Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/531612
BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 121 2. Stanford — Senior starters Blake Martinez and Kevin Anderson return a combined 154 tackles (18.5 for loss) in 2014, and both earned All-Pac-12 honor- able mention honors. Martinez picked up seven tackles in the game last year against Notre Dame, while Anderson finished with four tackles and two sacks on Irish quarter- back Everett Golson. Junior Peter Kalambayi finished with 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 13 games played last season, and is expected to make an increased impact as a new starter in 2015. 3. Texas — Both starters from 2014 de- part (Texas' defensive scheme uses only two true linebackers), but projected starters Peter Jinkens and Dalton Santos both can claim senior experience — although Santos was injured in the spring. Still, inject five-star signee Malik Jeffer- son, who cross-trained at middle, strongside and weakside linebacker, and even weakside defensive end in the spring, plus Rivals100 four-star signee Anthony Wheeler, and this group possesses a respectable combination of talent and experience. Defensive Backs 1. Virginia — Sophomore safety Quin Blanding is in line to lead the Cavaliers de- fense and a secondary that retains two start- ers on the outside in 2015. Blanding was the first freshman to start a season opener at safety for the program since Tony Blount in 1976. His 123 total tackles broke Virginia's record for a freshman, previously set by Ah- mad Brooks (117) in 2003. Senior cornerback Maurice Canady re- turns after earning second-team All-ACC honors in 2014, plus third-team all-confer- ence honors from the league's coaches. 2. USC — Safety is a question mark, but USC's cornerbacks are too good to not make the list. Adoree' Jackson is USC's first three- way player in nearly two decades, starting 10 games last year at cornerback and one at wide receiver (versus Notre Dame) as a true freshman, while earning 2014 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. Senior cornerback Kevon Seymour is the veteran of the unit with 22 career starts, and five-star cornerback Iman Marshall is expected to contribute right away as a true freshman. 3. Texas — Three starters return to a sec- ondary that held opponents to only 5.7 yards per pass attempt (No. 4 nationally) in 2014. Senior cornerback Duke Thomas was named honorable mention All-Big 12 last year, leading the team with 10 passes broken up and finishing with a career-high 53 tackles. The unit helped Texas notch 15 intercep- tions last season, while allowing only 13 passing touchdowns. ✦ Malik Jefferson, the No. 1 outside linebacker nationally in the 2015 class according to Rivals, is expected to make an instant impact on the Texas defense. PHOTO COURTESY TEXAS Jackets, Freeman proved to be one of the top rookie linemen in the country. He led Georgia Tech's entire unit in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (4.5). Linebacker: Tyler Matakevich (Temple) After riding a streak of 35 consecutive starts, Matakevich is poised to place his name all over Tem- ple's record books during his senior campaign. The 6-1, 235-pounder has an NFL career on the horizon. Linebacker: Blake Martinez (Stanford) Returning for a senior campaign in which he could contend for All-America honors, Martinez notched double-digit tackles in three separate contests last season. He finished with a season-high 14 tackles and a sack at Oregon. Linebacker: Su'a Cravens (USC) The 6-1, 225-pound Cravens has grown into the line- backer position after starting his career as a safety, although he could still play a hybrid position this year. He earned third-team All-America honors last season from multiple publications after recording 68 tackles. Safety: Quin Blanding (Virginia) Blanding finished his rookie season tied for 10th with Jamie Sharper (1996) on Virginia's all-time single- season tackles list with 123. He joined North Carolina State's Jerod Fernandez as the only two freshmen to lead their team in tackles. Safety: Jamal Golden (Georgia Tech) Also a return man for the Yellow Jackets, he tied for the team lead with four interceptions in addition to three forced fumbles in 2015. He earned third-team All-ACC honors last year. Cornerback: Adoree' Jackson (USC) Jackson finished with 10 passes defended in his fresh- man campaign, and didn't allow a touchdown until the Holiday Bowl versus Nebraska. Cornerback: Maurice Canady (Virginia) Canady returns for the Cavaliers after finishing second in the ACC last season in passes defended (15). He also tied for the team lead with three interceptions in his junior year. Kicker: Ian Frye (Virginia) Picking up preseason second-team All-ACC honors from Phil Steele's, Frye is coming off a junior season in which he was a Lou Groza award semifinalist. He con- verted 22 of 27 field goals (81.5 percent) and 34 of 35 extra points (97.1 percent) in 2014. Punter: Alex Kinal (Wake Forest) Voted preseason first-team All-ACC by both Phil Steele's and Lindy's, Kinal's 86 punts last year averaged 40.0 yards, with 23 of them pinning the opponent inside its 20. Punt Returner: Tyler Boyd (Pittsburgh) Boyd ranked second in the ACC and 21st nationally with an average of 10.1 yards per punt return. As he starts getting more touches in the return game it's only a matter of time until he breaks one that goes the distance. Kick Returner: Adoree' Jackson (USC) Jackson already ranks 14th on the Trojans' career kickoff return list with 684 yards. He recorded a 98-yard touchdown return in the Holiday Bowl against Nebraska and tied a school record with a 100-yard return for a touchdown at Utah as a true freshman.