Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1061429
24 JANUARY 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED In the August preseason edition, Blue & Gold Illustrated listed 10 potential difference makers for Notre Dame in 2018. Here's how they fared during the regular season. 1. Brandon Wimbush, Sr., QB Stats: Passed for 719 yards, rushed for 256 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in four games. Season: Did not make the necessary improvements as a passer and was supplanted by junior Ian Book in game four. 2. Jerry Tillery, Sr., DT Stats: Led the defense with eight sacks and was second with 10.5 tackles for loss. Season: Notre Dame needed him to anchor the defense, and he did just that … Graded out by Pro Football Focus as the eighth-best defensive tackle in the country and the second-best pass rusher at the position. 3. Te'von Coney, Sr., LB Stats: Paced the defense with 107 tackles and was tied for fourth with nine tackles for loss. Season: Wasn't as productive as he was a season ago, but was steady in the middle, pacing the Irish in stops while also making improvements in pass coverage. 4. Alex Bars, 5th-Sr., RG Stats: Graded out as Notre Dame's top offensive lineman through the first five games of the season. Season: Was absolutely Notre Dame's best offensive player through the first five games of the season, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 38-17 victory over Stanford Sept. 29. 5. Drue Tranquill, 5th-Sr., LB Stats: Finished third on the defense with 75 tackles and tied for fourth with nine tackles for loss. Season: Did a little bit of everything for the defense. He played the run well, was impactful in coverage and proved to be a quality pass rusher — all while battling hand and ankle injuries. 6. Sam Mustipher, 5th-Sr., C Stats: Allowed just 10 total quarterback pressures during the regular season. Season: Wasn't as consistent as he was in 2017, but he was still named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, which goes to the nation's top center. 7. Miles Boykin, Sr., WR Stats: Led the Irish offense with 54 receptions, 803 receiving yards and eight touchdown grabs. Season: Caught just one pass in three of Notre Dame's first four games, but when he got hot with an 11-catch, 144-yard performance in the win over Stanford he emerged as the team's top pass catcher. 8. Julian Love, Jr., CB Stats: Registered 61 tackles and finished tied for eighth nationally with 14 passes broken up. Season: Outstanding cover player that built on last season's success, emerg- ing as one of the nation's premier ball hawks … Graded out as the sixth best cover corner in the country by PFF. 9. Robert Hainsey, So., RT Stats: Graded out by Pro Football Focus as Notre Dame's top offensive lineman. Season: A knee injury suffered in fall camp slowed him down, and the sophomore struggled for much of September … Once he got back to full speed his game took off, and he was Notre Dame's most steady blocker down the stretch. 10. Daelin Hayes, Jr., DE Stats: Finished the regular season with 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and six quarterback hurries. Season: Got off to a hot start but shoulder problems slowed him down in October … Served as a vital piece to the defensive end rotation that fueled the Irish unit this season. MOST UNDERRATED DEFENSE JUNIOR SAFETY ALOHI GILMAN Gilman could make a case for a number of honors in this breakdown. After sitting out last season, he is considered a newcomer to the de- fense. His productive and timely play can stand up next to the efforts of Tranquill, Tillery, Coney and any- one else on the Irish defense. Whether it was stripping the foot- ball from a Vanderbilt player inches short of the goal line, knocking down a pass in the end zone against Michi- gan to force a field goal, intercepting two passes against Syracuse or gen- erating a crucial fumble against USC, Gilman, it seemed, was always in the right place at the right time. While Tillery, Tranquill, Coney and junior cornerback Julian Love earned much of the national recognition — and rightfully so — the presence of Gilman provided the defense with a tremendous boost in leadership, toughness and production. NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR OFFENSE SOPHOMORE LEFT GUARD AARON BANKS Losing fifth-year senior left guard/ captain Alex Bars in the fifth game was a devastating blow. Over the next two games, the Irish line gave up five sacks, while the ground at- tack rushed for just 123.5 yards and 3.5 yards per carry. The coaching staff then inserted Banks into the lineup, which helped Difference Makers Revisited Only a season-ending knee injury could slow down fifth-year senior guard Alex Bars, who was Notre Dame's top offensive player through the first five games of the season. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL