Notre Dame Football: Week 3 Spring Practice Stock Report
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A year after revamping its defense with a new coordinator, Notre Dame football tinkered with the offense this offseason, adding Mike Sanford to the sideline of minds that already included head coach Brian Kelly and now-associate head coach Mike Denbrock.
Of course, just a few weeks into spring practice, any offensive adjustments are yet to fully reveal themselves. But after a slow week of spring ball, let’s focus on where things stand offensively halfway toward the Blue-Gold Game.
Quarterbacks
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As we’ve said before, don’t expect the quarterback competition to be decided any time soon.
Notre Dame quarterbacks Everett Golson and Malik Zaire are still locked in a “very competitive” battle and are sharing reps “right down the middle,” according to Sanford. The offensive coordinator didn’t lay out a specific timeline for settling on a starter.
In the meantime, Sanford has provided his quarterbacks with feedback throughout the spring. In addition to churning out quantifiable data such as completion percentages and passer efficiency ratings, which Notre Dame’s graduate assistants have handled, Sanford has been grading Golson and Zaire’s technique and decision-making on each rep and providing them with notes afterward.
“We want those guys to feel like there’s accountability for every rep that they take,” Sanford said.
Asked for his early impressions of Golson, Sanford pointed first to the mental side.
“The thing about Everett that I’ve been so appreciative of is his buy-in,” Sanford said. “Everett’s been outstanding in the meeting room environment. He’s been taking unbelievably good notes, attentive. He’s very engaged in the process.”
Sanford added that Golson has been willing to modify aspects of his footwork and mechanics and noted the senior has a clean throwing process.
On the other (left) hand, Sanford first highlighted Zaire’s “unbelievable athletic ability” and said the initial emphasis is on his mechanics and fundamentals.
“That’s really what we’re trying to get done with him because if he’s a well-trained pocket passer first, from a mental standpoint and from a fundamental and physical standpoint, then obviously the sky’s the limit with his ability as a runner and what he can do outside of the pocket,” Sanford said.
Running Backs
Beside Notre Dame’s quarterback—whoever that may be—in the backfield will be a talented running back corps.
Irish junior running back Tarean Folston returns after a sophomore year in which he piled up 889 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Notre Dame will be looking for more from classmate Greg Bryant, the former highly regarded recruit who notched 289 yards and three scores on the ground in 2014.
New running backs coach Autry Denson has now had a few weeks to work with his small but talented stable of backs. Denson, a former Notre Dame star running back himself, said Folston has done a good job leading the backs through the spring.
“For any back that has been playing, the next part is the mental part of the game—getting the concepts and really being another quarterback on the field,” Denson said when asked about the next steps for Folston. “So that’s when the game really starts to slow down.”
Irish senior C.J. Prosise, one of Notre Dame’s two slot receivers in 2014, has been cross training at running back this spring. Denson said he doesn’t yet know where Notre Dame will need the 220-pounder but added he’s treating Prosise “like anybody else.”
"The biggest thing with C.J. is just his comfort level,” Denson said. “As he gets more and more comfortable, I’m seeing some really good things out of him. And like with C.J. or any other player, what you’re trying to do is get him as many reps as possible so that he doesn’t have to think, so then that natural athletic ability can just take over, and he can take some plays.”
Tight Ends
Notre Dame’s tight ends hauled in 31 receptions last season. Thirty of those found the mitts of Ben Koyack, who is busy preparing for the NFL draft.
Redshirt sophomore tight end Durham Smythe grabbed his lone reception of the season—a seven-yarder—against Arizona State. Sophomore-to-be Tyler Luatua was featured almost exclusively as a blocker in 2014.
So what will so-called “Tight End U” look like in 2015?
Notre Dame tight ends coach Scott Booker spewed the standard spring cautions last week, reiterating that his position group is a work in progress and they’re looking to develop all-around tight ends. When asked directly if Smythe is the front-runner for the top job, Booker deferred to Kelly but did praise the third-year man from Belton, Texas.
“I do know that Durham has really done everything that we’ve asked him to do,” Booker said. “So as far as his development, I like where he’s at right now [on] April 1.”
Booker didn’t want to pigeonhole Luatua, who tipped the scales at 260 pounds as a true freshman last season, as solely a blocking tight end.
As for redshirt freshman Nic Weishar, who profiled well as a pass-catching threat split out wide in high school, Booker said it’s tough to develop a comfort for in-line blocking overnight.
Booker is looking for consistency across the board from junior tight end Mike Heuerman, who hasn’t seen the field in two seasons on campus. Heuerman has dealt with injuries during his time in South Bend, including preseason hernia surgery before the 2014 campaign, but Booker said he still needs to find a path to consistency—with weight gains, pass catching, etc.
Hurry-Up Notebook
Denbrock, who served as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator in 2014, said, despite the addition of Sanford, his role this season is “almost exactly the same” as it was last year.
Kelly had made the comment that Notre Dame brought in someone like Sanford to turn the offensive coaches’ room upside down.
“Every day I come in, my papers are all over the floor. The tables are upside down. The chairs are upside down,” Denbrock cracked.
In all sincerity, Denbrock said Sanford brings another valuable voice to a mix that now includes three high-profile offensive coaches. Denbrock deferred to Kelly when asked who should handle play-calling duties.
Wide receiver Will Fuller will look to follow up a breakout sophomore season in which he racked up 76 receptions, 1,094 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. Denbrock said Fuller can still improve his hands, route running and understanding of coverage variations.
Booker, who doubles as Notre Dame’s special teams coordinator, said Bryant has been back returning punts, while Amir Carlisle has taken reps again as the kick returner. Those positions don’t appear to be locked down at this point, as Booker said Fuller and a few freshmen are possibilities.
Practice continues for Notre Dame with sessions Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Mike Monaco is a lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.
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