Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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6 DECEMBER 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI A football team can go a long way with a lot of love and pride. In Notre Dame's case this season, it has been achieving much at the cor- nerback position with sophomores Julian Love and Troy Pride Jr. After not signing a cornerback last February, the 2017 Fighting Irish featured only five scholarship cor- ners — and two of them, senior Nick Watkins and junior Shaun Crawford, were rehabilitating from injuries that sidelined them all of 2016. Nevertheless, Watkins joined Love in the starting lineup on opening day, with Crawford the starting nickel back who became a playmaking force the first month of the season. Meanwhile, sophomore Donte Vaughn's ceiling appeared to be the highest with his rangy 6-3 frame, and he had tied for the team lead in passes defended (six) in a part-time role as a freshman. The odd-man out at corner ap- peared to be Pride, whose progress — according to Irish defensive backs coach Todd Lyght, a two-time con- sensus All-American at Notre Dame in 1989-90 — might have been hin- dered by partaking in track as a sprinter during the winter. "It took away from some of his de- velopment physically in the weight room … strength and power are go- ing to be crucial," Lyght said last spring. Through the first six games, Pride — who started three games as a freshman with Watkins and Craw- ford both out — saw only 46 snaps on defense. But after the bye week, his presence began to be felt on the practice field and beyond. He played 23 snaps against USC, was up to 63 by the Miami game Nov. 11 and starred in the 24-17 vic- tory versus Navy Nov. 18, both with his coverage, highlighted by a crucial fourth-quarter interception inside the Irish 20-yard line, and especially with his physicality that included four solo stops (one for a loss). "Here's a guy who was a wide cornerback pedaling most of his time here — now he had to go mix it up," head coach Brian Kelly said. "I thought he played real well, real physical. … He's making great strides from a physical standpoint in what we're doing in our weight room as well. "I think both of those things are coming together for him." As a senior at Greer (S.C.) High, Pride won the South Carolina Class AAA state championships in the 100 meters (10.55), the 200 meters (21.28) and the 400 meters (48.28), and he also ran a leg for the winning 4x100 relay team (42.20). Last winter, he joined the Irish track team and in February distin- guished himself as one of eight finals qualifiers among 25 contestants in the 60-meter dash at the ACC Cham- pionships. He ran a personal-best 6.77, and for someone who does not train specifically in the sport year- round, it was an outstanding feat, especially as a freshman. His motivation at pursuing track at Notre Dame was to continue to en- gage against first-rate competition to improve himself. It is the mentality he says a cornerback must possess, while so often engaged in one-on-one battles. "I don't really think of it that way," Pride said of not being able to repre- sent himself at his fullest track po- tential. "I understand that track is year-round, but I feel like whenever I step on the track I can always win. UNDER THE DOME TURNING A CORNER The development of Troy Pride Jr. has aided a young secondary Pride saw an uptick in production during the five-game stretch from Oct. 21 to Nov. 18, earning a pair of starts while contributing 17 tackles and securing a crucial fourth-quarter interception in the win over Navy. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA