Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 79 Upon being selected as one of the captains with McGlinchey last December, that laconic stance might remain in public, but in closed quarters with his teammates, he has become much more expressive, if not vociferous. "If I see something that I think is wrong, I'm going to call you out," Nelson said. "If I see something that's right, I'll be the first one to tell you good job. I'm being pretty vocal." In snippets of videos Notre Dame released during the offseason, Nelson was often the first player going through drills. One of the strongest players on the team, he's taken his leadership cues from the linemen that came before him. "When I first got on campus I wasn't the player I am now today," the Holmdel, N.J., native said. "It was more about just shut- ting up, being quiet, putting my head down, learning from the older guys. "Seeing how they lead, watching them play and learning how I can be the best player that I could be." Two of those figures — former captains and current NFL players Nick and Zack Martin — returned for Notre Dame's Coaches Clinic this spring, with Nick working with the interior players while Zack instructed the tackles. "It was amazing. It means a lot," Nelson said of the reunion with the former linemen. "It's a bond that I already have with Coach Hiestand. It's going to be something I do when I ever leave. I'll definitely come back. It's not only the bond with Coach Hiestand, it's the bond with the players you have here. "It meant so much that Zack and Nick were there. Getting to talk to them and pick their minds and just listen to them and hear their experiences and getting to learn from them first hand, it was awesome." Former left tackle Zack Martin combined with third-round pick Chris Watt to give Notre Dame one of the nation's elite left sides of an offensive line from 2011-13. Then in 2015, Nelson lined up between first- round pick Stanley and second-round choice Nick Martin at left guard. In 2017, Nelson and his cohorts are striving for a payoff after starting all 12 games to- gether in 2016 with McGlinchey, senior center Sam Mustipher and senior right guard Alex Bars (who started at right tackle last year). "It helps a lot having another year of ex- perience for me and Mike, and a year of experience for Sam and Alex," Nelson said. "We went through a lot last year as a unit. We learned from a lot of our mistakes, and are looking forward to improving on them and being what we are capable of this year. "All four of us with the experience are bet- ter off to help sophomores Tommy [Kramer] and Liam [Eichenberg], or whoever starts in that right tackle spot." Longtime New England Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia spoke to the Irish linemen a couple of years ago about how it is irrelevant how good the individual parts of the line are if the collective doesn't see through "one set of eyes." This has been the primary emphasis of Hiestand. "When we look at a defense, we all see the same things. We all make the same adjust- ments," Hiestand said. "We don't have to speak — we just do it. I've seen more of that." Seeing another year from McGlinchey and Nelson should aid that cause. ✦ Family Business Throughout his young life, Notre Dame fifth-year senior left tackle Mike McGlinchey has tried to emulate his older cousin, 31-year-old Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, named the 2016 NFL Most Valuable Player while leading the franchise to Super Bowl LI last February. In 2017, McGlinchey's objective is to copy the team revitalization Ryan propelled. It was not long ago that Ryan was experiencing the throes of a four-win season (4-12 in 2013) like Mc- Glinchey did in 2016 (4-8). Prior to last year, Ryan was part of three straight campaigns where his team did not finish above .500. Yet it was not by accident he led Atlanta to the NFC championship this past season before the stunning over- time loss to New England in the Super Bowl. The Falcons rising like a Phoenix remains inspiring to McGlinchey. "The only way a turnaround can occur is by the mindset that you have and the work that you put into it," McGlinchey said. "I know for a fact that Matt worked his butt off since the season ended in the year previous. "He got to know the playbook a little better, got his fundamentals back, his strength, his health … I've looked up to Matt for my entire life, and it's something where anything he does I'm always trying to mimic. "It would certainly be a pretty good if I could have the turnaround he had last year." McGlinchey already has experienced one bounce-back campaign at Notre Dame. During his sophomore year with the Fighting Irish, he saw his teammates lose four straight games, and five of six, before pulling a 31-28 mini-upset of LSU in the Music City Bowl — McGlinchey's first career start — and then begin the next season 10-1 while in the four-team College Football Playoff hunt right until the final play of the 2015 regular season. From 1-5 over six games to 11-1 the next 12 … a renaissance can be achieved. With six new on-field coaches providing a needed vibrancy and a revamped strength and conditioning program that has vigor- ously challenged the overall operation, McGlinchey foresees another upheaval for the better in 2017. "Our program has done a complete 180 in terms of the energy and attitude," McGlinchey said. "The changes that Coach [Brian] Kelly has made, both in his approach and also the people he has brought into this building, have provided a spark. You can feel that something good is building here. "… There are more guys in the film room, there are more guys working out together, there are more guys doing drills. The change and the motivation have reached across all aspects of our program, and we're really excited about where it's going." — Lou Somogyi Last year, McGlinchey was rated as the nation's No. 3 run-blocking tackle by Pro Football Focus. PHOTO BY RICK KIMBALL