Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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20 AUGUST 2020 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI A lthough the 2020 college foot- ball season will remain mired in mystery on whether it will start — and, more importantly, finish — intrigue regarding competi- tion for playing time remains. In June, the NCAA Division I Council finalized a six-week sched- ule for football team activities, start- ing with up to eight hours per week of strength and conditioning, meet- ings and film review from July 13-23. Those hours will expand to 20 per week from July 24 through Aug. 6 (eight hours of strength and condi- tioning, six hours of walk-throughs with a football, and six hours of meetings and film review). Training camp begins in earnest Aug. 7 to prepare for the slated Sept. 5 or 6 opener at Navy. Unlike in the past, the first two weeks of fall camp is not "football only," but will also include an aca- demic workload. The revised academic schedule wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic will see classes at Notre Dame begin Aug. 10, no semester break in Octo- ber and final exams week occurring Nov. 16-20, prior to the home finale versus Louisville Nov. 21. What will be the top position group battles for a major role? We did not include the defensive line in this analysis because that unit has developed the past couple of years a quality rotation where start- ers receive about 65 to 75 percent of the snaps, while the second group also earns its way into the lineup. Tight end also will have a lead fig- ure but still use multiple sets, while finding the No. 2 quarterback be- tween sophomore Brendon Clark and freshman Drew Pyne will like- wise prompt attention. These areas in our countdown particularly will feature numerous figures attempting to vie for a signifi- cant role on offense or defense. 5. FOURTH CORNERBACK Presumably, North Carolina State two-year starter, 2019 captain and graduate transfer Nick McCloud will start at the boundary spot vacated by Troy Pride Jr. This would then allow junior TaRiq Bracy and sixth-year senior Shaun Crawford to fill the wide side of the field, with Crawford possibly used more in a nickel capacity where he has excelled. Crawford started eight games last year, while Bracy paced the team in passes broken up (seven). But given lion-hearted Crawford's Junior wide receiver Kevin Austin spent 2019 in football exile, but could be a star in waiting. He caught five passes for 90 yards as a true freshman before sit- ting out last year and was impressive during the team's lone spring practice March 5. PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER TOP POSITION BATTLES Competition for more playing time this August will be intense at several spots