Notre Dame Football: Depth Chart Analysis, Complete 2015 Preview and Predictions
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — With an experienced corps of returning starters looking to wash away the bitter taste of a 2014 regular season that rolled off the rails, Notre Dame football begins 2015 with high expectations.
The Irish are ranked 11th in the preseason AP poll, their highest ranking since the 2006 squad opened the year second in the country.
Irish head coach Brian Kelly begins his sixth season in South Bend and said this year’s squad is faster, more athletic and deeper than the 2012 group that finished the regular season 12-0 and fell to Alabama in the national title game. Throughout the fall, Kelly has praised the overall leadership, too, lauding the deepest stable of leaders he’s had during his tenure.
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How good can Notre Dame be?
Let’s break down the Irish heading into 2015.
Coaches
| Title | Name | Years with Team |
| Head Coach | Brian Kelly | 6 |
| Associate Head Coach, Wide Receivers | Mike Denbrock | 9 |
| Defensive Coordinator | Brian VanGorder | 2 |
| Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks | Mike Sanford | 1 |
| Linebackers, Recruiting Coordinator | Mike Elston | 6 |
| Tight Ends, Special Teams Coordinator | Scott Booker | 6 |
| Running Backs | Autry Denson | 1 |
| Offensive Line | Harry Hiestand | 4 |
| Defensive Line | Keith Gilmore | 1 |
| Defensive Backs | Todd Lyght | 1 |
At this time last year, Irish fans were still waiting to see how Notre Dame would replace its two coordinators, as Chuck Martin left for the head-coaching job at Miami (Ohio), and Bob Diaco took the lead gig at UConn.
While the turnover this year isn’t as high up the ranks, Notre Dame still deals with a slew of staff shuffles.
Quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur left after one season to take the same role with the Atlanta Falcons. Running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Tony Alford is now the assistant head coach and running backs coach for Urban Meyer at Ohio State. Defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks is now at Oklahoma. Longtime assistant coach Bob Elliott, who tutored the outside linebackers in 2014, is now a special assistant to Kelly and has recently focused on defending the option.
Notre Dame dipped into its own history books to replace Alford and Cooks, hiring all-time leading rusher Autry Denson to coach the backs and two-time consensus All-American cornerback Todd Lyght to coach the secondary. Mike Elston, who had been the defensive line coach, moves to handle the linebackers and adds the title of recruiting coordinator, while veteran assistant Keith Gilmore joins the staff as the defensive line coach.
Most notably, Kelly brought in 32-year old Mike Sanford as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, giving Mike Denbrock the title of associate head coach.
Sanford will coach from the press box, Kelly said Friday, but the Irish have still yet to announce who will handle the play-calling chores. Last week, Kelly said that every day has been an affirmation of what he hoped he’d get in Sanford. When it comes to the quarterbacks, in particular, Kelly said Sanford has eliminated the gray area when it comes to keys and progressions for Malik Zaire, DeShone Kizer, Brandon Wimbush and company.
“I just think that's central to having a great communication base with your quarterbacks,” Kelly said. “If they don't see it through the same lens that you do, there is miscommunication, and that's been cleared up where it's easy communication now with the quarterbacks as to how did you get across the board on your reads if you didn't start with the right movement key, and Mike's done a great job there.”
In Alford and Cooks, Notre Dame lost two of its best recruiters. Cooks found success in Texas, while Alford consistently lured top talent from Florida. In the immediate aftermath, their prowess could be difficult to replicate
Defensively, the Irish benefit from a return to health (with the exception of fall casualties Jarron Jones and Shaun Crawford). But Notre Dame also has a full year of experience in defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s system, a blitz-heavy, pro-style approach with multiple looks.
What to Watch for on Offense
| Position | First String | Second String |
| QB | Malik Zaire | DeShone Kizer |
| RB | Tarean Folston | C.J. Prosise |
| WR | Will Fuller | Equanimeous St. Brown |
| WR | Chris Brown | Corey Robinson |
| WR | Amir Carlisle | Torii Hunter Jr. |
| TE | Durham Smythe | Tyler Luatua |
| LT | Ronnie Stanley | Hunter Bivin |
| LG | Quenton Nelson | Alex Bars |
| C | Nick Martin | Sam Mustipher |
| RG | Steve Elmer | John Montelus |
| RT | Mike McGlinchey | Mark Harrell |
| K | Justin Yoon | Tyler Newsome |
| PR | Will Fuller | C.J. Sanders |
| KR | Amir Carlisle | TBD |
Surprise, surprise. We’ll begin with Zaire.
The redshirt sophomore stepped into the undisputed (minus one @NDFootball tweet) No. 1 quarterback job when Everett Golson elected to use his fifth year at Florida State.
Zaire’s career numbers include one start, 21 completions, 35 attempts, 266 yards and one passing touchdown. His ledger also includes a win over LSU in the Music City Bowl, as he earned the start over Golson, though both played roles in the victory.
In practices open to the media, both in the spring and fall, Zaire appears to bring more comfort to the read-option game. The charismatic southpaw will have the chance to lead the offense.
Now in his third year on campus, Zaire has narrowed his focus in the learning process, Kelly said. Whereas in the past Zaire may have been thinking of too much football minutia, Kelly said the dual-threat quarterback has let go of that which is not nearly as vital.
In the backfield, C.J. Prosise steps into a prominent role after making the full transition from slot receiver. The 220-pound speedster and junior Tarean Folston will carry the load, as Greg Bryant will not play for Notre Dame in 2015.
“We’re just gonna push each other to be better every day,” Prosise said earlier this month. “We don’t want to just settle and just think either one of us has a spot. We’re fighting right now. We’re definitely battling. But we’re still also teaching each other and knowing that we’re there to help look out for each other.”
Over the last week-plus, Prosise has battled a hip flexor, but Kelly said Friday he was expected to be “full-go” Monday, allowing two full-game weeks of preparation before the season opener against Texas.
Possibly Notre Dame’s deepest position on the roster, wide receiver will be a strength for the Irish in 2015.
Junior Will Fuller returns after a breakout sophomore season in which he piled up 76 receptions for 1,094 yards and a program record-tying 15 touchdowns. The Irish also return junior Corey Robinson (40-539-5 in 2014), senior Chris Brown (39-548-1) and fifth-year senior slot man Amir Carlisle (23-309-3).
Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore Torii Hunter Jr. (7-65-1) was one of the standouts in fall camp, and Kelly said Friday he can play all three receiver spots, not just the slot.
“Torii’s a playmaker for us,” Kelly said. “We’ve gotta be able to get some touches for him.”
The Irish are so deep—or “blessed,” as Kelly said earlier this month—at wide receiver that second-year man Justin Brent is auditioning at running back, and playing time could be tough to come by for fellow sophomore Corey Holmes.
Notre Dame’s talented freshman wideouts impressed in the fall, with the lengthy Equanimeous St. Brown and jitterbug C.J. Sanders flashing regularly.
Freshman tight end Alize Jones had his moments, as well, and we’ll see how much playing time he can carve out among a crowded group of tight ends. Redshirt sophomore Durham Smythe has battled a balky hamstring, so second-year players Tyler Luatua and Nic Weishar have received more reps. Fifth-year senior Chase Hounshell, a converted defensive lineman, could help in the blocking game.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and center Nick Martin lead the offensive line, which inserts new starters at left guard (likely Quenton Nelson, with Alex Bars in the rotation) and right tackle (Mike McGlinchey) and lost Conor Hanratty and Matt Hegarty, both of whom had fifth-year options. Still, Kelly is high on this group, especially with the added physical ability of Nelson and McGlinchey, Stanley’s growth and Martin’s health.
What to Watch for on Defense
| Position | First String | Second String |
| DE | Isaac Rochell | Grant Blankenship |
| DT | Jerry Tillery | Daniel Cage |
| DT | Sheldon Day | Jay Hayes |
| DE | Romeo Okwara | or Andrew Trumbetti |
| OLB | Jaylon Smith | Te'von Coney |
| MLB | Joe Schmidt | Nyles Morgan |
| OLB | James Onwualu | Greer Martini |
| CB | KeiVarae Russell | Nick Watkins |
| SS | Elijah Shumate | Avery Sebastian |
| FS | Max Redfield | Matthias Farley |
| CB | Cole Luke | Devin Butler |
| P | Tyler Newsome | TBD |
The biggest news on Notre Dame’s defense heading into a new season revolves around returns: Defensive tackle Sheldon Day passed on the NFL for his senior year; cornerback KeiVarae Russell has been fully cleared by the NCAA; middle linebackers Joe Schmidt and Jarrett Grace are back from serious injuries.
The injuries and depth issues that, in part, derailed Notre Dame’s defense down the stretch in 2014—when the Irish allowed 43 points to North Carolina, 39 to Navy, 55 to Arizona State, 43 to Northwestern and 49 to USC—are mostly solved.
The next question is how the Irish will be in their second season under VanGorder.
Along the defensive line, Day, junior Isaac Rochell, senior Romeo Okwara and sophomore Andrew Trumbetti will be counted on. So too will tackles Jerry Tillery and Daniel Cage after Jones’ injury (more below).
Notre Dame still lacks a premier pass rusher. The Irish ranked tied for 70th in the nation last season, per CFBStats.com, with 26 sacks. Okwara’s team-leading four sacks are an answer to a level-three trivia question.
The Irish are strong at linebacker, with Schmidt and Grace factoring in on the interior with sophomore Nyles Morgan, a “good problem” to have, according to Kelly.
Jaylon Smith, meanwhile, is an exceptional talent and, unsurprisingly yet still consistently, drew praise from Kelly throughout the fall.
“Jaylon Smith is remarkable in terms of what he’s doing on the field,” Kelly said earlier this month. “He is on his game.”
The secondary receives a major boost with Russell’s return. Interestingly, Kelly said Friday that Russell will shift into the nickelback role in certain packages, and junior Devin Butler will man the spot opposite Cole Luke on the perimeter. Sophomore Nick Watkins and freshman Nick Coleman are also options on the outside.
Safety is still an enigmatic spot for the Irish, though junior Max Redfield could be poised for a breakthrough campaign after two quiet seasons to begin his career in South Bend. Beside him, Notre Dame can turn to senior Elijah Shumate and graduate student transfer Avery Sebastian. While there have been promising signs since the end of the 2014 season, the growth at safety needs to be seen when it counts to be believed.
Injury News
Martin, Schmidt and Grace are healthy. Jones and Crawford are not.
Nearing full health from a Lisfranc injury that prematurely ended his junior season in 2014, Jones suffered an MCL injury earlier this month, had surgery last Tuesday and is out for the season.
"385 more days!!! It can be as far as it wanna be but it will eventually come!! You can run but you can't hide. Period.
— Jarron Jones™ (@Who_GotJones94) August 16, 2015"
Jones was rolled up on during an 11-on-11 practice situation—“kind of a freak deal,” per Kelly. At 6’5”, 315 pounds, Jones was set to build on a junior season in which he tallied 40 tackles, including 7.5 for a loss.
So Notre Dame must turn to Tillery and Cage. An early enrollee from Louisiana, Tillery shined in the spring and has received first-team reps in the fall, too.
“Invaluable to have him here in the spring, given the fact that obviously he’s gonna have a pretty prominent role for us on the defensive side of the ball,” Kelly said of Tillery. “That obviously is a big plus for us. He knows the defense pretty well.”
At nickelback, Crawford, a true freshman, was earning praise this fall before he suffered a torn ACL during Wednesday morning’s practice. He’s out for the season.
"Adversity is opportunity. Thanks for all the support! Time to get to work #GoIrish
— Crawf (@1ShaunCrawford) August 20, 2015"
The Irish have fifth-year senior Matthias Farley as a nickelback option, but Russell allows VanGorder enviable versatility in the slot, Kelly said.
X-Factor
It might sound too mainstream, but Zaire is an X-factor for Notre Dame in 2015. Sure, he brings an excitement to the position with both his running ability and his personality. But those 21 career completions are four fewer than the 25 consecutive completions Golson had in a couple quarters against Syracuse last season.
Zaire's potential is there. Will the production follow?
As for lower-profile picks, Hunter and Tillery are both wild cards. If Hunter can maintain his health, he certainly has the ability to produce consistently for Notre Dame, based on his work this fall, in particular.
Tillery, meanwhile, is a heralded freshman, but he’ll get a major bump in usage with Jones sidelined. How badly will the Irish miss Jones?
2015 Schedule
Notre Dame will again endure a challenging slate of games in 2015, with Texas, Georgia Tech, Clemson, USC and Stanford headlining the 12 regular-season matchups.
The Irish start with three of their first four games at Notre Dame Stadium before traveling to South Carolina for a date with Clemson.
Make-or-Break Games
If we restrict our focus here to just a few games, the matchups with Clemson and USC—in a three-week span in October—stand out.
Notre Dame could conceivably be 4-0 when it travels to face the Tigers. A win there, and the Irish will have plenty of momentum two weeks later (following a home clash with Navy) when it hosts USC under the lights at Notre Dame Stadium.
At No. 8 and No. 12 in the AP poll, respectively, USC and Clemson are the two highest-ranked opponents the Irish face. There are many other variables at play over the course of a 12-game season, but these two games can mightily change the tune of Notre Dame’s season.
Prediction
We’ve analyzed the Irish schedule throughout the spring, summer and fall.
And while nothing is certain, of course, Notre Dame should take care of its business against UMass, Virginia, Wake Forest, Temple and, to a lesser degree, Boston College. Those are in our first tier of games.
Notre Dame should also be favored against Texas, Navy and Pittsburgh, as well as Georgia Tech, though the Yellow Jackets are coming off an 11-win season and can look to the past success option teams like Navy and Air Force have had against Notre Dame.
That brings us to those Clemson and USC games, in addition to the regular-season finale against Stanford in Northern California. Taken individually, Notre Dame could have a slight edge at home against USC and against the Cardinal, who bring back just 13 starters from last year’s 8-5 team. A road date at Clemson, though, looms large.
Notre Dame can win every game on its schedule. It could also lose against Clemson, USC, Stanford and, to a lesser extent, Texas and Georgia Tech, without it being a major upset. Navy and Pittsburgh have threatened the Irish in recent years, too.
But with a veteran-laden team heavy on leadership, we’ll stick with last week’s prediction.
Overall Record: 11-1
All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Mike Monaco is the lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.
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