Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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74 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW OFFENSIVE LINEMEN POSITION COACH Harry Hiestand is a veteran offensive line coach who is entering his fourth season in South Bend, 28th year in the college ranks and 33rd year overall as a coach. He has mentored the big men up front at each of his stops for the last 26 years, including five years in the NFL from 2005-09. Last season, his unit had to replace two longtime mainstays up front — left tackle Zack Martin and left guard Chris Watt were both selected in the first three rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft — but the line still helped the Irish rank 18th nationally in passing offense (285.5 yards per game) and 32nd in total offense (444.9). Hiestand was instrumental in developing their replacements, including impressive tackle Ronnie Stan- ley, who enters 2015 as one of the nation's top blockers. In addition to Martin and Watt, Hiestand also coached 2014 first-rounder Ja'Wuan James and sixth-rounder Zach Fulton at Tennessee. In total, he coached and/or recruited six of the 50 blockers invited to the 2014 NFL Combine. The 2013 campaign may have been some of Hiestand's finest work. Notre Dame tied for second in the Football Bowl Subdivision for fewest sacks allowed (eight). No team in the land allowed fewer sacks and attempted more than the Irish's 429 passes despite injuries that forced the team to finish the year with four first-year starting linemen. Notre Dame improved its average rushing yards per game by almost 30 yards in 2012, Hiestand's first season on the job, while its average of 4.9 yards per rush was the highest since 1996 (5.2). Notre Dame ended the year with 2,462 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. Hiestand has also mentored the blockers at Tennes- see (2010-11), Illinois (1997-2004), Missouri (1994-96) and Cincinnati (1989-93), which included a stint as the offensive coordinator in his final season. He also worked with the tight ends at Toledo in 1988, served as a gradu- ate assistant at USC in 1987 and coached Pennsylvania's tight ends in 1986. He was in charge of the offensive line at his alma mater, East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University, from 1984-85 after a two-year stint as an assistant offensive line coach and student assistant. Hiestand spent 2005-09 mentoring the Chicago Bears' front line. The NFL franchise won its division in 2005 and 2006, advancing to Super Bowl XLI in the latter campaign, and Bears running backs rushed for at least 1,200 yards three times in his five seasons. Two of his players were selected to the Pro Bowl during his tenure, and center Olin Kreutz became the first Bears protector to earn first-team All-Pro laurels in 17 years. RETURNING PLAYERS ALEX BARS • OT/OG So. • Nashville, Tenn. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 316 Career Highlights: Did not see game action last season. Prep: Ranked as a four-star pros- pect, the No. 4 player in Tennessee, and the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 76 overall recruit in the nation by ESPN … As a senior at Montgomery Bell Academy, he was named to USA Today's All-USA second-team All-America squad … Won the Rotary Lombardi Chip Off the Old Block Award for the South region as the nation's top prep lineman in seven regions and states … Was also a first-team Class II-AA all-state pick by the Tennessee Sports Writers As- sociation and one of three lineman finalists for Tennes- see Titans Mr. Football Award in his division … Played in the Under Armour High School All-American Game. Personal: Born Sept. 8, 1995 … Father, Joe, played linebacker at Notre Dame from 1981-84 … Brother, Brad, played at Penn State, while another brother, Blake, is a redshirt junior offensive lineman at Michigan … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. HUNTER BIVIN • OT Jr. • Owensboro, Ky. Ht.: 6-5½ • Wt.: 302 Career Highlights: Made his Irish debut in 2014, appearing in five games. Prep: 247Sports listed him as a four-star talent, the No. 1 prospect in Kentucky, and the No. 4 offensive tackle and No. 43 overall player in the land … Was selected as an all-state lineman by the Associated Press and The Louisville Cou- rier-Journal as a senior … Was also named an honorable mention All-American by Parade … Participated in the Best of the Bluegrass Kentucky all-star game and the Under Armour All-American Game, where he served as a team captain … Was a four-year starter on the offen- sive line for Apollo High, and also started on defense, handled punts and kicks, and long snapped … Won the 2012 Kentucky 3A state championship in the shot put. Personal: Born Sept. 4, 1994 … Late father, Randy, played football at Evansville, and older brother, Harris, played at Murray State … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters. JIMMY BYRNE • OG So. • Cleveland Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 295 Career Highlights: Did not see game action last season. Prep: Listed as a four-star prospect, the No. 11 player in Ohio, and the No. 12 offensive guard and No. 211 overall player in the nation by Scout … Was selected as an Associated Press Division I All-Ohio offensive lineman in each of his final two prep campaigns … Co-captain who played key role on offensive front that helped St. Ignatius run for more than 1,500 yards in 2013 while allowing just 12 sacks … Was a MaxPreps Junior All-American in 2012 and started for a state championship squad as a sopho- more … Played for United States Under-19 National Team in the International Bowl against Canada. Personal: Born Oct. 18, 1995 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. STEVE ELMER • OG Jr. • Midland, Mich. Ht.: 6-5½ • Wt.: 315 Career Highlights: One of eight Irish players to start all 13 games in 2014 … Started the first three games at right tackle and finished the campaign at right guard … Ap- peared in 10 games as a rookie and made four starts at right guard … Part of an offensive front that allowed just eight sacks and tied for second in the FBS for few- est sacks allowed. Prep: Rivals listed him as a four-star prospect, the No. 1 recruit in Michigan, and the No. 5 offensive tackle and No. 60 overall player in the country … Ended his prep career by earning the Anthony Munoz Award, which is annually presented to the nation's top of- fensive lineman … Tabbed as the Michigan Division 1 and 2 Player of the Year by the Associated Press after he helped Midland High rush for more than 2,000 yards and score 351 points during an 11-1 campaign … Named to The Detroit Free-Press Dream Team as a junior and senior, and the newspaper also listed him as the best player in Michigan during his final season … Selected to The Detroit News' first-team All-State Dream Team as a senior … Played for the West squad in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born Sept. 1, 1994 … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters, majoring in economics. MARK HARRELL • OT Sr. • Charlotte, N.C. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 306 Career Highlights: Ser ved as the backup center in 2014 and ap- peared in two games. Prep: Listed by ESPN as a four- star player, the No. 15 prospect in North Carolina and the No. 41 offensive tackle in the land … Second-team selection on MaxPreps 2011 U.S. Air Force All-America team … Picked to the Associated Press all-state squad … Selected for the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl and the North Carolina-South Caro- lina Shrine Bowl. Personal: Born May 3, 1993 … Enrolled in Mendoza College of Business, majoring in marketing. NICK MARTIN • C 5th-Sr. • Indianapolis Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 301 Career Highlights: Ser ved as a season-long team captain and started all 13 games during the 2014 campaign … Started the first three games at center before shift- ing to left guard, where he finished the year … Started BGI'S 2015 DEPTH CHART No. Left Tackle Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 78 Ronnie Stanley 6-5½ 315 Sr./2 70 Hunter Bivin 6-5½ 302 Jr./3 No. Left Guard Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 56 Quenton Nelson 6-4½ 325 So./4 71 Alex Bars 6-6 316 So./4 62 Colin McGovern 6-4½ 315 Jr./3 No. Center Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 72 Nick Martin 6-4½ 301 5th/1 53 Sam Mustipher 6-2 305 So./4 66 Tristen Hoge 6-4½ 281 Fr./4 No. Right Guard Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 79 Steve Elmer 6-5½ 315 Jr./2 60 John Montelus 6-4 310 Jr./3 67 Jimmy Byrne 6-4 295 So./4 57 Trevor Ruhland 6-4 285 Fr./4 No. Right Tackle Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 68 Mike McGlinchey 6-7½ 310 Jr./3 75 Mark Harrell 6-4 306 Sr./2 PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES