tendon and that sidelined him the rest of the year. As a 2014 senior, he did play in seven games (one start), but a quadriceps injury shelved him. Last year at Notre Dame while playing special teams, he broke his foot in the opener against Texas. He was withheld from action the rest of the year to receive a medical redshirt. After three years of toiling in the background while battling his own injuries, McGovern earned the right to be a starter over sophomore Tristen Hoge, who also is considered the No. 2 center, the position he was recruited to play. The 6-4½, 310-pound McGovern also has prac- ticed at tackle during his career. His background as a pass protector and overall knowledge of the offense helped give him the edge over Hoge, who is more of a natural center. "At that center position, it's a little bit different in terms of pass-pro than it's at the guard position," Kelly said. Just like Studstill at safety, Hoge will remain a fac- tor in pushing for more snaps. — Lou Somogyi southbendwoodworks.com Our University of Notre Dame Collection is available at southbendwoodworks.com. Enter coupon code NOTREDAME2016 at checkout for a 10% discount! THE PRIDE STARTS EARLY. s your house painted blue and gold? Do you think of the Fighting Irish as your family? Were your children's fi rst words "Go Irish"? Our Notre Dame products, handcrafted in the heartland of the United States, are just the thing for you. Visit southbendwoodworks.com to bring home a unique piece of our University of Notre Dame Collection and show your Irish Pride! I Our University of Notre Dame Collection is available at southbendwoodworks.com. Enter coupon code NOTREDAME2016 at checkout for a 10% discount! of the Fighting Irish as your family? Were your children's fi rst words "Go Irish"? Our Notre Dame products, handcrafted in the heartland of the United States, are just the thing for you. Visit a unique piece of our University of Notre Dame Collection and show your Irish Pride! AVERY SEBASTIAN AND COLIN MCGOVERN EARN STARTING NODS Sebastian, a sixth-year senior and 2015 graduate transfer from Cal, was atop the depth chart at free safety heading into the season. PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS