2008 Fighting Irish Fall Practice Review

Moving from the outside linebacker position next to Crum is sophomore Brian Smith. Smith showed exceptional athleticism in his freshman season, prompting the defensive staff to move him to the interior where he is free to make more plays. He has looked excellent in the Fall and could have a great 2008 campaign. Smith has all of the physical tools to be a great linebacker: size, strength, speed, and instincts. And in assistant head coach Jon Tenuta’s aggressive, blitzing scheme, he should wreck havoc on opposing offenses.

Behind Smith and Crum the options are a little thin for the Irish. Toryan Smith was the projected starter at inside linebacker before the move by Brian Smith to the interior. With good size, Toryan Smith could be a capable force against the run, but his lack of speed has hurt him dropping into coverage in the passing game.

The outside linebacker position for Notre Dame will feature a strong/weak look with sophomore Harrison Smith occupying the strong-side linebacker position. Despite not having ideal size, Smith will serve as the defensive coordinator Corwin Brown’s answer to the spread offense. He has excellent speed and athleticism, always ending plays around the ball. Smith has adapted well to his new roll this Fall and as long as Brown doesn’t ask him to play strong against the run on the edge he should be a big asset to the Irish defense.

The weak outside linebacker position will be manned by junior John Ryan and sophomore Kerry Neal. Both will likely play down on the line of scrimmage in 4-3 looks for the Irish, with Ryan contributing more effectively against the run and Neal being the pass rush specialist. Neal showed a knack for getting after the quarterback in his freshman campaign but struggled to consistently play well against the run. Both players have looked solid in the Fall as the defensive end look of the 4-3 defense seems like a much more natural fit for Ryan than his outside linebacker position in the 3-4.

Two freshmen may enter the mix as well with Darius Fleming and Steve Filer showing promise and excellent athleticism in the Fall. In the very least these two should push the others at the same position, helping improve the play of the linebacker corps through competition as well as creating depth.

Secondary

Arguably the strongest position on the defensive side of the ball coming out of the 2007 season, the Irish secondary took a hit before the season started with the loss of projected starting cornerback Darrin Walls. Walls was easily Notre Dame’s best cover corner and his loss leaves the secondary with a lack of experience at one of the cornerback positions. There is talent waiting in the wings as this may be the most athletic group of secondary players since the Holtz era, but Walls’ backup and projected starter Raeshon McNeil will need to grow up quickly.

Manning the other corner spot is two-year starter Terrail Lambert. Lambert possesses top end speed and has developed good instincts for the position. Taking on a leadership roll in the Fall, Lambert looks to be developing into a solid senior player for the Irish. He and McNeil have the speed, quickness, and ability to be very good players for the Irish in 2008.

Behind Lambert and McNeil are four players who could see duty in Nickel and Dime packages. Sophomore Gary Gray, juniors Sergio Brown and Jashaad Gaines, and freshman Robert Blanton have all had very good Fall practices and should contribute in 2008. Brown and Gaines both possess excellent athleticism, speed, and range, and it seems that they are finally learning the nuances of the position. Gray turned heads all last season will recovering from an injury and has pressed McNeil for the starting role. Similar to McNeil, Gray is exceptionally smooth coming in and out of breaks and making plays on the ball.

Blanton has also been making a good impression on the coaching staff during the Fall, pushing to see the field. While he doesn’t have excellent speed, his long frame and agility allow him to break on the ball exceptionally well. He may be too small to hold up against the run every down but Blanton could provide some solid minutes if needed.

At the safety position the Irish have one of the most under-rated players in the country. After a great off-season senior David Bruton is poised to have an break-out performance in 2008. With exceptional power, agility, and range, Bruton is ideally suited to play center field for the Irish. Having a front seven that puts more pressure on opposing quarterbacks should also help to increase his interception production.

Filling in for the departed Tom Zbikowski is senior Kyle McCarthy. McCarthy had an excellent Spring and continued to impress in the Fall with a knack for showing up near the ball. While he doesn’t possess elite speed, McCarthy does have good size and quickness, and is a very dependable tackler. He reads the run quickly and takes excellent angles to fill gaps on the outside. If he can prove to be unsusceptible to play action the Irish may see an upgrade in play at the strong safety position.

In short, the Irish secondary has excellent athleticism and speed, making them good candidates to play tough, press-man coverage and allow the front seven to pressure opposing quarterbacks. This plays right into Tenuta’s scheme and should pay huge dividends for the defense in 2008.

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