2017 Notre Dame Football Preview

2017 Notre Dame Football Preview

Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview

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94 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW LINEBACKERS L ess than two weeks after a 45‑27 defeat at USC capped last year's 4‑8 nightmare, the Notre Dame football team made two unique moves. First, it selected a single‑season school‑ record seven captains for the 2017 regular season (although one of them, junior quar‑ terback DeShone Kizer, would turn pro). The usual protocol had been to identify the leaders over the summer and announce them in August, but an urgency after last season mandated a different approach. Second, three of the six remaining cap‑ tains were a linebacker or rover — seniors Nyles Morgan, Greer Martini and Drue Tranquill. Three captains from one position group is unparalleled in Notre Dame annals, and maybe in college football in general. "I feel like Coach [Brian] Kelly did that because he wanted to establish leadership early that will perpetuate through the sea‑ son," Morgan said. "Guys understand how things should be done. We can also learn more now than waiting until August trying to figure everything out." After playing in the 250‑pound range last season, Morgan was a chiseled 238 pounds this spring. He began the process of slim‑ ming down in the final month of last season, during which he paced the team in tackles (94) and sacks (four). "I realized I could play at 240‑245 as far as block destruction and to get around quicker," he said. "… I feel like I move around a lot better. Now I have the opportunity to maybe slip blocks, be more in the backfield. I feel way more explosive and can cover guys way better." Overwhelmed often by previous defen‑ sive coordinator Brian VanGorder's (2014 through the first four games of 2016) NFL schemes, Morgan was equally anxious about how he would adapt to new coordinator Mike Elko's base approach that proved so effective at Wake Forest, which he built into a top defense nationally. "He was just, 'Relax. You're going to learn it. It's not that hard. Keep your head on straight and everything will be fine,'" Morgan said of his initial contact with Elko. "So far he's right. It's not overly com‑ plicated. Guys get it. It makes sense to everybody." Morgan and his cohorts on defense are learning from a third different coordinator within the past year, but revival under a new regime far outweighs past uncertainty. "Every defense has adjustments to be made, but the adjustments aren't compli‑ cated," Morgan said. "[Our offense in prac‑ tice] doesn't know what's coming, doesn't know what's going on. "Things may look the same, but we know that they're not." Looking far different from 2016 will be a primary objective. ✦ OH CAPTAINS! MY CAPTAINS! A trio of seniors in the middle of the Irish defense take on leadership roles Despite playing in primarily a backup role in his first three seasons in South Bend, senior Greer Martini leads all Irish defenders in career tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (five) heading into the 2017 campaign. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA

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