Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/753492
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 28, 2016 19 in a young player making some mis- takes and learning and having to teach through that. And we had to go through that process again." • Four players saw their football days end because of injuries. The first two were tight end Mike Heuerman and linebacker Michael Deeb, while defensive end Doug Randolph and wide receiver Corey Robinson served as student assistants this year. • One, cornerback Rashad Kinlaw, was dismissed from school during his freshman season. The other, Devin Butler, was suspended after an Au- gust off-the-field incident. Butler has a fifth season of eligibility in 2017, but might opt to use it elsewhere. THE FIFTH POWER Nine players honored on Senior Day have a fifth year of eligibility remaining. Two of them, offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey and tight end Durham Smythe, both starters, have publicly declared their intent to return in 2017. Offensive linemen Colin McGov- ern, Hunter Bivin and John Montelus all could be welcomed back, even though their careers on multiple oc- casions have been slowed by injuries. They may not consider it worthwhile to return if a starting position doesn't appear to be in the cards. Mark Harrell returned for his fifth season this season despite never start- ing — and he made his first career start in the 10th game of year five. Wideout Torii Hunter Jr., newly married, is weighing future options in football, baseball or a fifth season. Quarterback Malik Zaire and run- ning back Tarean Folston might be the most interesting cases of all. Both Linebacker James Onwualu was one of only 12 fourth-year players — out of the 24 that were signed in Rivals' No. 3 recruiting class in February 2013 — that participated in Notre Dame's Senior Day Nov. 19. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA