Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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set and making sure he knows what to play, we're going to have flags thrown all over the place," Kelly said. Unlike last year when a main of- "If I'm not out there getting guys fense was installed for Crist and Rees and a limited package for Hendrix and Golson, Kelly indicated there is a more uniform system. "They're all running the same of- fense," Kelly said. "Now, Everett, maybe we roll him out a couple more times. … We're not calling, like we did last year, two different games. We're not installing two different sets of offenses. This is one offense they all have to master." What direction will the Irish take at quarterback? For now, the answer re- mains the same consistent one prior to spring. first-team All-America tight end Tyler Eifert is expected to be to this year's offense what Michael Floyd was last season, when he was lined up everywhere from the slot, to the boundary to wide. Eifert likewise will be stationed in myriad capacities — maybe even the backfield — so defenses cannot stress or roll coverages to him. Notre Dame can still have a power Once a quarterback is found, 2011 ON THE RECEIVING END No. Quarterback 11 Tommy Rees 12 Andrew Hendrix 5 Everett Golson 1 Gunner Kiel Note: By seniority, this was the order in which the quarterbacks played during skeletal drills in practice. A starter won't be named until the latter part of August. Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-2 210 Jr./2 6-2 220 Jr./3 6-0 185 So./4 6-4 210 Fr./4 No. RB/Slot 20 Cierre Wood 31 Cameron Roberson 6-0 218 Jr./3 No. RB/Slot Notes: Instead of putting six players at the one hybrid position of running back or slot receiver, we divided it up into three and three in this two for one … Carlisle, a transfer from USC, was unable to perform this spring because of an ankle injury suffered prior to the start of spring drills March 21 … Roberson suited up during the spring, but still was recovering from a serious knee injury from March 2011. 6 Theo Riddick 9 Robby Toma 3 Amir Carlisle 5-11 199 Sr./1 5-9 185 Sr./1 5-10 185 So./3 26 MAY 2012 4 George Atkinson III 6-1 210 So./3 Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-0 215 Sr./2 back represented in power forma- tions or short-yardage situations — a la Robert Hughes in 2010 or Jonas Gray in 2011 — but the "fullback" is obsolete in the spread. There are two ways to compensate for the lack of a fullback for teams like Notre Dame that aspire to run the spread. One is multiple-tight-end formations. "The tight end now has become such a versatile player that he really takes up that fullback, who was re- ally a one-dimensional player," Kelly explained. The developing depth at tight end of Goodman. "We tried to cover him, and he's hard to cover. Our DBs were like, 'The kid's a good player.' I watched him and I was, 'He can run, he's tall, he can start, he can stop, he runs great routes …" The missing link, according to Mar- tin, was a consistency in his attitude toward competition. That was the difference this spring, which is not uncommon for a senior who hears the eligibility clock ticking. "He is as locked in as anyone on our team," Martin said. If wideout still comes up a little with sophomore Ben Koyack, junior Alex Welch and converted sopho- more outside linebacker Troy Nik- las — all of whom must be in-line blockers, while Eifert floats to vari- ous spots — also might help com- pensate for some question marks at wide receiver. The Irish are so untested at wide- out, that Kelly and Martin both singled out fifth-year senior John Goodman as the "go-to" man at that position — even though he caught only seven passes last season for 65 yards. When Martin was coaching defense last year, though, he thought Goodman was maybe the most enig- matic player on the team. "I always saw ability," Martin said 16 DaVaris Daniels No. W Receiver 7 TJ Jones Notes: Prior to the last week of practice, Massa incurred an ACL injury that is expected to side- line him at the beginning of the year … Daniels missed two weeks with a hamstring, but played the final week … All the receivers lined up at various spots, as did tight end Tyler Eifert. 81 John Goodman 87 Daniel Smith 14 Luke Massa Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-3 207 5th/1 6-4 215 Jr./2 6-4 225 Jr./3 Note: Niklas sat out the April 14 scrimmage because of stomach flu and was sidelined with a concussion prior to the Blue-Gold Game. No. Tight End 80 Tyler Eifert 82 Alex Welch 18 Ben Koyack 58 Troy Niklas 88 Jake Golic No. Left Tackle 70 Zack Martin Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-6 251 Sr./2 6-4 250 Jr./3 6-5 253 So./3 6-7 252 So./3 6-4 245 Sr./2 79 Jordan Prestwood 6-5 284 So./4 Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-4 304 Sr./2 The class year represents the fall semester of 2012, while eligibility indicates how many more years a player is eligible, entering the 2012 season. BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 5-11 190 Jr./2 6-2 190 So./4 short, there is always the option of using multiple-tight-end sets — think Stanford last year — or the vet- eran running back/slot trio of seniors Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick plus dynamic sophomore George Atkin- son III. Which brings us to … installed this spring with the objective of having moving pieces interchange under position coach Tony Alford. One play Wood, who rushed for The running back/slot position was BACKFIELD IN MOTION 1,102 yards and 5.1 yards per carry in 2011, or Riddick, who has 84 ca- reer catches and 54 carries, might be in the backfield, and the next in the slot — or, preferably, both will be on the field. Spring Scholarship Depth Chart: Offense No. X Receiver No. Center No. Left Guard 66 Chris Watt 65 Conor Hanratty 51 Bruce Heggie 52 Braxston Cave 77 Matt Hegarty No. Right Guard 57 Mike Golic Jr. 72 Nick Martin 56 Brad Carrico No. Right Tackle Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-3 310 Sr./2 6-5 305 So./4 6-5 285 Jr./3 Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-3 304 5th/1 6-5 291 So./4 Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-3 295 5th/1 6-4 285 So./4 6-5 290 So./4 Notes: Cave did not participate in contact work while recovering from a November foot injury … Golic then worked at No. 1 center while Nick Martin was the top right guard. 74 Christian Lombard 6-5 309 Jr./3 64 Tate Nichols Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 6-8 320 Jr./3