Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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88 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Prep: Listed by Rivals as a four-star prospect, the No. 2 recruit in New York, and the No. 14 defensive tackle and No. 199 overall player in the country … Two-time first-team defensive lineman on the New York State Sportswriters Association Class A All-State team … Recorded 71 tackles with five sacks, recovered a fumble, broke up nine passes and blocked two field goals as a senior … Helped his squad win a state title as a junior … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born March 11, 1994 … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters. Year G-GS Solo Ast. Total TFL Sacks 2013 12-1 10 10 20 1.0 1.0 2014 11-11 23 17 40 7.5 1.5 Totals 23-12 33 27 60 8.5 2.5 JAY HAYES • DT So. • Brooklyn, N.Y. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 285 Career Highlights: Saw action in the final three contests of 2014 … Picked up a pair of tackles. Prep: Rated as a four-star recruit, the No. 3 player in New York, and the No. 14 defensive tackle and No. 233 overall pros- pect nationally by Rivals … Tabbed as a three-time first- team all-city selection per MSG Varsity … Played for the U.S. Under-19 National Team in the International Bowl against Canada. Personal: Born Aug. 16, 1995 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. JACOB MATUSKA • NG Jr. • Columbus, Ohio Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 295 Career Highlights: Made his Irish debut in 2014, ap- pearing in seven games with a start against USC … Fin- ished with six tackles, including one sack. Prep: Listed by Scout as a four- star prospect, the No. 22 recruit in Ohio, and the No. 18 defensive end and No. 299 overall player in the country … A two-way prep stand- out at tight end and outside line- backer … Finished his high school days with 35 catches for 605 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a one-hander in a win- ning effort in the Ohio state championship game as a junior … Totaled 49 tackles, four stops for loss, three interceptions and a fumble recovery as a senior … Was named first-team Division IV All-Ohio as a senior tight end by the Associated Press. Personal: Born Nov. 5, 1994 … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. Year G-GS Solo Ast. Total TFL Sacks 2014 7-1 5 1 6 1.0 1.0 PETER MOKWUAH • NG So. • Staten Island, N.Y. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 317 Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2014. Prep: Regarded by Rivals as a three-star player and the No. 6 prospect in New York … Was a first- team all-city and honorable mention all-metro selec- tion by MSG Varsity as a senior … Started for two sea- sons at defensive end for St. Joseph by-the-Sea High. Personal: Born March 19, 1996 … Uncle, Gabe, played defensive tackle at American International and was an 11th-round pick in the 1992 NFL Draft … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. ROMEO OKWARA • DE Sr. • Charlotte, N.C. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 260 Career Highlights: Started in 12 of his 13 appearances in 2014 … Posted 39 tackles, four sacks, one pass bro- ken up and two forced fumbles … Led the squad in quarterback take- downs … Was named FBS Defensive Player of the Week after he set a career high with 11 tackles against Purdue, while also posting half a sack and one forced fumble … Logged time in every game during the 2013 campaign, including one start … Finished with 19 tackles, 1.5 tack- les for loss and 0.5 sacks … Played in every contest as a rookie … Compiled seven stops, including 1.5 for loss, and added a forced fumble. Prep: Scout listed him as a four-star prospect, the No. 13 player in North Carolina and the No. 22 defensive end in the country … Selected as a first-team defensive lineman on the All-Charlotte Observer squad in 2011 … Paced his team with 76 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and 18 quarterback pressures as a senior … Also forced a fumble and blocked a field goal … Played in the North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl. Personal: Born June 17, 1995 … Younger brother, Ju- lian, is a four-star Notre Dame class of 2016 verbal com- mit … Enrolled in Mendoza College of Business, majoring in accountancy. Year G-GS Solo Ast. Total TFL Sacks 2012 13-0 4 3 7 1.5 0 2013 13-1 10 9 19 1.5 0.5 2014 13-12 15 24 39 4.0 4.0 Totals 39-13 29 36 65 7.0 4.5 DOUG RANDOLPH • DE Jr. • Woodberry Forrest, Va. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 240 Career Highlights: Saw the first game action of his college career in 2014 … Logged time in six games and made a tackle. Prep: Rated as a four-star pros- pect, the No. 9 senior in Virginia, and the No. 11 outside linebacker and No. 134 overall recruit nationally by Rivals … A first-team all-state selection by the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association after he racked up 33 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble as a senior … Selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born Sept. 5, 1993 … Enrolled in the Men- doza College of Business. ISAAC ROCHELL • DE Jr. • McDonough, Ga. Ht.: 6-3½ • Wt.: 287 Career Highlights: Started all 13 games in 2014 … Tied for third among linemen with 39 tackles and tied for second among all play- ers with 7.5 tackles for loss … Also posted 2.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, three passes broken up and a blocked field goal … Played in 11 games and totaled 10 tackles as a rookie. Prep: Listed as a four-star prospect, the No. 11 player in Georgia, and the No. 10 strongside defensive end and No. 124 overall prospect in the land by Rivals … Missed four games of his senior year, but still logged 48 stops, nine tackles for loss and three sacks en route to Class A all-state laurels from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Senior end Romeo Okwara paced the Irish defense with four sacks last season. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA