Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 115 SPECIALISTS QUOTABLE: FIRST-YEAR SPE- CIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR BRIAN POLIAN ON SENIOR PUNTER TYLER NEWSOME'S TYPE-A PERSONAL- ITY THAT INCLUDES BENCHING 23 REPS OF 225 POUNDS. "If you don't rein him in, he'll kick 100 times, and then the next day he can't understand why his quad is sore. We've had to keep him very structured. My focus has been let's tighten up the punting here." 2016 VS. 2017: STOCK UP OR DOWN? A disappointing 2016 on special teams should have no place to go but up, much like the 4‑8 finish overall. With kicker Justin Yoon, punter Tyler Newsome and top return man C.J. Sanders all returning for their third season as starters, the Fighting Irish special teams have seasoned veterans, which by itself should be a positive. Former Nevada head coach Brian Polian (2013‑16) has an extensive background with the kicking game and his job title is listed only as special teams coordinator, his forte, although he also has become a renowned recruiter. His background and experi‑ ence with the kicking game should be a boost. X-FACTOR Yoon was sidelined this spring because of leg weariness, which is not something you want to hear about a kicker. The junior has converted 28 of 34 field goal attempts at Notre Dame, a .824 percentage that puts him No. 2 on the school's all‑ t i m e chart among kickers who have had at least 40 attempts (David Ruffer was 33 of 40 from 2009‑11 for a .825 mark). As a precaution, Polian went after and signed Jonathan Doerer to handle at least kickoffs in 2017. Also encouraging was the performance of senior walk‑on Sam Kohler, who drilled 42‑ and 46‑yard field goals in his lone two attempts in this spring's Blue‑Gold Game. FRESHMAN OUTLOOK Rangy 6‑3 kicker Jonathan Doerer was signed to handle kickoff duties immediately in 2017, and as an insurance policy on placekicks and punts. Among the 21 recruits signed this past Febru‑ ary, he would definitely rank among the top five for best chance to play in his rookie season. He was added late in the recruiting process because newly hired special teams coordinator Brian Pollen lobbied hard for him after Doerer had originally committed to Maryland. "Brian was banging on the table on this kid," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said. "When we were able to look at his numbers, the way he kicked the football, he was as good, if not the best, in the country." DID YOU KNOW? The five touchdowns Notre Dame surrendered on special teams in 2016 — two kickoffs, one punt, one blocked punt and one fumbled punt — is unofficially a single-season school record. Research showed the last time the Fighting Irish allowed at least two special teams touchdowns in a season was 1972, when USC's Anthony Davis returned two kickoffs for scores in the 45-23 Trojans victory en route to the national title. In Lou Holtz's final 10 seasons as the Notre Dame coach from 1987-96, not one TD on special teams was allowed. A year earlier in 2015, while going 10-3, Notre Dame did not permit a special teams score while tal - lying a special teams TD four different ways: fake field goal, blocked punt, punt return and kick return. Junior kicker Justin Yoon converted 28 of 34 field goal attempts (82.4 percent) the past two seasons. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA NOTABLE DATA While junior punter Tyler Newsome's power- ful right leg routinely results in many prodi- gious punts of 50-plus yard (36 his first two seasons), one of the most overrated stats in football can be punting average. Last year, Newsome was 26th na- tionally in punting yards with a 43.5 average — but as a team Notre Dame was 106th in net punting with a 35.28 figure (af- ter punt returns or blocks). "Net punt is the only thing that matters, and we want to be 39 yards or more net punt," first- year Notre Dame special teams coordinator Brian Polian said. "If he kicks a 42-yard hanging ball that is fair caught, that is a win. "We don't want 50-yard line drives. Those are hard to cover." SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS (4) Listed after the class year is the years of eligi- bility remaining. Kicker 19 Justin Yoon (5-10, 195), Jr./2 29 Sam Kohler* (6-0, 189), Sr./2 39 Jonathan Doerer (6-3, 188), Fr./4 Punter 85 Tyler Newsome (6-2½, 207), Sr./2 42 Jeff Riney* (5-10½, 180), Jr./2 39 Jonathan Doerer (6-3, 188), Fr./4 Long Snapper 54 John Shannon (6-2, 235), So./4 82 Nic Weishar (6-4½, 242), Sr./2 59 Kier Murphy* (6-1½, 225), Jr./2 Kick Returner 3 C.J. Sanders (5-8, 185), Jr./2 10 Chris Finke (5-9½, 177), Jr./3 2 Dexter Williams (5-11, 202), Jr./2 * Walk-on