Blue and Gold Illustrated

May 2019

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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30 MAY 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI T here was a lot of Love lost in the Notre Dame defensive back- field this spring, but plenty of Pride still remains. The departure of 2018 consensus All- American cornerback Julian Love to the NFL following his junior season leaves an immense void in the 2019 secondary. Projected to fill that star power is his classmate Troy Pride Jr., who finished the back half of 2018 with a flourish and returns as one of the na- tion's fastest players at any position. Pride hung up his track spikes fol- lowing the Alex Wilson Invitational Feb. 16 to concentrate fully on football, despite earning 2018 second-team All- ACC honors in his second sport. Meanwhile, Pride's prowess in football accelerated significantly in the final six games of 2018, after the bye week, when his production even bettered Love, at least statistically. In those final six contests, includ- ing the College Football Playoff loss to Clemson, Pro Football Focus re- corded that Love was targeted 37 times by opposing offenses and 22 were completed (59.5 percent), but only for 196 yards (a meager 5.3 yards per target). He graded out with a stellar 103.96 efficiency rating. Over that same time, Pride was targeted 27 times and only 11 were completed (40.7 percent) for a paltry 103 yards (3.8 yards per attempt). That 85.01 efficiency rating was significantly better than Love's (lower score wins). In the CFP, Clemson challenged Pride early but was only 2 of 4 for 12 yards, with Pride breaking up one of the passes. Thereafter, the Tigers stayed away from his side, concentrat- ing on the middle of the field and then especially the boundary side when Love was sidelined during the second quarter with an injury. Clemson quar- terback Trevor Lawrence passed for 229 of his 327 yards during that deci- sive quarter (with three touchdowns). Instead of shifting to Love's bound- ary area this spring, Pride remained at his field side (although he did play some boundary in the Blue-Gold Game), where his speed can cover more ground. Sophomore Houston Griffith took the reps with the top unit at boundary throughout the spring. It is a significant adjustment for Griffith, the top-ranked Rivals re- cruit for the Irish in 2018 who shifted to safety and nickel last season. Still, he is not bereft of confidence. "He chats it up with me all the time," said Pride of Griffith, who dons jersey No. 3 while he wears No. 5. "We've got the saying, 'If you want to stay alive, stay away from 3 and 5.' "He's very good with his hands, he's a very fluid corner. … If you go look at the weight room board, he's at the top [among defensive backs]. He's a natural athlete, a natural com- petitor. Those traits, regardless, are going to make you a great player." Even though he has now eschewed track, Pride said it feels like the work volume under second-year defensive coordinator Clark Lea is higher than he's previously experienced. "I thought I was a worker before, but he has really got me being a workhorse," Pride said. "He's got me being a leader, doing so many little things — it's ramped up." Minus track, Pride admitted his football concentration also was more locked in this spring. "I felt a lot more put together," said Pride, who this spring went through excellent one-on-one battles with class- mate Chase Claypool the way the Love and Miles Boykin tandem did last year. "I wasn't stretching myself too thin, I wasn't out every weekend on a flight or something [for a track meet]. "… I also feel faster, I feel in a good place. Maybe I just needed to be in a more focused level." No one on the 2019 Fighting Irish roster knows more about speed than Pride, who had a chance to assess a large sophomore contingent at receiver that is projected to possibly stretch the field more with the passing game. Kevin Austin is the lone member of the class (five catches for 90 yards) to have seen action last season, while Lawrence Keys III, Braden Lenzy and Joe Wilkins Jr. are vying to crack the ro- tation that is led by the veteran tandem of Claypool (50 catches last season) and Chris Finke (49 receptions in 2018). "The sophomores are fast, but you've got to count in [junior] Mike Young," Pride reminded. "He's got some wheels. And Finke, I don't know what he did, but he's looking faster." Physically, Austin has the highest ceiling, but off-field issues must first be rectified to earn the trust of the staff. "A great athlete," Pride said. "He came in here and I'm, 'Yo, did you transfer here?' He was just big (cur- rently 6-2, 210 pounds) coming in. He's a really tough cover. "You've got to get physical with him — but he can do that with you, [and] can run with you." If there is anyone on the roster who can match Pride's flat-line speed, it's Lenzy, who like Pride was a high school phenom on the track circuit but chose to bypass the sport to concen- trate on football, which included add- ing 14 pounds to get his 5-11 frame up to 184. However, lane running in track and functional football speed — breaking off press coverage, proper route running, tracking the ball, body adjustments — are different elements. "Keys is really quick and he can get to his speed faster than Braden can," Pride said. (Lenzy was slowed part of the spring with a Grade 1 ham- string injury). Halfway through spring, Pride re- mained in the moment rather than talk about any preseason accolades he might receive. "There is so much in the future that you don't know, so I just like to cling on to what I have now, cherishing every moment I'm out there with my guys, cherishing every rep, cherishing the coaches and everything," he said. It's about maintaining pride, even minus Love. ✦ Over the final six games last year, opposing quar- terbacks completed just 11 of 27 throws (40.7 percent) for 103 yards (just 3.8 yards per target) and an 85.01 efficiency rating against Pride. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL COMING ON FAST Troy Pride Jr.'s emergence could make him one of the nation's top returning cover men

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