Notre Dame Football: Sheldon Day's Return Sets Tone for Irish Defense

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — With the uncertain schedule of possible returns and looming decisions littering the Notre Dame football offseason, the Irish received important news Saturday from defensive end Sheldon Day.

Day will return for his senior season, bypassing an early exit and the NFL draft, Notre Dame announced Saturday.

Sure, there are still pivotal decisions to be made by or about left tackle Ronnie Stanley and quarterback Everett Golson, and returns from cornerback KeiVarae Russell, defensive end Ishaq Williams and wide receiver DaVaris Daniels would be crucial. But Day’s decision, though not particularly surprising, is the one that sets the tone for the entire Notre Dame defense—and even the team at large—moving forward.

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“While the process leading up to this decision was difficult, ultimately my decision to return was easy,” Day said in a statement. “I love this school, my teammates and this coaching staff. I just felt it was in my best interest to play another for Notre Dame.”

It’s obviously in Notre Dame’s best interest, too.

“I believe we’ve got an opportunity to have a special season in 2015 and I wanted to be a part of that success,” Day said. “I was blessed to play in the national championship game as a freshman in 2012, and I want to do everything in my power to reach that stage again with my guys.”

Day was tabbed as Notre Dame’s Defensive Lineman of the Year despite missing time in three games with a knee injury. Locking him in along the defensive line provides a steadying force to a group that otherwise was without a leader and a stalwart heading into 2015.

Defensive tackle Jarron Jones (Lisfranc) emerged as a junior but is expected to miss four to six months with the injury. Kelly said in November he is hopeful to have Jones back in time for spring practice. Defensive lineman Isaac Rochell was stout and reliable throughout the season, one of just three players on the Irish defense to start all 13 games. Still, Notre Dame needed its rock.

Jaylon Smith leads the linebackers, and the position could be even stronger with a healthy Joe Schmidt, of course. The secondary, with Cole Luke and KeiVarae Russell manning the perimeter, would figure to be strong.

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And Day shores up the first level of the defense. A junior captain in 2014, the Indianapolis native is both a leader on the defense and one of the team’s best players. Day finished tied for first among Irish defensive linemen in tackles (40) and tackles for loss (7.5) and second with nine quarterback hurries.

“He’s an outstanding player and makes a difference on the field for our team, but Sheldon’s impact goes beyond success on the field,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said in a statement. “His leadership as a captain in our program has been instrumental, and I look forward to him carrying this role into 2015.”

Notre Dame’s defense won’t be fixed overnight, however. The holes run deeper than merely the injuries that withered the Irish down the stretch.

But Day’s return is the first tone-setting step in building up the Irish squad, specifically the defense, for a potential run through the national rankings. Notre Dame’s ETA always seemed closest to 2015, with a 24-member recruiting class of soon-to-be juniors that ranked fifth in the country, per 247Sports, now serving as the team’s backbone.

And with key upperclassmen like Day committing to 2015, the Irish are still on track.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Mike Monaco is a lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.