2015 Notre Dame Football Preview

2015 Notre Dame Football Preview

Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview

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122 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY JORDAN WELLS After a combined 30-21 record over a four-year span beginning in 2010, the Longhorns and 16-year head coach Mack Brown parted ways following the 2013 sea- son, and Texas hired Charlie Strong away from Louisville. Upon his arrival in January, Strong in- stilled his five core values — honesty, treat- ing women with respect, and no drugs, steal- ing or guns — on the team, which led to suspensions and/or dismissals of nine Long- horn players en route to a 6-7 season. Strong's first two campaigns at Louisville ended in similar 7-6 records, before a leap to 11-2 in 2012 and 12-1 in 2013. While Texas isn't expected to make that large of a jump this year, there's cautious optimism toward general improvement in some of the fan base. "This team is not built to improve greatly on the personnel side of the equation, and will need to improve based on experience in the system alone," said Alex Dunlap, foot- ball analyst at OrangeBloods.com on the Rivals network. "Few of Strong's more ex- citing new recruits are, at this time, 100 per- cent poised to come in and make significant contributions, and the defense graduated many of its best starters. "This is something that could, of course, change through fall camp when the incom- ing freshmen are thrown into the mix. Ex- pectations are all over the place, but the general consensus among the non-doomsday crowd seems to be seven wins or so. "The fan base would be elated with nine to 10 wins and somewhat positive with eight. Anything around six wins or less would likely draw out a few early pitchforks if his- tory is any indication." A good place to start would be improve- ment in quarterback play, which hasn't been helped by a lackluster offensive line hurt by injuries and suspensions. Junior Tyrone Swoopes was the starter in 2014, but he is being challenged by redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard, who's more exciting than Swoopes as a runner and narrowed the gap throughout the spring in an offense that ran more up-tempo. The Longhorns offense is led by senior running back Johnathan Gray, but it ended last season with a 48-10 loss at home to TCU and had 59 yards total offense in the 31-7 bowl loss to Arkansas. Defensively, Texas returns a handful of starters, but lost team leaders such as defen- sive tackle Malcolm Brown and linebacker Jordan Hicks. True freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson could make an instant impact, and he cross-trained at four positions in the spring — weakside defensive end and all three line- backer positions — according to Dunlap. The 6-3, 217-pounder will definitely find a way onto the field somehow in 2015, depending on where Texas needs him most. ✦ 2015 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2014 Result Sept. 5 at Notre Dame — Sept. 12 Rice — Sept. 19 California — Sept. 26 Oklahoma State W, 28-7 Oct. 3 at TCU L, 48-10 Oct. 10 Oklahoma L, 31-26 Oct. 24 Kansas State L, 23-0 Oct. 31 at Iowa State W, 48-45 Nov. 7 Kansas W, 23-0 Nov. 14 at West Virginia W, 33-16 Nov. 26 Texas Tech W, 34-13 Dec. 5 at Baylor L, 28-7 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Notre Dame leads 8-2 Last Meeting: Notre Dame 27, Texas 24 (Sept. 21, 1996; Austin, Texas) Head Coach: Charlie Strong, 6-7 (2nd year) and 43-23 overall (6th year) 2014 Results: 6-7 overall, 5-4 Big 12 (T-4th); fell 31-7 to Arkansas in the Advocare Texas Bowl Returning Starters: 11 (6 offense, 5 defense) 2015 Preseason Rankings: No. 27 by ESPN's FPI, No. 33 by Athlon and Phil Steele's, No. 34 by Lindy's and No. 58 by Brian Fremeau's FEI Did You Know?: Leading returning tackler Dylan Haines, who earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors, is a former walk-on … Eleven different active Notre Dame players hail from Texas, including walk-ons … Malik Jefferson was the No. 1 outside linebacker recruit nationally in the 2015 class. Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Texas 17 STRENGTH: Running Back Senior Johnathan Gray is the team's leading return- ing rusher, having produced 637 yards, 4.3 yards per carry and seven touchdowns in 2014. Behind better blockers, Gray's overall numbers could be much more impressive. The 5-11, 206-pounder was ranked as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 running back nationally and No. 5 overall prospect in the 2012 class by Rivals. Behind him is expected to be 6-2, 231-pound sopho- more D'onta Foreman, who could be used as both a short-yardage and goal-line back. Foreman had only 15 rushing attempts last year as a freshman but aver- aged 4.9 yards per carry. Rounding out the list is redshirt freshman Donald Catalon, who was ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 19 running back in the 2014 class. Catalon has had some injury issues, but has looked great in practice when healthy, according to Alex Dunlap from OrangeBloods.com. WEAKNESS: Offensive Line An argument could be made for both quarterback and offensive line. But given that the Longhorns' starting ball carrier Malcolm Brown — the No. 1 running back prospect in the 2011 class — averaged only 3.9 yards per carry, and another former No. 1 running back recruit nationally (Gray) could muster only 4.3 yards per carry, we'll point our finger at the line. The issues stemmed from both injuries and dismissals from the program by head coach Charlie Strong. Center Dominic Espinosa — who had more than 40 career starts — broke his ankle in the season opener, and starter Kennedy Estelle was dismissed for violation of team rules. Another potential starter, Desmond Harrison was suspended early in the sea- son, didn't play all year, and now will not return to the program in 2015. In an effort to help turn the unit around this year, true freshman early enrollee Connor Williams might start at tackle. TEXAS LONGHORNS SEPT. 5 • NOTRE DAME STADIUM • SOUTH BEND RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: RB Johnathan Gray (637 yards, 7 TD) Passing: QB Tyrone Swoopes (2,409 yards, 13 TD) Receiving: WR Marcus Johnson (313 yards, 1 TD) Tackles: DB Dylan Haines (86) Sacks: DT Hassan Ridgeway (6) Interceptions: DB Dylan Haines (4) X-FACTOR: Redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard, who was rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 4 dual- threat quarterback in the 2014 class by Rivals, closed the gap on returning starter Tyrone Swoopes in the spring. PHOTO COURTESY TEXAS

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