Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 135 LINDY'S SPORTS Lindy's left Notre Dame out of its top 25 rankings prior to last season, but the publica- tion is far more optimistic about the Fighting Irish in 2018. Kelly's squad is No. 12 in Lindy's preseason rankings and projected to play Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. "The Irish were in the playoff hunt until they got blasted at Miami last November, which was merely the latest reminder that this has not really been an elite program for a long time," the publication noted. "Once again, Brian Kelly has a new coordinator — Clark Lea on defense — and it is Lea's unit that will have to lead the way to the next level." Lindy's feels Notre Dame returning depth on that side of the ball is good enough to carry the team. "Nearly everyone who was anyone on last season's D is back in the fold, no one casting a more menacing shadow than Jerry Tillery up front," Lindy's wrote. "CB Julian Love is a straight-up star, and linebackers Drue Tranquill and Te'von Coney are rock steady." The publication listed 12 transfers that are "set to rock in their new uniforms this fall." Irish junior safety Alohi Gilman made the list at No. 7. "Coach Brian Kelly said Gilman, who spent one season at Navy, would have started last sea- son if eligible," Lindy's wrote. "Well, Gilman is eligible now and capable of upgrading Notre Dame's secondary with some heady play." Lindy's ranked the top five draft eligible players at each position, and Notre Dame was well represented. Senior center Sam Mustipher (No. 3), senior guard Alex Bars (No. 5), senior defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (No. 2) and se- nior linebacker Te'von Coney (No. 2) all made the top five at their respective positions. Mustipher was also named to Lindy's pre- season first-team All-America squad. Coney and Love were tabbed as second-team selec- tions. Notre Dame's linebackers were ranked as the 10th best unit in the land. Five of Notre Dame's 2018 opponents ranked in Lindy's top 20, with Stanford check- ing in the highest at No. 13. Florida State came next at No. 16, beginning a run of Irish oppo- nents in the rankings. Virginia Tech (No. 17), Michigan (No. 18) and USC (No. 19) ended a string of four straight Notre Dame opponents. Three of Notre Dame's 2018 games were named by Lindy's as one of the 12 best non- conference games of the season. Matchups against Michigan (No. 1), at USC (No. 5) and at Virginia Tech (No. 11) all cracked the top list, more than any team in the country. Notre Dame's incoming freshman class was named the No. 10 group in the country. Safety Houston Griffith, wide receiver Kevin Austin, quarterback Phil Jurkovec, line- backer Shayne Simon and linebacker Jack Lamb were all ranked as top-100 recruits. STREET & SMITH'S After leaving Notre Dame out of its top 25 a season ago, Street & Smith's put the Irish at the No. 14 spot heading into the 2018 sea- son. The publication projects Notre Dame to earn a berth into the Camping World Bowl in a matchup against West Virginia. Street & Smith's was impressed by how well head coach Brian Kelly and his charges reacted after the abysmal 2016 season. "… Kelly responded well to the hot seat in 2017," the publication noted. "One year after compiling a 4-8 record that cast doubt on his future in South Bend, the Fighting Irish bounced back with a 10-3 record capped by a 21-17 victory over LSU in the Citrus Bowl." Street & Smith's named senior defensive tackle Jerry Tillery as the program's top draft prospect. "Tillery could have left for the 2018 NFL Draft, but he opted to stay in school and will benefit from another year in the Notre Dame system," Street & Smith's wrote. "The 6-6, 299-pound senior emerged as a force at de- fensive tackle as a junior with 56 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He's the key to a deep rotation up front." Fifth-year senior guard Alex Bars was named a preseason first-team All-American by the magazine. Five 2018 opponents also had players named preseason All-Americans on either the first or second teams. Five Notre Dame opponents also found themselves ranked in the preseason poll. Michigan (No. 9) and Stanford (No. 13) were both ranked ahead of the Irish, while USC (No. 15), Virginia Tech (No. 16) and Florida State (No. 18) were just behind. ✦ Blue & Gold Illustrated Staff Predictions Lou Somogyi Bryan Driskell Regular Season Record 9-3 10-2 Bowl Game Belk Bowl Peach Bowl Team MVP Jerry Tillery Drue Tranquill Breakthrough Player Chase Claypool Liam Eichenberg Most Anticipated Game Michigan Stanford Upset Alert Pittsburgh Northwestern Opponent on the Rise Michigan Michigan Opponent on the Decline Vanderbilt Navy Coach of the Year Dan Mullen, Florida Dan Mullen, Florida CFP Championship Game Alabama vs. Ohio State Clemson vs. Washington Corey Bodden David McKinney Regular Season Record 10-2 9-3 Bowl Game Camping World Bowl Cotton Bowl Team MVP Brandon Wimbush Brandon Wimbush Breakthrough Player Tony Jones Jr. Cole Kmet Most Anticipated Game Florida State Michigan Upset Alert Wake Forest Vanderbilt Opponent on the Rise Florida State Virginia Tech Opponent on the Decline Northwestern Pittsburgh Coach of the Year Chris Petersen, Washington Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M CFP Championship Game Alabama vs. Clemson Alabama vs. Clemson Crystal Ball: Notre Dame Predictions Publication Preseason Rank Projected Bowl Athlon Sports No. 15 TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Texas A&M Lindy's Sports No. 12 Fiesta Bowl vs. Boise State Phil Steele's No. 8 Rose Bowl vs. Wisconsin Street & Smith's No. 14 Camping World Bowl vs. West Virginia What They're Saying About The Irish Athlon — "Winners of 10 games in two of the last three years, the Fighting Irish remain a difficult read, due largely to the ugly 4-8 season in 2016. It begs the question: Was last year's September- October run for a playoff berth a more accurate de - piction of Notre Dame moving forward, or does the collapse in November at Miami and Stanford say more about the up-and-down Brian Kelly regime?" Lindy's — "This is a critical year for Brian Kelly because he might not get a better shot to post back-to-back 10-win seasons. The Irish haven't done that since 1992-93. But with an experienced defense paired with a potentially explosive of - fense, there's a chance the Irish could do it." Street & Smith's — "Notre Dame must come up big in September at home against Michigan (Sept. 1) and Stanford (Sept. 29). … A 10-win season won't come easy, but by now Kelly knows that's part of the job."