Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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most notably first-round draft pick Tyler Eifert at tight end, and then starting quarterback Everett Golson withdrew from school in May because of an academic issue and will not be available in 2013. Even with them in the lineup last year, Notre Dame finished 78th nationally in scoring (25.8 points per game). In recent years, there was at least one "aircraft carrier" figure — Eifert in 2012 and wide receiver Michael Floyd in 2010-11 — the opposition had to build a game plan around, potentially opening up other areas of the offense. Senior quarterback Tommy Rees somewhat epitomizes the collective offense in that it can be steady, productive and win games, but it lacks, for now, a "wow factor," especially when going against some of the better teams. 2. Where will the defensive leadership come from minus Manti Te'o? Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco stated Te'o is "irreplaceable," not quite so much in production but in the way he provided the heartbeat and tempo. Safety Zeke Motta did the same while directing traffic for the defensive backs, while another 2012 captain, defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore, was a respected voice in the locker room and along the front line. When asked near the end of this spring who the leaders on defense are, head coach Brian Kelly paused for a while before guessing that a pair of seniors, cornerback Bennett Jackson and outside linebacker Prince Shembo, might be the best bets. The Fighting Irish defense returns eight starters and could be a vaunted unit again … but the chemistry and leadership Te'o offered, along with Motta and Lewis-Moore, cannot be undervalued. Right Guard: Notre Dame's Legacy Position Whenever an offensive guard slot needs to be filled at Notre Dame, one can often count on a familiar name from the past. • In the 1970s, younger brothers Gerry DiNardo and Tim Huffman starred multiple years at right guard while succeeding All-American older brothers Larry and Dave, respectively, along the offensive interior. • In the 1980s, three-year starting right guard Tim Scannell followed the path of 1954-56 Notre Dame end Bob Scannell. • The 1990s included three-year starting right guard and two-time captain Ryan Leahy, grandson of four-time Notre Dame national champion head coach Frank Leahy. Also at guard was Jerry Wisne, son of 1966-68 Fighting Irish offensive lineman Gerard Wisne. And now in 2013, there is a pretty good chance that a Hanratty might succeed a Golic as Notre Dame's right guard. Golic was Mike Jr., son of Mike Sr., a 1985 Notre Dame captain, NFL veteran and now one of ESPN's top personalities. Hanratty is Conor, son of 1966-68 Fighting Irish quarterback Terry Hanratty, who finished in the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy balloting three straight years and exploded on to the scene en route to the 1966 national title. Although the younger 6-5, 309-pound Hanratty was the No. 1 right guard throughout this spring, he believes keeping it will need to be earned over the summer and once the season begins. "Nothing is etched in stone," Hanratty said during the spring. "… It all boils down to consistency of not being great one play and then just off. You have to be reliable." That is the primary legacy he wants to continue. 3. Can the quarterback position minimize turnovers? The 2011 Notre Dame offense averaged 413.0 yards per game while the 2012 unit averaged 412.2. The two major differences between the 8-5 finish in 2011 and 12-1 in 2012 were 1) a dominant defense and 2) turnovers. Whereas the 2011 Fighting Irish had 29 turnovers, the 2012 team finished with 15. The quarterbacks accounted for 23 of the 29 turnovers in 2011, with Rees tossing 14 interceptions and losing five fumbles. Last year, starter Everett Golson tossed only six interceptions. Notre Dame running backs also lost only three fumbles in 2012. The Irish defense has a chance to be stellar again. The role of the offense is to not make it more difficult for the defense, which also brings us to … 4. Will special teams finally be able to make a bigger difference in 2013? Junior kicker Kyle Brindza enjoyed a strong 2012 with a single-season school-record 23 field goals, including clutch late kicks that helped the Irish defeat Purdue, Stanford, BYU and Pitt. Overall, though, Notre Dame's special teams have been pedestrian and ranked near the bottom in punt returns the past two years. It also has to find a punter. Kelly said the improved depth on the team should help him get better athletes on special teams this year. In a game where field position is vitally important and the Irish offense is a question mark, the special teams might need to "kick it up" a notch in 2013. 5. How will Notre Dame handle its 2012 success? Prior to last season, the last three times Notre Dame recorded a double-digit victory total, it had a huge plummet: From 11-1 in 1993 to 6-5-1 in 1994; 10-3 in 2002 to 5-7 in 2003, and 10-3 in 2006 to 3-9 in 2007. The program is in good enough shape now to avoid such a dramatic letdown, but an arduous schedule will test its mettle mentally and physically, especially after last year's stunning regular season in which almost all the bounces fell Notre Dame's way. Those type of years seldom occur. Top Five Individual Milestones For 2013 Sophomore Conor Hanratty, a projected starter for 2013, is one several players who have followed in their father's footsteps to Notre Dame and played right guard. photo by bill panzica 1. Senior offensive left tackle Zack Martin — If he starts all 13 games for the fourth straight year, his 52 career starts would be the most in Notre Dame history, and also the most done consecutively. The current record of 50 is held by former offensive tackle Sam Young, who started every game from 2006‑09. 2. Senior Cat linebacker Prince Shembo and junior defensive end Stephon 26 ✦ Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview 20-27.Season Preview-Superlatives.indd 26 6/25/13 8:47 AM