Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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wide receivers player biographies Position Coach Mike Denbrock returns to South Bend for his fourth straight and seventh overall campaign with the Irish, after serving as the outside wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator in 2012 for the first time under head coach Brian Kelly. He previously served as the tight ends coach in his first two years under Kelly, and acted as the offensive tackles and tight ends coach from 2002-04 under Tyrone Willingham. Denbrock was named one of Tom Lemming's Top Assistant Coaches of the Year in 2011, and he has also been recognized for his stellar work on the recruiting trail — he was named one of the nation's top 50 recruiters by 247Sports following National Signing Day in both 2012 and 2013. The Irish produced 2,896 yards and 14 touchdowns through the air and junior TJ Jones emerged under Denbrock's tutelage last year. Jones tied for the team lead in both receptions (50) and touchdown grabs (four), and finished second in receiving yards (649). Jones and junior DaVaris Daniels, who missed two games with an injury, return as Notre Dame's main targets out wide after combining for 81 catches, 1,139 receiving yards in their first year under Denbrock. In 2011, Denbrock coached junior All-American tight end Tyler Eifert to one of the best seasons ever by an Irish player at the position. Eifert, a finalist for the Mackey Award (nation's top tight end), ranked second on the team with 63 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns. He led all Football Bowl Subdivision tight ends in receptions and receiving yards. Denbrock also coached 2010 preseason All-American tight end Kyle Rudolph, who recorded 28 catches for 328 yards before an injury ended his season. Both Eifert (first round) and Rudolph (second round) ended up being high NFL Draft selections. In Denbrock's first stint at Notre Dame, he coached tight end John Carlson (second-round NFL Draft pick), offensive tackle Ryan Harris (third round) and tight end Anthony Fasano (second round). Jim Molinaro, Jordan Black, Brennan Curtin and Jerome Collins were also selected in the NFL Draft, in the fifth round or later. His tight ends and tackles played a huge role in the Irish producing 1,000-yard rushers in 2002 and 2003. Denbrock also worked under Kelly for eight years at Grand Valley State, where he served as both the offensive and defensive coordinator. The positions he coached included quarterback, wide receiver and linebacker. The BGI's 2013 Depth Chart No.Slot R eceiverHt.W t. 20 C.J. Prosise 6-1 220 or 87Daniel Smith 6-4 213 15 William Fuller 6-1 180 16 Torii Hunter 6-0 180 No.W ide R eceiverHt.W t. 10 DaVaris Daniels 6-2 192 2 Chris Brown 6-2 191 17 James Onwualu 6-1 215 No.W ide R eceiverHt.W t. 7 TJ Jones 5-11 192 88 Corey Robinson 6-4 197 14 Luke Massa 6-4 234 Cl./Elig. So./4 Sr,/1 Fr./4 Fr./4 Cl./Elig. Jr./3 So./3 Fr./4 Cl./Elig. Sr./1 Fr./4 Sr./2 two coaches first worked together as graduate assistants at the school in 1987. Denbrock was the associate head coach, special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at Indiana State in 2009. Prior to that, he was the offensive line coach at Washington from 2005-08. Other college coaching stops for Denbrock include Stanford (2001), Illinois State (1990-91) and Michigan State (1988-89). Denbrock served as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, in addition to coaching the offensive and defensive lines, for the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League from 1999-2000. A 1987 graduate of Grand Valley State, Denbrock played football for the Lakers from 1982-85 and won the Phillip Shultz Award for attitude and commitment to the team. Returning Players Chris Br o wn • WR So. • Hanahan, S.C. Ht.: 6-2 • W t.: 191 Career Highlights: Played in all 13 games and started four times in 2012 … Hauled in a pair of passes for 56 yards … His first career catch went for 50 yards at Oklahoma Oct. 27 and was a crucial part of the go-ahead scoring drive. Prep: Was one of four wideouts selected to the Division I-AA South Carolina all-state team in 2011 … Caught 33 passes for 532 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior despite missing five games with an injury … Recorded 52 receptions for 1,105 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior, in addition to returning three kickoffs for touchdowns … Also intercepted three passes and returned one for a score, and ran back three fumbles for scores … Ranked as a three-star prospect, the No. 7 player in South Carolina and the No. 26 athlete in the nation by 247Sports. Personal: Born Dec. 8, 1993 … Ranked as the No. 2 triple jumper in the country in 2011 … Broke a 32-yearold South Carolina record in the event as a junior, jumping 51 feet, 2.5 inches … Participated in Puerto Rico with the U.S. Junior National Track team in June 2011 … Was enrolled in First Year of Studies. Year G-GSR ec. Yds. Avg.TD 2012 13-0 2 56 28.00 DaVaris Daniels • WR Jr. • Vernon Hills, Ill. Ht.: 6-2 • W t.: 192 Career Highlights: Emerged as a key player in the Irish aerial attack last season … Played in 11 games with three starts and finished fourth on the team with 31 receptions, while his 490 receiving yards ranked third … His average of 15.8 yards per catch paced the squad … Set a career high in the BCS National Championship Game with 115 yards on six grabs after he missed the final two games of the regular season with a broken collarbone … Did not see action in 2011. Prep: Named to Illinois 5A all-state team as a senior and was also selected as the Area Athlete of the Year by the Pioneer Press … Accounted for 19 total touchdowns as a senior — 10 rushing, five receiving, two punt returns, one interception return and one blocked field goal return … Also posted 23 catches for 513 yards … The four-star prospect was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 player in Illinois, the No. 12 wideout in the country and the No. 63 overall player in the nation … Played in the Under Armour All-American Bowl. Personal: Born Dec. 18, 1992 … Father, Phillip, enjoyed a 15-year NFL career with the Seahawks, Bears and Redskins, and he is now the director of player development for the Redskins … Enrolled in College of Arts and Letters. Year G-GSR ec. Yds. Avg.TD 2012 11-3 31 49015.80 TJ Jone s • WR Sr. • Gainesville, Ga. Ht.: 5-11 • W t.: 192 Career Highlights: Has seen action in 38 games, including 30 starts, over his first three seasons in South Bend … Has hauled in 111 passes for 1,321 yards and 10 touchdowns … Stepped into the vacant outside receiver role left by former firstround draft pick Michael Floyd and finished with 50 catches for 649 yards and four scores, while appearing in every game with 11 starts last year … Recorded a careerbest seven catches, which went for 90 yards, in the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama … His statistics last fall improved his previous career highs set in 2011, when he started 12 times and played in every contest … Recorded 38 catches for 366 yards and three scores as a sophomore … Caught a pass in every game … Saw action in 12 contests as a rookie, earning a starting assignment seven times … Totaled 23 catches for 306 yards and three scores … First rookie wide receiver in school history to tally a scoring reception in each of his first two games … Stands as just the second freshman receiver in program history to score in the season opener. Prep: Finished his senior year at Gainesville High School with 76 receptions for 1,399 yards and 18 touchdowns en route to SuperPrep All-America honors … Rivals.com ranked him as a four-star recruit, the No. 19 wide receiver in the country and the No. 141 player in the nation … First-team all-state as a senior and junior … Played in the Under Armour All-America Game, catching three passes for 29 yards … Helped his squad advance to the state title game for the first time since 1982. Personal: Born July 19, 1992 … Father, Andre, was an outside linebacker at Notre Dame (1987-90) and a member of the '88 national championship squad … Uncle, Phillip Daniels, was a 15-year NFL veteran … Godfather is former Notre Dame great Raghib "Rocket" Ismail (1988‑90) … Enrolled in College of Arts and Letters, majoring in film, television, theatre. Year G-GSR ec. Yds. Avg.TD 2010 12-7 23 30613.33 2011 13-12 38 3669.63 2012 13-11 50 64913.04 Totals 38-30 1111,32111.910 L uke Mass a • WR Sr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-4 • W t.: 234 Career Highlights: Started his college career at quarterback, but is entering his third full year at wide receiver … Suffered a knee injury in April that required surgery and side- 62 ✦ Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview 58-63.WRs.indd 62 6/25/13 1:00 PM