Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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year ago. The Sun Devils, led by Sutton and Bradford, led the nation with 9.0 tackles for loss per game and were second behind Stanford with 4.1 sacks per game last season. Their goal this year is to keep the same aggressive attack while shoring up the holes that made them vulnerable to good running teams in the past. 3. Michigan — Depth has arrived for defensive coordinator Greg Mattison along the front line. Veterans Quinton Washington and Jibreel Black provide two run stuffers in the middle of the line that will help keep each other fresh. Junior defensive end Frank Clark leads a capable group of pass rushers who, again, will be able to bring pressure throughout all four quarters thanks to the growing numbers in the trenches. Linebackers 1. Stanford — There is no soft spot in the Cardinal linebacker corps. All-American outside linebacker Chase Thomas is gone, but he'll be replaced by junior James Vaughters who is moving to a more natural fit after he Fifth-year senior linebacker Shayne Skov, who totaled a team-leading 82 tackles (43 solo) with 7.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks last year, leads the way for a stingy Stanford defense. photo by david bernal/courtesy stanford spent last year at the inside linebacker spot. Vaughters joins seasoned veteran Shayne Skov, underrated tackler A.J. Tarpley and another All-American in fifth-year senior Trent Murphy. That foursome is as fearsome as any in college football this year. 2. Michigan State — Senior captain Max Bullough is the linchpin of Michigan State's defense again this season. He made 111 tackles and landed on the All-Big Ten team last year. His partner in the middle, Denicos Allen, had a slightly disappointing season in 2012 with only three sacks and 10 tackles for loss, but he is always a threat to make a big play. Together they provide a strong balance of stability and play-making excitement that make it hard for opponents to prepare. 3. BYU — Head coach Bronco Mendenhall never fields a subpar group of linebackers no matter where the rest of his team may stand. This year will be no different. Senior Kyle Van Noy, a future NFL player, is the obvious headliner. He had 13 sacks and eight quarterback hurries a year ago. Defensive Backfield 1. Pittsburgh — The Panthers return the Big East's top safety from a year ago in senior Jason Hendricks. He added six interceptions to a team-high 90 tackles during his junior season. Pitt has to figure out who will play next to Hendricks — likely Ray Vinopal, who started his career at Michigan. Hendricks and his partner are flanked by two shutdown cornerbacks, junior K'Waun Williams and redshirt sophomore Lafayette Pitts. Williams and Pitts combined to intercept five passes and break up 10 more last season. 2. Stanford — The Cardinal's safeties, like its linebackers, might be the best tandem in the country next fall. Senior Ed Reynolds and junior Jordan Richards developed a strong chemistry while playing together a year ago. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. lists them No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, among draft eligible safeties in 2014. A couple of unsettled questions marks at the cornerback position are the only items keeping the Cardinal from being at the top of this category as well. 3. Purdue — Four-year starter Ricardo Allen has had his slips in the past few seasons for the Boilermakers, but he's grown into one of the better cornerbacks in the Big Ten. His technique and speed make up for a 5-9, 186-pound frame. Purdue got its extra push in the secondary last season from former walk-on Landon Feichter, who made many big-play-saving tackles while leading the team with 80 stops in 2012. ✦ Notre Dame's 2013 All-Opponent Team The best players Notre Dame will run into this season at each position. Quarterback: Taylor Kelly (Arizona State) Kelly doesn't have the strongest arm the Irish will see this season, but he threw for 3,039 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing a school-record 67.1 percent of his passes as a rookie starter. Running Back: Damien Williams (Oklahoma) The junior college transfer ran for 905 yards in a passhappy Oklahoma offense last season. The Sooners' shift to being more of a downhill running team should help him make a run at 1,000 yards in his final season. Wide Receiver: Marqise Lee (USC) Lee already rewrote the record books at Southern Cal with 1,721 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last year. He was held to less than 50 yards in only one game, an early loss to Washington. Tight End: Devin Funchess (Michigan) Stanford's dominant run in this spot ended in 2012. Funchess, who scored five times on 15 catches as a freshman, figures to become a bigger part of the Wolverines' offense with a more traditional quarterback all season. Sophomore tight end Devin Funchess caught five touchdown passes last season and should become an even more focal part of the Michigan offense this season. photo by lon horwedel Offensive Tackle: Taylor Lewan (Michigan) Lewan passed up a first-round ticket to the NFL because he wanted to leave a better legacy at Michigan. His biggest contribution this year might be keeping a young interior line together while they grow. Offensive Guard: David Yankey (Stanford) Yankey is the senior spokesman of one of the country's best offensive lines. He was a consensus All-American in 2012 and will be a candidate for the Outland Trophy as a senior. Center: Gabe Ikard (Oklahoma) Ikard also fits the leadership role for his offensive line group. He's played all over the field during his career with the Sooners, but has done his best work calling the shots in the middle. Defensive Tackle: Will Sutton (Arizona State) Sutton's return was one of the biggest surprises 114 ✦ Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview 112-115.Opponent Superlatives.indd 114 6/25/13 11:11 AM