2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview

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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 73 OFFENSIVE LINEMEN POSITION COACH Jeff Quinn is in his fourth season at Notre Dame and his first as the offensive line coach. He has served in a vari‑ ety of roles the last three years, most recently as senior offensive analyst. Quinn has been part of head man Brian Kelly's coaching staffs for more than two decades. The duo has worked together at Grand Valley State (1989‑2003), Central Michigan (2004‑06), Cincinnati (2007‑09) and Notre Dame (2015‑present). Prior to reuniting with Kelly in South Bend, Quinn served as the head coach at the University at Buffalo from 2010‑14. During the 2013 campaign, he led the Bulls to an 8‑5 record — which equaled the most wins for the program in the regular season since it moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1999. Buffalo also won a school‑record six Mid‑American Conference games and took part in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — just the program's second postseason appearance. During his time at Cincinnati, Quinn served as Kel‑ ly's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He was a finalist for the 2009 Broyles Award, which is given to the nation's top assistant coach. At Central Michigan, Quinn was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator. He helped the Chippewas to the 2006 MAC title. Prior to that, he was part of Kelly's back‑to‑back national champion‑ ship squads at Grand Valley State in 2002 and 2003. Among his most notable offensive line pupils are Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce and San Fran‑ cisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley. Kelce was a walk‑on linebacker at Cincinnati, but Quinn developed him into a two‑time All‑Big East performer at guard and center. He has since gone on to be a two‑time All‑Pro (2013 and 2017) for the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. Staley arrived at Central Michigan as a 225‑pound tight end in 2003, but was converted into an offen‑ sive tackle. He went on to become the first player in school history to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. The 11th year starting left tackle for the 49ers has been selected to six NFL Pro Bowls (2011‑15, 2017) and three times has been named All‑Pro (2011‑13). Quinn is a 1984 graduate of Elmhurst College where he was a two‑sport standout in football and wrestling. He was twice named Student‑Athlete of the Year at Elmhurst and was inducted into Elm‑ hurst's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. He went on to earn a master of arts degree from DePauw in 1986 and an educational leadership master's degree en‑ dorsement from Grand Valley State in 2000. RETURNING PLAYERS AARON BANKS • OT So. • Alameda, Calif. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 320 Career Highlights: Did not see game action last season … En‑ rolled in January 2017. Prep: Rated as a four‑star talent, the No. 16 prospect in California, and the No. 13 offensive tackle and No. 121 overall player nationally by Rivals … Reportedly averaged around 12 pancake blocks per game on offense and recorded 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles on defense … Named to the 2016 All‑USA California first team by USA Today … Earned a spot on the MaxPreps 2016 All‑NorCal first team on offense … Picked to the Cal‑Hi 2016 Medium Schools all‑state first team. Personal: Born Sept. 3, 1997. ALEX BARS • OG 5th-Sr. • Nashville, Tenn. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 318 Career Highlights: With his move to left guard during the spring, he will be the team's starter at a third different position over his last three years in South Bend … Will serve as one of four team captains this fall … Was the team' starting right guard for all 13 games last year … Started all 12 contests at right tackle in 2016 … Appeared in six games and made two starts at left guard before suffering a season‑ending ankle injury in 2015 … Redshirted in 2014. Prep: Ranked as a four‑star prospect, the No. 4 player in Tennessee, and the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 76 overall recruit in the nation by ESPN … As a senior at Montgomery Bell Academy, he was named to USA Today's All‑USA second‑team All‑ America squad … Was also a Class II‑AA first‑team all‑state pick by the Tennessee Sports Writers As‑ sociation … Played in the Under Armour High School All‑American Game. Personal: Born Sept. 8, 1995 … His father, Joe Bars, played linebacker at Notre Dame from 1981‑84 … His brother Brad played at Penn State, while another brother Blake suited up at Michigan … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, majoring in finance. LIAM EICHENBERG • OT Jr. • Cleveland Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 303 Career Highlights: Emerged as the team's likely starter at left tackle during the spring … Played in five games last season … Red‑ shirted in 2016. Prep: Rated as a four‑star prospect, the No. 4 player in Ohio, and the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 60 overall recruit in the land by 247Sports … Named to the MaxPreps All‑America first team … Selected to the Associated Press All‑Ohio Division I first team … Tabbed as USA Today All‑Ohio first team … Played in the Under Armour All‑American Game. Personal: Born Jan. 19, 1998 … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. DILLAN GIBBONS • OG So. • Clearwater, Fla. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 307 Career Highlights: Did not see any game action in 2017. Prep: Rivals ranked him as a three‑star recruit, the No. 74 player in Florida and the No. 56 offensive tackle in the land … Helped pave the way for a Central Catholic team that finished 9‑2 and ad‑ vanced to the regional finals of the Class 3A playoffs … Earned first‑team MaxPreps Football All‑America Small Schools honors as a senior, and was a second‑ team pick as a junior … Named to the Associated Press 2016 Florida Class 3A All‑State first team. Personal: Born Aug. 17, 1999 … Played for former NFL fullback Mike Alston (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at Northside Christian School in St. Petersburg, Fla., before transferring to Central Catholic for his senior season … His brother Reilly played for South Florida and was accepted to law school at Notre Dame. ROBERT HAINSEY • OT So. • Pittsburgh Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 291 Career Highlights: Became just the third offensive lineman in the last 10 years at Notre Dame to start as a true freshman … Was part of a two‑man rotation at right tackle with Tommy Kraemer … Played in all 13 games and made four starts … Enrolled in January 2017. Prep: Tabbed by Rivals as a four‑star prospect, the No. 21 recruit in Pennsylvania, and the No. 11 offen‑ sive tackle and No. 108 overall player in the country … During his senior season, was part of an offensive line that helped pave the way for Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy to rack up 387.9 total yards of of‑ fense per game … IMG Academy finished 11‑0 and was ranked as the nation's No. 2 high school team by USA Today … Named to the 2016 All‑USA Florida first‑team offense by USA Today … Participated in the Under Armour All‑America Game … Chosen to take part in the Nike Football The Opening Finals in Beaverton, Ore. Personal: Born Aug. 12, 1998 … Was the lone team captain for superpower IMG Academy during his senior season … Was a 2015 teammate of current Notre Dame junior running back Tony Jones Jr. … A Pittsburgh native who attended Gateway High School in Monroeville, Pa., for two years prior to transferring to IMG Academy. TOMMY KRAEMER • OG Jr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-5½ • Wt.: 315 Career Highlights: Slated to be the team's starter at right guard this fall … Was part of a two‑man rotation at right tackle with Robert Hainsey in 2017 … Saw action in all 13 contests and made nine starts … Redshirted in 2016. Prep: Listed as a five‑star recruit, the top player in Ohio, and the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 8 overall player in the country by 247Sports … Three‑ year starter for Elder, working at right tackle in 2013 before lining up at left tackle in 2014‑15 … Credited with 156 pancake blocks at left tackle for a 9‑4 team as a senior, including a single‑game school‑record 23 versus La Salle in week 10 … Did not yield a sack in either of his last two seasons … Named the Gato‑ rade Ohio Football Player of the Year as a senior … Selected to USA Today's 2015 All‑USA first‑team All‑ America squad … Picked to the Associated Press Divi‑ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 73

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