Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/841614
96 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW LINEBACKERS Te'von Coney started nine games as a sophomore, but will compete with senior Greer Martini for action this year. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN QUOTABLE: LEA ON REPROGRAMMING HIS VETERAN PLAYERS TO A THIRD DEFENSIVE SYSTEM IN THE PAST YEAR: "Part of my challenge is not necessarily hitting the eraser on everything they've learned as players over the years, but harnessing it and funneling it into an understanding of how we want to execute our defense." Starters ★★★½ Coordinator Mike Elko's defense de- mands production from the lineback- ers. His 2016 Wake Forest backers and rover combined for 40.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hurries, while Notre Dame received just 20 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and two hurries from its group. With a veteran cast, the Fighting Irish should far exceed their effectiveness from last season. Senior Nyles Morgan is the anchor and poised for a huge jump in produc- tion at the Mike position, senior Greer Martini seems to have locked down the Buck spot after a strong spring, and senior Drue Tranquill's combi- nation of range, size and physicality seems ideal at rover. Experience ★★★★ The linebacking corps returns 51 ca- reer starts, with four different players making at least nine starts. Not many college teams have had such a wealth of action from so many. Morgan, Martini and Tranquill all started multiple games as freshmen in 2014, and both Martini and Tranquill have started at least three games in each of the last two seasons. Tranquill and Morgan started all 12 games last season, although Tranquill's starts all came at safety. Junior Te'von Coney started nine contests in 2016, but was unable to hold off Martini during the spring. The two will continue battling in the fall, but surpassing Martini won't be easy. Depth ★★★½ Junior Asmar Bilal made 29 tackles (three for loss) last season as a backup linebacker. He'll complement Tranquill at rover, but the athletic junior could easily slide inside at Buck if the need arose. Sophomores Jamir Jones and Jona- than Jones — no relation — spent time at Mike behind Morgan, but Jamir Jones could ultimately end up as a drop end or a situational pass rusher. Jonathan Jones should thrive in Elko's defense, which puts a great emphasis on speed over size, which helps the fit for the 5-11½, 227-pounder. The returning depth means Notre Dame likely won't have to rely on the three newcomers that arrived this summer. Overall Grade ★★★½ Part of what makes the lineback- ing corps potentially the top position group on the roster is the combina- tion of experience, depth and talent. However, getting to the level of pro- duction Elko needs from his lineback- ers and rover won't be easy, especially for a group that is making a significant adjustment in defensive philosophy. Morgan was a consensus top-100 recruit, and Coney is a returning starter that had a good spring, but is not expected to start in 2017. While the best athlete at the position, Bilal is having a hard time cracking the lineup. When good players are on the bench because other players are per- forming better, that position group is in good shape. BY THE NUMBERS 5 Quarterback sacks registered by senior Buck linebacker Greer Martini during his career (three last year) — the most among anyone on the 2017 Notre Dame roster. Martini also owns the most tackles for loss (11.5) among current Irish play- ers. Classmate and Mike linebacker Nyles Morgan is second in career sacks (four, all last year) and tackles for loss (9.5). 20 Tackles for loss (tied for 13th nationally) accumulated in 2016 by Associated Press first-team All-ACC Mike linebacker Mar- quel Lee in new Notre Dame defensive co- ordinator Mike Elko's system. In the three seasons Lee — a fifth-round pick in this spring's NFL Draft — played for Elko, he totaled 42 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. That could bode well for Morgan this fall. 727 Snaps recorded by Morgan last year, or an average of 60 per game. The total was the third highest on the defense — behind senior cornerback Cole Luke (791) and senior linebacker James On- wualu (728) — and the most of any re- turning player on defense. Senior rover Drue Tranquill is second with 664, which came at the safety position last year. 96 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★★ National Title; ★★★★ Top 10; ★★★ Top 25; ★★ Too Unproven; ★ Major Concern