2003            1^st Team            2^nd Team           Reserves              Willingham

                                                                                           Recruits

Seniors - 2     LeVoir-Jr           Ryan-Soph       Santucci-Soph      Ryan Harris

Juniors - 4    Stevenson-Jr       Mitchell-Jr        Mattes-Soph       John Sullivan

Sophs - 6       Giles-Jr            Morton-Soph

Fresh – 2     Milligan-Sr(5^th)    Rairdon-Soph

                   Molinaro-Sr        Bonelli-Soph

Total - 14    

1 returning starter. 2 departures in 2004. 2 incoming freshmen in 2004

The Offensive Line is not only younger in 2003 but has less experience.  The pending departures of two seniors are replaced by only two recruits. Willingham banked two quality OL recruits, both from Notre Dame strongholds. Harris and Sullivan have both moved on to the NFL.  This OL recruiting class lacked depth, though, and could have been much better.  Joe Thomas waited until almost Signing Day to choose Wisconsin.  Mike Jones chose Iowa late.  Willingham had no backup plans.  Willingham’s habit was not to give out his first offers until the summer, way behind the recruiting curve.   He and his staff from Stanford were getting used to the Midwest.  “Could have been” may be the epitaph on Willingham’s offensive line recruiting at Notre Dame.

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