Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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8 DECEMBER 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME Junior women's golfer Emma Albrecht had a successful fall season for the Irish, which followed a strong summer that included playing in the 2017 U.S. Women's Amateur at San Diego. The Florida native tied for the team lead in stroke average with a career-best 72.09. She also captured her first career collegiate win at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational Oct. 6-8 in Lexington, Ky., shooting a 5-under-par 211 over three rounds to secure co-medalist honors. BGI: What were the strong points of your game this fall? Albrecht: "My ball striking was very consis- tent. When you're hitting a lot of greens, it helps you have confidence throughout the rest of your game. "I also really worked on my putting over the summer. I saw a big improvement in the amount of nine- to 10-footers I made, which helped me save a couple of shots per round." BGI: What was the feeling after you secured your first collegiate win? Albrecht: "I had been close a couple of times before. I knew what it felt like to be up near the top, but I really wanted to keep it there and finish at the top for a tournament. It was the culmina- tion of a lot of hard work and perseverance. "I learned from being in that position before in Oklahoma's tournament, which was right before Ken- tucky's. I was near the top after the first round, but the nerves crept in and I hadn't really been in that position. … "I kind of understood what it felt like and how I was going to feel over shots. When I was in that position in Kentucky I was able to learn from that experience at OU and stay aggressive. I didn't let it get to me." BGI: Is there anything you feel you need to improve to take your game to another level in the spring? Albrecht: "Right now, it's all short game. My ball striking has been pretty solid across the board. "Where I feel you're really going to make shots up against these strong fields is putting and chip- ping, and who can get up and down the most." BGI: How big of a confidence boost was playing in the 2017 U.S. Women's Amateur? Albrecht: "It was definitely good prep for this fall season because of the great players from across the country. It's one of the toughest fields in women's amateur golf. "I got to test my game against them and get those tournament nerves and feel those again and just spring- board that into the fall. I was a little disappointed I didn't make it to the match play, but overall it was a very fun event." BGI: What aspect of your game has improved the most since you got to Notre Dame? Albrecht: "I don't know there is one thing in particu- lar. I've been able to keep the mindset of getting better each day. That's always been a goal of mine every time I step onto the putting green or the driving range to practice. "How can I leave today better than yesterday? I know golf is going to have a bunch of ups and downs, but it's keeping the ups better than the downs." — Corey Bodden Five Questions With … JUNIOR GOLFER EMMA ALBRECHT Drue Tranquill Is An Example To Emulate By Lou Somogyi If one could wish for only one fifth-year possibility to return in 2018, it likely would be left guard Quenton Nelson, who is destined to be the top interior player taken in next spring's NFL Draft. Meanwhile, center Sam Mustipher already has publicly declared his intent to return for his fifth season in 2018, and right guard Alex Bars is projected to do the same. Along with the right tackle tag team of sophomore Tommy Krae- mer and freshman Robert Hainsey, the Irish still would have four "starters" back along the 2018 line, plus head coach Brian Kelly recently cited current sophomore left tackle Liam Eichenberg and freshman Josh Lugg as two of the top devel- oping reserves on the entire roster. Consequently, no single area in 2018 could be more affected by attrition than the middle of the defense with the graduation of three captains: linebackers Nyles Morgan and Greer Martini, and rover Drue Tranquill. Morgan and Martini are out of eligibility, but Tranquill — who receives his engineering degree this Decem- ber and is engaged to be married — has a tough choice to make. Beyond junior Te'von Coney, the linebacker corps is untested. There is a reason why even with four top linebacker recruits committed to enroll — Matthew Bauer, Jack Lamb, Ovie Oghhoufo and rover prospect Shayne Simon — the Irish are still looking for a fifth. Tranquill's combination of tangible skills and intangible leadership on how to play and represent Notre Dame daily will be needed on a 2018 corps that will be in a state of flux. The Offensive Line Needs Veterans By Bryan Driskell I am going to cheat and pick two players, but in fairness they do play the same position: offensive line. Notre Dame loses two elite linemen next sea- son, with left tackle Mike McGlinchey exhausting his eligibility and left guard Quenton Nelson likely headed to the first round of the NFL Draft. A number of young players will be fighting to replace those three-year starters. Current soph- omore Liam Eichenberg and freshman Joshua Lugg were both ranked as the top players in their respective Notre Dame recruiting classes by Blue & Gold Illustrated, and both will be competing to start — and so will skilled freshman guard Aaron Banks. Regardless of who earns the starting nod, he will be an inexperienced player. Lugg and Banks redshirted this season while Eichenberg played just 45 snaps in the first 11 games this season. Notre Dame's line must carry the offense again next year, and it will need veteran leadership to do so. That is why the return of both center Sam Mustipher and right guard Alex Bars is so important to offensive success. It is also important for them. Mustipher and Bars are capable of carrying the young line with their play and leadership. The third year as a starter under Harry Hiestand has proven to be significant, with McGlinchey, Nelson, former All-American left tackle Ronnie Stanley and former standout center Nick Martin all seeing their game take dramatic leaps forward in their third year in the lineup under Hiestand. Point ✦ Counterpoint: WHICH POTENTIAL FIFTH-YEAR SENIOR IS MOST NEEDED FOR THE 2018 TEAM? DRUE TRANQUILL SAM MUSTIPHER Albrecht captured her first collegiate win with co-medalist honors at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational this fall. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS