Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 73 OFFENSIVE LINEMEN POSITION COACH Harry Hiestand is entering his sixth season in South Bend, 30th year in the col- lege ranks and 35th year overall as a coach. He has mentored the big men up front at each of his stops for the last 28 years, including five years in the NFL from 2005-09. Under his tutelage in 2016, Heistand's blockers helped the Irish post 417.6 total yards per game. Notre Dame's rushing attack produced 163.3 yards per contest, which ranked 80th in the country, and Irish ball car- riers averaged 4.5 yards per carry. In 2015, he coached a unit that paved the way for the Irish to average 207.6 rushing yards per game. In 10 of 12 regular-season games, Notre Dame faced a top-60 rush defense and still finished 25th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing yards per game (214.8) and sixth in yards per carry (5.76). Hiestand was instrumental in the continued devel- opment of tackle Ronnie Stanley, who was selected No. 6 overall in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and center Nick Martin, who was taken No. 50 over- all in the second round. In 2014, his unit had to replace two longtime main- stays 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 of- fense (444.9 yards an outing). In addition to Martin and Watt, Hiestand also coached 2014 first-rounder Ja'Wuan James and sixth-rounder Zach Fulton at Tennessee. The 2013 campaign may have been some of Hies- tand's finest work. Notre Dame tied for second in the FBS 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. 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 graduate 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 lat- ter 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 • OG Sr. • Nashville, Tenn. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 320 Career Highlights: Started all 12 contests at right tackle last fall … Appeared in six games and made two starts at left guard before suf- fering a season-ending ankle in- jury in 2015 … Redshirted in 2014. Prep: Ranked as a four-star pros- pect, the No. 4 player in Tennes- see, 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 … Was also a Class II-AA first-team all-state pick by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and one of three lineman finalists for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award in his division … Played in the Under Armour High School All-American Game. Personal: Born Sept. 8, 1995 … His father, Joe, played linebacker at Notre Dame from 1981-84 … His brother Brad played at Penn State, while another brother Blake suited up at Michigan … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. HUNTER BIVIN • OG 5th-Sr. • Owensboro, Ky. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 318 Career Highlights: Saw action in 12 games and made one start at right guard in 2016 … Played in 12 contests in 2015, primarily on special teams and as a reserve offensive lineman … Made his Irish debut in 2014, appearing in five games … Redshirted in 2013. 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 Courier-Journal as a senior … 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 offensive line for Apollo High, and also started on defense, handled punts and kicks, and long snapped … Won the 2012 Ken- tucky 3A state championship in the shot put. Personal: Born Sept. 4, 1994 … His late father, Randy, played football at Evansville, and his older brother Harris played at Murray State … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters, majoring in political science. JIMMY BYRNE • OG Sr. • Cleveland Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 294 Career Highlights: Did not see any game action last season or in 2015 while working with the scout team as both a guard and tackle … Redshirted in 2014. 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 cam- paigns … Was a MaxPreps Junior All-American in 2012 and started for a state championship squad as a soph- omore … Played for the United States Under-19 Na- tional Team in the International Bowl against Canada. Personal: Born Oct. 18, 1995 … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, majoring in informa- tion technology management and minoring in com- puting and digital technologies. LIAM EICHENBERG • OT So. • Cleveland Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 294 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2016. Prep: Rated as a four-star pros- pect, the No. 4 player in Ohio, and the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 60 overall recruit in the land by 247Sports … Named to the MaxPreps All-America first team … Selected to the Associated Press All-Ohio Division I first team … Tabbed as USA Today All-Ohio first team … Named an Esmark All-American, an honor given to high school student-athletes for excellence in the classroom, on the playing field and in their communities … Played in the Under Armour All- American Game. Personal: Born Jan. 19, 1998 … Plans to enroll in the Mendoza College of Business. TOMMY KRAEMER • OT So. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-5½ • Wt.: 313 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2016. Prep: Listed as a five-star recruit, the top player in Ohio, and the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 8 overall player in the country by 247Sports … Three- year starter for Elder, working at right tackle in 2013 before lining up at left tackle in 2014-15 … Credited with 156 pancake blocks at left tackle for a 9-4 team as a senior, including a single-game school-record 23 versus La Salle in week 10 … Did not yield a sack in either of his last two seasons … Named the Gato- rade Ohio Football Player of the Year as a senior … Selected to USA Today's 2015 All-USA first-team All- America squad … Picked to the Associated Press Divi- sion I (large schools) all-state first team as a senior … As a junior, was one of three offensive linemen selected to the USA Today second-team All-America unit … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born April 16, 1998 … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. MIKE MCGLINCHEY • OT 5th-Sr. • Philadelphia Ht.: 6-8 • Wt.: 312 Career Highlights: Will become the 22nd different two-time cap- tain in Irish history this fall … Has started 26 consecutive games … Started all 12 contests at left tackle in 2016 … Tabbed as a third-team All-Ameri- can by Phil Steele's and the AP… Started all 13 games at right tackle in 2015 … Appeared in every game during the 2014 campaign … Played primarily on special teams before earning his first career start at right tackle in the 31-28 win over No. 22 LSU in the Music City Bowl … Redshirted in 2013. Prep: Regarded as a four-star prospect, the No. 4 player in Pennsylvania, and the No. 8 offensive tackle BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 73