Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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triguing experiment to watch during the spring and into fall camp. On de- fense, the Irish already have a proven track record of success with mixing positions to suit their needs, and they will likely build on that this year. Notre Dame started blending its T BY DAN MURPHY he offense isn't the only unit adding hybrid elements to its game plan this season. Com- bining the running back and slot receiver roles will be an in- three levels of defense when head coach Brian Kelly and defensive co- ordinator Bob Diaco first arrived. The "Cat" position provided a unique mix of defensive end and linebacker defense has spread beyond the South- east during the past couple of seasons. Many programs across the country now feature a "Star" or "Spur" player depending on the nomenclature they use. Even NFL scouts started looking for players who could potentially play at both the second and third levels of a defense during this year's com- bine workouts — a development that helped former Irish safety Harrison Smith climb up the wish list for many teams. The new linebacker/safety hybrid The trend toward speed over size on Notre Dame's new linebacker/safety position helps stop evolving offenses IS BORN A Star to give the defense a solid front with the athleticism to drop into coverage. They moved that strategy back a few yards last season by fusing the other outside linebacker role with the re- sponsibility of a nickel back in a new position called the "Star." "Teams are spreading out so you have to be a little bit more versatile on the perimeter," Kelly said. "Those safeties have to have the ability in cer- tain instances to come down on the ball as well." Fifth-year senior safety Jamoris Slaughter was the first to take over that role last year and he thrived in a spot that highlighted his versatility. Slaughter made two sacks in the first quarter of the Champs Sports Bowl — the first two of his career — while lin- ing up about five yards away from the line of scrimmage. Ten of his 45 tackles last season came in the final two games against Stanford and Florida State. "It helps out a lot when you've got five [defensive backs] on the field, I be- lieve, just with more speed," Slaughter said. "You need a DB that can hit. I think it's a great position. I know a lot of teams in the SEC play with nickel packages the whole game." 36 APRIL 2012 a defense to determine what package would be lining up across from them. Teams shuffled different groups of players in and out of the huddle that tipped their hand on whether they were using a spread formation or a more traditional pro-style look. That no longer seems to be the case. Situational substitutions are getting harder to make. Thanks to the emer- gence of tight ends who can flex out wide and receivers who can line up in the backfield, college offenses can now run a wide variety of formations without changing personnel. The New England Patriots normally serve as the case study for the way they used their two young tight ends to provide mis- matches wherever they want to. Kelly said after his opening spring practice that he hopes to do the same thing with senior Tyler Eifert and sopho- more Troy Niklas in the future. Defenses, in order to adjust, are finding players who can run with a wide receiver in man coverage one play and take on a 230-pound lead blocker on the next. "Last year, it helped out a lot because I played the linebacker position," Slaughter said. "We could change de- is a byproduct of evolving spread of- fenses. When four- and five-receiver sets started to take over collegiate foot- ball in the last decade it was easy for a surprisingly powerful pop for some- one his size, which made him a great fit for the hybrid spot. He'll probably see much less action near the line of scrimmage in 2012 as he tries to fill the more traditional safety role played by Smith last year. Kelly said that doesn't mean we'll see any less of the "Star" package on defense in the fall. The "Dog" linebacker position will shrink enough going forward that Kelly felt comfortable moving Niklas from outside linebacker to tight end in the spring. "We feel like we're pretty good at the fenses without subbing someone in because I could play 'Star' and 'Dog.' " The 6-0, 198-pound Slaughter packs outside linebacker position, that we had the ability to make that move," he said. "We increased that depth by play- ing another safety at that position." Junior Austin Collinsworth is the most likely candidate to take over Slaughter's job when the Irish play five in the secondary next season. The 6-1, 200-pounder has the size to remain competitive near the line of scrimmage and showed during his play on special teams the last two years that he doesn't mind some big collisions. Finding more players that can fill that role in the future was a priority in recruiting this year for the Irish, who signed more safeties (four) than any other position group. Several of those new safeties are capable of growing into a hybrid position in the future. The most shining example of the versatility Kelly is looking for is in- coming freshman Nick Baratti. The 6-2, 200-pound Texas native was named a 5A all-state tight end fol- lowing his senior season at Klein Oak High School. He also played quarter- back, running back, wide receiver and safety in the same year. "He's a football player," Kelly said. "Here's a kid who goes into his coach's office and says coach I'll play tight end, I'll play quarterback, let me help the team win. Those are great stories." They are also stories Kelly hopes he will be hearing from his own players often in the coming years. As oppos- ing offenses continue to fine-tune new schemes, the importance of players who can wear multiple hats is only going to grow. ✦ Fifth-year senior safety Jamoris Slaughter recorded 10 of his 45 tackles last season in the final two games, including his first two career sacks, after being inserted into the "Star" linebacker role. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED