Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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72 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW OFFENSIVE LINEMEN Hiestand liked what he saw from his new right tackle during the spring. "It's been a steady progression for him. He'll continue to get better and better," Hiestand said. "We're seeing good, steady progress. He needs to improve some things. He's a tireless worker and just super prideful about getting it right. He just keeps gaining ground." At left guard, standout sophomores Quenton Nelson and Alex Bars did battle during the spring. Rivals rightfully had Nelson — widely considered the top prospect in Notre Dame's 2014 recruiting class — ranked as a five-star recruit as a prep player. Bars was not far behind Nelson, and both players are the future of the Irish line. From a style standpoint, the talented pair could not be more different. "Quenton's bigger, thicker, more of a brawler type," Hiestand said. "Alex is more technique conscious. They both have a tremendous will to be good and a tremendous work ethic." Throughout the 2014 season, Kelly heaped praise on the young line- men, both of whom saved a season of eligibility. "Quenton Nelson is extremely explosive and strong, and can over- whelm a defender," Kelly said. "Alex Bars is extremely efficient and technically so far above the normal redshirt freshman. Technically he's so good. "You have two guys here, one that is really physically at times dominant and one who you think he's a junior and that he's been in the program three or four years." With junior Malik Zaire poised to take over as the starting quarter- back, Nelson — the more dominant run blocker — has the clear edge. Kelly has stated, however, that both players will be involved throughout the 2015 season. What also excites Hiestand and Kelly is the offensive line's strong depth chart. "I think it's the deepest," Kelly noted. "What was really revealing to me was when the quarterbacks flipped this spring, it was hard to tell whether it was the first offensive line or the second offensive line. Usu- ally you know when the second offensive line is in there." Offensive line coaches can be hard to please, but Hiestand came out of the spring feeling good about his group. "I like where they are," Hiestand said of his talented reserves. "Ev- ery day when you're out there you see a lot of things that you need to do better, but I like where we're going, I like how they're developing physically and mentally." ✦ QUICK FACTS Position Coach: Harry Hiestand (4th year at Notre Dame) Returning Starters: LT Ronnie Stanley (26 career starts), C Nick Martin (24) and RG Steve Elmer (17) Departing Starters: RT Christian Lombard (31) and C Matt Hegarty (13) Projected New Starters: RT Mike McGlinchey (1) and LG Quenton Nelson Top Reserves: G/T Alex Bars, RT Mark Harrell, C Sam Mustipher, LT Hunter Bivin and RG John Montelus Waiting Their Turn: G/T Colin McGovern and G Jimmy Byrne Newcomers: C Tristen Hoge and G Trevor Ruhland Moved In: None Other Departures: G Conor Hanratty FYI: The line is ranked No. 4 nationally by Lindy's Sports College Football National 2015 Preview and No. 13 by Athlon Sports College Football Preview … Stanley is ranked as the No. 2 left tackle in the land by Lindy's … Martin is rated as the No. 3 center by Lindy's … Stanley was named a preseason first-team All-American by Lindy's and Phil Steele's 2015 College Football Preview … Elmer spent part of the summer serving an internship with Michigan Representative John Moolenaar in Washington, D.C. … Freshman defensive tackle Jerry Tillery was originally the top-ranked offensive line recruit in the 2015 class … For the first time since he was hired in January 2012, Hiestand will have a starting lineup made up primarily of players he recruited … Three starters (Elmer, McGlinchey and Nelson) were recruited directly by Hiestand … Stanley was recruited by former coach Ed Warinner (now at Ohio State), but has been coached only by Hiestand. MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF Following in the footsteps of an older brother can always be difficult, especially one as decorated as former Notre Dame standout Zack Martin. But for the fifth-year se- nior Nick Martin, following in his brother's footsteps has been something he relishes and the reason he committed to Notre Dame in the first place. A longtime Kentucky commit, Martin could not pass up on a chance to play with Zack. "A really big part of it was family," Martin told Blue & Gold Illustrated when he signed with Notre Dame in 2011. "Zack and I built a really good relationship when we were in high school together. To be on the same team as him … I couldn't pass up that opportunity." Zack was already making a name for himself at Notre Dame, having won the Guard- ian of the Year Award, recognizing him as the team's top lineman an unbreakable four years in a row. After starting alongside his brother for 11 games in 2013, the younger Martin suc- ceeded the first-round selection as a team captain. "Nick Martin is the leader of that group, it's pretty clear. That's Nick Martin really driving that group," head coach Brian Kelly said prior to 2014. "A lot of that has been passed on from Zack. That's why I consider him one of the great captains of my career, because he passed on so much of that, and they are just following from a lot of what he passed on." Once again, Nick showed a great appreciation for what he learned from his older brother, who became the first NFL offensive lineman since 1947 to earn All-Pro ac- colades as a rookie. "When he was here he was one of the best leaders to come through Notre Dame," Nick said of his brother. "Now that he's gone, I've learned from him, and it's my time to step up." Martin entered the 2014 less than full speed due to the knee injury that caused him to miss the final two games of 2013. A hand injury suffered early in the season slowed him even more. Now healthy, Martin is prepared to create his own legacy. "Nick Martin is much stronger and more effective than he was last year coming back from a pretty substantial knee injury and the hand injury," Kelly said. "You could see he's a much more explosive player than he was last year." Martin is on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which is presented to the nation's best center. He is the unquestioned leader of a unit that is expected to be among the nation's elite. "There's no doubt that we have the talent," Martin said. "How are we going to do it together and how are we going to do it on a consistent basis?" A Martin has usually found an answer. — Bryan Driskell Fifth-year senior Nick Martin is on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which is presented to the nation's best center. PHOTO BY SUZANNA PRATT