Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/699309
70 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY LOU SOMOGYI A fter a 2015 campaign in which the offensive line was leaned on heavily as Notre Dame's No. 1 strength, it is a year of transition for assistant coach Harry Hiestand's troops. Just don't use the "R" word — as in "rebuilding" — around them, even though change is pervasive. • For the first time in seven years, a Martin — Zack or Nick — will not be starting or leading along the line. Each was a two-time captain from the years 2012-15, or since Hiestand first arrived at Notre Dame. • The Fighting Irish need to replace three starters (center Nick Martin, left tackle Ronnie Stanley and right guard Steve Elmer) along the line for the first time since 2007. That was the year Notre Dame had its 3-9 meltdown. • Each projected starter in 2016 has at least one more year of eligibility remaining in 2017, although senior left tackle Mike McGlinchey might go the Stanley route and leave the fifth year on the table. That's a first since 2004, Tyrone Willingham's final season as Notre Dame's head coach. • In addition to McGlinchey, all the other four projected starters also have had to realign during their careers. Rivals rated junior left guard Quenton Nelson was the No. 3 tackle recruit nationally in 2014, earning the rare five-star label. Junior center Sam Mustipher enrolled as a guard and had never played the position — although that didn't prevent Nick Martin from flourishing after originally lining up at tackle and guard with the Irish. Potential senior starting right guard Hunter Bivin worked at tackle each of the past two seasons. Finally, junior right tackle Alex Bars was at first groomed to be Stan- ley's heir apparent at left tackle, but to have a better chance to get on the field in 2015, he was shifted to left guard, where he started two games. This spring Bars was then moved out to right tackle. The "Year of Change" for Hiestand began in January, when the deci- sion was made to switch McGlinchey — who started all 13 games at right tackles as a junior in 2015 — to left tackle. Had Elmer returned for his senior year instead of graduating early this May, Hiestand said the shift of McGlinchey to the left side still would have occurred because of the aspiration to have a potentially dominant duo on the left side with Nelson. BY THE NUMBERS 2 Career starts returning at the three positions from center to right tackle, both by junior Alex Bars (at left guard in 2015). That's the fewest for those three specific positions since 1975 (0), Dan Devine's first year as head coach. 14 Offensive linemen on scholarship, helping form almost three full units. The bonus is that two preferred walk-ons, junior tackle Sam Bush and sophomore guard Logan Plantz, provide the type of depth that could start at many Football Bowl Subdivision schools. 466.4 Yards per game produced by Notre Dame in 2015, including 207.6 rushing. Since 1992, that is the second most at the school, behind the 477.3 in 2005. Year Yds. Per Game Yds. Per Play 2006 389.8 5.7 2007 242.2 3.5 2008 355.1 5.2 2009 451.8 6.4 2010 379.7 5.5 Year Yds. Per Game Yds. Per Play 2011 413.0 5.9 2012 412.2 6.0 2013 405.8 6.1 2014 444.9 6.1 2015 466.4 7.0 NOTRE DAME'S YEAR-BY-YEAR OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION TRANSITION POSITION Three new starters and many position changes aren't lowering expectations for line coach Harry Hiestand Junior left guard Quenton Nelson started 11 games last season and has established himself as a future linchpin of the line and the team. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA OFFENSIVE LINEMEN