Notre Dame Football: Biggest Takeaways from Irish's Spring Scrimmage
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Saturday marked Notre Dame football’s 12th of 15 spring sessions, and the Irish took their work outdoors on a gorgeous afternoon for a practice heavy on hitting and scrimmage situations.
The entire two-hour session was open to the media, giving us another chance to see for ourselves and read (cautiously) some tea leaves.
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A majority of eyes were trained on quarterbacks Everett Golson and Malik Zaire throughout the afternoon. The split remained even, and Zaire handled the first-team work on this particular afternoon.
Kelly said to reporters after practice there aren’t really any mysteries with the two quarterbacks; both know their areas for further development.
Golson wasn’t perfect with his accuracy and decision-making—he tossed his interception to double coverage near the sideline—but he still impresses as a passer. Golson heaved a deep toss downfield and planted it perfectly in stride on Torii Hunter Jr.’s hands.
Zaire, meanwhile, is still growing mentally.
“Sometimes he’ll check into some things that we’re not quite certain as to what he’s thinking,” Kelly said of Zaire. “Everett, there’s no doubt about where his mind is relative to what he’s seeing and thinking.”
Zaire drew some questioning from the coaching staff for a throw into double coverage and a pre-snap adjustment.
“There’s still some of that processing going on,” Kelly said.
The competition rolls along.
“Neither one of them can turn the football over,” Kelly said, referring to Saturday’s giveaways. “They’re building on what we see as the areas that we’ve asked them to work on.”
Kelly also added Golson has had his best spring in a Notre Dame uniform and is fully engaged in “everything that he’s doing.”
“There’s no indication in anything that he’s done would mean that he’s just doing this as a way to go somewhere else,” Kelly said. “If I sensed it all, I would have pulled the plug on it myself because we’re wasting time.”
C.J. Prosise Is Another Versatile Weapon
Senior-to-be C.J. Prosise, who is cross-training at running back this year after sticking in the slot in 2014, provided the offensive highlight of the afternoon. Lined up in the backfield next to Golson, Prosise took a handoff, angled right and sprinted untouched 70 yards past the entire defense for a touchdown.
Kelly said Prosise has run well between the tackles and can put pressure on fellow backs Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant.
“If I were those two guys, I would feel like they better be careful because he’s got elite speed at the second level,” Kelly said.
Freshmen-to-be Dexter Williams and Josh Adams are on the way this summer, and Kelly said he wants to continue cultivating competition at the position, believing it will bring out the best in the running back room.
Young Talent In Position to Play
First-team reps can sometimes be misleading, especially five months away from the season opener. But there is young talent worth noting for the Irish.
Early enrollee and spring darling Jerry Tillery handled the bulk of the first-team work at defensive tackle next to standout Sheldon Day on Saturday. Tillery has earned the praise of Kelly throughout the spring slate for his maturity and, specifically, his hand technique.
Second-year cornerback Nick Watkins logged all the first-team reps opposite Cole Luke. Of course, if and when KeiVarae Russell returns to the team, Watkins won’t be one of the top two corners. Still, it’s important for the Irish to develop strong depth at the position. Watkins has impressed with his length and athleticism throughout the spring.
Max Redfield Could Be Primed for Breakout Year
Fans and coaches alike have been waiting for safety Max Redfield, the former blue-chipper, to thrive in the defensive secondary. Kelly even reflected earlier this week that, although Redfield still has two seasons of eligibility remaining, he feels the safety’s career has moved too quickly.
But the early returns this spring indicate a much-improved player. Redfield was quite vocal throughout the two-hour practice Saturday, and he came up with a few big plays, including an interception of Zaire.
Kelly praised Redfield and fellow safety Elijah Shumate’s growth.
“I think the first thing you notice is they’re much more vocal,” Kelly said. “You can hear them back there.”
Kelly said they possess a better grasp of the defense, too, which has bred confidence, in part.
“They know they can make plays,” Kelly said. “They know they’re capable of playing at a high level. A lot of that is confidence.”
Matthias Farley Will Make Plays
Matthias Farley, the formerly oft-ridiculed defensive back, continues to be a playmaker on the Notre Dame defense. After leading the Irish with four interceptions and ranking tied for second with 3.5 sacks in 2014, Farley keeps flashing his right-place, right-time ability.
The fifth-year nickelback thumped tight end Tyler Luatua in the open field (though, the burly sophomore held on to the reception) and hung around the ball all afternoon.
Farley has transitioned from derided as a safety in 2013 to possibly underrated, yet undoubtedly valuable, as a nickelback in 2014 and 2015.
Liam Eichenberg To Announce Decision Soon
Class of 2016 offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg stopped by campus this weekend for a visit.
According to Irish247’s Tom Loy, Eichenberg will visit Ohio State next weekend and announce a decision soon thereafter. The 4-star prospect from Cleveland is slotted as the No. 11 offensive tackle and No. 83 overall player in the country. With Matt Hegarty’s departure and Tillery’s start on the defensive side of the ball, Notre Dame will look to add depth along the offensive line in the next few recruiting cycles.
Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting stats and information courtesy of 247Sports.com and all quotes obtained firsthand. Star ratings reflect 247Sports composite rankings.
Mike Monaco is a lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.
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