Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 71 OFFENSIVE LINEMEN "You want to secure that left tackle spot," Hiestand said of the position that has had a first-round pick starting there each of the past six seasons with Zack Martin (2010-13) and Stanley (2014-15). "Mike has the size and the length and two more years. We thought that was the appropriate move." Speaking of future first-round ability, head coach Brian Kelly in so many words stated that Nelson has such qualities. "Mike's been our most efficient blocker and Quenton is in the best physical shape he's been in, moves extremely well … a rare, rare, rare football player," Kelly said. "We're very, very fortunate." Where Kelly was inaccurate about Nelson was a weight he noted as 346, when Nelson is actually more so between 330-335. "He looks like 350," Hiestand said of Nelson while letting out a chuckle. "His size and strength and toughness are exceptional. What I like best is how important it is to him to be successful. His attitude and his pride about getting his job done is really a super quality that he manifests. He is just so hungry to get it done and wants to be such a great teammate. "That's why you have those kind of feelings about a guy, because you know you can count on him every day. He's going to lay it on the line for this football team." A sprained ankle suffered at Clemson Oct. 3 sidelined Nelson the next week against Navy, but by the end of the season he had established himself as a future linchpin on the team. "I have a year of experience under my belt, and it's definitely been helping me with seeing defenses and different alignments, being able to anticipate what they're going to do," Nelson said. "My technique has gotten a lot better." Nelson acknowledges his own expectation is to not merely just con- tribute but become the best nationally at his craft. Yet he also is already is mirroring the guarded approach of his mentor, Hiestand. "We can be very good, we can be very bad," Nelson summarized of the 2016 offensive line. "It's all up to us and how hard we work." Playing for Hiestand, Nelson said there are no issues when it comes to consistent attitude toward competition and mental toughness. "His attention to detail in the meeting rooms and on the field are sec- ond to none," Nelson said. "He helps me be the best player I can be every day and he brings it 100 percent every day. It just motivates the players to also bring what he's bringing." PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★ National Title Caliber; ★★★ Playoff Contention; ★★ Top 25 Potential; ★ Too Unproven Starters ★★★ The left side with senior tackle Mike McGlinchey and junior guard Quenton Nelson is expected to match any tandem in the country. Experience is scant thereafter, but the nine players Notre Dame signed along the line in the 2013-14 classes were deemed among the top five in the country. They are now seasoned juniors and seniors. Experience ★★ There are only 25 career starts here — one of the lower totals among Power Five conference teams — whereas last year there were 68. Junior center Sam Mustipher has no career starts, nor do senior right guards Hunter Bivin and Colin McGovern. Junior right tackle Alex Bars did start twice last season, but that was at left guard before getting injured. Depth ★★★ The recruiting here the past four years would rank among the top five or 10 nation- ally. Offensive line and tight end generally have been two of the easier positions for Notre Dame to recruit. Nevertheless, the No. 2 tackle spots are less developed, and might require guards Bivin or McGovern to shift over there in an emergency. Overall Grade ★★★ Even during the abysmal 3-9 season in 2007, Notre Dame had three future NFL players along the starting line with center John Sullivan, guard Eric Olsen and tackle Sam Young. That should give one an idea of the talent the Irish recruit there, and the operation and development is in better overall shape nearly a decade later. Junior Sam Mustipher earned the starting job with a strong spring that was capped by an outstanding performance in the Blue-Gold Game. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA QUICK FACTS Position Coach: Harry Hiestand (5th season) Returning Starters: LT Mike McGlinchey (14 career starts at RT) and LG Quenton Nelson (11) Departing Starters: LT Ronnie Stanley (39), C Nick Martin (37) and RG Steve Elmer (30) Projected New Starter: RT Alex Bars (2), C Sam Mustipher and RG Hunter Bivin Top Reserves: RG Colin McGovern and C Tristen Hoge Newcomers: OT Liam Eichenberg, OT Tommy Kraemer and OG Parker Boudreaux Moved In: None Moved Out: OG John Montelus (to NG) Other Departures: None FYI: Lindy's Sports College Football 2016 Preview ranked the Notre Dame offen - sive line the eighth best in the country, with McGlinchey the No. 5 offensive tackle and a second-team All-American, and Nelson the No. 3 guard … Lindy's also rated Notre Dame's four-man freshman offensive line class, which oddly includes long snapper John Shannon, No. 3 nationally, behind only Florida State and Alabama … Athlon's Sports 2016 College Football Preview had the Fighting Irish offensive line ranked No. 13, while Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Preview placed it farther down at No. 23 … Phil Steele's placed McGlinchey as the nation's No. 5 offensive tackle and listed him as a third-team All-American, while Nelson was ranked as the No. 23 guard.