Questions Linger for Notre Dame Following Spring Ball

Just as soon as it began, spring practice concluded last Saturday for the Notre Dame football team, with a somewhat uneventful game that ended up with a 17-7 Blue victory over the Gold. We learned a lot of things about the upcoming Irish football team–they are good at quarterback and the running backs are as talented as they’ve had in at least a decade–but there are questions that continue to loom over them like dark clouds on the horizon. To be fair, spring practice isn’t the type of exercise that is going to provide hard-and-fast solutions to all the problems facing a football team, and there is certainly plenty of time for players and coaches to improve the situation.

Here is a look at some of the most pressing concerns for the 2016 version of the Fighting Irish:

Offensive Line Remains Unsettled

More specifically, the right side of the offensive line is what gives reason for pause and prognostication regarding the strength of the overall unit; left tackle, left guard and center is settled and ready to go. Brian Kelly declared Sam Mustipher the starter at center–probably because he can dominate 340 pound men like he did to Daniel Cage on Dexter Williams’ touchdown run in the spring game–and Mike McGlinchey pairs with Quenton Nelson to create one of the better tackle/guard combos in the country.

The right remains much more of a mystery in terms of the who’s and the where’s on that side of the line. The hope was that a clear front-runner at right guard would emerge between Colin McGovern and Hunter Bivin so Alex Bars could settle in at right tackle. That doesn’t appear to have materialized. While both players had moments of good play, neither showed themselves to be a long term answer at the position, and Kelly even hinted that incoming freshman Tommy Kraemer might be given his shot to win the right guard position, something that would have been considered unthinkable the way Notre Dame has recruited along the offensive line.

To add a little more intrigue to the situation, Alex Bars didn’t exactly set the world on fire at right tackle, as he recovers from a broken ankle that he suffered against USC. He struggles are understandable given his lack of preparation heading into the spring, but it’s something that is sure to leave coaches a little uneasy as fall practice approaches. To be honest, it’s most likely a summer of strength and agility work for Bars will alleviate any concerns, but concerns are there nonetheless.

Will Safety be Settled by Freshman?

On paper, the safety position would seem to be in good hands with three year starter Max Redfield at free, while junior Drue Tranquill mans the strong safety spot vacated by Elijah Shumate. Unfortunately, those who follow the program closely know that neither of those players can be counted on to perform at a consistent level game in and game out.

For Redfield, it’s been a career of inconsistency since he entered the lineup permanently in 2014. Good games have been followed by duds, and he’s been benched on numerous occasions for players possessing less talent. He was pretty clearly outplayed by early enrollee freshman Devin Studstill during the spring session, but in fairness to Redfield, he was said to be nursing a balky ankle early on in camp. Still, it was Studstill who took the field with Tranquill with the Blue team in the spring game.

If it was known that Tranquill would be healthy for every Notre Dame contest next fall, this would be much less of a concern. Tranquill has proven to be dependable while in the lineup, has shown to be a solid tackler and a leader in the locker room. Yes, he’s got some deficiencies when it comes to playing on the hash and keeping up with speedy receivers, but his versatility in the defense and strength against the run can mitigate that, especially at the strong safety spot that doesn’t emphasize deep coverage. But, he’s torn two ACL’s in consecutive seasons, both on non-contact plays. It’s hard to count on him as an every down player given his injury history.

With unproven Avery Sebastian–who also has a checkered injury history–backing up Tranquill at strong, Todd Lyght has said more than once that he expects incoming freshman Jalen Elliott to challenge for time when he arrives in the fall. Which means it’s very possible Notre Dame could send out two 18 year olds with the starting defense at the safety spots. In this defense. On a team where experience is generally valued over talent (see: Morgan, Nyles vs. Schmidt, Joe). Here’s a list of true freshman that have started at safety in multiple games for Notre Dame since 1991:

• Jeff Burris
• Bobby Taylor
• Deke Cooper

And that’s just at one safety spot. It hasn’t happened with two starting freshmen safeties in the last three decades. One can be ok. Two might be too much for the defense to handle.

Pass Rush Continues to be a Problem

With the litany of options Notre Dame has on the defensive line, there was hope that a couple of lesser known players would draw some buzz during spring practice rushing the passer. Unfortunately, that did not materialize like anyone had hoped. It’s not that the line was bad, several players were mentioned to have played well at times–Daniel Cage, Jonathan Bonner, and Micah Dew-Treadway fall into that category–but overall, practices ended with more questions than answers as to who it will be that will pressure the quarterback in the fall.

One performer who stood out more than others was Jay Hayes, who was moved to defensive end from the three technique at defensive tackle, and at the end of spring ball was running with the starters ahead of Andrew Trumbetti. This is extremely good news considering the questions that surrounded Hayes while he toiled on the bench last season. He seems to have turned a corner as a player and is ready to contribute to the team next season.

As a 285 pounder, Hayes isn’t the speedy edge rusher that you’d like to see at that spot, though he did show some burst around the edge getting after Malik Zaire in the spring contest. The junior from New York’s emergence is likely to push Trumbetti’s game, strengthening the line as a whole, and gives the Irish much needed playable depth for a unit that desperately needs it. The question is can Hayes continue his play into the fall and onto the field? The success of the team greatly depends on players like him on the line taking the next step.

Are the Tight Ends Ready to Dominate?

The struggles of the tight ends last year were an often talked about topic and was the troubling feature of an offense that was otherwise fantastic. Fortunately, the struggles were not without explanation; Durham Smythe was lost to injury in the second game, Aliz’e Jones was a true freshman and Nic Weisher was still in his developmental stages. The unit did what it could to make an impact in games, but a school that has recently been known as “Tight End U” expects more from that position grouping, especially given the talent that is available to them.

The reports from spring practice regarding this group brought more of the same, which is somewhat troubling. Smythe had trouble gaining separation from defensive backs during team and one on one receiving drills and was not the type of blocker you want from the starting in-line tight end. It’s a little early to judge him as he recovers from torn knee ligaments and shoulder surgery from the fall, which is sure to have stunted his development, but he remains a question heading into fall camp.

The best news on Aliz’e Jones is his move out to the W receiver position a la Tyler Eifert in 2012. Notre Dame needs to offset the possible loss of the size receiver Corey Robinson brings to the table, and Jones brings some matchup problems on the outside against smaller corners and slower linebackers. Word is he was often dominant out in that area, and his strong suit is as a receiver. He still needs to add more strength as a blocker and it is yet unclear if he can move to the line and seal the edge and take on linebackers as Eifert was so adept at doing in becoming a first round pick. Notre Dame’s Jones and the other tight ends need to play at a consistently higher level for this offense to realize its potential.