Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/941859
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2018 31 2018 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Derrik Allen, Florida's Houston Griffith — by way of Chicago — and local product Paul Moala from Mish- awaka (Ind.) Penn. Enrolled this January, Griffith might get a first audition at bound- ary cornerback this spring, but his future is projected to be at safety. He is the highest-ranked recruit ac- cording to Rivals — No. 43 overall nationally — among Notre Dame's 27 players signed in this cycle. Meanwhile, Allen was ranked as high as No. 66 by Rivals in Decem- ber (behind only Griffith and quar- terback Phil Jurkovec among Irish incoming freshmen), but dropped to No. 135 after the Army All-American Bowl practice sessions this winter. Nevertheless, this year marks the first time in the Rivals era — which dates back to 2002 — that Notre Dame signed two safety prospects that are ranked among the top 150 players in the country (see chart on this page). Meanwhile, ESPN had both among the top 100 — Allen 82nd and Griffith 87th, a first among Irish safeties. Three-star prospect Moala will not be arriving with similar fanfare, but he earned an instant scholarship of- fer from the Notre Dame coaches who watched him during the Irish Invasion camp last June. In the Poly- nesian Bowl played Jan. 20 in Ho- nolulu, Moala returned a bounding punt for a 57-yard touchdown. Whether any of the three will seri- ously vie for playing time as fresh- men is uncertain. Like Robertson and Genmark Heath this past season, they are prime candidates to contend for special teams work. One way or the other, the number of safeties should not be an issue on the Notre Dame defense in the com- ing seasons. ANOTHER NEWCOMER One more addition joins Notre Dame's 2018 safety positions. With 2017 Fighting Irish defen- sive coordinator Mike Elko opting to take the same post at Texas A&M this winter, a coaching vacancy on that side of the ball occurred. Linebackers coach Clark Lea was promoted to coordinator, but be- cause Elko also instructed the safe- ties, a mentor was needed there. En- ter Terry Joseph, who made previous stops at four Power Five schools this decade — Tennessee (2010-11), Ne- braska (2012-13), Texas A&M (2014- 16) and North Carolina (2017). Joseph will exclusively coach the safeties, while fourth-year Irish as- sistant Todd Lyght will instruct the cornerbacks again. Lyght handled the entire second- ary in 2016 — the youngest in Notre Dame annals with freshman cor- ners Julian Love, Troy Pride Jr. and Donte Vaughn all starting to various degrees, plus another freshman in Studstill starting nine games at safety — but he found himself spread thin while teaching so much youth. Last year, Elko was in a similar situation. While implementing an improved defensive scheme in year one, he had to prioritize his time more with the big picture of the over- all operation, which sacrificed some time with the new, fledgling safeties. This year, the safety corps will possess greater veteran presence, will have better competition and should receive more individual tu- telage from Joseph, who does not have to coordinate the rest of the defense. ✦ The Ratings Game Houston Griffith and Derrik Allen both were among Rivals' top 150 players in 2018 — Griffith No. 43 and Al- len No. 135 — the first time that has occurred with two safety prospects at Notre Dame (although Griffith could start out at cornerback) in the Rivals era that began in 2002. On paper, they could be the top safety tandem in one class at Notre Dame since Tom Zbikowski and Chinedum Ndukwe enrolled in 2003. Both ended up playing at least five seasons in the NFL, although Zbikowski was renowned especially as a high school quarterback while Ndukwe played wide receiver as a Notre Dame freshman. The Gerome Sapp/Glenn Earl duo that signed in 1999 also was a dynamic safety combination at the school the past 20 years, although Earl originally was a wide receiver. Here are some other notable Fighting Irish safety re- cruits who were ranked among Rivals' top 250 players in their respective recruiting years: 2007: Harrison Smith — 166 2008: Jamoris Slaughter and Dan McCarthy — 181 and 183, respectively 2009: Zeke Motta — 54, although he was listed origi- nally as a linebacker recruit that year with Manti Te'o, Carlo Calabrese and Dan Fox 2011: Eilar Hardy — 217 2012: Elijah Shumate — 113 2013: Max Redfield — 25 (finished at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2017) 2015: Mykelti Williams — 237 (now at Northern Illinois) 2017: Isaiah Robertson — 202 — Lou Somogyi Max Redfield was Notre Dame's highest-ranked safety commit of the Rivals era (since 2002), checking in as the No. 25 overall prospect in the land. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND